AY About You March 2023

Make 2023 Your Year for the

Bailey’s beautiful new smile with porcelain veneers

Beautiful Smile You

With 40 years experience providing clinical excellence you know you’re in good hands. Dr. Wyant is Arkansas’ only Accredited Fellow Cosmetic Dentist.

Credentials, experience and caring concern for each individual patient insures that you’ll receive exceptional esthetic results regardless of the challenges presented. Learn more how Dr. Wyant can help you have an incredible smile by calling today for your complimentary smile consultation.

501.819.3608

Photo by Jamie Lee.

Connecting withClubs AT

PCSSD

The Pulaski County Special School District is committed to providing a quality and equitable education to all students, which includes lessons both in and out of the classroom. In addition to the academic courses offered for Pre-K to 12th grades, PCSSD provides a number of extracurricular and club activities for students to join at many different grade levels. Here are just a few of the unique opportunities available to students within PCSSD.

“Students of all abilities are able to interact on a deeper level with their peers and form real friendships,” said club advisor Heather Moreland. “While those with disabilities are learning social skills, they are also being given the encouragement they need to do and try new things. Those without disabilities are breaking down barriers and learning to mentor, volunteer, and be a friend to all!”

Pine Forest Elementary in the Maumelle Feeder offers a Chess Club for students. They meet weekly and play against other students, watch video lessons, and even play against the computer on Chesskid.com.

“Chess Club provides players an opportunity to play casually, socialize, and participate in a yearly tournament,” says chess club facilitator Deborah Jones.

“The chess classes link to many facets of the curriculum -- from higher-order thinking skills to math, science, and reading. The children not only develop critical thinking skills but also show more self-esteem and self-worth as a result of learning the game.”

Over in the Mills feeder, Mills University Studies High offers U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) for its students. JROTC is designed to teach values associated with responsible citizenship.

Joe T. Robinson High in the Robinson Feeder has a Friends for Life Club. The club is composed of students with and without disabilities with the goal of creating friendships no matter the obstacles one may face in life.

ABOUT PCSSD

“Cadets learn and apply leadership and human relations skills, communication skills, and an appreciation for teamwork and self-discipline,” said LTC Paul Brown. “Emphasis is placed on integrity, responsibility, and respect for each other and authority.”

Finally, in the Sylvan Hills feeder, Oakbrooke Elementary has an honors choir for 4th and 5th grade students. They meet weekly and work together to learn songs and prepare for performances.

“They get to form a different bond with the students they are in choir with,” said Music teacher Rebecca Bloodworth. “The honor choir gets to develop singing skills and social skills on field trips and practices that we don’t get to do during the normal school day.”

PCSSD is proud to offer a number of unique extracurricular activities and clubs for students across the District. You can find a full list of extracurricular opportunities on each school website.

Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 26 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927.

PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.

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Joe David Rice, born in Paragould and reared in Jonesboro, probably knows Arkansas as well as anyone alive. The former owner of an outfitting business on the Buffalo National River and the state’s former tourism director, his "Arkansas Backstories" is published by the Butler Center.

Amy Gramlich is a wife, mom, blogger, and public school educator, proudly planted in Arkansas. She loves to celebrate all occasions big and small with fun outfits, creative recipes and fresh home decor (which must always include plants). She enjoys all the details that go into planning the next trip or party.

Cassidy Kendall, born and raised in Camden, Arkansas, currently lives and works in Hot Springs as a full-time freelance journalist. In the past year, she has published her first book, “100 Things to Do in Hot Springs Before You Die.” She graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts in Print Journalism in 2018.

Julie Craig began her magazine career while living in New York City as an intern at Seventeen. With fashion and home design as her forte for the past 15 years, Julie is a blogger, writer and editor who has reported stories for Us Weekly and written about and photographed New York Fashion Week.

Chris Davis was born and raised in Sherwood, but now resides in North Little Rock with his wife and 7-year-old son. When his son was born, his wife asked for a new camera to take pictures of their little one. From there, his love of photography grew, and he is proud to be one of the newest contributing photographers.

Becky Gillette, based in Eureka Springs, is a freelance writer/ photographer whose work has been published in about 50 magazines and in newspapers nationwide. Her articles have appeared in Ladies Home Journal, Organic Gardening, Utne Reader, E, The Environmental Magazine, Arkansas Medical News, BioScience and Stockman Grass Farmer.

Jamie Lee, born and raised in Southwest Louisiana, now lives in Little Rock with her husband, daughter, two dogs and a cat. Jamie is a published senior photographer and shoots everything from portraits to branding to food. She has over 15 years of experience in the photography business and over 25 years in the travel and tourism

Jenny Boulden has been writing professionally for more than 25 years. She now works at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield but still enjoys freelance writing for AY and other publications. Her creative focus is writing about people, film, books and food, some of her favorite things.

2nd St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Subscription Inquiries: Subscription rate is $20 for one year (12 issues). Single issues are available upon request for $5. For subscriptions, inquiries or address changes, call 501-244-9700. The contents of AY are copyrighted ©2023, and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Articles in AY should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by AY Please recycle this magazine.

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Hello Springtime!

It’s March, which means my season of the year. As we drove around this last weekend, I noticed a glimpse of daffodils and hyacinths emerging from the ground and ready to take in all the warm sunshine. March can have a nip of chill in the air, but it definitely provides a delightful, colorful landscape.

Here at AY About You, we’re all about good food, and our March issue is chock-full of the best Arkansas has to offer. Inside, you’ll find our reader’s poll of the best restaurants in the state, broken down by various categories. This list was determined by you, the loyal AY About You reader, and was our biggest yet, so be sure to check out if your favorite place was the winner.

We also give a tip of the cap to the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame finalists. This prestigious award is given annually to the most outstanding and legendary Arkansas restaurants, food events and operators. They truly make our state delicious!

Speaking of delicious, check out our cover story on Cache Restaurant, one of the best fine dining establishments anywhere and a frequent winner in our Reader’s Restaurant Poll over the years. We sit down with Chef Payne Harding to dish on what’s new at the River Market landmark.

We also visit our friends at Ronald McDonald House to preview the 20th annual Chocolate Fantasy Ball, coming soon. And we cowboy up with a story about PBR bull riding, coming to Simmons Bank Arena. Make plans now to come out and watch Arkansas’ own Chase Outlaw compete on his home turf!

Finally, we take you along for the ride as we explore Northwest Arkansas’s cycling culture, a major attraction in The Natural State. And we salute our beautiful State Parks, which turn 100 years old this year. As spring arrives and the weather turns nice, there’s no better way to enjoy it than at one of our 52 gorgeous State Parks.

Thanks for being loyal to our magazine and our mission. As you can see, we love telling the stories of Arkansans who are making a difference in so many unique areas. Let me know if there’s a particular story you’d like to read, or let me know who’s making a difference near you.

Heather Baker, President & Publisher hbaker@aymag.com

heatherbaker_ar

READER FEEDBACK

THE CROISSANTERIE IS GETTING A LIQUOR LICENSE

“This place is awesome. Every employee is smiling and polite. Owners always go out of their way to welcome you. Food is great. 90 seconds from my house!!! So thankful for such a wonderful place.”

Rush Harding

ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEW WALDO’S CHICKEN & BEER THAT’S OPENING IN LITTLE ROCK?

“Yes indeed!!!”

Cherie Abston

THE WYE MOUNTAIN DAFFODIL FESTIVAL IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 4 THROUGH MARCH 12.

“I have been there. It is a beautiful sight in the spring.”

Anna Mae Thorpe Owen

THERE WILL BE A NEW GOURMET DRIVE-THRU COFFEE SHOP OPENING UP SOON IN WHITE HALL

“I can’t wait!”

Kelley Hale

FROM FOOD TRUCK TO BRICK-AND-MORTAR, THE BOIL HAS FOUND ITS STATIONARY HOME IN THE LITTLE ROCK RIVER MARKET.

“Congratulations!”

Pat Bullard

7 BREW COFFEE WILL BE CELEBRATING ITS GRAND OPENING AT ITS LITTLE ROCK LOCATION AT 1110 NORTH RODNEY PARHAM ROAD!

“That’s awesome. Need one on McCain Blvd. in North Little Rock.”

Brandon Moody

TRENDING ON AYMAG.COM

Two New Whataburger Locations Opening in Central Arkansas

David’s Burgers in West Little Rock is Relocating

Edwards Food Giant Coming to Lakewood Village

Historic Ohio Club of Hot Springs Changing Ownership

New Aquarium Opens in Rogers

Lauren Dawson grew up experiencing the world first-hand as a military brat. She now experiences just as much from behind one of the most popular tourist bars in Hot Springs.

Northwest Arkansas’ firstever aquarium, Blue Zoo, is now officially open to the public.

Once completely gone from the Natural State, there are now numerous opportunities for eagle spotting around Arkansas.

Waldo’s Chicken & Beer opened its second Arkansas location on Feb. 21, at 6 Bass Pro Drive in Little Rock (in the former David’s Burgers location).

5Top you just can't

miss!

PBR: U.S. BORDER PATROL INVITATIONAL

March 3-4

Simmons Bank Arena // North Little Rock

The world’s premier bullriding organization will be hosting its U.S. Border Patrol Invitational in North Little Rock, with Arkansas’s very own Chase Outlaw competing.

ARKANSAS FILMMAKER’S SHOWCASE

March 11

Walton Arts Center // Fayetteville

Curated by the Fayetteville Film Fest, the Arkansas Filmmaker’s Showcase will highlight the work of several films created throughout The Natural State.

BLAKE SHELTON BACK TO THE HONKY TONK TOUR

March 16

Simmons Bank Arena // North Little Rock

Joined by Carly Pearce and Jackson Dean, Blake Shelton will be bringing his highly-anticipated tour that “No Body” in Arkansas wants to miss.

“THE WORLD’S SHORTEST ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE”

March 17

Bridge St. Live! Entertainment District // Hot Springs

With Justin Moore serving as The Grand Marshal and Christopher McDonald as The Parade Starter, there is no better place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than at the 20th Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

MONSTER JAM 2023

March 25-26

Simmons Bank Arena // North Little Rock

The ultimate monster truck event will be pushing all limits with perfectly-engineered 12,000-pound trucks in freestyle, skills, donuts and several racing categories.

Showstopper

KellCo Raises the Bar Again

By DWAIN HEBDA // Photos Provided

In the luxury homes marketplace, it’s getting harder and harder to stand out with a residential creation that truly represents the pinnacle of design and function. But that’s just the kind of challenge Tracie Kelley loves to sink her professional teeth into.

Kelley, president and CEO of KellCo Custom Homes, has built a stellar reputation for setting a high bar in the masterwork creations her company designs and builds. She maintains her status as one of Little Rock’s premier builders, thanks to her drive to constantly improve and push the envelope.

“I’m always eager to step it up and raise my own bar,” Kelley said. “I don’t build something just to sell something. My passion for custom home building extends far beyond ordinary. Each home that I design reflects a distinct character that is often hard to find in today’s homes.”

Kelley and team’s latest effort, Hallan Estate, stretches the bounds of imagination when it comes to high-end appointments, tasteful design and top-quality materials, which combine for the ultimate wow factor. Simply put,

the highly anticipated and ultra-exclusive home represents the highest expression of the builder’s art.

“Hallen Estate is such an amazing home and on so many levels,” Kelley said. “I believe every home carries a testimony within, and Hallen Estate has something very powerful. I’ve been unbelievably blessed to have the opportunity to build this special home. I’m giving God all the glory.”

Few words can adequately describe the impression the striking home imparts; even at first glance, you know the place has few equals in the local market. The building’s exterior commands attention at once, having expertly paired multiple building materials into a symphony for the senses. Steel roofing and iron railings contrast the light granite shell, while just the right touch of wood lends warmth to the stunning profile.

The home stands out, obviously, yet at the same time somehow manages to accentuate the regal environment that surrounds it in its pristine Chenal Valley neighborhood. Kelley said the tranquil natural backdrop provided the perfect palette and inspiration for her masterpiece.

“I love and appreciate the consistency and powerful aesthetics Chenal Valley offers its residents,” she said. “Chenal offers something different; it’s special all on its own, and that’s totally my drive.”

Innovation and style abound throughout Hallan Estate, brought together in a way where form complements function. Consider lighting, as an example – Kelley said her favorite elements of the structure are the massive custom-made Pella windows, which provide what she described as a “sleek and sassy” architectural aesthetic. But combine them with illumination by the super luxe lighting features, and the windows are transformed, dazzlingly saturated with a warm, rich glow against the velvety Arkansas night sky.

“Lighting styles in a home say a lot,” Kelley said. “Luxurious lighting throughout a home offers uniqueness and enhances architectural allure. Emotionally, a home filled with light exudes much joy.”

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Beyond the aesthetics and ambiance, the LED lighting found throughout also feeds into the home’s overall energy efficiency, as do other elements of the construction. Hallen Estate features insulated

metal roofing, which reflects sunlight up and away from the home rather than absorbing it, making the home easier to cool. The internal environment is kept at optimal temperature by a high-efficiency HVAC system by Energy Air, Inc.

Inside, the appointments are second to none and brought together seamlessly to reflect modern design that’s still comfortable. Thus does thermal white oak hardwood flooring mesh seamlessly with 16-light matte-black modern chandeliers and exotic Quartzites and stone countertops meld with deep-grained hickory cabinets. Such craftsmanship comes at a cost, of course, but for Kelley high-end is the standard — she’ll either build the very best or she won’t build it at all.

“It truly takes getting out of your comfort zone to make the unique happen,” she said. “I like to keep things stirred up. Who wants what everyone else has? Boring. Boring. Boring.”

When pressed, Kelley points to the kitchen and family room as her two favorites in the home, and it’s hard to argue. The aforementioned kitchen cabinetry – stained using a white-wash method, back wiped through different applications – displays the woodgrain as high art, set off by the black kitchen island with dramatic countertop, dark backsplash and silver appliances.

The gourmet kitchen transitions into the family room, anchored by a grand, linear fireplace stacked with granite stones, equally ideal for elegant entertaining down or an ordinary Friday movie night with the family.

In many homes, outdoor spaces are an afterthought; even in some luxury models, patios and other living areas can feel tacked on. Not so at Hallan Estate, where the level of attention to detail and quality of design rivals lesser projects’ main living interiors.

“Exceptional designs have no boundaries,” Kelley said. “With so many folks working from home today, who wants to feel trapped inside? I decided to take these spaces to the next level and just go for it.”

The result is a collection of open spaces, entertainment patios, flex rooms, outdoor kitchens and in-ground pools softened by greenspaces. The precision of the landscaping is such that even hardscape has an architectural feel to it. As much as the interior has to offer, one can easily

imagine Hallan Estate’s outdoor spaces to be the most-used and bestloved by its occupants.

To look upon a finished project such as Hallan Estate, which has come together so beautifully, it’s easy to forget how much work, planning and coordination it takes to pull off such a endeavor. The unforeseen happens on every build, large or small, and as Kelley noted, the bigger the prize the steeper the climb.

“There will always be challenges to occur. It’s the nature of the beast,” she said. “As a general contractor, we’ve witnessed and faced numerous and unprecedented changes within the industry, especially over the past couple of years. To say they can be challenging is merely an understatement. We must be realistic and understand the process of building a custom home will always include bumps along the way.

“Be nice to your builder, and trust their advice; a great builder is an expert who will do everything possible to keep calm through the chaos. It’s important that clients trust they hired the right builder and trust in our ability to execute, even through the chaos. And remember, sometimes it’s best to stay out of the kitchen until the final product is ready.”

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It would be a stretch to say anyone who saw Kelley playing in the lumber yard of Mechanics Lumber Company in North Little Rock,

where her father was employed, could imagine the tyke would grow into the real estate force she is today. But from that tender age, Kelley has always clung to a firm sense of self and an inviolate code of ethics, even as the different chapters of her professional and personal life unfolded.

“Having a family background in the real estate and construction industry inspired me at an early age,” she said in a 2019 Power Women profile in Arkansas Money & Politics. “I started as a one-woman home-based operation, which launched in 1994. Today, I have grown to employ a collaborative team devoted to providing an unwavering commitment to exceptional services within all aspects of my corporations.

“Maintaining a strong will to push forward and staying focused on the individual needs of my clients certainly wasn’t learned in any textbook, but by great work ethic and self-discipline, which has resulted in over 25 years of industry experience and success.

Today, in addition to KellCo Custom Homes, the enterprising Kelley is also president and CEO of KellCo Real Estate and Energy Air Inc. During her career, many doubted a woman could ascend to the top of such male-dominated industries, but it never occurred to Kelley that she couldn’t do just that. She said she’s drawn inspiration and fortitude from other successful women.

“Strong women build other women and rejoice in their successes, as

“Our success stems from the dedication and hard work of the builder and the quality of our subcontractors and suppliers.”

opposed to seeing others as a threat,” she said in a 2020 AY About You article in 2020. “I admire a strong woman who carries a positive attitude and who has balance in her life and is able to overcome obstacles,” she said.

“I try to emulate those women who are strong-minded, independent and driven by a cause, while maintaining a soft-hearted and compassionate approach to reach beyond our cookie-cutter lives and make a difference in the lives of others.”

Besides the quality of the finished product, it’s the personal attention and ownership Kelley takes in her projects that have endeared her to many satisfied clients. A tireless work ethic, a devotion to her craft and an intolerance for doublespeak are all personality traits familiar to those who know her. If you want to know what she thinks, simply ask, but be prepared to hear the truth.

“A builder should be someone who lives up to the client’s expectations while keeping it real,” she said. “I’m a builder who can guide you with stability and leadership –– particularly in today’s market –– and I’m a builder whose emotions don’t fluctuate like the price of lumber.”

With Hallan Estate, Kelley has crafted a new high point in an already storied career, but it’s a dangerous thing to call any creation of KellCo Custom Homes the pinnacle of the homebuilder’s craft. After all, that suggests there can never be a project to top it, and Kelley has been disproving that thinking her entire life. No matter how grand, how technically challenging, how energy-efficient or how groundbreaking her latest project, there is always the opportunity to top it the next time out.

“I’ve been surrounded and loved by a multitude of intelligent and powerful people who have taught me so much, and through my companies, I have surrounded myself with the very best,” she said. “Our success stems from the dedication and hard work of the builder and the quality of our subcontractors and suppliers.”

With these resources at her back, Kelley is diving into designing and building the next chapters of her company through homes in Chenal Valley and other neighborhoods throughout her footprint of Little Rock, Sherwood, North Little Rock, Conway and Greers Ferry.

“KellCo has a focus on design for the needs of each family, while providing a unique modern, transitional and traditional aesthetic to those who dare to be different,” she said. “I get excited with each and every home as if it were my very first.”

Shayla Copas

Interior designer Shayla Copas shares her most recent travel spot and her favorite space to design

By JULIE CRAIG // Photo Courtesy By SHAYLA COPAS

Shayla Copas is an award-winning, nationally featured interior designer, author and television host. She founded Shayla Copas Interiors in 1997 and has grown her business tremendously to encompass an entire lifestyle brand, Shayla Copas Lifestyle.

“Southern Glam” is her signature style, and her easygoing personality is as charming as the hues she uses for her accessories.

We sat down with Shayla in the midst of a busy travel schedule for a one-on-one to catch up on how we can all freshen up our space a bit.

AY: Where do you look for inspiration when you’re designing a space you really love?

Shayla Copas: I really get inspired by travel and by fashion. I travel quite a bit, so I’m continually taking notes, snapping photos and dreaming while I travel.

AY: Speaking of visuals, briefly tell us about your new website, shaylacopas.com.

SC: We started working on the site quite a while ago and it just launched in October. We’re now a lifestyle brand, so we’re not only interior design, but lifestyle, which includes interior design, product design and travel design.

AY: Where is your favorite place to travel?

SC: That’s really hard! It’s like choosing a favorite kid or a favorite purse. It changes depending on where I’ve been recently. I just got back from Antarctica, which was not a place on my bucket list when I went, but I became inspired in every direction I looked, and I had no idea it would be so amazing.

AY: Because fashion inspires you, what is your fashion musthave? What about your interior design must-have?

SC: From a fashion standpoint, your handbag is really your statement piece, and I collect them. I believe the handbag makes the outfit. It’s the finishing touch and the statement piece.

The outfit doesn’t feel complete until you have the purse and the shoes. It’s the same thing with the home. The layering and the accessories really make the house. That’s what finishes it off and makes it feel like a home. I think a lot of people forget to do that. They’ll choose their main pieces like their sofas and chairs, then they’ll forget to layer in artwork and lighting, such as a key chandelier, which makes such a difference. Make sure you leave room to accessorize, or the home will never feel totally finished.

AY: How can homeowners design a space free of clutter?

SC: One thing I see homeowners do too often is collect too many things - too many tchotchkes in the house. They display things from where they’ve traveled; they go to a home décor store. The problem with that is things aren’t going to be to the correct scale for the house, so that’s how you get too many things, and you get too much clutter. If you aren’t trained in what size something needs to be, then you’ll buy very small accessories, and you’ll never feel fulfilled. You’ll continually purchase things because you’ll want it to feel complete. When you hire a professional, we know the scale and the types of things that need to be in the room, and then you really don’t have to declutter.

AY: How do you keep things timeless with color?

SC: Beauty is all in the eye of the beholder. We can look at

timeless on a grand scale based on what everybody else thinks, but what’s timeless to one person is not timeless to another. We really need to design the way that we live and the way that we love. It’s important for us to listen to clients to figure out what is timeless to them, meaning it will last a long time, to where they will love it and they won’t get tired of it.

For instance, people are really sick of gray right now because it was in for a really long time, and it’s going out. But then there are some clients who love gray, and it’s something that they gravitate towards, so it doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t need to go gray, it just means the rest of the world isn’t gravitating towards it right now. It’s timeless to them. And you can always layer in accessories with the hot colors right now that are trendier, but still keep it the way the clients like it.

To me, timeless is classic. I like a traditional design. But to another who likes a contemporary design, their timeless might look different from my timeless.

AY: How do you understand your clients so well?

SC: You have to interview clients and know what they love. It’s like when an actor starts to become their character in a movie. As a designer, it’s the same thing. We start to feel the way that person does in that home. You step right into their character just like you were on a set of a movie and stepping into a role. You really do get in tune with what the client likes as you step into that character.

We have an in-depth client intake that we do, and this interview process helps us to really understand the client, so we can make their home timeless and can give their design longevity, where they don’t get tired of it.

AY: What is your favorite color scheme for clients and for you personally?

SC: That depends on what day you ask! I’m always designing, so I’m always saying, “This is my new favorite.” We get kind of attached to some of the things we work on. I love a soft, glamorous palette for myself. It’s very lush and filled with texture, has some punches of color, but some places to breathe. What I mean by that is, you aren’t overstimulated by the room, and it just feels so serene when you walk in, and it almost feels like you’re a princess.

AY: What are some of your go-to accessories in the new collection?

SC: I design the things I like and the things I want to place in peoples’ homes. We have several product lines, and a lot of the products we design are go-to’s. We have a tray, the Copas Serving Tray in the Chelsea House line, that people like because there are some bright colors for those who are a little edgier, and then there are more neutral tones, like cream, as well. We also have a lamp with Chelsea House right now that has an acrylic base with a gold detail at the bottom. It’s very nice, classic and so timeless.

AY: What are some clever ways to use a space practically while maintaining its beauty?

SC: We use really beautiful baskets quite a bit to store blankets by rolling them up and putting off to the side. There are some great storage options now for ottomans. They can be used as cocktail tables that open up and

you can place blankets inside.

Really looking into storage-friendly options in furnishings in your hard surfaces like your cocktail tables, side tables and sideboards versus upholstery is key. When designing, storage is something that we always think about and where can the client store the things they love. We usually talk to them about it and ask how much storage they will need, because some will need to hide games or toys, so we might do a large sideboard under the TV that has quite a bit of storage to hide those things.

AY: Are there any tricks to making a tiny space appear more spacious?

SC: Scale is everything, and that’s why you want to hire a professional because we understand that. Color also makes a difference on how large a space looks. In my opinion, the lighter the color on the walls, the larger the room looks. If you’re trying to make it look larger and especially the ceilings look taller, you’re going to need to go lighter.

In a very small room, if you want it to look larger, you’re definitely not going to want to put a dark, deep red on the wall. But, if you wanted it to appear smaller, more intimate and cozy, then you would put that deeper color. Sometimes in a smaller space you want it to be cozy, and you’re not trying to make it appear larger.

AY: What is key to you for the best interior design?

SC: I think less is more, and accessories should be done by a professional. They should buy less and buy very, very good things, and then you don’t have to buy again for a long time, if ever. And when you’re happy with your space, just like your closet in fashion, you’re not continually buying. When you’re not happy with what you bought last week, then you continue to buy.

AY: Do you design very many closets, and what is the key to a cute closet?

SC: Yes! That’s one of my favorite spaces to design. Designing closets is an art. The key to a cute closet is making it look like a Neiman Marcus boutique. Incorporate spaces with glass doors to see inside and then glass shelves for heels and handbags. Also, some that are closed up because some things you just don’t want to see because they’re not as pretty or they’re transition pieces.

You really need a good mixture of open closet space to grab the things you need and you get to often, and then closed doors you can’t see through and everything is hidden. Finally, lighting inside to illuminate your handbags, heels, perfume and the things that are really special to you. Tape lights can also be used inside custom cabinetry, where no one can see it, but once turned on, illuminates all around the closet. If you have glass doors, it’s very, very pretty.

AY: What projects are you currently working on professionally and personally?

SC: We have several projects we are currently working on — too many to count! We do mainly luxury designs, so we’re working continually on the luxury projects and commercial projects as well. I’m also working on my own houseboat and completely renovating it, which is fun.

PLACE

ONE of a Kind FACE BEHIND THE

Chef Payne Harding, CACHE RESTAURANT

By DWAIN HEBDA Photos By JAMIE LEE

It’s two hours before the Friday night dinner crowd, and Little Rock’s River Market is quiet. Cold, rain-drizzled sidewalks abut the shining street where passing vehicles gently stir shallow puddles. The low, dark clouds have tricked the electric eyes up and down President Clinton Avenue, awakening neon signs in jolting hues.

Inside Cache Restaurant, the overture for the evening is just beginning to build with the heat from oven and grill. Staff scurry to finish their evening prep like stagehands behind a curtain – checking this, stocking that, adjusting just so. Clean metal workspaces gleam, utensils flash, and fines wines appear as if from thin air, only to be stowed just as quickly under the bar.

Chef Payne Harding, plump onion in one hand, nimble blade in the other, takes his spot and starts to reduce the vegetable to fragrant shards. Cache Restaurant turns 10 this year – a journey that’s been both personally gratifying and COVID-era terrifying – but arguably never as good as it is right now. Watching him at the helm, buoyed by a staff he loves and respects, he’s right where he’s always wanted to be.

“We have a really great staff at the restaurant,” he said. “A lot of the people in charge here have been there since the beginning, myself, my sous chef, our two general managers and our lead waitress, who brings a special kind of energy out front.

“Really, I feel like as you get older as a chef, you become more organized, and you kind of work a tad bit easier, and you’re kind of more like the maestro in the kitchen. I like to lend more of that leadership role now.”

The restaurant business is not for the faint of heart, as every eatery in America

Payne Harding

walks a thin line between success and disaster from month to month or even shift to shift. Many shuttered during COVID, never to return; others stumbled back and flatlined under rising costs and shrinking available labor.

Cache Restaurant, while not immune to these challenges, was one of the lucky ones, making it back on little more than unrelenting hard work and faith in the art of food. But then, hard work has always been the soundtrack for Harding’s career in the kitchen.

“I remember one of my chef instructors giving me a hard time one day because I couldn’t figure out how to get a piece of machinery working,” Harding said of his culinary institute days in New York. “He said I wasn’t a natural. I’ve pretty much always been kind of a grinder in my life with athletics and with being a chef. I didn’t have excellent grades in culinary school. It didn’t come easy to me at all.

“I think I’ve grown as a chef. I’m very comfortable now being a chef. I’m always trying to continue to learn and improve any way I can. And since Cache has settled in through the 10 years, we’ve really got a system down. We really found out what products do we want to buy and what products do we want to sell.”

Linda Harding, Payne’s mother and a professional artist whose eye for design is on ready display throughout the stylish, comfortable dining room, said, “He’s become more focused and more adept with his cooking, and I think he knows more of the vision from beginning to end. I think that helps him move forward in a better and bigger direction toward reaching his goals.”

Technically speaking, Cache has been a family affair. Linda and her husband, longtime investment banker and entrepreneur Rush Harding, own the space and are their son’s trusted business advisers. The past decade has taught all three much about running a successful restaurant.

“I’m involved in the riskiest businesses on the planet Earth, and they’re all like going to Sunday school class compared to the restaurant business,” Rush said. “The margins are so thin that if something happens, if you make an error — or like in February we had an ice storm — you’re in trouble. We’re not going to make any money in February because that ice storm ruined the first week of the month. It’s nobody’s fault, it just happened.

“It’s a fun business overall, but I would say Linda and I wouldn’t be in the restaurant business if it wasn’t for our son, if it wasn’t his passion and his dream. Ten years in, and still there’s plenty to learn about challenges.”

Team Harding overcame a major setback last summer when a drainage problem flooded the street-level dining room and forced a 90-day closure while the first floor was rebuilt. Disastrous though that was in the short term, the incident helped birth a unique new feature – a private speakeasy behind a hidden door dubbed The Bayou – offering something new and unique for patrons.

“I grew up in the Delta in East Arkansas. I love shiny stuff,” Rush said with a grin. “I wanted Cache to have a little swagger, and [The Bayou] has that.”

Such ambiance certainly lends to the restaurant’s reputation as one of the premier fine dining experiences in Arkansas, but would be of little importance without Chef Payne’s exceptional cuisine. The menu features an eclectic mix of influences that elevate familiar ingredients in dishes that are creative yet approachable.

“I started revamping the menu five or six or seven years ago because we were kind of unsure about what kind of food we were serving,” he said. “I like to describe what we do now as New American; you take the melting pot of America and fusion it together.

“We do a lot of Southern American food, and we do a lot of Cajun and Creole food, which I think is one of our strengths. We have a few different cuts of beef, and they’re chargrilled and served with a special sauce and traditional sides

The goal is when people come here to have dinner, we want them to feel comfortable; we want them to feel immersed in beauty.

Left to Right: Linda Harding, Payne Harding , Rush Harding

that are excellent. And we implement a little Italian and Asian in places. You wind up with a nice blend of cuisines from different heritages.”

Highly recommended by the chef himself is a bonein short rib and decadent braising jus served over homemade gnocchi topped with crispy fried shallots. Linda and Rush, meanwhile, fairly swoon describing a salmon dish topped with leeks, a perfectly poached egg and dollop of caviar. The dishes are just two examples of Chef Payne’s maturation in his craft.

“I’ll never stop learning,” he said. “I think that’s what has helped our food evolve and keep getting better and better. It just takes time and experience and me learning and following other chefs and exploring food trends and just trying to figure out how far I want to take things.”

It would be one thing for Harding to have started his restaurant career in an intimate bistro tucked into one of the city’s trendier neighborhoods, where this maturation could occur in relative obscurity. Instead, Cache Restaurant occupies arguably the most visible corner location in the city, where the restaurant’s triumphs and challenges play out in the most public way imaginable.

“I was just speaking with [Little Rock restauranteur] Mark Abernathy the other night,” Harding said. “He was telling me a restaurant is like having a big wall in a room, and on that wall is like a thousand screws and you’re trying to tighten each screw, just right. Five hundred screws are all tight, and then you’ve got to look at the bottom half of it and try to get those tight. It’s a lot of just looking at what we’re doing and kind of observing and recognizing what we could be doing better. That’s how you try to keep growing.”

This mentality lends a level of pressure to everyone involved on a nightly basis. When things work to ownership’s high standards, Cache Restaurant is the place where Little Rock’s power elite go to see and be seen; on nights it doesn’t, seemingly the whole city knows about it. For that reason, no detail here is too small, from the vintage of the wine to the freshness of the flower bouquets to the flow of the background music, which on this

night is classic soul oozing out of unseen overhead speakers.

“In the beginning stages of this as a project, we wanted Cache to be first class,” Rush said. “We wanted it to be something we could be proud of. The goal is when people come here to have dinner, we want them to feel comfortable; we want them to feel immersed in beauty when they come here to have a dining experience. We feel like we’ve accomplished that.”

It’s the kind of challenge that you’re either up for or you’re not and one that never goes away. But judging by the list of regulars, which includes the city’s leading business executives, city and state government chiefs and local celebrities of all categories, Cache is just hitting its stride 10 years in.

“The regulars have always come back, and we’re just so grateful,” Linda said. “We love them, all of them. And if you’re new and you’re here, we try to make you feel special.”

The evening’s crew has filled out, and the first guests are just minutes from Cache’s front door. The energy has stepped up as well; like all live art forms, no one really knows what’s about to transpire, reservation lists and advance prep be damned. One thing’s for sure: the stage for whatever is to come is set beautifully as the gloomy weather outside serves to accentuate the restaurant’s vibrant décor. Viewed from outside, the dining room glows like stained glass.

From his station, Harding multitasks, prepping, greeting, directing. The patter between himself and his team is direct but muted, totally absent of reality-show chef histrionics. It’s a sign of trust in and respect for the people around him, the team he’s envisioned, and which has taken so long to build.

They are the soul of the place, and Harding wants them to get their due for what they’ve come through and the work they do tonight and every lunch hour and dinner crowd to come. More than that, he wants the eatery to be the standard-bearer for a dining renaissance in Little Rock. Cache Restaurant could operate anywhere but it doesn’t, it’s here, front and center as always, in the core neighborhood of his hometown.

“I love the city of Little Rock,” Harding said. “I would like to see more dining in Little Rock. I would love to see Little Rock become more of a destination for dining. I would like us to be seen by more national entities like the James Beard people. I would like Little Rock to become a place that’s known on eater websites. There are so many great things to be offered in Little Rock, and I just don’t think we get enough credit for what the city of Little Rock has.

“I want to bring more attention to not only what Cache Restaurant is doing, but that there’s a lot of new, exciting restaurants in this city. We need to give more attention to the chefs and the local food scene and what’s happening here. I think Bentonville is stealing a lot of the thunder up there, but I think Little Rock is just as cool. Let’s celebrate it.”

l Best Chinese

Three Fold Noodles and Dumpling Co.

Little Rock

l Best Chef

Aaron Fowler, Cypress Social North Little Rock

l Best Whiskey Bar

Allsop & Chappel Restaurant + Bar

Little Rock

l Best Steak

Arthur’s Prime Steakhouse

Little Rock

l Best Brunch

@ The Corner North Little Rock

l Best Mexican Baja Grill

Little Rock, Benton

l Best Breakfast

Big Bad Breakfast

Little Rock

l Best Burger (non fast food)

Big Orange

Little Rock, Rogers

l Best Pie

BJ’s Market Restaurant

North Little Rock

l Best Place to Watch the Game

Brewski’s Pub & Grub

Little Rock

l Best Deli

Burge’s Hickory Smoked Turkeys and Hams

Little Rock

ARKANSAS

Readers’ Restaurant Winners

3

AY’s Bucket List

PRESENTED BY

l Best Fried Chicken

Cache Restaurant

North Little Rock

l Best Pimento Cheese

Capital Bar and Grill

Little Rock

l Best Cajun/Creole

Copper Mule Table & Tap Bryant

l Best Barbecue Sandwich

Count Porkula

Little Rock, North Little Rock

l Best Sandwich

Cross Creek Sandwich Shop

Conway

l Best Restaurant

Cypress Social

North Little Rock

l Best French Fries

David Burgers

Several

l Best Chain Restaurant

David’s Burgers

Several

l Best Pizza (non fast food)

Deluca’s Pizza

Hot Springs

l Best Caterer

DownHome Restaurant & Catering

Little Rock

l Best Catfish

Eat My Catfish

Several

l Best Chicken Wings

Foghorn’s Wings, Burgers & More!

Several

l Best Patio Dining

Hill Station

Little Rock

l Best Business Lunch

Homers East

Little Rock

l Best Restaurant Worth the Drive

Hoots BBQ

McGehee

l Best Server JoJo, Cache Restaurant

Little Rock

l Best Sushi

Kemuri

Little Rock

l Best Gyro

Layla’s Gyros and Pizzeria

Little Rock

l Best Liquor Store

Legacy Wine and Spirits

Little Rock

l Best Ice Cream

Loblolly

Little Rock, Benton

l Best Cheese Dip

Local Lime

Little Rock, Rogers

l Best Local Brewery

Lost Forty Brewing

Little Rock

l Best Taco

Mockingbird Bar and Tacos

Little Rock

l Best Japanese Mt. Fuji Japanese Restaurant

Little Rock

Check off the AY Restaurant Reader’s Poll winners as you dine around Arkansas. And don’t forget to catch AY About You’s Bucket List segments profiling great places to eat and drink in The Natural State, by tuning in to KARK on Wednesday mornings at 5:10 a.m. and 2 p.m. To see previously featured Bucket List restaurants, visit aymag.com.

l Best Chicken & Dumplings

NeNe’s Dishes

Cabot

l Best Coffeehouse (non-chain)

Nexus Coffee

Little Rock

l Best Restaurant to Impress

Out-of-Towners

One Eleven

Little Rock

l Best Seafood (non fast food)

The Oyster Bar

North Little Rock

l Best Late-Night Dining (after 10 pm)

The Pantry Eateries

Little Rock

l Best Italian

Pasta Grill Conway

Conway

l Best Bakery

Patti Cakes

Conway

l Best Cocktails

Petit & Keet

Little Rock

l Best People Watching

Petit & Keet

Little Rock

l Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant

Purple Cow

Several

l Best Appetizer

Red Moon Tavern

Little Rock

l Best Fine Dining

Red Oak Steak House

Pine Bluff

l Best New Restaurant

RŌBER Cocktails + Culinary

Benton

l Best Wine List

Samantha’s Tap Room & Wood Grill

Little Rock

l Best Happy Hour

Sauced Bar and Oven

Little Rock

l Best Donuts

Shipley Do-Nuts

Several

l Best Date Night

Table 28

Little Rock

l Best Food Truck

Tacos Godoy

Little Rock

l Best Thai

Original A Taste of Thai

Fayetteville

l Best Mediterranean

Taziki’s

Several

l Best Restaurant for a Special Occasion

The Buglar Hot Springs

l Best Biscuits & Gravy

The Croissanterie

Little Rock

l Best Historical Restaurant

The Ohio Club

Hot Springs

l Best Pancakes

The Pancake Shop

Hot Springs

l Best Restaurant for Vegetarian Options

The Root Cafe

Little Rock

l Best Classic Restaurant (20+ years)

The Terrace

Little Rock

l Best Dive Bar

Town Pump

Little Rock

l Best Dessert

Trio’s

Little Rock

l Best Entertainment Restaurant

Valhalla

Benton

l Best Bartender

Veo Tyson, SO Restaurant-Bar

Little Rock

l Best Restaurant for Vegan Options

Vito & Vera

Little Rock

l Best Beer Selection

Waldo’s Chicken & Beer

Little Rock

l Best Barbecue Ribs

Whole Hog Cafe NLR

North Little Rock

l Best Salad

ZAZA’s

Little Rock, Conway

FINALIST

Arkansas Food Hall of Fame

By DWAIN HEBDA

On March 6, Arkansas Heritage will announce the latest inductees into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame. The program was launched in 2016 to recognize legendary restaurants, proprietors and food-themed events across the state.

These kings and queens of the state’s culinary scene may be new to the Hall, but not to our hearts — nor our taste buds. Each entry represents so much of what makes the fabric of Arkansas’ food landscape special, and they have been for a long, long time.

The Arkansas Food Hall of Fame categories are:

• Gone But Not Forgotten

• Food-Themed Event

• Proprietor of the Year

• People’s Choice

• Arkansas Food Hall of Fame

“It’s special to see Arkansans from across the state come together to celebrate food, an important part of our state’s heritage and culture,” says Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “We are honored to recognize such incredible proprietors, restaurants and food-themed events that mean so much to our state and its residents.”

Winners will be selected from a group of finalists announced in January, which were derived from nominations that flooded in from all 75 counties. This year’s inductees were chosen by a committee of Arkansans who are historians, chefs, foodies and food authors. The People’s Choice category is the only exception, as it is decided by votes from the community.

“Celebrating Arkansas food is a great way for all of us to enjoy our state’s heritage and share it with others, especially during uncertain times,” Hurst says. “We are thankful for each person across the state for getting involved.”

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

“This award remembers the collective culinary legacy of a once-and-always influential Arkansas restaurant that has since ceased operations.”

4-Dice Restaurant Bohemia Restaurant

The 4-Dice Restaurant, located in Fordyce, Arkansas, was a popular eatery that operated for over five decades. The restaurant was notable for its high-profile location on U.S. 167 and its connection to the Rolling Stones. Despite its closure, the 4-Dice remains a memorable part of Arkansas’s food and cultural history.

Fordyce (1967-2021)

Bohemia Restaurant, established in 1962 in Hot Springs, served authentic German and Czech cuisine in an elegant atmosphere until 2007. Adolf and Christe Thum owned the place since 1975. The restaurant was known for its hearty specialties and won multiple awards in the 1990s.

Chip’s Barbeque

Chip’s Barbecue was a family-owned and -operated barbeque staple in Little Rock famous for its hickory-smoked meats and homemade sauces, soups, chili and desserts. Established in 1961, Chip’s was known for its quality food and friendly service. The restaurant’s unique barbecue sauce was bottled and shipped nationwide to former patrons.

Sir Loin’s Inn

Sir Loin’s Inn was a popular steakhouse in North Little Rock that opened in 1971 and closed in 2007. The steakhouse was known for its salad bar, warm bread and hearty cuts of steak. Aaron Ross, owner of Sir Loin’s, once said, “All I know is how to make people comfortable and happy, serving good food and providing good service.”

Hot Springs (1962-2007)

Little Rock (1961-2016)

North Little Rock (1971-2007)

PROPRIETOR OF THE YEAR

Chuck Taylor

Taylor’s

Located just outside of Dumas, the restaurant has a storied history with roots that reach across the Mississippi River. Today, the restaurant’s aged steaks, including Kansas bone-in ribeyes and T-bones, have gained notoriety for their flavor and size. People come from all over the region to enjoy the food and hospitality.

David Stobaugh

Stoby’s

As a kitchen steward at his fraternity at the University of Arkansas, Morrilton native David Stobaugh picked up the nickname, “Stoby.” It obviously stuck. David eventually opened his own place, Stoby’s in Conway, and quickly earned a reputation for amazing cheese dip that became so popular that it stocked grocery store shelves by the late 1990s.

Jamie McAfee

Pine

Jamie grew up in McGehee where his father was manager of the Delta Country Club and his mom managed a local hotel. His own long career in the country club business proved indispensable as he led the Pine Bluff Country Club through the pandemic to continued success in the Delta.

Chester and Laura Huntsman

Chester and Laura Huntsman opened the Beech Street Bistro in Crossett in 2018 after renovating a 100-year-old home given to them by Laura’s father. The Bistro serves Creole specialties and unique desserts like Zydeco Cheesecake and beignets. The restaurant prides itself on its warm and inviting atmosphere with local artwork and outstanding flavors.

James Woods Jim Keet

In 1984, James Woods came to Camden to take over the management of a local chain restaurant. It was the job offer that lured him, but it was Camden that hooked him. He later bought a shuttered catfish restaurant, naming it Woods Place. Fresh, farm-raised catfish and true “made-fromscratch” cooking are the staples of this local favorite.

A native of Springfield, Missouri, Jim is a proven and savvy businessman who came to Little Rock in 1975 and immediately began to impact the food landscape as an entrepreneur with Wendy’s fast-food franchise operations. An operator of some 50 years with 155 restaurants to his credit, Jim is one of the most successful restaurateurs in Arkansas.

“This award honors a chef, cook and/or restaurant owner in Arkansas who has made significant achievements in the food industry.”

FOOD-THEMED EVENT

“This award honors a community food-themed event or festival that makes our state a great place to live and visit.”

Magnolia Blossom Festival and World Championship Steak Cook-Off

Magnolia Blossom Festival and World Championship Steak Cook-Off

What started as a Sidewalk Art Show in 1950, the Magnolia Blossom Festival has become a delectable destination since its reimagination in 1989. With thousands in prize money on the line, grill masters from across the country come to compete with astonishing “grill rigs” to create the best steaks ever.

Slovak Oyster Supper

Dating back to at least 1947, the Slovak Oyster Supper is an annual event held in the parish hall of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Slovak. Organized by the Knights of Columbus as a fundraiser for local charities, attendees are served heaps of fried oysters, fries and a side of raw oysters.

Mayhaw Festival

The Annual Mayhaw Festival in El Dorado is a celebration of the mayhaw berry: a juicy, tart berry native to southern Arkansas. The festival features live music, food and craft vendors, children’s activities, a car and bike show and delicious homemade mayhaw jelly. Hosted by the South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society, it’s been running since 1992.

Magnolia

Slovak

El Dorado

FOOD HALL OF FAME

“This award recognizes those long-standing restaurants that have become legendary attractions in Arkansas.”

Betty’s Old Fashion

Betty’s Old Fashion, established in 1934, is the oldest original restaurant in El Dorado. The namesake of its second owner, Betty Shaub, the dairy bar and hamburger joint is now owned by her niece, Susie Blanchard. The establishment is famous for its quality food with friendly service. Betty’s Old Fashion has become an iconic part of the local community.

Big Banjo Pizza

Big Banjo Pizza is a family-owned and -operated restaurant established in 1974 in Pine Bluff. Known for its award-winning pizza, it offers all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner buffets and favorites like its famous taco pizza. Brothers Dickie and Russell Ratliff started the business and passed down its legacy through the years, maintaining high standards of food and philanthropy.

Black Angus Bulldog Restaurant

Black Angus Cafe, founded in 1962 by Oliver Harper in Little Rock, serves up juicy, chargrilled burgers and handcut steaks grilled to perfection. Black Angus went dark in 1985 after Harper’s retirement but was resurrected by longtime employee Bill Stovall in 1989. Today, owned by Karla Creasey, the self-serve establishment still offers fresh, homemade food at low prices.

Three-h¬¬undred-and-sixty-three days a year, you can get fed at Bald Knob’s Bulldog Restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy burgers and an assortment of sandwiches, catfish plates and taco salads. It’s most famous for the seasonal strawberry shortcake, which is made with local berries and has gained regional attention.

Daisy Queen

Since 1966, the Daisy Queen has been serving up hand-pattied, Angus-beef burgers and specializing in hand-blended shakes. A remodeled old-fashioned dairy bar, the Daisy Queen of Marshall harkens to a simpler time spent eating great food and talking with friends. Its classic menu also features a variety of sandwiches, hot dogs, stuffed jalapenos, fried pickles, and more.

DeVito’s Restaurant

Devito’s is a family-owned restaurant in Harrison, Arkansas. Started in 1986 by Jim DeVito, a fourth-generation Italian cook, and his sons, the restaurant is known for its award-winning cuisine, which includes a variety of Italian dishes made from scratch. The DeVito brothers operate the restaurant today, ensuring that each dining experience is of the highest quality.

El Dorado

Pine Bluff

Little Rock

Bald Knob

Marshall Harrison

FOOD HALL OF FAME

“This award recognizes those long-standing restaurants that have become legendary attractions in Arkansas.”

Hugo’s Kream Kastle

Black Angus Cafe, founded in 1962 by Oliver Harper in Little Rock, serves up juicy, chargrilled burgers and handcut steaks grilled to perfection. Black Angus went dark in 1985 after Harper’s retirement but was resurrected by longtime employee Bill Stovall in 1989. Today, owned by Karla Creasey, the self-serve establishment still offers fresh, homemade food at low prices.

Back in 1952, the Kream Kastle was a simple hot dog stand run by Steven Johns, a first-generation American. He later added a charcoal pit, and the beloved “Kastleburger” was born. His family now runs the place, serving as a central meeting spot in the Blytheville community.

Meacham’s Family Restaurant

At Meacham’s Family Restaurant in Ash Flat, breakfast is served any time of day. Troy Meacham bought the restaurant in 1979 after decades of experience in food service. Meacham’s is now operated by his daughters who are committed to preserving its legacy. Their famous biscuits are a must-try among a variety of offerings on the menu.

Ozark Cafe

The Ozark Cafe in Jasper is one of the oldest restaurants in the state, with a rich history dating back to 1909. The cafe is known for its warm, welcoming atmosphere and its commitment to using locally sourced ingredients. The Ozark Cafe is the perfect place for a hearty breakfast, a delicious lunch, or a cozy dinner.

Skyline Cafe

The Skyline Cafe in Mena has been serving patrons for 100 years. It offers homey and hearty breakfast and lunch fare, such as omelets, steak and eggs, ham, bacon, pancakes, corned beef hash, plate lunches and more. The cafe is a hub for regulars to meet and catch up while enjoying good food.

The Ohio Club

The legendary Ohio Club was founded in 1905 by John “Coffee” Williams and his nephew Sam Watt as a bar and casino. Well-known mobsters were once regulars at this Hot Springs watering hole, as were ballplayers like Babe Ruth. These days, the terrific food keeps guests coming back.

Fayetteville

Blytheville

Ash Flat

Jasper Mena

Hot Springs

BEST BEST BEER SELECTION

BEST PEOPLE WATCHING

WA M inning enu

Arkansas takes food seriously. From agriculture to local restaurants to the jobs that employ many in The Natural State, food is at the heart of what everyday life means to many Arkansans. Each year, AY About You asks its readers to vote for their favorite restaurants to enjoy every type of food, dessert and drink you can think of. From Best Appetizer to Best Pimento Cheese, there are so many eateries worth celebrating.

According to the National Restaurant Association’s Arkansas State Statistics, there were 5,554 eating and drinking locations in 2021, with $6.5 billion estimated to be spent at these locations. Not only can Arkansans celebrate really great food, but when guests spend money at Arkansas restaurants, they are also supporting the entire state’s economy.

Grapette, cheese dip, fried okra, fried catfish and possum pie are just a few of the foods known for their iconic Arkansas connections and the legacy of these foods celebrated in restaurants around the state. Next time you decide to eat out, be sure to check AY About You’s 2023 Restaurant Readers Poll Winners list. Below are some of our favorites; check out the entire list to see how your go-to restaurant fared and in what category.

Best Restaurant

Cypress Social

North Little Rock

Despite starting on the threshold of the the tumultuous years of the pandemic, Cypress Social has quickly risen to claim its place as AY’s 2023 Best Restaurant. This might not come as a surprise, as Cypress Social is just one of the latest exploits of legendary restaurateur Jim Keet who can list Taziki’s Mediterranean Café and Petit and Keet as just two of the successes on his resume. Cypress Social has breathed new life into what was once the North Little Rock landmark Cock of the Walk with what the restaurant’s interior designer Garry Mertins described as “Casual, Southern food with no attitude.” Southern classics like cornbread and fried green tomatoes come in right alongside redfish pontchartrain and sous vide beef filet for a menu to suit any occasion, not to mention a beautiful lake-side venue.

Best Mexican Baja Grill

Benton, Little Rock

California-style Mexican food is the name of the game at Baja Grill featuring fresh ingredients, great tacos and even better house-made margaritas. With two locations in Central Arkansas, Baja Grill falls under the The Taco Society, a concept group of restaurateurs Heather Baber-Roe and Craig Roe. The Roes also own Valhalla Kitchen + Bar, Valkyrie Axe Throwing and RŌBER Cocktails & Culinary. Baja Grill originally started as a small food truck in 2012, but has grown to a traditional restaurant. Each item is meticulously prepared at Baja Grill, with meats smoked for 20 hours on-location. Baja Grill is the Best Mexican recipient for this year’s Reader’s Restaurant Poll and in 2022 was named in the top three for AY’s Best Of 2022.

Best Chicken Wings Foghorn’s

Fayetteville, Siloan Springs, Springdale, Rogers

Foghorn’s is known for its world-class wings, burgers, sports coverage, live music and so much more. Located conveniently throughout Northwest Arkansas, the restaurant prides itself on having the best TV set-up in all of its locations. No matter what kind of wings you want to dig into, Foghorns has something for every wing lover to savor, with 50 different sauces and eight unique dry rubs to choose from. This Arkansas original has won awards with house sauces such as Acid Rain, Cryin’ Hawaiian and Habanero Sweet Barbecue. If you’re craving fantastic wings, don’t hesitate to head out to a Foghorn’s location to enjoy a game, an entree and good service.

Best Happy Hour Sauce(d) Bar and Oven

Little Rock

If you’re looking for gourmet, chef-inspired meals prepared from fresh local ingredients, look no further than Sauced Bar and Oven. To sweeten the deal, make sure you visit from 2 to 6 p.m. any day of the week to take advantage of their happy hour. The Sauced specialty is gourmet Neapolitan-style wood-oven pizza, accompanied by house soups and salads and exceptional pasta, paired with signature cocktails, wine on tap and local draft beer. With a private dining room available for special occasions and an open kitchen where you can watch a professionally trained staff work, Sauced boasts an experience to match its menu.

Best Cheese Dip Local Lime

Little Rock, Rogers

Cheese dip is a staple of any Arkansan’s diet and restaurants all over the state have worked to create their own special recipes. At Local Lime, the staff is focused on providing the very best food and service to its customers. The menu is packed with unique and traditional menu items, with cheese dip being among the most popular. Local Lime is part of the Yellow Rocket Concepts suite of restaurants, which includes many Arkansas owned and inspired establishments such as Zaza Fine Salad & Wood-Oven Pizza Co., Big Orange, Lost Forty, Camp Taco, Bentonville Taco & Tamale Co. and Heights Taco & Tamale Co.

BEST APPETIZER

Red Moon Tavern

Little Rock

v

BEST BAKERY

PattiCakes Bakery Conway v

BEST BARBECUE RIBS

Whole Hog Cafe

North Little Rock v

BEST BARBECUE SANDWICH

Count Porkula

Little Rock, North Little Rock v

BEST BARTENDER

Veo Tyson, So Restaurant

Little Rock v

BEST BEER SELECTION

Waldo’s Chicken & Beer

North Little Rock v

BEST BISCUITS & GRAVY

The Croissanterie

Little Rock v

BEST BREAKFAST

Big Bad Breakfast

Little Rock

BEST BRUNCH

@ The Corner

Little Rock

v

BEST BURGER (NON-FAST FOOD)

Big Orange

Little Rock, Rogers

v

BEST BUSINESS LUNCH

Homers East Little Rock

v

BEST CAJUN/CREOLE

Copper Mule Table & Tap

Bryant v

BEST CATERER

DownHome Catering Benton v BEST CATFISH

Eat My Catfish

Benton, Conway, Fayetteville, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Rogers, Siloam Springs

v

BEST CHAIN

RESTAURANT

David’s Burgers

Benton, Bryant, Conway, Cabot, Hot Springs, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Mabelvale

Eat My Catfish

PattiCakes Conway

Count Porkula Little Rock, North Little Rock

BEST CHEF

Aaron Fowler, Cypress Social North Little Rock

v

BEST CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

NeNe’s Dishes Cabot v

BEST CHINESE

Three Fold Little Rock v

BEST CLASSIC RESTAURANT (20+ YEARS)

The Terrace Little Rock

v

BEST COCKTAILS

Petit & Keet Little Rock v

BEST COFFEEHOUSE (NON-CHAIN)

Nexus Coffee & Creative Little Rock

v

BEST DATE NIGHT Table 28

Little Rock

BEST DELI

Burge’s Lewisville, Little Rock v

BEST DESSERT Trio’s Little Rock

v

BEST INTERIOR DESIGN

Cache Little Rock v

BEST DIVE BAR

Town Pump Little Rock v

BEST DONUTS

Shipley Do-nuts

Batesville, Bryant, Dardanelle, El Dorado, Hot Springs, Jacksonville, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Magnolia, Maumelle, Newport, North Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Russellville, Searcy, Sherwood, Stuttgart, Texarkana

BEST ENTERTAINMENT RESTAURANT

Valhalla Restaurant & Axe

Throwing Benton

Three Fold Little Rock

Town Pump Little Rock

Trio’s Little Rock

Thank You for Voting The Bugler

“Best Restaurant for a Special Occasion!”

6:45 PM

The Bugler

Let’s begin with dinner at The Bugler.

Sea bass or braised short ribs? Either way, save room for dessert.

Step out to the casino for a few hands of blackjack, a slot machine or two. This is my Oaklawn.

What’s yours?

BEST FINE DINING

Red Oak Steakhouse

Pine Bluff v

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Tacos Godoy

Little Rock v

BEST FRENCH FRIES

David’s Burgers

Benton, Bryant, Conway, Cabot, Hot Springs, Little Rock, Mabelvale, North Little Rock

v

BEST FRIED CHICKEN

Cache

Little Rock v

BEST GYRO

Layla’s Gyros and Pizzeria

Little Rock

BEST HISTORICAL RESTAURANT

The Ohio Club

Hot Springs v

BEST ICE CREAM

Loblolly Creamery

Benton, Little Rock v

BEST ITALIAN

Pasta Grill

Conway v

BEST JAPANESE

Mt. Fuji Little Rock

v

BEST KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT

Purple Cow

Conway, Hot Springs, Little Rock, North Little Rock

Cache Little Rock

Pasta Grill Conway

Loblolly Benton, Little Rock

Baja Grill

Benton,

BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING (AFTER 10 P.M.)

The Pantry Little Rock v

BEST LIQUOR STORE

Legacy Wine and Spirits Little Rock

BEST PANCAKES

The Pancake Shop

Hot Springs v

BEST PATIO DINING

Hill Station

Little Rock v

BEST LOCAL BREWERY

Lost Forty Brewing and Spirits Little Rock

BEST MEDITERRANEAN

Taziki’s Mediterranean Café

Bentonville, Conway, Fayetteville, Little Rock, North Little Rock

BEST PEOPLE WATCHING

Petit & Keet

Little Rock v

BEST PIE

BJ’s Market Cafe

North Little Rock

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

RŌBER :: Cocktails + Culinary Benton

BEST PIMENTO CHEESE

Capital Bar and Grill

Little Rock

Lost Forty Brewing and Spirits Little Rock

Little Rock

BEST PIZZA

DeLuca’s Pizzeria

Hot Springs v

BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE GAME

Brewski’s Pub & Grub

Little Rock v

BEST RESTAURANT FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION

The Buglar, Oaklawn

Hot Springs v

BEST RESTAURANT FOR VEGAN OPTIONS

Vito & Vera Little Rock

BEST RESTAURANT FOR VEGETARIAN OPTIONS

The Root Little Rock

v

BEST RESTAURANT TO IMPRESS OUT-OF-TOWNERS

One Eleven Little Rock v

BEST RESTAURANT WORTH THE DRIVE Hoots BBQ & Steaks

McGehee v

BEST SALAD

ZAZA’s Conway, Little Rock

The Root Little Rock

Brewski’s Little Rock

Deluca’s Hot Springs

Hoots McGeHee

Photo by David Yerby

Grilled Ham and Brie Panini with Green Apple

By AMY GRAMLICH

This ham and apple panini is simple enough for lunch and special enough for dinner. Sandwiched between two pieces of thick bread and nestled in a layer of gooey cheese, deli ham and thinly sliced green apples pair well together. A flavor explosion comes from your favorite style of deli ham and the tartness of the green apples.

Move over American cheese! Brie and mozzarella are the stars of the show when it comes to this grilled sandwich. The mozzarella provides the gooey stretch that people expect when it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches. The creamy thick base of brie cheese acts as a complement to the crisp apples.

Bread and Spread

When it comes to the bread, a sturdy bread — like a medium to thick sourdough — is preferable, as there will be a hefty filling to this sandwich.

The first step in building a great ham and cheese panini involves adding softened spread to the outside of each slice of bread.

The two most common spreads for the outside of grilled sandwiches are butter or mayonnaise. If using butter, the butter should be softened. Softening the butter is key when it comes to buttering the outer pieces of any panini or grilled sandwich. Cold butter can be difficult to spread.

Also, the size of the bread slices will determine the size of the ham slices you use.

Selecting Ham for Ham and Cheese Panini Sandwiches

More than likely, the variety of deli ham you already keep on hand will work fine for this recipe. Honey maple ham from the deli is a great choice, as is any other sweet variety of ham. For this type of sandwich, it is best to go with a thinner deli cut.

You also might wish to use up leftover ham for this recipe. Leftover ham

Photography by Amy Gramlich

is perfect for this recipe as long as you slice the ham into very thin slices.

For this recipe, you can ask your local deli to slice the cheese into thin slices. Or you can simply cut out a wedge and cut the wedge into thin slices. Since brie is a soft creamy cheese, the slices may not slice perfectly, but that will not matter. After all, the cheese is going to be melted into the sandwich.

Slicing Apples

The key to using green apples in this recipe is to slice them thin and evenly.

First, slice the apple in half from top to bottom, cutting out the core and scooping out any seeds. Next, you will cut those two pieces into halves, producing quarters.

At this point, proceed to slice each apple quarter into thin slices about 1/4 inch thick. One apple typically provides enough slices for three to four sandwiches.

No Panini Press? No Problem!

If you do not own a panini press, you can enjoy this ham and brie panini using other cooking methods.

Use a skillet: Prepare the sandwich as instructed, and place in a skillet on the stove on medium heat. Grill 1 side for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the sandwich, and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

Use a George Foreman Grill: Build the sandwich according to the recipe, and place on a preheated George Foreman grill. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, checking for doneness. Remove when the sandwich appears golden brown.

Ingredients for 1 Sandwich

2 tablespoons mayo or softened butter

2 slices thick bread

Brie cheese, sliced thinly to cover surface of sandwich

2 slices deli ham, thinly sliced

¼ green apple, thinly sliced

¼ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (or 1 slice of mozzarella cheese)

1 tablespoon sandwich spread of choice (yellow mustard, honey mustard or mayo)

Instructions

1. Heat panini press to 350 degrees.

2. Spread the outside of 1 bread slice with 1 tablespoon of butter or mayo. Place the bread with the spread facing down onto a plate.

3. Over top, layer the brie.

4. Next, layer on the ham. You may need to fold the ham or trim the ham to ensure there isn’t too much overhang.

5. Over the ham, add enough green apple slices — around 5 or 6 —to cover the surface evenly.

6. Add the mozzarella cheese.

Working with Brie Cheese

Brie can be a bit more tricky to work with than many other cheeses. Popular on the hors d’oeuvre menu or on charcuterie boards at parties, this cheese is often served in wedges — sliced from a disc — with a cheese spreader to be served with crackers and fruit.

7. On the second slice of bread, add your favorite sandwich spread (mustard or mayo) to 1 side. Place this slice of bread on the sandwich with the spread facing down.

8. Add a bit more butter or mayonnaise to the outer side of the top bread before transferring the sandwich to the panini press.

9. Grill the sandwich for 6 to 7 minutes until it turns golden brown.

SERVER SAYS: Food Industry Professionals

Share the Value of Their Work

By KATIE ZAKRZEWSKI, CASSIDY KENDALL AND EMILY SUNDERMEIER

Chef José Andrés once said, “The business of feeding people is the most amazing business in the world.” Such a quote can be applied to all hard-working Arkansans who roll up their sleeves, ties on aprons and works to prepare meals for customers at the start, middle or end of the day.

With more than 53,000 Arkansans employed in the food and beverage industry across the state, there is no doubt that the servers, hosts, bartenders, cooks, chefs and bussers who take care of us from the moment we arrive to the moment we leave are some of the most crucial economic drivers that we encounter.

Through our online and print series, Server Says, AY About You highlights the dedicated men and women who direct you to your seat, bring you food and drink, and serve you as their guest. Server Says highlights the compassion, efficiency, hospitality and culinary integrity upheld by so many in our state’s restaurant industry.

“I started at Cajun’s Wharf in 1975. I’ve been at SO Restaurant-Bar in Little Rock since 2006, and I was at Macaroni Grill before that,” said Veo Tyson. One of the best-known bartenders in the Capital City, Tyson said the atmosphere at SO welcomes all who come in.

“We did a remodeling in 2006 before opening. You come in feeling like you’re in New York,” he said. “We’ve got beautiful stone walls. I believe that the building was constructed by someone who had a rock quarry, and those walls are beautiful.”

Tyson explained the industry is one that brings people from all walks of life. Some of them are eager to share their happiest moments and, more often than not, customers become friends.

“I’ve gotten to the point where I have many regulars, and I consider them all my friends because you get used to seeing these people when they’re celebrating life’s milestones,” he said. “I have one couple who comes in whenever they have a special event in their lives. They came in the evening before the woman gave birth. It was wonderful to see them and visit with them as they prepared for that event.”

Veo Tyson

Lauren Dawson, a bartender at The Ohio Club in Hot Springs, echoes the sentiment. For her, the best part of blending cocktails in the Spa City is the people.

“I love waiting on people,” she said earnestly. “I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, telling them my story — and making fun drinks.”

It’s typical of Dawson to make customers feel welcome at her bar. She will make any drink upon request (although she’ll recommend the Rock Town Old Fashioned) and ask about your life story. She admits she is not great with names, but faces, drinks and shared stories are immediately committed to memory.

“Everyone has a story,” she said. “You should not judge a book by its cover. Sometimes the most interesting person sitting at the bar doesn’t look that way, but they end up being that way.”

Frequently Dawson will encounter someone sitting alone quietly at her bar, so she subtly probes to see if they would like to talk a little. She said it’s not uncommon to end the night in a genuine friendship with that person.

“We kind of end up being like a therapist,” Dawson said when asked what’s most important about her job. “Even if they’re by themselves, they want to come to sit at the bar and unwind, and sometimes they may not have somebody to talk to. That’s what bartenders are; we’re more than just about making drinks, we’re entertaining in a sense.”

For Thomas Williams, a server at The Terrace Mediterranean Kitchen in Little Rock who has called the restaurant his home for 17 years, his faith urges him to seek out companionship with all of his guests.

“I’m a churchgoer, I’m a believer. I don’t try to hide my Christianity while I’m at work,” Williams said. He added that a high-quality server enjoys the job and the customers.

“You have to like people. If you enjoy your job and enjoy what you’re presenting to the people, it’s not a job,” he said. “My grandmother always told me, ‘If you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ I’ve been here for so long, my customers and I are not friends, we’re family.”

Such a lengthy career has afforded Williams the opportunity to treat his customers as just that: family.

“The most memorable occasion I had was when I was taking care of an older gentleman, and he had a mild stroke at the table,” Williams said. “One of the ladies at the table asked if he was OK, and I didn’t believe he was because I could recognize the symptoms. “Afterward, his family sent me a thank-you card and told me how much they appreciated us taking care of him. The grandkids came back, and they still come in today. To see the people that you’re taking care of, to have their kids and their kids’ kids come in to visit, is just a beautiful thing.”

Alan Napier at Petit & Keet has had the chance to develop close relationships with his customers, too. His passion for the restaurant industry and customer service has been with him for the majority of his life. He discovered his love for the culinary arts through a Home Economics course during his soph omore year of high school, where he found that he enjoyed cooking. From starting out as a fry cook at 15 years old to becoming general manager of Petit & Keet in Little Rock, Napier’s devotion to providing people with quality service and Southern hospitality has allowed him to serve in a role that gives him the best of both worlds.

Napier has known the Petit and Keet families for a number of years, dating back to Napier’s upbringing in the beach community of Gulf Breeze, Florida. He became acquainted with the Keets through one of his best friends, who lived across the street from the Keet family. He also grew up with the Petits’ son, Louis, and they spent a lot of time together in their early adulthoods.

Napier started out as a bartender at Petit and Keet, then moved up to bar manager. He stepped into the role of general manager one week before the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, he wanted to create a loyal clientele by adding personalized touches, such as handwritten notes from the staff on to-go orders. These personalized touches still remain a part of Petit & Keet’s customer service.

“We welcome people into our family,” Napier said. “We talk to every table in here each night. We come by the table and check to see how everything is. If they think it’s OK, that’s not OK. OK is not what we strive for. We want to know how we can make it better. If they want to talk to us, they talk to us. If not, we give them a card with our contact information, so they can send us an email so we can get it straightened away.”

Alan Napier

Unfortunately, the stress from the pandemic and economic upsets can cause customers to lash out at servers, bartenders and managers. Even in the face of displeasure, members of the food and beverage industry exercise their empathy.

“I have a lot of patience with people. There’s good in everybody. You just have to be patient with people,” Tyson said. “Some folks have a bad experience and a bad day, and they take that home with them from the office sometimes. I weather the storm, and it usually turns out for the better. People warm up to you and realize that they were being difficult.”

Napier, on the other hand, manages to find excitement in the uncertainty of the restaurant industry and each customer. This, he said, allows for personal growth.

“It was challenging,” Napier said. “I walked right into managing during COVID, the hardest thing anybody has ever faced in our lifetime. It was very challenging but very interesting. We had to redefine our business to a to-go scenario, and we were eager to get people back in here. I like that I never know what I’m walking into. Some people get scared by that, but I feed off of that. It excites me. Controlled chaos is the key to my life.”

Napier suspects that with the pandemic coming to a close, more and more people will be dining out, so he welcomes the exercise that each customer gives him.

“You spend two years in your house, you go kind of stir-crazy,” he said. “You want to see people. I want [the restaurant] to keep getting busier. I’d rather be busy every night of the week than have a slow night with not much to do.”

Williams emphasized that the pandemic made a lot of people forget about the bigger picture.

“The devil is a constant reminder and author of confusion, and he works to keep us separated and bickering with one another about little things that don’t matter,” Williams said. “After [COVID-19], the things that are so obsolete and nonsensical mean nothing. All we really wanted was to be together. We couldn’t, but now, when you don’t have any sense of connection besides Zoom, people can tend to pick apart and judge the smallest of details about a person.”

Even if some folks make life for individuals in the food industry difficult, these hardworking bartenders, servers, and managers are able to remember everyone’s humanity, as well as their own.

Tyson said, “I get pleasure from taking care of my guests. If they leave happy, I’m happy. There are times when people come in seeking conversation. There are times when people just want to come in and drink their cocktail. And I tend to read that.”

“I’ve built some very good relationships. I don’t think everybody can do it because you have to have patience and the ability to tolerate people. When you work with people and listen to them, you can become a close friend.”

Napier sees a bright future ahead for Petit & Keet and attributes its success to the staff and loyal fanbase of regulars that visit.

“It’s very community-driven, and I love that about this city,” Napier said. “I love this place, and I love the people here and the support that has been given. I see the restaurant continuing to grow and thrive like it is now.

“On any given night, I can walk through and probably know someone at a majority of our tables. Those people come in and bring a friend, and that friend brings a friend, and then they become regulars. That’s the key to building a business: one person at a time, and a slow time is when you can really build relationships. When you’re busy, you maintain those relationships and keep them happy.”

Dawson said waiting on customers in the food industry lets her know how lucky she is to be doing what she loves in the Spa City,

“It’s weird living in a place like Hot Springs, because you don’t realize how special it is because you’re here,” Dawson said. “And people come from other states like Louisiana, Texas and Missouri, and they talk about how much they love Hot Springs. And I’m like yeah, I do too, but I like to see their perspective coming here. It’s cool to think people come here and it’s so amazing to them, because it is.”

For the future, Dawson wants to continue doing what she’s always done, but on a grander scale.

“If it’s not bartending, maybe getting in higher management and eventually becoming a liquor rep or owning a bar,” Dawson said. “It’s my goal to own my bar one day, and I’ll probably still bartend if I own it. But I’m going to be here awhile. I love this place.”

For Williams, being hospitable to his guests ties back to his faith. It all boils down to kindness.

“Kindness goes a long way. I’ve seen people with a lot of money that have not lived a very successful life. I’ve seen people with little money live a very successful life. Money doesn’t make you happy,” Williams said.

“Make sure your light outlives your life, because people remember the extraordinary, they don’t remember the ordinary. Love doesn’t die, it just changes from one form to the other. What did you do while you were here that was reflective of how you lived?” *

A wise person once said, “If you want to see a person’s character, watch how he or she treat their waiter.”

Servers and food industry workers see us on our best days and our worst days. They work hard to make us feel at home and to fill our bodies and minds, but the best ones also fill our souls. The next time you enjoy a night out or place your order, be nice to the folks who prepare and bring your food. They’ve seen it all, and they’ve got some great advice, so listen to what your server says.

“

A wise person once said, If you want to see a person’s character, watch how he or she treat their waiter.

AY ABOUT YOU’S

Best Of 2023 Kickoff

BEST /best/

Adjective: of the most excellent, effective or desirable type or quality. Noun: that which is the most excellent, outstanding or desirable.

When it comes to daily living, the world is swimming with decisions. Where to eat. Where to shop. Where to get the dog groomed, your teeth cleaned, your tires rotated, a new tattoo, a wedding dress… The list goes on. Sure, you could ask around and see what the consensus is among family and friends. But wouldn’t you like to have a bigger sample size, to know that you’re working with the people, businesses and places trusted by an entire state?

You’re in luck: it’s that most wonderful time of the year for AY About You, where we call upon the expertise of our savvy readers to separate the must-go from the so-so. After taking nominations throughout January, we’ve compiled the top five nominees across 201 categories. That comes out to 1,005 contenders for the prestigious title of AY’s Best. Those categories run the gamut, covering industries and interests as diverse as the people who live here.

To put a few numbers to it: There are over 250,000 small businesses across Arkansas making up 99.3 percent of all businesses in the state. When it comes to the major players, 300 Fortune 500 companies have operations in Arkansas. With the help of our readers, we’ll tell you which businesses are the best at what they do, and which bosses are most beloved by their employees and communities.

Other categories hit closer to home – literally. Arkansas was the No. 1 state for inbound movers by ratio in 2021 and stayed in the top five for 2022, thanks in part to having one of the lowest costs of living in the country. If someone you know is eyeing a move to the Natural State (and why wouldn’t they be?), AY’s Best will tell them not only which real estate agency to call but which real estate agent to ask for when they do.

Maybe you’ve noticed the influx of new neighbors and have found yourself fielding questions about lawn care, the best bank for your bucks and which “tourist” attractions the locals love too?

Direct the newest Arkansawyers in your life to AY’s Best, and they’ll never want for a better set of recommendations. From CBD to HVAC, from whiskey bars to hair salons and the personalities, health clinics and colleges in between, AY’s Best of is the definitive guide to living in Arkansas.

It’s an honor in itself to be nominated, but it’s up to you, the AY reader, to decide which nominees will make it into the coveted top spots. The top three in each category will earn the right to be called “AY’s Best,” but only one can be named the Best Of in their respective field. If you haven’t already, start making your selections ASAP – this year, voting is open March 6 to March 26. The winners will be announced in early May with a special VIP celebration to follow.

Now more than ever, it’s time to show up and support your favorites. Your vote could be the one that secures a win for that food truck you always go to for lunch, the personal trainer helping you stick to a New Year’s resolution or even that garden center you keep on speed dial when spring rolls around.

In every corner of the state, there are people and companies representing the best and brightest of what Arkansas has to offer. At AY About You, we work to tell their stories and shine a light on their achievements. But you, the readers, do more than just follow our coverage. You’re in these places every day, putting the “tried” into “tried and true,” deciding for yourself the ones that are worth coming back to over and again. Don’t keep all that wisdom for yourself; let us know who deserves the recognition by voting for your favorites in every category from March 6 through March 26.

A Winning Team.

We’re proud to be finalists in several categories of AY’s Best of 2022 Awards! It’s truly an honor to be recognized in this presitigous awards program. We are dedicated to our patients, and are committed to provide the very best care and treatment available.

Thank you for nominating Bowen Hefley in several categories of AY’s Best of 2023 Awards! It’s truly an honor to be recognized in this presitigous awards program. We are dedicated to our patients, and are committed to provide the very best care and treatment available.

Please vote for us in the following categories at aymag.com March 6 - 26.

We are finalists in the following categories:

Beauty & Health

Beauty & Health

Foot & Ankle Surgery - Larry L. Nguyen, M.D.

Foot & Ankle Surgery - Jesse Burks, D.P.M.

Foot & Ankle Surgery - Larry Nguyen, M.D.

Hand Surgery - Jesse D. Abeler, D.O.

Hand Surgery - Jesse D. Abeler, D.O.

Orthopedic Group - Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Orthopedic Group - Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Orthopedist - Jason G. Stewart, M.D.

Orthopedist - Jason G. Stewart, M.D.

Orthopedist - Paul K. Edwards, M.D.

Orthopedist - W. Scott Bowen, M.D.

Orthopedist - Samuel A. Moore, D.O.

Orthopedist - William F. Hefley, Jr., M.D.

Orthopedist - W. Scott Bowen, M.D.

Orthopedist - William F. Hefley, Jr., M.D.

Physical Therapist - Steve Longinotti, MSPT

Sports Medicine Clinic - Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Podiatrist - Jesse B. Burks, D.P.M.

Surgeon (Lower Extremity) - William Hefley, M.D.

Surgeon (Lower Extremity) - Jesse Burks, D.P.M.

Sports Medicine Clinic - Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Surgeon (Lower Extremity) - Larry Nguyen, M.D.

Surgeon (Upper Extremity) - David M. Rhodes, M.D.

Surgeon (Lower Extremity) - Larry L. Nguyen, M.D.

Surgeon (Upper Extremity) - Jesse Abeler, D.O.

Surgeon (Upper Extremity) - Jesse D. Abeler, D.O.

Physical Therapy Clinic - Steve Longinotti, MSPT

Top Employers

Top Employers

Overall Company - Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Overall Company - Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Place to Work - Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Place to Work - Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

THE BEST SURGEONS. THE BEST TREATMENT ALL FOCUSED ON YOU.

www.bowenhefleyortho.com

Left to right: Jesse D. Abeler, D.O.; David M. Rhodes, M.D.; Jason G. Stewart, M.D.; William F. Hefley, Jr., M.D.; Samuel A. Moore, D.O.; W. Scott Bowen, M.D.; Jesse B. Burks, D.P.M.; Larry L. Nguyen, M.D.; Paul K. Edwards, M.D.

VOTE DAILY BEGINNING MARCH 6

BOSS

Matt Troup, Conway Regional Health System

CARDIOLOGY CLINIC

Conway Regional Cardiovascular Clinic

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Conway Regional Health System

FITNESS CENTER/GYM

Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center

FOOT & ANKLE SURGERY

Dr. James Head, Conway Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center

FUNDRAISER

Arkansas Duck Derby

GASTROENTEROLOGY CLINIC

Conway Regional Gastroenterology Center

HAND SURGERY

Dr. Bryan Head, Conway Regional Health System

Dr. Jay Howell, Conway Regional Health System

HEALTH COACH

Mallory Lefler, Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center

HOSPITAL

Conway Regional Health System

IN-HOME CARE

Conway Regional Home Health

NEUROLOGIST

Dr. Tim Freyaldenhoven, Conway Regional Neuroscience Center

Dr. Keith Schluterman, Conway Regional Neuroscience Center

NEUROSURGEON

Dr. Regan Gallaher, Conway Regional Neuroscience Center

OB-GYN CLINIC

Conway Regional Renaissance Women’s Center

ONCOLOGIST

Dr. Neelakanta Dadi, Conway Regional Multispecialty Clinic

ORTHOPEDIC GROUP

Conway Regional Health System

OVERALL COMPANY

Conway Regional Health System

PAIN SPECIALIST

Dr. Mikio Ranahan, Conway Regional Advanced Pain Management Center

PERSONAL TRAINER

Mallory Lefler, Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Caleb Marsh, Conway Regional Home Health

PLACE TO HAVE A BABY

Conway Regional Health System

PLACE TO WORK

Conway Regional Health System

RADIOLOGY CLINIC

Conway Regional Imaging Center

REHABILITATION HOSPITAL

Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital

SURGEON

Dr. Anthony Manning, Conway Regional Surgical Associates

Dr. Michael Stanton, Conway Regional Surgical Associates

SURGEON (LOWER EXTREMITY)

Dr. James Head, Conway Regional Health System

SURGEON (UPPER EXTREMITY)

Dr. Jay Howell, Conway Regional Health System

Marissa

UAMS Health.

Top 5% in the Nation.

Each year, Healthgrades, a leading resource connecting doctors and patients, identifies the top-performing hospitals for specialty care. In addition to being recognized for a second year in a row as a Cranial Neurosurgery Excellence Award™ recipient for 2023, UAMS Health was also recognized as one of the Top 5% in the Nation for Cranial Neurosurgery by Healthgrades. This achievement reflects UAMS’s commitment to exceptional healthcare and distinguishes UAMS as one of the nation’s leading hospitals for brain surgery.

We’re Arkansas’ first neurosurgery center to:

 Treat brain tumors with a tumor killing virus plus immunotherapy

 Use robotic assisted surgery

 Navigate the brain with amazing clarity via a computerized navigation system

 Find the best path for accessing and removing a tumor safely utilizing surgical planning software

 Precisely target tumors using high-dose radiation treatments

Don’t trust your brain surgery to just anyone. Our team of brain tumor experts, neurosurgeons, and radiation oncologists are utilizing the latest, innovative technology to create personalized treatment plans. Learn more at uams.health/BrainExperts

For appointments, call (501) 686-5270.

An award-winning, innovative approach to brain surgery.

Back to the Future

North View/Courtyard Entrance

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts draws from its past to reimagine the path ahead

By MAK MILLARD // Photos By TIM HURSLEY

With an opening day of April 22, a new era is fast approaching for the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. The renovation project, which began as a handful of much-needed upgrades to the HVAC and other systems, grew quickly into a total overhaul of the former Arkansas Arts Center. Making this transformation possible has been a massively successful capital campaign, cochaired by philanthropists Harriet and Warren Stephens and aptly titled “Reimagining the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.” More than just a major facelift, the vision for the new AMFA celebrates the Art Center’s legacy while preparing the space to be a modern and dynamic cultural centerpiece.

rom its earliest days, the museum has been an ambitious institution with a focus on serving the community. Though the actual building in downtown Little Rock’s MacArthur Park didn’t open until the 1930s, the museum’s origins reach back even further, to 1914 and the Fine Arts Club of Arkansas. This women-led group was created to bring the arts to Arkansans, and a key part of that goal was the establishment of a permanent gallery. The Fine Arts Club’s support was integral to the 1937 opening of what was then called the Museum of Fine Arts, the first dedicated fine arts museum in the state.

Predating the 21st-century “Reimagining” campaign was another fundraising push in 1959. In partnership with the Fine Arts Club, this campaign garnered the support of the city of Little Rock, the Little Rock Junior League and future governor and first lady Winthrop and Jeannette Rockefeller. The success of these efforts led to the official establishment of the Arkansas Arts Center by city ordinance and, a few years later, an addition to the 1937 structure.

The next several decades saw seven more expansions to the Arts Center. Along with more galleries and programs, the theater space became the Children’s Theater, and the Windgate Art School was established. The museum also made the strategic decision to focus its collection efforts on drawings and paper works, which now make up more than 5,000 pieces of the museum’s 14,000-work permanent collection.

In 2016, Little Rock residents approved a hotel-tax bond worth $31 million to renovate the Arts Center. Shortly thereafter, world-renowned architecture firm Studio Gang and New York-based landscape architecture practice SCAPE were selected to design the new space, along with Little Rock’s Polk Stanley Wilcox. The project broke ground in 2019; that same year, the Arts Center announced the “Reimagining” campaign with an original fundraising goal of $128 million. In 2021, in a nod to its original title, the Arts Center was renamed the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.

Thanks to a strong showing of public and private support, the Stephens’ campaign easily surpassed its original goal, and a new bar

was set at $142 million. Towards the end of 2022, the Stephens announced that $150.4 million had been raised, and the campaign goal was set higher once again, this time at $155 million. According to a statement from the museum, private support has nearly quintupled the impact of public contributions to the project.

Warren Stephens revealed the increased fundraising goal at the announcement of the museum’s opening date, adding, “This is an extraordinary project. My family’s roots, like so many others in Arkansas, run deep. So, the excitement is thoroughly shared across the state and beyond, as evidenced by the success of the capital campaign.”

Pointing to the legacy of that other key campaign in the museum’s history, Harriet Stephens said, “One of our most influential predecessors, Winthrop Rockefeller, always felt this institution was far more than a museum, and it’s been incredibly exciting to see the shared vision for its next chapter come to life.”

For AMFA Development Director Catherine Bays, it’s those kinds of relationships — between the museum’s past and future, between the institution and the community — that inform and enrich her work. Her career in development and philanthropy is an extension of her own background in classical ballet, where she had the opportunity to to dance professionally with several different ballet companies. Bays joined the AMFA team in 2022, but her connection to the former Arkansas Arts Center is much older.

“As a young girl, I studied ballet here with a phenomenal teacher who had come at the request of [then director] Townsend Wolfe,” she said. “I had parents who were very supportive of art education, so not only did I study dance, I took ceramics and photography. My dad took photography with me, and my mom and sister took ceramics with me. We have a family connection.”

Bays has two decades of experience in development, and she explained that fundraising is only one part of the role. Rather than “selling” the museum to potential donors, her work focuses on finding other people who’ve been impacted by their time at the Arts Center and asking them to help support those connections for others.

Catherine Bays

“There are hundreds, thousands — I can’t even imagine the number of people who have come through the doors the same way that I did,” Bays said. “They took a class as a young child, or they brought their children for an experience. There are so many people who have these positive experiences, and our job in development is to find ways to connect people to that experience and to the mission of the museum.”

Once guests do arrive, Bays continued, the museum speaks for itself. Experiencing art, from the galleries and the stage to the spaces for quiet contemplation, draws guests in and keeps them coming back. Once that connection has been made, the question for Bays becomes, “How can we make this viable and available to all children, to all families in our community?”

“It’s about allowing people to feel what this place has to offer,” Bays said. “Most importantly, their support allows this museum to be free of charge for any person who wants to visit. All are welcome. Those who are able to make a financial commitment begin to feel that, ‘This is important to my community and to my state. I want to be a part of financially supporting that mission.’”

Bays’ development work functions in tandem with the efforts of the Stephens and the “Reimagining” campaign. That transition, from initial fundraising to long-term financial sustainability, relies on taking advantage of the campaign’s momentum and combining it with the existing group of supporters.

“We are fortunate that we have such a broad base of patrons. Those are people that were loyal to us well before a capital campaign,” she said. “One of the unique things about the capital campaign is that new supporters come onto your radar. You have a group of people who believe in your institution, and they may not be contributing annually because they’ve never been asked. We have a great opportunity to build on that connection.”

Whether support comes from the ranks of capital campaign donors or walks through the doors for the first time on opening day, Bays’ main concern is helping people see the tangible impact that their giving has.

View onto Courtyard Entrance and 1937 facade

Harriet and Warren Stephens Co-Chairs, Capital Campaign

Especially in the arts, and especially for children, exposure and opportunity can be life-changing.

“People don’t always have the opportunity to be exposed to the things that would help them develop in many ways. That is one of the reasons I feel it is important to be here and to be part of what’s happening,” Bays said. “My job is to find those who can support opportunities – education, school tours, theater experiences – because that was given to me as a child. Had I not had that, I would not have had the life that I’ve had and the opportunities for joy that I’ve experienced. My purpose is to help others have those experiences.”

While anticipation builds for opening day, the revitalized AMFA has already gained notoriety on a national level thanks to Studio Gang and SCAPE, whose design for the museum blends history with possibility.

Led by award-winning architect Jeanne Gang, Studio Gang’s overview of the project explains the museum’s new look in terms of clarification, connection and expansion. Through a combination of renovations and new construction, the firm has made a coherent whole out of the collection of buildings that have been added to the Art Center through the decades. The 133,000-squarefoot structure includes the Harriet and Warren Stephens Galleries, Windgate Art School, Performing Arts Theater, Governor Winthrop Rockefeller Lecture Hall, museum store and restaurant, in addition to a number of other indoor and outdoor spaces.

Visually representing that connection is a folded plate concrete roof that “blossoms” to the north and south sides of the building, serving as a through-line to both give the museum a uniquely recognizable look and facilitate the links between different galleries and program spaces.

The north side of the building, facing downtown Little Rock, features the renewed art-deco facade of the original Museum of Fine Arts. Overlooking that entrance and a newly landscaped Crescent Lawn will be a community and event space dubbed the Cultural Living Room. The museum’s south side will flow into MacArthur Park, where the parking lot has been replaced by an outdoor dining pavilion. SCAPE’s design, under the guidance of founder and award-winning landscape architect Kate Orff, makes for a seamless transition between interior and exterior.

To realize the goal of being a “museum in a park,” according to an AMFA statement, the 11 acres of landscaping features “more than 2,200 linear feet of new paths and trails and 250 new trees, which will merge over time with the existing canopy to form a parkland forest.” SCAPE’s own description of the project noted that the design includes “over 50 species of perennials, shrubs, native trees and ornamental grasses.”

The AMFA’s pleated roof will also work

in concert with the park’s natural elements, collecting rainwater for the newly added gardens and native perennial meadows. Coupled with other sustainability-minded design features, the museum’s architectural notes add that the project is on track to achieve LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The firms’ ambitious undertakings have drawn much positive attention from the architecture and design worlds, winning the 2019 Architect’s Newspaper’s Best of Design award in the unbuilt - cultural category. In 2021, the innovative use of folded concrete on the roof took home first place for low-rise buildings at the American Concrete Institute’s Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards.

“I’m excited for the public to see how wonderful the building is, how beautiful the art is and how incredibly the art is going to be able to be displayed,” said George O’Connor, treasurer of the AMFA Foundation. “It’s architecturally an incredible building, from the outside to the inside.”

O’Connor has been involved with the museum for many years, serving on the board multiple times before his current position with the Foundation. Having seen the AMFA’s transformation from start to finish, he’s looking forward to the museum welcoming back the community.

“It’s not going to be some black-tie event for the opening,” he said. “It’s going to be the public. Everybody is going to be able to come in and see this incredible facility. It’s a game changer.”

Bays echoed that sentiment. “I receive tremendous inspiration by walking through galleries, or going outside and looking at sculptures, or looking at works of art,” she said. “I am eager to go outside and see people experiencing art in the park, enjoying themselves in the galleries or the Cultural Living Room, dining in our restaurant or taking a class. I know I’m not the only person who is recharged by that; I know that if I’m needing it, others in our community need it too.”

Park Entrance

Aerial View from the North

Physicians are on the medical staff of The BridgeWay, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of The BridgeWay. The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.

The city of North Little Rock is always up to something: new public art; outdoor adventure; chef-driven restaurants, live entertainment. We’re also known as “Dogtown”, are home to minor league baseball team Arkansas Travelers and host live concerts at Argenta Plaza. Come see what we’re up to!

surprising!

events & travel inspo>> NorthLittleRock.org

@exploreNLR #exploreNLR

Sweet It Is! How

Chocolate Fantasy Ball Turns 20

By DWAIN HEBDA

f all the things patrons of the annual Chocolate Fantasy Ball have come to expect, two stand out. One is a really good time for a really good cause – supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas – punctuated by delectable chocolate creations served by the platterful.

The second is the presence of Dr. Whit Hall, neonatologist with UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, who is among a select few to have attended every Chocolate Fantasy Ball, which celebrates its 20th iteration on April 1. At each, Hall has been on hand to smile, schmooze and drum up donations to help pay operating expenses at Little Rock’s Ronald McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Room at UAMS.

As the elder stateman of the event, Hall remembers well how the inaugural event was a far cry from the star of the social calendar it is today.

“When we did the first Chocolate Fantasy Ball, I was actually chair of the Ronald McDonald House board,” Hall said. “It was a relatively small event. We held it at the then-Arkansas Arts Center, and there were probably 100 people that attended. We were tickled to get that.”

Linda Grimm, a former board member who was also instrumental in putting on the first ball, remembers the committee working on a shoestring to pull the event together through uncooperative weather.

“We only had, even counting all of our helpers, 11 people on the whole committee,” she said. “We had an ice storm, and many people were not able to get there from West Little Rock. Even our emcee was not able to get there.

“We worked really, really hard, but as we were setting up our chocolate donations, I had to laugh. It really looked more like a church potluck, because none of us had any experience setting up for a ball. Deanna Fleming, who was with Catering Creations, came in with this chocolate fountain, and she saw our arrangement on the table. She said very graciously, ‘Let me help you.’ She knew we needed all the help we could get.”

The maiden voyage may have been rocky, but the event struck a chord with the public. In Year Two, 400 people attended, and $90,000 was raised, nearly double the committee’s goal. The third event exceeded 400 tickets, topped $100,000, and the rest is history. Last year’s event welcomed a record 820 attendees and raised $720,000, and the hope is to surpass even that in 2023.

“It makes me proud that we started it,” Grimm said. “I can’t take any credit for what it’s become because it’s amazing, just amazing.”

Sheila Vaught, an event planner and RMHC board member, said the gala has enjoyed such growth because of its fundamental appeal and worthy cause.

“Our joke is why wouldn’t somebody come to a gala where you get dessert first?” she said. “I do several other charities; I’ve been to lots of galas. But this is such a different concept.

“I think people come to this event because they know where the money’s going and they know that it’s supporting the Ronald McDonald House in Little Rock, Arkansas. That’s why I think it’s continued as long as it has and people still come and support it.”

Vaught also heaped praise on the staff of the organization, led by CEO Janell

Dr. Whit Hall

Photo by Jason Burt

Past and present board members Linda Grimm, Sheila Vaught and Stephanie Fletcher (clockwise from lower left).

Mason, calling their commitment to their cause inspiring.

“It goes from the top all the way down to the last volunteer, because they feel that commitment,” Vaught said. “Janell is a magnificent leader; she lives Ronald McDonald House 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The entire staff is very, very committed to that event, and we have a wonderful board and a wonderful committee. People come and volunteer not only at the ball, but other events at the house because people love to come there and work for that reason.”

*****

To see Annabelle Fletcher is to watch joy in motion. The precocious 5-year-old runs and plays like any other child her age, one moment shadowing her older sister Madeline, the next moment marching into adventures of her own.

“She’s the boss,” said her mother, Stephanie. “She’s doing really, really well right now, and we are riding that wave.”

From the beginning, Annabelle’s chances of prancing and playing as she does have been largely tilted out of her favor. Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital defect where the left side of the heart is underdeveloped, she’s endured multiple major surgeries to literally keep her blood flowing. Babies born with her condition were once quietly ushered directly to hospice, Stephanie said. But modern medicine has advanced to give Annabelle a fighting chance, albeit one paid for in hospital stays, miles of surgical tubing, hundreds of needle sticks and no guarantees.

Yet here she is with a spirit barely contained by her small body, as if it would radiate through the jagged seam running down her front like the glow of lightning bugs streaming from a jar. For Annabelle, every moment is a miracle.

“There are many like her that haven’t made it this far, and then there are some like her who have gone on to have a transplant,” said her mother, her gaze resting lightly on her youngest. “We just have our fingers crossed that her heart stays strong.”

Like many parents of seriously ill children, Stephanie and her husband Derek, who run a poultry operation in Cord outside of Batesville, were shell-shocked by Annabelle’s diagnosis — and the prospect of spending weeks at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, about two hours from home. With a farm to run and another child to care for, sorting out what to do next was overwhelming.

Photo by Jason Burt

When a social worker at the hospital mentioned Ronald McDonald House, the duo knew little about the organization. Ninety days later, when Annabelle finally got to go home, they were disciples.

“Ronald McDonald House really is a lifesaver in the grandest sense of that word,” said Stephanie, who now serves on the board. “When the rest of the world truly doesn’t understand what you’re going through, they try to.

“They really do step in during the darkest hours, and they don’t ask for any recognition while you’re there. Zero is asked of you except, “Hey, come get some sleep and go take care of your kid the next day.” They want you to go be with your child. They want you to be rested, so you can be the best parent you can be.” ****

Stories like Annabelle’s aren’t uncommon at Ronald McDonald House, where families from Arkansas and out-of-state find respite while their child receives critical care. In 2021, 422 families spent nearly 5,700 nights at the house and the family room and consumed more than 37,600 meals, saving those families almost $900,000 between hotels and takeout. While some choose to pay a pittance for the services, no family is ever compelled to do so.

But for the thousands of family dramas that have played out within those walls over the years – some triumphant, some tragic – it was one that was missed that has kept Hall connected to the organization for more than a quarter century.

“I first got involved with Ronald McDonald House because of a family who was from southwest Arkansas, just a wonderful family,” he said. “I came on call one night, and I called them and told them I was worried about their baby. They said they were going to try to get up there but were having trouble getting to the hospital and wanted to know if I thought the baby would be OK in the morning. I reassured them the baby seemed to be turning around and doing a little better, and I thought the baby would be OK through the night.

“As it turned out, the baby took a turn for the worse pretty quickly about midnight and died. The family never could get up here. It just broke my heart that they couldn’t be able to hold their baby and be able to comfort their baby — and comfort themselves knowing they were there at the last moments of their baby’s life. I vowed at that time that I would do everything I could to allow families to be with their babies as much as they could.”

Over the years, Hall has had a ringside seat as the organization moved into new, larger quarters, launched the family room and grew its mobile dentistry program, which brings free dental care to kids in communities across the state.

“It’s really a worthwhile organization,” he said. “Every single penny of the money that we raise stays here in central Arkansas, and it’s used to directly help families. Ronald McDonald House also has a long history of being frugal with their spending, and they do not buy things they don’t need. I’ve been on several nonprofit boards, and this is one that really, really does an outstanding job.”

At this, Hall paused. He knows the organization can’t accommodate every family, but he’s seen capacity and services grow to help so many, all of whom remind him of the family who affected him so deeply. And that is why his 20th Chocolate Fantasy Ball will be every bit as sweet as the first.

“People like Linda Grimm and other board members really did just an outstanding job on that first Chocolate Fantasy Ball. Since that time, it has increased to the event that it is today,” he said. “It’s where it is because the money raised makes it possible for parents to be there with their babies at a critical time. The people who come out and support us realize how important that is for our families.”

To learn more, purchase gala tickets or to make a donation, please visit rmhcarkansas.org.

As Annabelle Fletcher, now 5, battled long odds as a baby, her parents stayed close and found respite at Ronald McDonald House in Little Rock. Hundreds of sick children and their families are served in this same manner every year. Photos courtesy of Stephanie Fletcher.

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100(ish) More Things to Do in THE NATURAL STATE

Whether you greet spring with the joy of a budding gardener or the fear of a chronic allergy sufferer, there’s no denying that the days are getting longer and warmer. Spring will have sprung come March 20 this year, depending on if you listen to astronomers or meteorologists. In either case, the transition from frigid to floral is enough to get most people itching, and not just in the eyes, for an excuse to get out of the house.

Day trip, excursion, weekend getaway, sabbatical – whatever you call it, just don’t opt for a staycation. We’re lucky to live in a state where the options are plentiful, where the perfect night out can be spent under the stars along the Buffalo or rubbing elbows at concerts and festivals. From the Delta to Devil’s Den, from Little Rock to Osceola and all the museums, mysteries and hidden treasures in between, one thing is clear: the best time to start exploring the Natural State was yesterday. The second best time to start is right now.

To help get you on your way, we’ve refreshed our list of 100 Things to Do in the Natural State, first published in 2019. A few of our favorites stayed on, but we’ve also added a diverse assortment of destinations from every corner of the state.

Consider yourself an amateur ghost-hunter? We’ve got some places for you to check out. Looking to spruce up your Instagram with a few roadside attraction photo ops? There’s a giant beer can and a walkable guitar calling your name.

No matter what you’re after, this list has got just the right mix of old and new ideas. History buffs, musicians, sommeliers-to-be and even chocolate gravy lovers have something to look forward to in these pages. And don’t worry: we encourage you to start checking items off the list now, but these activities span all four seasons, meaning you’ll be busy until this time next year. Not sure where to start? We recommend throwing a dart, flipping a coin or the tried-and-true “close your eyes and point” method.

Arkansas is full of stories. Even if you’ve heard them all, you probably know someone who hasn’t. So, what are you waiting for? Greet spring with an antihistamine and a smile, take this list and get ready to write a new tale or two.

Take a selfie with Popeye at the annual Spinach Festival in the Spinach Capital of the World Alma

Go on a guided tour of Castle Rogue’s Manor

Beaver

Celebrate the city’s 150th at the brand-new Bentonville History Museum

Bentonville

Treat your tastebuds to a tour of the Altus Wine Region

Altus

Attend the “Battle of the Ravine” football game between Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University

Arkadelphia

Go birding at Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge

Bald Knob

Sip on sweet iced tea at the Tea Crate

Batesville

Wear a kilt to the Scottish festival at Lyon College Batesville

Take a 24,000-year journey at the Museum of Native American History

Bentonville

Admire the collection at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Bentonville

Catch a concert at the Momentary Green

Bentonville

Check out the bottomless cave lakes on a tour of Cosmic Cavern

Berryville

Find your next great read at the Blytheville Book Company Blytheville

Buffalo

Enjoy karaoke, cornhole and live music at Betty’s Big Country Dance Hall

Caddo Valley

Explore Peppersauce/East Calico, the country’s only “ghost town within a town”

Calico Rock

Take an artistic journey through the history of Camden with the murals along scenic AR-7

Camden

Stop for a burger and shake at the Diamond Drive-In

Clarksville

Shop local for snacks, goods and produce at Bell Urban Farm

Conway

Come for the smoked meats and decor, stay for the cinnamon rolls as big as your face at Burl’s Smokehouse Crystal Springs

Jump into the water at Kings River Falls

Boston Mountains

Go elk scouting in the Ozarks

Boxley

Meet in the middle at the geographical center of Arkansas

Bryant

Pull off State Highway 7 and draw your own conclusions about the source of the Dover Lights

Dover

Go stargazing at the Buffalo National River, a designated International Dark Sky Park

River

Step back in time at the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, where the country legend grew up Dyess

Catch live music and visit the farmers market in El Dorado’s Murphy Arts District El Dorado

Learn to identify the flora and fauna of the South Arkansas Arboretum El Dorado

Experience Arkansas’ oldest show cave at Onyx Cave Park Eureka Springs

Go on a Carnivore Caravan tour at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Eureka Springs

Visit Quigley’s Castle, “the Ozarks’ Strangest Dwelling” Eureka Springs

Find ancient petroglyphs at Indian Rock Cave/Edgemont Shelter Fairfield Bay

Welcome the holiday season at Fayetteville’s Lights of the Ozarks celebration

Fayetteville

Buy a book from the maze of literature at the Dickson Street Bookstore.

Fayetteville

Call the Hogs on gameday at Razorback Stadium

Fayetteville

Join the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum as it celebrates 75 years

Fort Smith

Stop by Monster Mart on your way to search for the elusive Fouke Monster

Fouke

Dive into early Arkansas history with the South Sebastian County Historical Society

Greenwood

Find the Gurdon Light along the railroad tracks, believed to be a wandering spirit

Gurdon

Watch the World Championship Cardboard Boat Races on Greers Ferry Lake

Heber Springs

Enjoy the sounds of the King Biscuit Blues Festival, which always features legendary blues musicians

Helena-West Helena

Eat an Arkansas watermelon at one of the state’s great watermelon festivals

Hope

Go on a zipline tour with Adventureworks

Hot Springs

Bet on the ponies at Oaklawn, Arkansas’ American thoroughbred racetrack

Hot Springs

Meet your heroes at the Josephine Tussaud Wax Museum

Hot Springs

Take the family on a dude ranch vacation at Horseshoe Canyon Guest Ranch

Jasper

Explore Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center, a learning center with animals, exhibits and self-guided trails

Jonesboro

Little Rock

Get the perfect photo op at Hawksbill Crag/Whitaker Point

Kingston

Stop off Highway 22 and get a photo with your Bud(weiser)

Lavaca

Keep the doctor away with apple cider, dumplings and slices at the Arkansas Apple Festival

Lincoln

Learn about the African American experience in Arkansas at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

Look for birds as you explore trails at the Little Rock Audubon Center

Little Rock

Spend a day visiting the animals at the Little Rock Zoo Little Rock

Meet the experts in aliens, ghosts, cryptids and more at the Arkansas

Paranormal Expo

Little Rock

Be one of the first to visit the new Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

Little Rock

See farm animals and get your fill of fried food at the Arkansas State Fair

Little Rock

Stop and wonder at the panoramic view at Marshall Overlook Marshall

Gather your friends (or enemies) for some paintball pandemonium at Action Town Park

Mayflower

Visit the World War II Japanese American Internment Museum for its 10th anniversary McGehee

Ride through the Ouachita National Forest on the Wolf Pen Gap ATV Trail System Mena

Explore the history of one of Arkansas’ most interesting residents in the Legacy Gallery at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute Morrilton

Dig for quartz, crystals and other gems at Mount Ida, the heart of “Crystal Country”

Mount Ida

Have an un-bean-lievable time at the Annual Bean Fest & Great Ozark Championship Outhouse Races

Mountain View

Experience classic folk tunes at the Ozark Folk Center

Mountain View

Enjoy those sweet mountain sounds at the Bluegrass Festival

Mountain View

Watch the sunrise over the Arkansas River Valley

Mt. Nebo

Get inspired at the Delta Arts Festival

Newport

Take the dogs for a walk along the Arkansas River Trail at Burns Park

North Little Rock

Visit the monument of WWI hero Herman Davis in Manila Manila

Explore naval history at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum

North Little Rock

See Civil War historical markers and get a view of the Mississippi River at Sans Souci Landing

Osceola

Enjoy a show at the 98-year-old Collins Theatre (formerly the Capitol Theatre)

Paragould

Learn about Arkansans who have left their mark on the entertainment industry at the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame

Pine Bluff

Practice your French (or just get a picture) at the Eiffel Tower Park Paris

Follow Arkansas Quilt Trail #7 through Logan County

Paris/Scranton/Ratcliff

Be dazzled by the Christmas Parade and official lighting ceremony for the Paris Trail of Holiday Lights

Paris

“Goat” and see for yourself what all the fuss is about at the Arkansas Goat Festival

Perryville

See a piece of literary history at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum

Piggot

Be engaged, educated and entertained at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas

Pine Bluff

Take your favorite train enthusiast to the Arkansas Railroad Museum Pine Bluff

Stop in Downtown Pine Bluff for coffee and a treat at Indigo Blue Coffeehouse Pine Bluff

Stop by the historic Hollis Country Store, home to Arkansas’ best bologna sandwiches

Plainview

Spend the day fishing and exploring frontier history at Davidsonville Historic State Park

Pocahontas

Explore Arkansas’ only lakeside cavern, War Eagle Cavern on Beaver Lake Rogers

Learn the unique story of Central Arkansas’ Italian-American enclave at the Little Italy Arkansas Heritage Museum

Roland

Satisfy your sweet tooth at the Chocolate Gravy Cookoff during Searcy’s Holiday of Lights celebration Searcy

Step into the past at Powhatan Historic State Park

Powhatan

Find hidden treasures at the state’s best flea market, the Junk Ranch Prairie Grove

Stop and stare at the 12-foot tall Raven statue in -- where else? --

Ravenden

Ravenden

Walk through a recreation of Smackover’s main street during its boomtown days at the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources Smackover

Star City

Experience the World Duck Calling Championship at the annual Wings over the Prairie Festival Stuttgart

Enjoy an Abbey Amber beer and peanut brittle from the “Country Monks” at Subiaco Abbey Subiaco

Walnut Ridge

Stand

West Memphis

Wickes

Celebrate Arkansas’ largest crop at the Arkansas Rice Festival

Wiener

Fish for bream on a south Arkansas oxbow lake

Wilmot

Watch the sunset over rich Delta farmland

Woodruff County

Visit the Rush Historic District, an zinc mining town dating from the late 1800s

Yellville

Camp out at Cane Creek State Park and explore nearby Bayou Bartholomew, the world’s longest bayou

Learn about tenant farming and the agricultural labor movement at the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum Tyrzona

Pull off of Rock n’ Roll Highway 67 to visit the Guitar Walk at Cavenaugh Park

over the mighty Mississippi River at the Big River Crossing pedestrian bridge

Escape to the woods at Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area

Davies Bridge spanning Cedar Creek in Petit Jean State Park

YEARS YOUNG!

By JOE DAVID RICE, Photos provided

From the outset, 1923 proved to be quite an interesting year, beginning with the emergence on January 1 of a brand-new country, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. On February 16, British archaeologist Howard Carter opened a sealed doorway deep in an Egyptian tomb and revealed the sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun to an astonished world. Late February found Briton Hadden and Henry Luce in New York City frantically putting final touches on their new weekly publication, initially to be titled FACTS but released as TIME magazine.

In Little Rock, Gov. Thomas McRae was sworn in for his second term on January 9, 1923. Members of the Arkansas General Assembly began discussing the idea of making the sale or use of marijuana illegal, a proposal soon to become law. When proponents of an unsuccessful effort to relocate the University of Arkansas refused to admit defeat, State Rep. Joel C. Belote threatened to introduce legislation moving the State Capitol from Little Rock to Hot Springs.

Meanwhile, a freshman legislator from Conway County named W.R. Webb filed a bill that would set the stage for one of Arkansas’s great success stories—an institution attracting nearly 10 million guests a year and generating a $1 billion annual economic impact.

But first, a bit of background. We’ll begin with the Fort Smith Lumber Company, a business established in 1892, with mills in western Arkansas and across the border in what was then Indian Territory. Business was good, and in 1899 the company bought 76,400 acres of timberlands along the northern edge of the Ouachita Mountains. In April of 1907, company officials inspected a ruggedly scenic tract of this property in extreme southwestern Conway County, an area known locally as Seven Hollows. Among those on this field trip was Dr. T.W. Hardison, the young company doctor (he was 24 at the time) and a relative newcomer with only five months on the job. After debating the pros and cons of cutting timber in the rough terrain, they agreed to forego logging. But Hardison had bigger thoughts.

“While listening to the discussion,” he recalled, “the idea occurred to me that the trees might as well be left to live out their lifespan unmolested by axe and saw, and the area converted into a park.”

Hardison reached out to Congressman Henderson M. Jacoway, a graduate of nearby Dardanelle High School, who introduced legislation in 1921 in the U.S. House of Representatives for the federal government to accept a 1,540-acre donation for an area to be known as Petit Jean National Park. In addition to the Fort Smith Lumber Company parcel it included several adjacent properties, the owners of which had been induced by Hardison to support the national park idea.

After a team from the National Park Service visited the property, Dr. Hardison had a cordial hour-long meeting with Stephen Mather, NPS director, about the proposal. Although Mather agreed the land was beautiful, he noted it wasn’t really unique from a national perspective. And it was entirely too small. Mather suggested it was better suited to becoming a state park.

Enter State Rep. W.R. Webb. On February 24, 1923, Webb submitted House Bill 873 to “authorize the Commissioner of State Lands to accept lands donated to the state for parks and state reservations.” Section 1 included legal descriptions of Conway County properties to be donated, and Section 3 specified the park “shall be designated Petit Jean State Park.” Unfortunately, some of the landowners who’d agreed to contribute land for a national park opted out when the state park idea was proposed, reducing its size to a modest 80 acres.

Webb’s bill passed the House two days later and was referred to the Arkansas Senate where it received final approval on March 1 with nary a dissenting vote in either chamber. Gov. McRae signed the legislation that same day, making it Act 276 of the Forty-Fourth General Assembly—and creating the Arkansas State Park system.

The momentous legislation garnered no front-page coverage in Little Rock’s newspapers. In fact, the only mentions were a tiny blurb hidden in a “Bills signed by the Governor” listing on page 3 of the Arkansas Gazette on Friday, March 2, and a similar announcement buried on page 17 of the Arkansas Democrat.

While Act 276 of 1923 was indeed historic, not a single dollar was appropriated for building Petit Jean State Park. Nor were any positions established. The next big step forward occurred in 1927 when the Arkansas legislature established the State Parks Commission. The first chairman? None other than Dr. T.W. Hardison. The commission was mandated to select and acquire areas of natural and scenic beauty and historical interest and “to protect and preserve in its original habitat and native beauty the flora, fauna and wildlife therein, and preserve the same for all future generations.” But funding and staffing problems remained.

Help came in the form of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the federal jobs program birthed during the Great Depression. While many CCC enrollees were 20 years old or younger, the 200-man crew assigned to Petit Jean included many World War I veterans, older and more skilled. Working under a contract with the State Parks Commission, the National Park Service staff designed and supervised park projects with the CCC men building culverts, dams, trails, boat docks (and boats), a bathhouse, cabins and a lodge. They produced some amazing work and now, 90 years later, a dozen or so of their structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A favorite with many Petit Jean visitors today is the Davies Bridge spanning Cedar Creek. Designed by Ladd Davies, a 19-year-old engineering student at the time and son of Sam Davies, supervising engineer

of the park and later the first director of Arkansas State Parks, it features a graceful 20-foot arch. Built of local fieldstone, it was completed in 1934. Although the 15- to 20-man CCC team building the bridge had limited machinery, they reportedly had an excellent stone mason, a man “who could cut rock just like it was a piece of cheese.”

A second state park, Mount Nebo, was acquired in 1927 as tax delinquent land. Two more, Crowley’s Ridge and Devil’s Den, were added in 1933, and Buffalo River and Lake Catherine state parks entered the system in 1935, all of which benefited from the work of CCC crews. Meanwhile, several key land donations substantially increased the size of Petit Jean.

Legislation passed in 1937 finally added a Director of State Parks. But disbanding of the CCC and the eventual outbreak of World War II brought the fledgling Arkansas State Park system to a virtual standstill. The 1950s saw the establishment of several new parks to include Bull Shoals, Queen Wilhelmina and Lake Chicot. Among those added in the 1960s were Moro Bay, Lake Fort Smith and Withrow Springs.

A new wave of federal financial assistance arrived in the mid-1960s with creation of the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation and the Economic Development Administration. But getting the Arkansas General Assembly to set aside dollars for routine maintenance costs was a never-ending battle. Legislators were not above creating a new state park while failing to appropriate money for staffing or operating the facility, expecting the agency to absorb the additional expenses from its already stressed budget.

Richard W. Davies was appointed Arkansas State Parks Director in 1976, a position his grandfather had held decades earlier. He was at

Petit Jean Bear Cave

that time the youngest such appointee in the nation and perhaps the most challenged given the desperate financial plight facing his agency. In response to a question about the proudest accomplishment during his 14-year tenure, Davies said, “Simply holding things together when we didn’t have any money. Times were pretty tough.”

But a solution was in the works. State officials had noticed the launch of a conservation funding program in Missouri and proposed something similar for Arkansas: a constitutional amendment that would establish a one-eighth cent sales tax with the proceeds going to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (45%), Arkansas State Parks (45%), Department of Arkansas Heritage (9%) and Keep Arkansas Beautiful (1%).

Convincing the public to vote for a tax increase is never an easy job,

Cedar Creek Trail Tributary

Petit Jean Lodging Cabin

Lake Chicot State Park

but the amendment’s proponents got an unexpected bonus when Gov. Mike Huckabee and his wife Janet volunteered their help. With the governor in his bass boat and the First Lady on a jet ski, they embarked on a promotional trip down the Arkansas River where they spoke time and again on the proposal’s behalf weeks before the general election. With the Huckabees’ active support, Arkansas voters approved Amendment 75, known as the Conservation Amendment, in November of 1996.

“I felt very strongly that Arkansas needed to preserve its natural resources that could not be restored if destroyed,” Huckabee said, “and that the small amount of tax would return to us many fold from increased visitors to the state who would see the value of our assets. It’s one of my most gratifying efforts in my tenure as governor. Our parks are now the envy of the nation.”

When asked what would have happened had the amendment failed, Huckabee minces no words.

“I think some of our parks would have closed or would been almost unusable,” he said. “There would be far fewer recreational opportunities for working-class families.”

Over a quarter of a century has passed since that successful campaign, of which Huckabee has fond recollections.

“There is a spectacular beauty of Arkansas that can only be seen from the river,” he said. “One memory was a heavy fog that settled in Little Rock on the river and we got lost in the fog. I thought we were filming a sequel to Gilligan’s Island.”

Arkansas State Parks got off to a rough start 100 years ago. But the system is in good shape today with 52 parks covering 55,006 acres; 4 lodges; 214 guest rooms; 204 cabins; 471 miles of trails; 6 restaurants; 1,751 campsites; 41 playgrounds; 1,085 picnic sites; 15 swimming beaches; 10 marinas; 11 swimming pools; 4 tennis courts; 2 golf courses; 48 gift shops; 190 historic structures; an airport and, of course, 1 diamond mine.

The Conservation Amendment has allowed Arkansas State Parks to thrive after decades of struggle, attracting nearly 10 million guests a year

Devils Den

MonumentTrails

whose collective economic impact is estimated at $1 billion annually.

But Arkansas State Parks is much more than a collection of impressive numbers. It’s a family of some 700 full-time employees (increasing to 1,200 in peak season) who are committed to offering opportunities for their customers to create lasting memories. One of my state park friends proudly mentions that he’s now serving the third generation of a family at his park.

Let me share some interesting observations from the four (three former; one current) directors I have known:

Richard W. Davies (1974-1990): “Arkansas State Parks offer so many different things to so many different people. They’re diverse enough to provide a little bit of something to almost everybody.”

Greg Butts (1990-2015): “If you look at the Arkansas State Park system, it’s about special places, history and culture. The parks really define Arkansas.”

Grady Spann (2015-2021): “Our state parks are the best-maintained

and protected special places in Arkansas that need to be preserved in perpetuity.”

Shea Lewis (2021-present): “Recreation is a key part of us as humans. There’s something internal that the park experiences provide for us.”

Back to those two individuals who got the ball rolling a century ago, Stephen Mather and T.W. Hardison. Mather’s contributions to the Arkansas State Park system have been acknowledged by naming Mather Lodge at Petit Jean State Park in his honor. And Hardison’s key role is commemorated in the new T.W. Hardison Visitor Center at Petit Jean.

So, there you have it. A quick look at Arkansas State Parks 100 years later. But reading about them is one thing; experiencing them is a far better choice. Help celebrate this extraordinary centennial by making a point to visit these 52 exceptional places. That’s a different park every week for an entire year!

Bull Shoals Dam

Bull Shoals White River

Photo courtesy of PBR

CHUTES SCORES

&

Arkansas’ Chase Outlaw among PBR field returning to Simmons Bank Arena

By Dwain Hebda

“Woo, Pig.”

Chase Outlaw’s mouth crimps up into a smile at The Natural State greeting. Arkansas’ most-recognized native bull rider, he’s reached the upper echelon of the sport and stayed there for more than a decade. Videos of him abound on social media, he’s dominated bulls in professional competitions around the U.S. and internationally, and sponsor patches jostle for space on his competitive gear.

But at his heart, he’s still just a country boy from Hamburg, trying to make a living doing what he loves most, eight seconds at a time.

“Arkansas has always supported me and had my back,” he said. “I mean, Arkansas is a different kind of state. We stick to our own. So, it’s a blessing to do what I do in front of my home state.”

Outlaw will get just such an opportunity when the PBR U.S. Border Patrol Invitational comes roaring into Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, March 3 and 4. Just talking about the possibility of a hometown win puts a little extra kick in his long, smooth drawl.

“That event right there means the world,” he said. “To get the win there would be even sweeter.”

Outlaw has been sticking himself to the backs of bucking animals since he was 5 and despite a dalliance with high school football, the passion for rodeo

and specifically bull riding, has never dimmed.

“I’d say I was pretty much a natural. Don’t really like to brag but yeah, it came to me pretty good,” he said. “I really didn’t realize how good I was because it just come so easy, you know.”

Outlaw hit the PBR circuit in 2012 and posted a rookie season that showed the sport he’d be one to be reckoned with for years to come. That season, he posted 55 rides out of 108 outs for a 51% ride average. He won six times, placed in the Top Five 19 times and Top 10 25 times, ultimately ranking 21st in the world.

Arkansas has always supported me and had my back.

“

Photo courtesy of PBR

“To be the best bull rider, you got to ride ‘em all.” Arkansas’ own Chase Outlaw takes one to the buzzer (at left). The Hamburg native (right) has his sights on qualifying for another PBR Worlds Finals.

He ranked inside the top 20 in the world three of his next four years, before putting together a breakout season in 2017. It was a season built on grit; his ride percentage was one of the lowest of any of his full seasons, and he posted less than half the wins of the previous year. But he placed top 10 or better 46 times and ended the year ranked sixth in the world. The bull riding community, both fans and fellow riders, sat up and took notice of the young Arkansan, even as he relished being part of the tribe.

“It’s an awesome brotherhood. Some of my best friends in the world are those who I met through rodeo,” he said. “I got more best friends in rodeo than I do in my hometown where I grew up. You know what I’m sayin’?

“We’re all a different breed, and we all know that. Everybody comes from different walks of life, but we all got the same rhythm of heartbeat if you know what I’m saying.”

Outlaw enters the Little Rock event ranked 39th and looking to move up in the standings in this, the 11th year the event has played North Little Rock. The competition comes at a time of exploding popularity in bull riding, grown from a very simple strategy.

Sean Gleason, CEO said, “For 30 years, PBR has used a model and was founded on the belief that bull riding is an exciting sport that can appeal to mainstream America, as well as communities that either lost a rodeo or had literally no opportunity to engage with any type of Western sport. I always say we hook them with the spectacle and then we win their hearts and minds with the sport.”

Bull riding has been around as long as there have been cowboys brave enough or crazy enough to do it. Like most rodeo events, it grew out of the cattle-punching culture on ranches in Old Mexico and the American West. But unlike roping, barrel racing and bronc riding, which grew out of practical chore skills, bull riding developed for one reason and one reason only – machismo.

By the mid 1800s, a Mexican form of bull riding called jaripeo was rapidly growing in popularity, and by the 1930s, sanctioning bodies began to form to standardize rules for the event. One of these, Rodeo Cowboy’s Association, formed in 1945 and changed its name to the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association (PRCA) in the 1970s, per American Cowboy.com.

In 1992, bull riders broke away from the PRCA to create their own organization and governing rules under the name Professional Bull Riders (PBR). Growth in the popularity of bull riding since has been astonishing. More than 500 PBR bull riders from around the world compete in more than 200 bull riding events each year on the nationally televised Unleash The Beast and PBR Team Series, Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour and Touring Pro Division, in addition to those held by international divisions in Australia, Brazil and Canada.

Little Rock falls on the back half of the Unleash the Beast competitive season, making it an important stop for cowboys looking to qualify for May’s World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Little Rock has been one of my favorite events on tour for a number of years,” Gleason said. “It’s

cowboy country. It’s a very diverse fanbase. They’re not all coming from the rural areas of Arkansas. We’ve got a lot of fans that live in the heart of Little Rock. It’s also a very important event for riders who are trying to maneuver in the world standings going into the World Finals.”

Since its founding, PBR has awarded $300 million in prize money, donated millions to charity and invested untold resources in the quality of the product. Each of these elements is what makes the PBR the elite of the rodeo world.

“One of the reasons that PBR has been as successful as it is, is because we contemporize Western sports,” Gleason said. “We brought a contemporary production to Western sports, and it’s a world-class production that entertains and informs our audiences. It’s not just slapping some guys on bulls; it’s literally one of the most complex and high-end touring shows that’s on the road.”

With that has come a sophisticated publicity and market research machine that analyzes the current and potential audience in every way

Sean Gleason, PBR CEO

Photo courtesy of PBR

Photo courtesy of PBR

imaginable, to better give the public what it wants. Gleason said the data mining process is so refined, it’s yielded remarkable consumer information, such as differences in preferences by gender. For example, men tend to root for the rider, he said, while more women, proportionately speaking, root for the bull.

That’s where people like Bobby Martin of Rogers comes in. A former WalMart executive and current chairman of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Martin owns and raises bovine athletes whose job it is to push cowboys to their limits. It’s an expensive pastime, one rooted in the Martin family’s status as longtime PBR fans.

“We would go to Las Vegas for the World Finals, and I remember one year my wife and daughter looked at each other and said, ‘This would be a lot more fun if we owned a bull,’” Martin said. “Before we left Las Vegas, we’d bought two.”

Martin, whose bucking stock will be featured at the North Little Rock event, has owned as many as 42 animals at once, but currently has only five that buck in events the caliber of PBR, the formidable-sounding Baptism by Fire and Black Ice being two of them.

“This is not a hobby for a novice,” he said. “The guys who are really, really good, who own the top, top bulls, go through a lot of bulls. They usually breed and raise them. They follow the genetics and all that stuff. But you don’t really train them, they are born. This type of bull is born to buck, just like a thoroughbred is born to run.”

In the PBR world, a rank bull is every bit the celebrity a tough cowboy is, with stats and tendencies tracked down to the smallest detail.

Riders don’t live in fear of a particularly formidable bull, quite the opposite. The tougher the bull is to ride for eight seconds, the higher the cowboy scores.

“The score is developed where it’s 50 potential points for the rider and 50 potential points for the bull,” Martin said. “If a bull doesn’t do well, doesn’t come out very intense, doesn’t really kick the back high or doesn’t turn back, the bull will only maybe get like a 40, and the rider’s score might be 83 or 84. That’s not great. The big-time scorers get into the 90’s and that’s when the roof comes off the stadium. That’s where the bull is really ranke, really intense, very showy, very dangerous, and the rider also shows their skill.”

Outlaw is well-versed in the value of a rank bull in competition, even though riding one comes with inherently more unpredictability and danger. The sport has seen riders die of injuries, and most riders stop counting broken bones, lacerations and even internal injuries after just a few years. It’s the ultimate test of man and beast, where a cowboy has to think as hard as he holds on if he’s going survive.

“You just got this last thought; does it feel good?” said Outlaw to describe the heartbeat between let ῾er go and all hell breaking loose out of the chute. “Really, you don’t have no thought ῾cause it takes at least a second to react to the thought process, and by the time you react to the thought process, you’re already in the midst of chaos, and you don’t know how to get out.

“It’s all instinct. It’s all instinct, man, when you’re in that zone. The fact is, cowboys aren’t competing against each other, we’re competing against the bull. If somebody beats the other that means they had a

This type of bull is born to buck, just like a thoroughbred is born to run.

Photo courtesy courtesy of Bobby Martin

better bull than you.”

That doesn’t mean man and beast are necessarily dance partners in the whole thing. In fact, the bull knows only one thing: to expel the rider with extreme prejudice. If he can’t, the score is high; if he can, the cost can be too.

In 2018, Outlaw entered the season as one of the favorites, and he lived up to the hype, albeit going through hell in the process. Having missed a good chunk of the front half of the year due to reconstructive shoulder surgery, he was eager to start piling up rides and qualify for his seventh straight World Finals.

In late July, he appeared at the Calgary Stampede aboard War Cloud. The 2,000-pound bull jumped twice out of the chute, before turning left and launching skyward, catching the rider full in the face with the top of its head.

Outlaw, all 5’6” and 150 pounds of him, landed heavy in the dirt, nearly every bone in his face shattered. Photos of him after the collision, drenched in his own blood, made papers everywhere and videos of the 1.5 second ride were watched again and again on social media. In a sport where serious injuries are as common as chaps, Outlaw’s wreck caught even the most grizzled rider’s attention.

Within 48 hours, he’d undergo a 12-hour surgery (a second seven-hour one came later) to put back together the 15 facial fractures per side, using up 68 screws, 11 plates, four pieces of surgical mesh and at least two of his apparent nine lives in the process. Most amazing of all, he was back in the arena 75 days later, gutting out the waning competitions of the year to qualify for his seventh straight World Finals.

He’d top that the following year with his best year-end finish – third in the world – but his legend was already cemented. Even today, when asked if he’d at any time thought of hanging it up due to his injuries, the mere thought of quitting hits him harder than War Cloud ever did.

“Did I ever think, hey, this isn’t worth it? No, not really,” he said. “To be the best bull rider, you got to ride ῾em all. The big ones, the small ones, the ones that go left, right, straight and some of the ones that go backwards. That’s what wins you the world title. Besides, I ain’t anything but 30 years old. My timer hasn’t run out yet.”

Bull riding fans Bobby and Margie Martin and their bucking stock (far left). Hamburg’s Chase Outlaw (below) will look to finish in the money before the North Little Rock home crowd March 3-4.

Photo courtesy courtesy of Bobby Martin

Photo courtesy of PBR

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Let It ROLL

By Brian Sorenson

Photos Courtesy

Biking is big business in Northwest Arkansas. Its economic impact is measured in the millions. Bicycle retailers, manufacturers and businesses that cater to the needs of cyclists are finding good fortune in the Ozarks as a result. Supporting the cycling community’s needs is creating jobs and generating income in the region.

It seems that everyone in Northwest Arkansas rides a bike these days. Cruise the Razorback Regional Greenway on a warm and sunny day and you’ll encounter hundreds of people of all shapes, sizes and abilities doing the same. Locals are taking full advantage, but so too are out-of-towners. Cycling tourism is officially a thing.

As a sport and pastime, cycling is more popular than ever, but it’s not a new phenomenon.

The Highroller Cyclery opened in Fayetteville in 1972, making it the oldest bike shop in the region.

The Joe Martin Stage Race started in Fayetteville in 1978, making the amateur race the oldest of its kind in the United States. And mountain bikers have flocked to Devil’s Den State Park near West Fork since the 1980s, when its trail system opened up to fat tires.

The watershed moment was without a doubt the opening of the Razorback Greenway. The first sections were completed in Fayetteville in 2008, and the full length of the trail was dedicated in 2015. Today, 40 miles of paved surface spans from Bella Vista in the north to Fayetteville in the south. The trail’s branches carry riders to bars, parks, restaurants and shopping destinations. It is the thread that ties many of the historic downtowns of Northwest Arkansas together.

There have also been major investments in soft surface trails along the I-49 corridor. Coler Mountain and Slaughter Pen in Bentonville, Centennial Park and Kessler Mountain in Fayetteville, Hobbs State Park in Rogers and Fitzgerald Mountain in Springdale are just a few examples. These trail net-

works draw out-of-staters in big numbers, as seen by the many states you can spot on the license plates that fill the trailhead parking lots on the weekends.

Growth in biking as a pleasure activity, a sport, and a mode of transportation creates impact across a broad range of economic categories – tourism, retail, manufacturing and wholesale and infrastructure.

TOURISM

Brannon Pack is the cycling coordinator for Experience Fayetteville. His job is to promote cycling tourism and help local businesses meet the needs of cyclists. He said visitors interested in riding the trails are coming in huge numbers.

“The data shows that people are willing to drive in and have multiday experiences around cycling,” Pack said. “That has a big impact on communities here in Northwest Arkansas, including Fayetteville.”

Brannon Pack

In 2018, The Walton Family Foundation – in collaboration with PeopleForBikes and Bike NWA – commissioned BBC Research & Consulting to conduct a study of bicycling behavior in the region. The study said out-of-state visitors spent $27 million while visiting the area each year. Now, five years since the study’s release, that figure is likely much higher.

“We know the business benefits are there,” Pack said. “In my role I do a lot of work with our tourism partners, like hotels and restaurants, to help them understand how to cater to cyclists as a consumer group.”

Most cyclists prefer to transport their bikes on their vehicles. For Northwest Arkansas, that means drawing from large metro areas within a day’s drive – Dallas, Kansas City, Memphis, Oklahoma City and St. Louis. Pack said he expressed to local hoteliers how important it is for them to allow bicycles in guest rooms; leaving an expensive piece of equipment outside overnight is not practical given the risk of theft.

Pack said visitors crave two things when they are considering a biking destination – accessibility and amenities. “They like being able to park their cars and then not need them again until it’s time to go home. They are looking to spend their money on local food, local beer and local coffee, all of which can be found close to the Razorback Greenway.”

Several new tourist-drawing events have emerged in the region. The Cyclo-Cross World Championships were held at Centennial Park in Fayetteville the past couple of years. Cycling’s governing body – the Union Cycliste Internationale – designated Fayetteville as the United States’ first Bike City.

Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale and the smaller communities that make up Northwest Arkansas have their own biking events and festivals that attract visitors. And when they come they spend their money on goods and services, helping to create a sustainable cycling economy that contributes to the greater good of the region.

RETAIL

There are nearly three dozen bike shops operating in Benton and Washington counties. One of the newest is PedeGo Fayetteville, an e-bike outlet owned and operated by Liz and Matt Krauft.

The Kraufts became interested in opening an e-bike shop after Liz Krauft experienced pedal-assisted cycling for the first time. “As soon as I hopped on an electric bike I had an epiphany,” she said. “I knew it was the next big thing in cycling. We thought about it for about three years before we decided to go for it. We opened the shop in April of last year, so we almost have a year under our belt.”

E-bikes have gained popularity over the last several years. They have helped increase cy-

“As soon as I hopped on an electric bike I had an epiphany. I knew it was the next big thing in cycling.

Liz Krauft

cling accessibility for people who aren’t able or willing to put full effort into pedaling. Market research agency The NPD Group reported in late 2021 that sales of e-bikes had grown by 240 percent over the previous two-year period, surpassing sales of traditional road bikes. And the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing as more and different types of people are getting into e-bikes every day.

“Most of our customers have been at retirement or near-retirement age, and they are looking to get back into cycling,” Krauft said. “They feel emboldened by e-bikes and the trail infrastructure in our region. But what’s surprising to me is that we are starting to reach the younger generations who are looking for better ways to get to and from the places they need to go.”

Krauft is passionate about cycling as a means of transportation, and not just recreation. She often tweets about her love for Dutch cycling culture, which celebrates biking as a part of the everyday commute. Riding to school or work is becoming more possible at home as additional miles of paved trail are constructed. Pedal-assisted cruisers fitted with cargo racks and saddle bags allow riders to arrive at their destination with all their gear and none of the sweat.

In terms of the Northwest Arkansas market, Krauft sees ample opportunity. “What made us the most comfortable opening a business here is the extensive infrastructure,” she said. “And we chose Fayetteville specifically because it has proven that it will go above and beyond in creating more paved trails to connect different parts of the city.”

Right now, it’s just the couple working at the shop, but the goal is to grow the business to the point where employees are needed to keep up with demand. For now, Liz handles front of house duties and Matt handles the shop’s maintenance program, working on Pedago bikes only.

“Business has been good,” Liz said. “We had some growing pains in the beginning, but we learned a lot. We’re looking forward to what Year Two brings.”

MANUFACTURING & WHOLESALE

In addition to retailers, there are a few bike manufacturers located in Northwest Arkansas. Allied Cycle Works moved its high-end carbon fiber manufacturing operation to Rogers in 2019. Custom frame builder Magnolia Cycles is located in Rogers as well. There are others, and more on the way.

But Sam Lutz isn’t building bikes. He relocated his custom bike bag business – Buckhorn Bags – from New Mexico to Fayetteville in August 2022. The bags are but one of myriad products available in the cycling accessory market.

Lutz an avid outdoorsman, has been cycling for many years.

Sam Lutz

A Buckthorn Bag completes a rider’s kit.

He started making frame bags while working as a carpenter at the University of New Mexico. “It was a fun outlet for me,” he said. “It was similar to carpentry in terms of fitting things together.”

With encouragement from friends, Lutz acquired a sewing machine in 2020 and started an e-commerce website. His bread and butter was making bags for the growing number of bikepackers in New Mexico. A cross between backpacking and cycling, bikepacking requires ample cargo space to carry supplies over long distances. Lutz’s products include frame bags of different sizes and waxed canvas panniers, perfect for hauling gear.

“I picked up some wholesale accounts there in New Mexico,” he said. “It was a nights-and-weekends job for me because I was still working full-time during the day.”

Eventually, Lutz and his wife decided it was time

to move closer to family (hers in Lake of the Ozarks and his in Kansas City). Although Lutz attended the University of Arkansas as an undergrad, Fayetteville wasn’t initially the top pick.

“I was pretty disconnected from Northwest Arkansas since leaving school a decade ago,” he said. “But once we started looking at it, I realized the cycling infrastructure and biking community is really strong. All of the trail access and bike-friendly businesses make the area unique, which was a big plus for us when deciding to move the business here.”

Lutz now makes Buckhorn Bags in a shop just off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in south Fayetteville, less than a quarter-mile from the Razorback Greenway. His previous clientele of mostly bikepackers has evolved to include more types of riders. “Now it’s people who are biking to work, or otherwise spend all day on their bikes cruising the trails,” he said.

Business has been brisk for Lutz’s one-man shop. He said he experienced a brief period when the time between receiving a customer’s order and delivery of the final product reached eight to 10 weeks. “That was pretty challenging,” he said. “I was doing significantly more business than I expected.”

Cycling in Fayetteville is more than recreation, connecting neighborhoods, attractions and even neighboring communities.

Phill Penny

INFRASTRUCTURE

The trails don’t build themselves. It used to be that the shovels and pickaxes were thrown about by volunteers. That’s how Phil Penny got his start in trail building.

Penny is the owner of Rogue Trails, a local firm that designs, builds and maintains trails of all types. Penny’s background is in environmental science and engineering and he started racing mountain bikes in the early days of the sport. Those combined experiences made trail construction a natural career transition.

“We have a soft surface division, a climbing division and a natural resource division,” Penny said. “The natural resource division does all the due diligence in terms of environmental permitting and land management for outdoor recreation projects.”

Penny is a former president of Ozark Off Road Cyclists. Two big projects he worked on while leading the group were the trails at the Buffalo Headwaters in remote Newton County and Kessler Mountain in Fayetteville. After several years of volunteering his time, he founded Rogue Trails in 2017. Since then, his firm has designed over 500 miles of trail and built over 120 miles of path in eight states.

“There are many different layers to trail building,” Penny said. “It’s not just a guy who shows up as a volunteer to build a trail anymore. It’s a multifaceted thing to do it well.”

Rogue Trails employs 25 people who design and build trails all across the United States. A proud Arkansan,

Penny can’t imagine living anywhere else due to the bustling biking scene in Northwest Arkansas, even as he travels across the country riding mountain bikes and manages projects in multiple states. .

“The scene today is at such a higher level than it was in the past,” he said. “Back in the day there were just a few of us racing, and we were in t-shirts and boots. Nobody ever matched because nobody had racing kits. By around 2006 the bikes started improving and the trails were getting better. Now it’s the place to be if you’re into the sport.”

The increasing number of trail miles requires constant attention from professionals. In addition to Rogue Trails, other companies engaged in trail design and construction include Progressive Trail Design and Rock Solid Trail Contracting, both based in Bentonville and both employing significant numbers of people.

Recognizing the need for trained trail crews, Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville recently announced plans to start a trail construction and maintenance program. The school started offering a technical certificate in bicycle assembly and repair in 2021. People interested in a career in cycling now have opportunities to obtain the necessary skills.

Penny sees the program as a valuable asset in the area as the popularity continues to surge in Northwest Arkansas. “We’re involved in the program at NWACC. We are helping them develop a design-based and maintenance-based class. Hopefully my business will continue to grow, and I’ll need to hire those graduates.”

The many individuals and businesses behind Northwest Arkansas’ biking economy are bolstered by local and state government. Pack with Experience Fayetteville said the vision of government, tourism and economic development leadership have created and supported a holistic approach to expanding cycling in the region, and the public has responded accordingly.

“Public input is important because citizens see the value biking brings to Northwest Arkansas,” he said. “The bond we passed in Fayetteville in 2019 meant $20 million in trail projects in this decade alone.

“[Prioritizing biking] is both top-down and bottom-up. Now, a lot of businesses are selecting Northwest Arkansas as their home base. This speaks to the gravity of the trail investments we started making many years ago. If you build it, they will come.”

5 STAR Ratings

We are an 80 bed facility with both private and semi-private rooms.  We offer Rehab services (PT, OT, and ST) as well as Long-Term Care.

occupational and speech

Customized

are conducted by licensed therapists who focus on improving mobility and motor skills following an injury or illness. The enrichment of daily physical function can significantly improve a resident’s selfreliance and overall happiness.

Our staff provides residents with specially tailored treatment plans designed to recapture health, independent living and facilitate a return home.

Jamestown features separate rooms and private suites with a private entrance for the comfort and convenience of shortterm residents and their families focused on returning home. A full meal service with snacks is prepared daily.

Briar wood Nursing and Rehab is a 120-bed skilled facility located in an urban setting within the heart of Little Rock, in the neighborhood of Briarwood. We are located just minutes from downtown Little Rock and are only one block off interstate 630.

We provide long-term care and short-term rehab care. All residents are monitored throughout the day with assistance in providing daily care as is needed: bathing, dressing, feeding and providing medications. Briarwood staff also work at ensuring the best care for residents through individual care plans of residents' needs, as well as daily activities, which allow for a variety of interests and abilities.

Nearly all - 98 percent - of our rehab residents return to the community as a result of positive, caring therapists. Briarwood's approach has provided healing to many people in the community.

At Briarwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, we are committed to ensuring that the best possible care is given to you or your loved one in an atmosphere that is calm, quiet and focused on healing. We endeavor to ensure that all aspects of your well-being — mental, physical and spiritual — are cared for in a peaceful and safe environment. Our staff strive to promote dignity, respect, and independence as much as possible, in a beautiful, soothing enviornment that was designed with our residents' comfort in mind.

Briarwood's service-rich environment is made possible by its dedicated staff, from our nursing staff and therapists, to our operations and administrative employees. At Briarwood, our residents enjoy three generations of staff and families. That is over 30 years of service to the community!

AY About You is proud to present the 2023 edition of its annual special section,

ASK AN EXPERT

Now, more than ever, it can be hard to find the facts behind life’s most pressing issues, the answers to all of our questions. One website says this, but another says the opposite. One false step and all the flowers are dead, the faucet’s leaking — and we still haven’t solved the mystery of “what’s for dinner”.

Fortunately, we’ve gathered dozens of Arkansas’ influential and knowledgeable leaders and asked them the questions that you want answered. From health care to homebuilding and finances to cosmetic surgery, we’ve got the answers and insights from those who know best — experts.

CONWAY REGIONAL

RONAK SONI, MD BOARD-CERTIFIED CARDIOLOGIST

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE?

The best way to prevent cardiovascular disease is to identify risk factors and manage those with your primary care provider and cardiologist. Even if someone does not have symptoms of heart disease, it is essential to have annual screenings and find problems early.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE THAT CAN BE MANAGED?

Risk factors that can be managed on an individual level include seeing a primary care provider regularly, stopping smoking, managing diabetes and blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, getting the recommended amount of sleep each night and creating environments of minimal stress.

WHAT KIND OF EXERCISE IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE FOR HEART HEALTH?

Aerobic exercise is the best type of exercise when keeping a healthy lifestyle for your heart. Everyday activities such as household chores, gardening and walking your dog are small ways to stay active and improve heart health.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF A HEART ATTACK?

The main sign of a heart attack is chest discomfort and pressure, usually

in the center of the chest. Other symptoms can include neck discomfort, arm pain, cold sweats, nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO VISIT A PHYSICIAN?

It is very important to see your primary care provider regularly so they can spot warning signs and manage risk factors before you develop heart disease.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK I MAY BE HAVING A HEART ATTACK?

A fast response by health care professionals is essential for the patient’s survival and quality of life. Anyone experiencing heart attack symptoms should call 911 immediately. Most emergency responders are equipped with mobile communication technology that can transmit electrocardiograms from the ambulance directly to the emergency room. Once the EKG is sent to the ER, the heart team will be onsite when the patient arrives. I am proud to work at Conway Regional, where the heart and stroke teams have achieved the American Heart Association’s gold standard awards and are among the fastest rapid response teams in the state.

CONWAY REGIONAL

DAWN HUGHES, MD

MATERNAL-FETAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST

WHAT QUALITIES ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN YOUR SPECIALTY OF MEDICINE?

Empathy and meticulousness. In dealing with high-risk pregnancies, the details are important. It is such an honor to be entrusted with the care of someone’s unborn child; the field of MFM demands thoroughness in order to ensure the best plan of care.

WHEN DOES A MATERNAL-FETAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST BECOME PART OF A FAMILY’S PREGNANCY PLAN?

This is usually determined by the patient’s OB-GYN prior to or during pregnancy and is based on a patient’s medical and family history. Our patients include mothers who are older than 35, those who have health conditions that could complicate pregnancy (such as hypertension, diabetes, etc.) or those who have had high-risk pregnancies in the past. We also take care of unborn babies with issues such as structural abnormalities, genetic differences and growth restriction.

ARE THERE CERTAIN WARNING SIGNS THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE AWARE OF DURING PREGNANCY?

One of the confusing and often frustrating aspects of pregnancy is that many symptoms can be totally normal or a warning sign of a potential complication. It almost always takes a complete clinical evaluation to tell the difference. Because of that, it is best to discuss any concerns with an OB-GYN or MFM specialist.

WHAT’S THE MOST SURPRISING THING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT MATERNAL-FETAL MEDICINE?

I didn’t realize how much my practice would change my outlook on life. Learning everything that can go wrong in a pregnancy gave me a profound appreciation for when everything goes right. After a hard day at work, I find myself marveling at my own children and the miracles that they are.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS?

I define my success by my ability to find balance and joy in the things I love most: my work and my family. I had to learn to let go of other people’s expectations and focus on what is most important to me.

SCOTT SMITH, MD ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

WHAT ARE THE MOST PREVALENT CONDITIONS YOU DEAL WITH?

I treat a lot of rotator cuff and other shoulder-associated conditions, as well as knee problems such as arthritis, meniscus, ACL and knee-cap dislocations. We treat fractures of all types, including pediatric fractures. In my practice, we can see the whole family.

CAN YOU DISCUSS SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY SINCE YOU BEGAN YOUR PRACTICE AND HOW THEY BENEFIT PATIENTS?

We have seen positive results with robotic joint replacement using the MAKO robotic surgery system; it is a worthy way of doing joint replacement that benefits patients. There is also new implant technology that has made a difference in how we treat patients. People don’t need to be in the hospital as much as in years past, and the recovery times are quicker because of the less invasive surgical procedures we’re able to do.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR THE PUBLIC RELATED TO ORTHOPEDIC CARE?

A good way to approach your joint and bone health is to manage your weight. Being overweight has a negative impact on the body – especially

the lower extremities. All your weight goes through your knees, hips and ankles, and that can lead to problems that require treatment and surgery.

WHEN SHOULD SOMEONE VISIT AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON?

Most daily bumps and bruises can be managed with over-the-counter medication. If something persists beyond a few days or a week, you should get it checked out. If you have any ongoing musculoskeletal concerns, it is better to get them checked out before they become bigger problems.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT BEING A SURGEON?

I enjoy the rapport that I have with my patients and the feeling that I am enhancing their quality of life. All the praise goes to the Lord, who uses my capacity as a surgeon to reach other people.

WHAT DO YOUR PATIENT SUCCESS STORIES LOOK LIKE?

Success looks like a patient who comes in not being able to walk, and then I see them walking around Kroger three months later following a knee replacement. I have had patients with bad fractures 15 years ago who are now healthy and don’t look back. Those moments are the most gratifying for me.

CARTI

DR.YARA ROBERTSON ONCOLOGIC BREAST SURGEON

WHAT MAKES A PATIENT HIGH RISK FOR BREAST CANCER?

A patient’s risk for breast cancer is determined by examining their family history, medical history and testing for cancer-causing genetic mutations.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHAT MY RISK IS?

CARTI’s genetic counseling team will look at a patient’s risk factors and use testing to determine if any cancer-causing genetic mutations are present. Our experts use the most advanced, leading-edge technology and testing methods to ensure the most thorough and accurate results.

IF I DON’T HAVE A GENE MUTATION, DOES THAT MEAN I’M NOT HIGH RISK?

While a gene mutation can increase a patient’s risk for developing cancer, it doesn’t have to be present – only 10% of patients who develop breast cancer actually have a gene mutation. Factors like family history, breast tissue density, the age a patient started menstruating and more can contribute to their risk factor. Any patient with a 20% risk or higher is considered high risk.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I’M IDENTIFIED AS HIGH RISK?

After assessing these factors and conducting any necessary tests, genetic counselors at CARTI sit down with patients to create a risk management plan that’s tailored to their needs.

IF I’M FOUND TO BE HIGH RISK, HOW CAN I MANAGE IT?

Many patients will undergo MRI or ultrasound imaging, providing a closer look at their breast tissue so doctors can more easily detect abnormalities. Because some patients will be experiencing these exams for the first time, CARTI prioritizes comfort and convenience throughout the process.

855-552-2784 • CARTI.com

COUNTERTOPS

WHAT KIND OF MAINTENANCE SHOULD I EXPECT ON MY COUNTERTOPS?

Quartz is maintenance-free. No need to seal; however, protection from heat should be used. Granite, quartzite and marble require sealing. Countertop World offers a 15-year sealer applied by a technician to ease your mind. We also offer a fiveyear or 10-year warranty through Granite Gold to cover all of life’s mishaps.

WHY COUNTERTOP WORLD?

COUNTERTOP WORLD

HOW LONG SHOULD I EXPECT MY COUNTERTOPS TO LAST?

With proper knowledge of materials and maintenance, your countertops can last a lifetime. Our staff can provide all the knowledge needed to select the right material that will be sure to give you years of durability and satisfaction.

WHAT’S CURRENTLY THE MOST POPULAR COUNTERTOP MATERIAL?

Quartz is currently the most popular due to the wide array of designs and specific colors available, as well as ease of maintenance. Natural stone is still very popular as well for its one-of-a-kind uniqueness.

Our staff has 100-plus years of combined experience to help you find the perfect fit for your family and lifestyle. We also offer a large selection of in-stock material to help make your decision easier. That, combined with state-of-the-art equipment for precision fabrication, makes Countertop World the place to go. Give us a call or stop by and let us help you get started.

WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER REPLACING MY COUNTERTOPS?

Updated countertops are a huge selling point if you are placing your home on the market. You also might be considering updating the look of your home, and countertops are a huge step in the right direction. You may also find maintenance or upkeep of your current countertops to be a hassle. With a wide variety of countertop materials and options, we can help find the best design and function fit for your busy lifestyle.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A LOVED ONE MAY NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IN THEIR HOME?

One place to start is by assessing their current level of independence. Note that you may not be able to answer some of these questions without talking to other family members, close friends of theirs, clergy, etc.

• Signs of injury

• Change in ability or appearance

• Changes in routine

• Unusual amount of clutter

• Unsafe driving

• Behavioral changes

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOME CARE SERVICES?

• Companion Care – Provides emotional support and companionship.

• Personal Care – Provide assistance in completing everyday tasks such as eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, and oral hygiene.

• Transitional Care – Care provided following hospitalization or a stay in a rehabilitation facility.

• Short Term Disability or Illness – Short term care is provided to individuals after an illness or surgery.

• Home Care for Chronic Conditions – Care provided for conditions or illness such as; Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, COPD, Heart Disease, Diabetes, etc.

SHOULD I HIRE A PRIVATE CAREGIVER OR WORK THROUGH AN AGENCY?

There are pros and cons to both. Agencies typically perform a full vetting on their caregivers (background checks, drug screens, reference checks, etc.), while an individual may not be able to perform these on a private caregiver. While you can sometimes hire a private caregiver for less per hour than a caregiver through an agency, with an agency you will have peace of mind knowing a caregiver is licensed, bonded and insured. Another factor to consider is, will you have a replacement if your private caregiver is out unexpectedly? Agencies are usually able to send a replacement if your caregiver must be absent.

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK WHEN CHOOSING A HOME CARE AGENCY?

Some of the important questions are:

• Is your agency licensed?

• Are your caregivers W2 employees or 1099 contractors?

• What is the screening process for your caregivers?

• How long have you been in business?

• What is your training process for your caregivers?

HOW IS IN-HOME CARE PAID FOR?

Benefits of a Long Term Care Insurance Policy, VA Benefits, Medicaid, or Private Pay.

WHERE CAN I GET SUPPORT FOR BEING A FAMILY CAREGIVER?

We have a full guide of resources on our website: elderindependence.com/resourceguide.

KELAMIS PLASTIC SURGERY & AESTHETICS

VICTORIA ARRICK, RN NURSE INJECTOR

HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED NEUROMODULATORS OR DERMAL FILLER?

There are exceptions, but a general rule of thumb is that neuromodulators are used in the upper half of the face, while dermal fillers are used in the lower half of the face. They can also be used together.

HOW MUCH WILL I NEED?

The amount of neuromodulator and dermal filler needed will be personalized based on your goals. The stronger your muscles, the more neuromodulators you will need. The more volume loss you have, the more dermal filler you will need.

WILL IT HURT?

We have topical numbing cream and ice packs available for all injectable appointments, and we use a variety of distraction techniques to help keep you comfortable. You will also have the opportunity to discuss any fears or concerns with me beforehand.

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU OFFER?

Our injectable offerings include neuromodulators (such as Botox and Jeuveau) and dermal fillers. We also offer chemical peels, facials (including HydraFacial) and a medical grade skin care line, ZO Skin Health by Obagi. Our newest service, microneedling by SkinPen, is now available as well.

WHY CHOOSE KELAMIS PLASTIC SURGERY & AESTHETICS?

Every employee here truly cares about our patients, and we strive to provide a fantastic patient experience. As an injector, I want my patients to feel beautiful, empowered and confident with their purchase.

ENERGY AIR

AM I COVERED BY A WARRANTY IF I USE ENERGY AIR?

Although warranties may vary on each product, Energy Air continues to provide only the best in workmanship and manufacturer warranties around. We offer several products to choose from such as Amana and Daikin systems, which are supported by a multitude of superior indoor comfort systems with outstanding warranties.

I DON’T NEED A NEW SYSTEM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAVE MONEY. HOW CAN YOU HELP?

There is never a better time than now to save money on your heating and air system. Energy Air provides a preventative maintenance program to help each customer save money and make sure their system is running at peak performance.

WHY ENERGY AIR?

Since 1992, Energy Air has focused on meeting customers’ needs, staying educated on heating-and-air advancements within the industry and providing only the best in energy-efficient, highquality HVAC equipment – all backed by exceptional warranties and customer service. Energy Air knows the importance of getting things right, from installation to maintenance and repair. Having a licensed, educated and certified HVAC contractor is extremely important and is vital for your system’s overall performance.

REAL ESTATE COMPANY

KELLCO REAL ESTATE

WHY CHOOSE KELLCO REAL ESTATE?

President and CEO Tracie J. Kelley has been in the industry since 1994 and provides powerful insights for her clients at every stage of homeownership, rather building, buying or selling. Kelley and the team at KellCo Real Estate take a variety of factors into account while carefully selecting the best property for you and your family needs.

WHO IS YOUR PRINCIPAL BROKER?

KellCo Real Estate is proud to team with principal broker Mary A. Freeman, who instills a wealth of knowledge into the firm. Freeman has been in the real estate industry since 1984 and delivers outstanding customer service. Together, the team at KellCo Real Estate work hard to deliver exceptional service.

DO I HAVE TO CALL SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP ME WITH THE INTERIOR DESIGN?

Many builders are able and appreciate the opportunity to help their clients create an up-front, concise plan for interior design. KellCo delivers a complete design package to help you execute the design starting with the architectural phase. Having a strong team on every level during construction is critical

AM I LIMITED TO A CERTAIN PRICE RANGE WHEN BUILDING A CUSTOM HOME?

One of the most common mistakes made in the home building process is under-budgeting. The cost of building a home is based on many changing factors, such as size, location, labor and materials. There are several trends to consider; this makes it impossible to nail down a perfectly accurate, one-size-fits-all price. Start the build process with an experienced licensed general contractor who knows the process, and be honest with yourself and your builder.

NEURODIVERGENT THERAPIES

WHAT IS NEUROFEEDBACK, AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Neurofeedback is a non-invasive medication alternative that can help reduce symptoms related to anxiety, depression, impulsive and/or compulsive behaviors, ADHD, autism, trauma, low energy levels, poor sleep quality and more. It involves monitoring a person’s brainwaves and providing realtime feedback to help them regulate their brain activity. While there is not yet full agreement as to how the mechanisms of neurofeedback work, it is believed to involve neural plasticity – the brain’s ability to reorganize and adapt to new experiences. Through repeated exposure to feedback via a video game, individuals may be able to “train” their brain to function more effectively. The computer has a target brainwave pattern, and as the client’s pattern moves closer to the target, the game will play on the TV screen. When their pattern moves away from the target, the game will pause. This gently trains the brain into new patterns in areas where it may be missing the balance, proportion or strength needed to address certain symptoms. After playing the game, the client has the opportunity to view their brainwave graph and discuss next steps with their provider.

WHO CAN IT HELP?

Everyone can benefit from feeling more capable, confident and in control of themselves. We start nearly every client on a neurofeedback protocol to improve their quality of sleep, increase their energy level and begin to stabilize their moods. About half of our clients’ first protocols also include the benefit of digestive stabilization.

I’VE ALREADY DONE EMDR, TMS AND OTHER TREATMENTS. COULD THIS HELP ME TOO?

Neurofeedback may be a helpful option for individuals who have already tried other alternative treatments, including EMDR and TMS, and not achieved the desired results. Approximately half of our clients have completed another alternative treatment before using neurofeedback and have reported continuing or new improvements.

WHAT KIND OF RESULTS CAN I EXPECT AND HOW QUICKLY?

The results and timeline for neurofeedback training can vary depending on a number of factors, including the specific condition, the severity of the symptoms and how frequently a client participates in sessions. Most of our clients train once a week in our office and have noticed a shift in symptoms within three sessions. Other options are available for those who are looking for quicker results, more training time or increased convenience. It’s important to note that neurofeedback is typically used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that may include other interventions.

It’s best to discuss your specific goals and expectations with a qualified neurofeedback provider to get a better idea of what you can expect from the therapy.

WHAT ARE SOME SIMPLE THINGS I CAN DO TO HELP IN MY DAY-TO-DAY LIFE?

First, we recommend creating what we call a “Five Senses Comfort List.” Moving through the five main senses individually, create a list of 2-3 items per sense that help create a sense of comfort, enjoyment or pleasure for you. These are the things that will be most likely to be effective in overwhelming moments for you, so try reaching for one or two of those items next time you feel stressed. For more intense moments of activation, there are two options that might be helpful: cold and sour. An ice pack on the chest or back of the neck, or making yourself physically cooler in other ways (cold water on the face, going outside for a few minutes without a winter coat, etc.) cues your nervous system to send safety instead of distress signals. Alternatively, tasting something sour can help ‘push the reset button’ and bring your awareness back to the present moment. Sour Patch Kids are a staple in our office, but clients have also used other sour candies or a small lemon juice shot.

NETWORK SERVICES

HOW ARE BACKUPS DONE?

We have found that so many IT service providers take responsibility for backups without making sure they really work. They must have a proven backup plan in place and the staff to maintain the backups. You should always verify that the data can be recovered before a disaster happens.

WHAT LAYERS MAKE UP YOUR CYBERSECURITY SERVICES?

Many IT providers install security software without monitoring or taking real action. You really want to see an active protection plan with a strategy that includes detection to make sure you are safe. Find out if they have real human eyes on your security 24/7.

WHAT IS THE SUPPORT EXPERIENCE LIKE DURING AND AFTER BUSINESS HOURS?

IT providers normally react to issues and spend very little time thinking about the experience they are providing. Asking this type of question will quickly reveal if they have a passion for your staff’s experience or are just trying to give okay customer service when you call. Our hope is that you can feel empathy and compassion when you are working with an IT service provider.

DO YOU HAVE A LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR OUR ORGANIZATION’S SUCCESS?

It is rare to find an IT provider that embraces the role of becoming a trusted partner. You do not want to just find someone to fix a broken printer; you want to find someone who is looking out for your organization. By asking this question, we hope you are able to uncover their passion for your long-term success.

FUNERAL HOME

ROLLER FUNERAL HOMES

Grief is inevitable. Healing is possible. Guidance is an important choice.

WHY IS SELECTING THE RIGHT FUNERAL HOME SO IMPORTANT?

The guidance you receive as you make end-of-life decisions can have a profound impact on your healing journey. Through more than a century of experience, innovation and strong Christian values, the Roller family has grown to be one of the most capable firms in America. We are on the front lines, helping our fellow Arkansans through their most unthinkable days.

AREN’T ALL FUNERAL HOMES THE SAME?

Not at all – I am amazed at the individual touches our funeral directors include in every service. Roller Funeral Homes is also part of

an exclusive organization of funeral homes around the country that offers extremely customized life celebration enhancements. We have pioneered this unique program in Arkansas, and it has been an overwhelming success for families.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PRE-PLANNING A FUNERAL?

Pre-planning your funeral is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your loved ones. When families experience a loss, the many decisions that follow can be overwhelming. Planning and writing down your wishes in advance allows us to create the service you want, so your loved ones can focus on their grief without additional stress. There are also financial benefits to pre-planning: when you choose to pay for your wishes in advance, you lock in today’s prices.

CAN WE STILL HAVE A SERVICE IF MY LOVED ONE WANTS TO BE CREMATED?

Absolutely. We often hold traditional services, which consist of a visitation and funeral service, before the cremation takes place.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU PROVIDE FOR FAMILIES?

We help families with memorials, markers, monuments and mausoleums all over Arkansas. Your loved one does not need to be buried in a Roller-owned cemetery for my family to take care of yours. We will help guide you through the process, whether that’s immediately or years after you have lost your loved one. And remember: everything is always provided “With All Our Respect.”

Renata Jenkins Byler

WRIGHT PLASTIC SURGERY

DR. ERIC WRIGHT, MD BOARD-CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON

WHAT IS ELLACOR, AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Ellacor® is a revitalizing skin treatment that uses Micro-Coring™ technology to prompt the body’s natural healing response, leading to smoother, firmer and more youthful-looking skin. Ellacor uses hollow needles to remove minute skin cores on the mid and lower face. The skin works to close and heal those microscopic wounds, increasing production of collagen and elastin – the building blocks of firm, supple skin. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eric Wright is the first in Arkansas to offer this exciting and first-of-its-kind technology to patients.

HOW IS ELLACOR DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SKIN TREATMENTS?

Unlike most other nonsurgical skintightening procedures, Ellacor does not use heat energy to improve the skin. The micro-coring process does not damage any surrounding skin and heals quickly without scarring. For those who prefer a skin treatment without the potential for thermal injury to the skin, Ellacor is a good option.

WHAT SKIN ISSUES CAN YOU IMPROVE WITH ELLACOR?

Ellacor improves the skin’s underlying architecture, creating tauter, smoother skin. It is an excellent option for addressing:

• Moderate to severe facial lines and wrinkles

• Skin laxity and sagging

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING MY TREATMENT?

Your provider will administer a local anesthetic or topical numbing cream to keep you comfortable during the treatment. The treatment

takes less than 30 minutes, and you can resume most of your daily activities immediately. Typically, patients are ready to go out in public or back to work three days after the treatment. The number of Ellacor treatment sessions you need depends on your skin goals; your provider will advise you on how many treatments you need for the best results.

DOES ELLACOR WORK FOR ALL SKIN TYPES?

Ellacor is suitable for most skin types to improve facial lines and laxity. If you have darker-toned skin, check with your provider first, as Ellacor may lead to discoloration or hyperpigmentation.

WHY CHOOSE WRIGHT PLASTIC SURGERY?

“Your Beauty, Our Expertise” is our motto. We know our patients have many choices, and helping them make an informed decision about their care is what matters most to us. Dr. Wright is known for his extensive training in aesthetics and reconstructive surgery. Our well-trained staff provide comfort as well as care throughout your journey.

Bradford House provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Our licensed nurses, physicians, optometrists, dentists and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with residents and families is essential to the healing process. The entire staff is devoted to providing the quality of care which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.

1202 SE 30th Street

Bentonville, AR 72712 479.273.3430

BradfordHouseNR.com

Bradford House provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Our licensed nurses, physicians, optometrists, dentists and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with residents and families is essential to the healing process. The entire staff is devoted to providing the quality of care which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.

Bradford House provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Our licensed nurses, physicians, optometrists, dentists and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with residents and families is essential to the healing process. The entire staff is devoted to providing the quality of care which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.

BradfordHouseNR.com

1202 SE 30th Street | Bentonville, AR 72712 | 479.273.3430

1202 SE 30th Street | Bentonville, AR 72712 | 479.273.3430

Lakewood Health and Rehab

offers skilled professional care in a supportive and compassionate atmosphere.

Lakewood Health and Rehab offers skilled professional care in a supportive and compassionate atmosphere.

We invite you to experience the difference our facility has to offer from the moment you walk through our door.

We invite you to experience the difference our facility has to offer from the moment you walk through our door.

Call us to today to schedule your tour!

IN-HOUSE SPECIALTY

Call us to today to schedule your tour!

SERVICES

Lakewood Health & Rehab

Lakewood Health and Rehab, LLC. offers an inhouse team of professionals providing specialty services to better serve the specific needs of our residents.

Lakewood Health and Rehab, LLC.

2323 McCain Blvd, North Little Rock • 501.791.2323

Rehabilitative Services providing Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapy.

Our team is passionate about bringing the latest programs and techniques to our patients. They utilize therapy modalities combined with a comprehensive therapy program for strengthening, balance training, pain reduction, wound healing, and increasing range of motion.

Lakewood Health & Rehab

• IV Therapy • Wound Care provided by our Wound Care specialists

2323 McCain Blvd, North Little Rock • 501.791.2323

FACILITY AMENITIES

Lakewood Health and Rehab offers skilled professional care in a supportive and compassionate atmosphere.

• State of the art Rehabilitation Gym

• Physician Services 24/7 by Specialized Staff

• 24-hour Nursing Services

• Wonderful Activity Program

We invite you to experience the difference our facility has to offer from the moment you walk through our door.

• Beauty Salon Services

• Daily Housekeeping and Laundry Services

Call us to today to schedule your tour!

Lakewood Health & Rehab 2323 McCain Blvd. North Little Rock 501.791.2323

Lakewood Health & Rehab

The People Behind Your News:

By AY STAFF

Local news is of much importance and the people who deliver the news to the community play a vital role in informing and at times, inspiring. Journalists around Arkansas are well-known for their work in the industry, and in the communities they reside in. For the people who have dedicated their lives to the grind and joy

of daily news and for the people who tune in every day to watch them, AY About

You is excited to tell the stories of those who are now in the business of storytelling. In the following section, we will shine a light on the stories of people behind your news, and how they ended up in the positions they’re in today.

Tom Brannon

Tom Brannon, Melinda Mayo and Mitch McCoy, Cabot, 1976

“My neighbor would pick my friend, brother and I up after school and take us to Tasty Freeze. It was an afternoon tradition,” recalled THV11 Chief Meteorologist Tom Brannon. “But that afternoon, in the third grade, everything changed.”

On March 29, 1976, an F3 tornado ripped through downtown Cabot. Dozens were injured by debris, and five people were killed.

“My neighbor checked us out of school a little earlier than normal and got us to a safe place,” Brannon said. “My brother and I watched the tornado — we just couldn’t turn away. It was a very traumatic experience. I was afraid of storms for some time after that.”

Nearly 90 buildings were damaged or destroyed; among them was the beloved Tasty Freeze.

The Cabot tornado changed the trajectory of the little town of then 2,500 people. The lives of many, including Brannon’s, would never be the same.

* * * * * * * * *

“What started as a fear, turned into a curiosity. I had an interest in the weather, and by high school, I knew that’s what I wanted to pursue,”

Brannon said.

After graduating from Cabot High School in 1985, Brannon attended UA Little Rock for radio, TV and film. Brannon spent the next few years working in radio stations as a disc jockey, and in production shops where he made commercials.

But in his late 20s, Brannon’s love for weather called him back like a siren song. He found himself enrolled in meteorology school as part of Mississippi State’s online program, where he received a Certificate of Broadcast Meteorology and went on to receive a seal of approval from the National Weather Association and American Meteorological Society.

Brannon was brought on in 1996 as weekend meteorologist at THV11, and worked there as a morning meteorologist until 2018.

“I spent 22 years on THV11’s morning show. I went from being the weekend weather person and three-day-a-week feature guy, to being the full-time weather guy in two years,” he said.

In 2018, Brannon accepted a position as operations director and lead talent at Ron Sherman Advertising. But once again, meteorology called him back. Brannon returned to THV11 full-time as chief meteorologist

in 2021.

“And voilà, here I am,” Brannon said.

Reflecting on his career, Brannon shared how lucky he was to have started his broadcasting career here at home.

“I was fortunate enough — and lucky enough — to start my TV career in Little Rock, Arkansas. So many people have to start several hours away and work their way back home,” Brannon said. “A lot of what helped me was my experience with radio and ad lib-ability. I was lucky. It very well could have been a different path. I wouldn’t have wanted to start all over right before I was 28 years old.”

But despite all of the credentials and experience that Brannon has accumulated since 1976, he is still apprehensive about severe weather.

“I don’t like severe weather because I’ve seen enough in 20-plus years to know that the outcome is not good,” Brannon said. “I don’t look forward to it because of the potential outcome. I always try to keep people calm and prepared. What you’re doing as a meteorologist is to help people from panicking. It’s all about preparation.”

Brannon shares that severe weather in Arkansas seems to be a constant, keeping him and other meteorologists on guard.

“Our severe weather season never seems to end. Personally, the older I get, knowing what could occur and having personally experienced it — it’s stressful, but you have to handle it as best you can,” Brannon said. “Each severe weather season is going to be a little different. I know that

“We have a daughter at Hendrix; she loves documentaries and doesn’t want to be in front of the camera like her old man,” Brannon said. “She loves to write and has a vivid imagination.”

Brannon offers a word of advice to the Tom Brannon of 25 years ago.

“You’re going to work with really talented people on a professional level. I got into radio because of Craig O’Neill, for example. I look up to him. He’s my mentor,” Brannon said. “A huge part of this job is being active in the community . . . hosting and emceeing events and representing organizations that help provide a positive outcome to the community.”

And when it comes to making a difference, Brannon has. He is considered by many to be the “godfather” of the THV11 Summer Cereal Drive, a project that has spanned 23 years and has seen the influences of many familiar broadcast favorites. That project is expected to resume this year.

in Arkansas, in springtime, you have the potential once or twice a week.”

Brannon shared advice for Arkansans as springtime — and severe weather season — lies around the corner.

“Being prepared means knowing where your safe place is in your home. Be sure you have the necessary items, such as head protection, water, your NOAA weather radio with fresh backup batteries, important papers and flashlights. Go to the lowest level of your home or a small interior closet. Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible,” Brannon said. “We get plenty of nighttime tornadoes, and a lot of people go to bed thinking that it will be fine. Keep your phone volume up so it can alert you. Keep your technology charged up, and know the differences between watches and warnings. Know where you are and what’s coming at you.”

In the little free time he gets, Brannon said his favorite hobbies are streaming shows and resting.

“I prefer to rest and watch shows. My wife Leigh Ann and I love to stream and binge-watch shows,” Brannon said. “On occasion, I used to love going fishing, but between fishing and sleep, I pick sleep.”

Brannon shared that among the shows he’s enjoyed lately, he recommends Your Honor, George and Tammy, White Lotus, Yellowstone and Better Call Saul.

“There’s nothing we don’t watch, but we particularly enjoy crime dramas and documentaries,” Brannon said.

Brannon shared that he and his wife are empty nesters. Their daughter, Sophia, is at college.

Brannon also offers a word of advice to people interested in becoming a meteorologist.

“If there’s something you want to do bad enough, never let anyone tell you you can’t do it — keep on keeping on. I was in that position. It’s a matter of finding the right fit and timing,” Brannon said. “Find what you really want to do and go after it. Don’t give up. I had a setback, and you will have them. Never give up; surround yourself with people who make you better.”

And after taking some time to look at the past, Brannon takes a moment to look ahead.

“When I rejoined THV11, which I’m immensely thankful for, I did it with the hope of someday providing leadership and coaching. I want to stay here as long as they’ll have me. I want to be there to help out as best I can,” Brannon said. “I’ve worked with incredible people that I admire dearly, such as B.J. Sams and Robyn Richardson. I miss them, and I learned from them. You learn from the people you work with. I hope they’re doing well. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the two of them. Moving forward, I want to do what I can to help others get into meteorology and provide tips to help others.”

Lastly, Brannon is thankful for his family and his friends at THV11.

“I wouldn’t be here without the support of my Leigh Ann. She has been through it with me; she is my rock and pushes me and encourages me. Support starts at home,” Brannon said. “There are rockstars all across our business, and my colleagues at THV11 are no exception. They have been so wonderful. I am so thankful for their friendship and support.”

“Find what you really want to do and go after it. Don’t give up.”

Melinda Mayo

Melinda Mayo’s love for news began because of The Brady Bunch. As a young girl growing up in Pine Bluff, Mayo knew once the nightly news was over; she could watch her favorite television show. While waiting for her show to begin, Mayo watched former news anchors like Steve Barnes and Amy Oliver, and developed a love for news reporting.

Mayo’s first job in the news industry was as an overnight photographer at KARK Channel 4, where she was the first woman to hold that position at the station. Her duties included taking photos of breaking news, crime scenes and anything else needed.

Mayo’s on-air break came when her stories began airing on the weekends. After six months as an overnight photographer, she became a news editor, producer, reporter, and later, a weekend and morning anchor.

Mayo, a tall statuesque brunette, wasn’t always interested in reporting the weather. She developed an interest in the science of weather when she had a roommate who was a weather girl on the morning show at Channel 4. Back then, there weren’t many meteorologists, but there were weather people.

“I’ve always loved science, and I’ve always loved being able to show my personality off a little bit more,” Mayo said. “Weather just seemed like where I was supposed to be.”

In October 1995, Mayo was vacationing in Florida when Hurricane Opal hit the Fort Walton/Destin area. She reported live on the evacuation and storm damage from one of the beaches as Hurricane Opal made landfall. She and her team were evacuated from their hotel and moved to a different location to allow Mayo to report the storm’s severity.

“We don’t get a lot of hurricanes in Arkansas,” Mayo said, reflecting on the opportunity that ignited her passion for meteorology. “We get tornadoes and sometimes remnants of a hurricane that will bring a lot of rain. It was exciting to experience the storm and warn people. For folks in Arkansas, I was telling them about the weather in places where they like to vacation; Destin, Fort Walton and Pensacola,” she said.

Since then, her interest in weather has expanded to become the focus of her television career.

Mayo continued her education at Mississippi State University, where she was certified as a Broadcast Meteorologist by the Department of Geosciences. Mayo was the first female meteorologist to work on television in Arkansas.

After spending eight years at Channel 4 reporting on the news, Mayo was hired at Channel 7 to report the weather, where she has been for the past 27 years. Mayo has been a part of the Little Rock television market since 1987.

As co-host for KATV’s “Daybreak” and “Good Morning Arkansas,” Mayo’s day begins early with a 2:30 a.m. alarm. Once she arrives at the studio, she begins to put weather maps together, look at new data collected overnight and update the forecast—all before doing her hair and makeup and going on-air at 4:30 a.m.

Because of her considerable time and expertise in the news industry, Mayo has seen a lot of changes, especially in technology and a new way of doing business as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic. With her previous experience, Mayo feels lucky to have old-school knowledge and help up-and-coming news reporters, just as former news professionals helped her in her career.

“Today, many people are MMJs, multimedia journalists,” Mayo said. “They can do it all. A backpack and a cell phone are all you need to report from anywhere, and it’s much easier now to gather news and present it than it used to be. I’m lucky to have started my career with old-school technology and worked with different people during the sort of golden days of Arkansas television, such as Dave Woodman and Roy Mitchell. Today, I am helping to bridge the experience gap with a new group of broadcasters and new technology.”

Mayo has seen how social media impacts the news industry and the importance of getting correct news information to followers across multiple platforms as soon as possible.

At the beginning of this year, Channel 7 moved to a new studio in Little Rock’s Riverdale area after being at the studio location at the corner of 4th Street and Main Street for over half a century.

“It has been bittersweet to leave a building that many of us have spent half of our lives going to work in,” Mayo said on the big move. “There are a lot of great memories from the old building, a lot of people we lost while we were there, like Paul Eells, Anne Pressly and Dale Nicholson. We lost all those people while working there; I can still look down the hallway and imagine them. We’re working hard to bring their memories to the new station; it’s been tough.”

Channel 7’s meteorology quartet, consisting of Mayo, James Bryant, Barry Brandt and Todd Yakoubian, has been together for several years, and Mayo describes their connection as a family. And like family, they each also play a unique role in reporting Arkansas weather.

“We work closely together,” Mayo said. “We text each other at night to ensure we have everything covered. We have our weather geeks, as they affectionately call themselves. They say that I’m the calmer optimist, and it’s a good balance.”

Mayo knew early on she wanted to stay in Arkansas. Along the way, she met her husband of 27 years, Mark, on a blind date. While she and her future husband attended the same Pine Bluff high school, they did not know one another until years later.

“We both had first marriages. When we were both single, we got set up on a blind date. My husband wasn’t sure if he wanted to go out with someone on a blind date,” Mayo said. “His friend said, ‘Dude, she’s on TV every morning. Check her out.’ Mark got up early to watch me, and went to work the next day and said, ‘Okay, I’ll go out with her.’”

As an Arkansan at heart, Mayo never imagined taking her career elsewhere, instead keeping her talents reserved for The Natural State.

“I know people always think about the big markets, but I just love Arkansas,” Mayo said. “I have family here. I considered going elsewhere, but I have seen many friends go to the bigger markets and come back here to raise their families and work. I said that I was going to stay here. My husband works here, and my stepson lives in Conway. I’ve loved Arkansas my whole life.”

“Weather just seemed like where I was supposed to be.”

Mitch McCoy

KARK’s investigative reporter and breaking news anchor Mitch McCoy is well-versed in news and broadcasting, as well as its various methods of delivery. Now, after spending several years with KARK, McCoy is determined to use a wide swath of knowledge and experience to help those in Arkansas who struggle to stand up for themselves against the people who do them wrong. * * * * * * * * *

McCoy has been interested in television news since he was a child growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“I convinced the principal at my elementary school to let us do news and announcements every Friday morning, and I was able to make them,” McCoy recalled. “That’s when I started getting passionate about TV news and journalism and telling peoples’ stories.”

In middle school, McCoy started job shadowing journalists, and his passion grew as he helped with his high school’s TV production program. But life’s journey rarely goes in a straight line from one milestone to the next. McCoy’s journey was no exception.

“When I was in high school, my dad was diagnosed with stage four adenoid cystic carcinoma cancer, and he had to stop working,” he shared. “My mom had owned her business for 20 years, and she stopped to help take care of my dad. So I ended up having to get a job after high school to help pay bills — I got a job in radio, so I did not go to college. I went in head-first. I knew I had to get a job to help my family.”

McCoy grew up fast, and when his father moved to St. Louis for a life-extending surgery in 2013, McCoy and his brothers made the move as well. After moving, McCoy got a job as an executive producer and reporter at KQTV in St. Joseph, Missouri. The KQTV station was owned by Nexstar Media Group, the same organization that owns KARK. McCoy’s supervisor asked him if he would be interested in attending a conference hosted by KARK, and McCoy indicated that he was interested in learning more. One weekend was all it took for McCoy to fall in love with Little Rock.

“Not long after visiting, a reporter position opened and I applied for that job, and I was initially turned down. But then, after a few months, they offered me the position,” McCoy said.

Since then, McCoy has spent his tenure at KARK, cracking down on con artists and shady contractors who are out to hurt Arkansans.

“My passion for news and investigative journalism came from my parents,” McCoy said. “My mom was a small business owner and my dad was a carpenter. I saw all the hard work and the hours that they put into their jobs, and it made me realize that hard work and a little knowhow can go a really long way. That’s given me somewhat of a foundation in my career and it made me want to protect the people that are in a bad situation. I want to protect people like my mom and dad, who are working hard to pay the bills and want to make ends meet. To go after the con artists and bad contractors . . . being able to give the hard workers protection gives me the drive and the fuel to do this job and do it well — to try and give these people a voice.”

On his mission to help the Arkansans who need it the most, McCoy has had a chance to fill nearly every news role, from producer to reporter to radio. He even recently had an opportunity to do his own podcast.

“I recently did a podcast about Sydney Sutherland’s tragic homicide. I had done radio work before, so I knew about the value of telling someone’s story through the voices of the people close to them. But podcasts are insanely detail-oriented in order to get audio cues just right, like crickets or footsteps or a car door shutting,” he said. “It is so time-consuming to do radio or podcasts because you have to captivate your audi-

ence with sound. I have so much respect for people who work on audio platforms.”

McCoy discussed the difference between his career behind a microphone and his career in front of a camera.

“With radio, it’s more or less the sounds of everything — you tell a story through an audio track. But with TV, you work with a photojournalist who will help you tell a story visually. Every platform we have now is different compared to even just a few years ago. Now, I’m telling a story for both our TV audience and our digital audience. Back in radio, I’d show up in jeans and a sweatshirt. In TV, I have to wear a suit and tie and be well-groomed,” he explained with a laugh. “In radio and podcast, you hear from people themselves. On TV, you’re able to see some of these people’s faces. To see the mom, or the veteran that has been wronged — it just weighs on people differently. To see the faces of the people who were victims of a crime — that matters today to the community. It helps people relate.”

And McCoy’s efforts are paying off. In the last year, he won an Emmy and Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for his “Denied” series, which was an investigation into a judge’s denial of people in need of public defenders.

When he’s not in front of a camera, McCoy loves spending time with his friends and trying new things together.

“I have a really good core friend group and we love the local restaurant scene, especially Heights Taco and Tamale on a Friday night,” he said.

McCoy revealed he also loves thrift shopping and taking walks.

“I love thrift shopping. My dad was always a huge ‘let’s see what kind of garage sale we can find and what kind of bargain we can get’ type of guy,” he said. “I love thrifting; it goes back to how hard work and knowhow can set you up for success. When I’m not thrifting, I love walking. I’ve lost 20 pounds since February. I’ve been walking in the morning and night, but now it’s so cold and gets dark so quickly that I’m trying to find my new routine.”

As McCoy looks ahead to the future, his family and his community lie at the core of his ideals.

“Family is so important to me. I lost my dad in August of 2021, and my family is spread out in Michigan and St. Louis, and other places across the U.S.,” he said. “I’ve been talking with them and want to make sure that they’re doing well. I want to continue standing up for the everyday folks. Nowadays, especially with the cost of everything going up, peoples’ money is tighter now. If they lose $500 on a contractor or a bad business deal, that means more today than ever before, and I have to keep fighting for those people.”

Regardless of the format through which McCoy delivers the news, he’s eager to continue improving his community.

“I want to keep pushing for change and standing up for people,” he said. “But with this world and its current pace, there are always going to be new challenges, and we have to continue to tell peoples’ stories in unique ways. I continue to push for a better community and a better place to live.”

“I continue to push for a better community and a better place to live.”

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CABOT HEALTH & REHAB, LLC

200 North Port Drive Cabot, AR 72023

Phone 501-843-6181

CABOT HEALTH & REHAB, LLC

is a skilled nursing facility offering resident-centered care in a convenient and quiet location. Cabot Health & Rehab, LLC is located in beautiful Cabot, AR near the city center, medical offices and hospitals. Our team consists of licensed nurses, physicians, therapists and other medical specialists who believe in building strong relationships with our residents and their families. We believe this is essential to the healing process.

ACCOMMODATIONS & SERVICES

Cabot Health & Rehab, LLC offers both semi-private and private rooms (when available). Our staff is dedicated to ensuring that our residents are provided a robust activity calendar, a superior dining experience in a warm, family-like setting. When recuperation and convalescence is needed, our staff works as a multi-disciplinary team to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation program to facilitate a return to home.

REHABILITATION

When indicated, our team of therapists work with residents to customize a rehabilitation program which can include physical, occupational and speech therapy with a focus on improving mobility, endurance, safety and facilitating a return to home. A tailored treatment plan will allow residents to recapture health and an independent lifestyle when possible. The enrichment of daily physical function can significantly improve a resident’s self-reliance and overall happiness.

“ ”

150 Morton Avenue • Booneville • 479.675.2689 • oakmanornr.com

NursiNg & r ehabilitatioN CeN ter, iNC.

to the

ManO r Oak Manor is a licensed healthcare facility inspected and federally regulated by the Arkansas Office of Long Term Care. 24 hour skilled nursing care, inpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are available

Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is nestled in the heart of the River Valley in Russellville, Arkansas. Our staff provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Russellville Nursing & Rehabilitation Center not only provides long-term care services, we also offer a wide range of rehabilitative services. Our physicians, nurses and staff all believe strong relationships with residents and their families is essential to the healing process. The entire staff is devoted to providing quality care, which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.

Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

Best 201 8 of

When you walk into the Robinson Nursing & Rehabilitation Center you will feel a comfortable atmosphere different from any other facility you have visited. We feature tall ceilings and an open floor plan. We have a lovely dining room and a covered outdoor patio area.

When you walk into the Robinson Nursing & Rehabilitation Center you will feel a comfortable atmosphere different from any other facility you have visited. We feature tall ceilings and an open floor plan. We have a lovely dining room and a covered outdoor patio area.

We specialize in short-term rehabilitation and long-term care services. The short-term rehabilitation area has its own dining area and day room. From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has to offer. From our light-filled day areas to our beautiful outdoor areas, we want you and your loved one to feel comfortable and safe when staying with us. You will also notice the pride we take in our facility by keeping our building sparkling clean from the inside out.

We specialize in short-term rehabilitation and long-term care services. The short-term rehabilitation area has its own dining area and day room. From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has to offer. From our light-filled day areas to our beautiful outdoor areas, we want you and your loved one to feel comfortable and safe when staying with us. You will also notice the pride we take in our facility by keeping our building sparkling clean from the inside out.

Our team is dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable environment. Robinson Nursing and Rehab offers modern conveniences in a gracious setting. We provide daily planned activities led by certified activity directors, like social events and outings and pastoral services with spiritual care for all religions. We strongly encourage family participation in group activities, meals and celebrating family birthdays and special days.

Our team is dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable environment. Robinson Nursing and Rehab offers modern conveniences in a gracious setting. We provide daily planned activities led by Certified Activity Directors, like social events and outings and pastoral services with spiritual care for all religions. We strongly encourage family participation in group activities, meals and celebrating family birthdays and special days.

To help you plan your visits, we provide a monthly event calendar and a monthly meal planner. Robinson Nursing and Rehab does not have set visiting hours. We view this facility as the “home” of each resident.

To help you plan your visits, we provide a monthly event calendar and a monthly meal planner. Robinson Nursing and Rehab does not have set visiting hours. We view this facility as the “home” of each resident.

We try our best to communicate with patients and families to help alleviate the anxiety that accompanies this journey. Our team of nurses, therapists and support staff work closely together to develop a plan based on the individual needs of each person. We recognize that rehabilitation involves not only the patient, but the entire family.

We try our best to communicate with patients and families to help alleviate the anxiety that accompanies this journey. Our team of nurses, therapists and support staff work closely together to develop a plan based on the individual needs of each person. We recognize that rehabilitation involves not only the patient but the entire family. 501.753.9003 • 519 Donovan Briley Boulevard, NLR • www.robinsonnr.com

About Stonehaven Assisted Living

Every day is an opportunity to enjoy your golden years Our vibrant community keeps you close to the family and friends you've known all your life and supports you as you make new memories. We provide a maintenance-free lifestyle and tailor our care to meet your needs.

MURDER MYSTERY: A Dance on the Razor’s Edge

Part 1

– By Sarah Russell –

The life of Billie Jean Phillips was a dance on the razor’s edge. In early September 1994, that dance ended abruptly, violently. But the music has played on for the killer who walked out of her blood-soaked bedroom and blended back into the community. It was perhaps inevitable that life would be short for the Huntsville woman whose life choices were such a combustible combination. But if the person who killed her thought it would be her final fight, they may have underestimated the tenacity of her spirit. The search for her justice seems to be coming back to life.

Packed tight in her 35 years were three marriages, involvement in two deaths and a sex life that spanned Madison County from lawmen to bad boys. One of the McKnight family, Billie Jean was a hard worker just like her folks. But she wasn’t interested in their churchgoing ways. She had more than the Bible on her mind. That became evident when at age 15, Billie Jean was caught by her daddy in a state trooper’s car, there being nothing lawful about the encounter between her and the older guy.

That relationship went on till she was 23, even overlapping her first marriage. He wasn’t special though. Billie Jean made it known around town that she intended to have sex with every cop around, crossing them off the list she kept once the deed was done. The fiery little redhead was catnip to men, heartburn to the women who loved them. And in case the cheated-on woman didn’t get the memo, Billie Jean would give her a courtesy call.

It wasn’t just cops that had reason to be uncomfortable. Billie Jean bragged that she had a briefcase full of incriminating information on a lot of prominent community men. And the women weren’t the only ones she taunted. Every man in her life found himself mercilessly compared to the others.

Her first marriage – and subsequently her first involvement in a death – came with a local man named Randall Wayne Sharp. After taking their vows on the diving board at a friend’s pool, it was clear that happily ever after wasn’t happening with these two. He matched her fire with plenty of his own, tying her up and tossing her in the closet when he wanted to go out gambling. When they became estranged, he headed up to an Alaskan pipeline job.

Visiting home in early December 1979, Sharp had checked into a room at Huntsville’s Jan-Ran Motel. Hanging out with him was a friend, who noticed that Sharp was none too pleased when Billie Jean and her baby brother Robert came knocking. Only Billie Jean and Sharp were inside the room when a single gunshot blasted out. Cops arrived to find a wailing Billie Jean holding Sharp’s bloodied head in her hands, professing her love for him. Sharp, 29, died at the hospital from a gunshot to his right temple.

Tests were conducted on Sharp’s hands by an Arkansas State Police investigator. There was gunshot residue on both. Because the strongest amounts were on Sharp’s right palm and right index finger, the investigator concluded Sharp had most likely shot himself, with the butt of the pistol held in his right hand, the left hand overlapping the right. Madison County Sheriff Randy Baker theorized Sharp might have been feigning suicide when he accidentally shot himself. Always a bullet or two still in the gun even after the clip is removed, he noted.

If Billie Jean was interrogated by the cops, nothing publicly emerged except that she tested negative on gunshot residue tests. Charges weren’t filed against her. Huntsville Police Chief Elmer Cook and Sharp’s family adamantly challenged the scenario. Why would Sharp shoot himself with his right hand when he was

Billie Jean

Sharron Knight Davis

left-handed? Baker’s take was challenged too by Sharp’s friend who told investigators that the clip to the Colt .45 was taken out after the gun went off. He knew that, he said, because he was the one who ran in and did that.

Folks also questioned why Sharp, a man very knowledgeable with firearms, would put a loaded gun to his own head. Chief Cook later maintained that Baker and the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney of Madison County – who we shall call John Smith – told him to back off the investigation. The case was officially closed.

Sheriff Baker knew Billie Jean well, considered her a good –albeit platonic – friend. Our John Smith, though, would go on to become Billie Jean’s long-time lover, even right up until her murder. It was around the time of Sharp’s death, the McKnight family believed, that their affair started. All of this contributed to the bitter feelings of the bereaved family, leading Sharp’s daughter by a previous marriage to openly threaten Billie Jean.

Traumatized, Billie Jean moved back in with her parents after Sharp’s death. The nightmares were such, her sister Euna later said, that most nights she even slept with them. When she remarried over a year later, her sister thought it was just a rebound. New husband Dale Harp, a truck driver for Tyson Foods, came to believe her motive was money, that she thought his income was bigger than the reality. They fought and Billie Jean didn’t limit her barbs just to his paychecks. As she did with all her men, she was often quite cruel.

“She could cut you so low it would take a stepladder to climb onto a match box,” Harp said. After one particularly contentious exchange, he found himself the second husband to hold a gun to the head. Only this time, it was to hers. A couple of years and they were done, although Harp said he never quit caring about her.

Billie Jean’s third vows were made with Chic Phillips, a federal poultry inspector. In what was a new set of dynamics for Billie Jean, Phillips didn’t play when Billie Jean’s ugly side came out. He’d quietly pick up and take off. That’s not to say the marriage was totally explosion free. But he loved her deeply, flaws and all, and he truly thought the days of sharing her with others was over. But the wife of John Smith, who we’ll call Jane Smith, a local teacher and mother, was still fighting to get Billie Jean away from her husband.

Billie Jean became a mother but even that wasn’t glue enough to keep her eight-year marriage together. The divorce was official July 1, 1993.

Less than two weeks later, Billie Jean was involved in the death of Kristi Box, the daughter of a prominent Huntsville doctor. They were partying at Box’s place when the two women and Box’s boyfriend, Thomas Garrett, got in the car to go somewhere. A good friend of Billie Jean’s, Garrett was a night manager at the Ozark Shoppe, a convenience store her parents owned. A one-car crash ensued, in which Box was killed and Garrett and Billie Jean were seriously injured. But the latter was nowhere to be found by the time the law arrived.

Picked up at the crash scene by a friend, Billie Jean was then taken by John Smith to a Fayetteville hospital. Garrett subsequently found himself charged with negligent homicide by the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney of the 4th Judicial District – none other than our John Smith.

Beyond his interaction with the law at the scene of the accident, Garrett supposedly was never questioned by any investigators. But he got four years’ probation and was fined $7,500. Oh, and he was fired. The only public statement he has ever made about the situation was to say that convincing state troopers who arrived on the scene that he was the driver was a “hard sell.”

There’s no record of the reaction of Kristi Box’s family to all of this. Other folks, though, took keen interest in John Smith’s next

moves. He had multiple legal titles; he was also the Huntsville City Attorney as well as a private attorney. Acting in the latter role, he secured a $21,000 settlement for Billie Jean from Garrett’s insurance company, of which her mother later said $11,000 was to go for her daughter’s medical expenses and attorney fees – meaning Smith’s fees. The pay-out came about two weeks before the murder.

In the hours before her murder, Billie Jean told her mother Edna that she had rented a safe deposit box at Madison Bank and Trust. If anything happened to her, Billie Jean said, she wanted her mother to go get the single sheet of paper that was in it but didn’t elaborate on its contents. After Billie Jean’s death, investigators didn’t find a such a box. But they did find a second box, under Smith’s and Billie Jean’s names, with two stacks of $10,000 each. Smith, a member of the bank’s board of directors, immediately claimed it as belonging to his soon-to-be divorced son.

Billie Jean had more than the safe deposit box on her mind. Both of her sisters, Euna and Diane, later said that leading up to her death, she had mentioned to both of them several times that a big drug bust was going to go down soon. It wasn’t so odd that she knew though, Madison County had a major meth problem. She knew the dealers and the cops, including those cops who would later be revealed as collaborating with the dealers. And among a group that would often sneak off to the caves near her house to party and do drugs was both her brother and ex-husband, Harp.

Her brother Robert worried after the murder that maybe he had brought this on her. A habitual drug user, Robert resisted her constant attempts to get him clean. Still, she’d typically put up the money when he couldn’t pay his drug debts. But he told investigators, one dealer beat him up over some debts weeks before the murder. That, of course, was denied by the dealer.

It wasn’t any of the men in her life who found Billie Jean’s body. It was her 7-year-old son. Shortly before noon on Saturday September 3, Chic Phillips drove up in Billie Jean’s yard, letting their son out. Suddenly the child ran back out of his momma’s yellow frame house.

“Mommy,” he told Chic, “fell painting.”

Concerned, Chic put his son back in the truck, then went inside to see what had happened. Stunned by what he saw, he rushed back out, got in the vehicle, and sped off. It was clear – Billie Jean Phillips was dead, and the paint that was everywhere in her bedroom was her blood. He initially struggled to contact any of her family, but he managed to locate her parents at the Ozark Shoppe. Then he called the Madison County Sheriff’s Department. This would be the start of an investigation that still haunts Madison County. Who killed the woman who lived her life as a dance on the razor’s edge?

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Maxine

By Joe David Rice

It’s not every day an infamous operator of an Arkansas bordello releases her autobiography, but that’s what happened in 1983 when Maxine Temple Jones published Maxine – Call Me Madame. Being a clever, witty, and thoughtful brother, I purchased a copy for my younger sister who’d just finished graduate school and moved to DC for a job, inscribing it thusly: “To Robbi – with best wishes for a working girl.” I’m not sure she appreciated my attempt at humor. But during the 1940s through the early 1970s, thousands of eager men appreciated Maxine and her comely colleagues.

Although born in the southeast Arkansas community of Johnsville, Maxine got her start “in the rackets,” as she put it, in Paris. Paris, Texas, that is. After high school she moved to that east Texas town to clerk in a department store for $10 a week. Betty, a female associate who always had plenty of cash, offered to reveal her secret for earning extra money on the weekends. Betty was in the hotel room when Maxine entertained her first customer, demonstrating “how to examine a man to make sure he was okay.” With her “taste for fancy, beautiful things,” Maxine had found her calling, earning $20 a trick. “Money was what I wanted more than anything else in the world,” she wrote, “and I knew I’d found the quickest, easiest way to get it.”

Maxine moved to Texarkana where she became a full-time practitioner of the world’s oldest profession. When World War II broke out, she enlisted in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps and was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, DC. At the war’s end, Maxine returned to her previous line of work in Texarkana for a couple of years, but in 1948 she relocated about 115 miles northeast to Hot Springs, finding employment in a house of prostitution on Prospect Street. A shrewd manager of her money, Maxine saved enough to buy the business in 1950 for $1,000 and made the leap from labor to management. A shiny new Cadillac soon followed.

Hot Springs had evolved into a wide-open town following the war, perfect for Maxine’s entrepreneurial ambitions. Like the casino oper-

ators, she paid city officials a monthly “amusement tax” to look the other way. Business was so good that Maxine soon purchased a large two-story building on Palm Street for $15,000 and opened her second house which she dubbed The Mansion. Her bedridden beauties, some of whom went on to become leading ladies in Hollywood, got $150 to $200 to share their talents. The clientele ranged from successful businessmen (among them organized crime members from both coasts) to prominent politicians – federal judges, the state’s attorney general, and well-known members of Congress. It wasn’t unusual for Maxine to clear $5,000 a night.

But Maxine’s success led to problems. Her amusement taxes went up and up and local law enforcement agents periodically raided her establishments under the pretense of cleaning up the city. And then Maxine got on the wrong side of the mob, a situation which seriously complicated her life. Following her arrest and conviction on prostitution charges in 1963, she served time in Cummins Penitentiary. Later, after providing information on illegal gambling in Hot Springs to federal authorities, she received a full pardon from Governor Winthrop Rockefeller and moved back to Hot Springs.

At some point Maxine decided to write her memoirs, noting “I want people to know the truth about this town I live in.” Her original manuscript identified hundreds of customers and corrupt officials – to include a long list of preeminent politicians. Envisioning a flood of injunctions and lawsuits, her publisher persuaded Maxine to substitute false names to protect the guilty.

While Hot Springs native Bill Clinton didn’t appear in Maxine’s autobiography, she’s mentioned in his. He recalled that during his adolescent days, he and his friends would get on the telephone and call her place time after time, tying up the line. Agitated by the resulting inconvenience to her clientele, Maxine roundly cursed the young pranksters.

Maxine Temple Jones died at the age of 81 in a nursing home in Warren on April 15, 1997.

Joe David Rice, former tourism director of Arkansas Parks and Tourism, has written Arkansas Backstories, a delightful book of short stories from A through Z that introduces readers to the state's lesser-known aspects. Rice's goal is to help readers acknowledge that Arkansas is a unique and fascinating combination of land and people – one to be proud of and one certainly worth sharing.

Each month, AY will share one of the 165 distinctive essays. We hope these stories will give you a new appreciation for this geographically compact but delightfully complex place we call home. These Arkansas Backstories columns appear courtesy of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. The essays have been collected and published by Butler Center Books in a two-volume set, both of which are now available to purchase at Amazon and the University of Arkansas Press.

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