D (USPS156-140) Vol. 131, Number 47 DeWitt, AR 72042 • 16 Pages • 2 Sections • 75 cents
List of eWitt Merchants to Hold Open Participants on Page B7 House November 24
Serving Arkansas k County, Arkansas k Since 1882 Thursday, November 21, 2013
History Lives On
AROUND THE COUNTY
THANKSGIVING CLOSINGS
City of DeWitt Offices will be closed November 28 and 29, 2013 for Thanksgiving. The City of DeWitt Garbage Pickup for the week of November 28 through November 29, 2013. Tuesday pickup will be Monday, Wednesday and Thursday pickup will be Tuesday, and Friday pickup will be Wednesday. DeWitt Transfer Station will be closed Thursday, November 28, 2013.
HOLIDAY SCHOOL DISMISAL
DeWitt School District will be dismissed early on Friday, November 22, 2013. Car riders and walkers will be dismissed at 1:00pm, busses will begin running at 1:15pm. Students will be out of school November 25-29 for Thanksgiving.
PURCHASING COON FOR COON SUPPER
The Gillett Farmer’s and Businessmen’s Club is ready to purchase coon for the Gillett Coon Supper. Purchasing price will be $1.60 per lb. Coon must be cleanly dressed and have 1 front paw. Interested seller’s must call John Cover at (870) 830-0771 to make arrangements for meeting on either Tuesday or Thursday between 10:00 am and noon at the Ag Grow building on Hwy 165 in Gillett.
DWI CLASS
Classes will be held Friday, November 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Level 2+ 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, November 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in DeWitt inside the District Courtroom. You will need to take the classes both days to receive a certificate of completion. The classes will be for people who have been charged with a DWI, DUI or Minor in Possession to get there license back. Call in advance to schedule the class at 870-541-9200. The class costs $150 and is payable in a money order only. Send the money order to Quapaw House Inc. P.O. Box 2474 Pine Bluff, AR 71613, or bring it on the first day of class. You must call the office and let someone know you are attending. This class is first come first serve, so reserve your spot.
LEFT: Owens Photography remodel of Charlie Hamilton’s old building. RIGHT: Owen’s Photography building before the remodel.
By Valenya Franks In March 2013, DeWitt lost a great icon, Charlie Hamilton. He was known by all to be an amazing man and a genius in electronics, and everyone knew you could find him at 130 Court Square, next to City Hall. This building was built in 1940, and by the end of Charlie’s time, the building was beginning to show its age. The ceilings were falling in and leaking, the floors were damaged from water and wear and it almost seemed beyond repair. In June 2013, just three months after Charlie’s death, the building was purchased by Kameka and Sandra Owens, sisters-in-law who own and run Owen’s Photography. They had plans for a photography studio in this historic building. After 2 months of hard work, Kameka and Sandra, along with their family and friends, were able to transform the run-down building into a stunning studio with exposed brick, wood floors and a homey atmosphere. Owens Photography started business in 2009 when Sandra bought a camera and said, “I’m going to do this no matter what!” Kameka and Sandra have been sistersin-law for 20 years, and it just made sense for them to go into this together.
Sandra always had a desire for photography when her son, Lee, was a child, and over the years it grew into a hobby. Sandra has more of the artistic and design ideas, while Kameka handles the business end. They say with two people, this system works great. The business started at the Sahara building on HWY 1, which had been offered to them by Sandra’s son, Lee. However, as their business grew, they quickly outgrew the space. They then rented a room from Bullocks, behind Southern Surprise until they had the opportunity to purchase Charlie Hamilton’s old building from Cox Realty. Before there was a building at 130 Court Square, the site was once home to the town’s water pump in the late 19th century; however, by 1913, there was a 2-story, wood frame building where groceries and confectionaries were sold. For part of it’s life, the building was a grocery know as Gordon and Toland’s Grocery. Vince Walton’s wife later had a 10 cent store in the building and at one time, one of the judge’s had an office upstairs. The building that currently stands at 130 Court Square was built in April 1940 by Ms. Cora Deane, and was then later purchased by
Charlie Hamilton for a TV and radio repair shop. It is now owned by Kameka and Sandra Owens for Owens Photography studio. The building has very nice brick detail for a mid-century commercial building, including bands of buff brick, tile-capped parapet, and 6-pane transom windows. Kameka and Sandra were able to chip away plaster from the walls inside and reveal much of the brick for an industrial and loft-like feel. A wall with sliding barn doors was erected to separate the entrance and sitting area from the studio area, which adds to the loft-like appearance. They kept the original door, and this, along with beautiful wood floors and cozy decorations complete the look of a big city studio in small-town DeWitt. They were able to finish the remodel in 7 short weeks with help from their husbands, Brian and Ronnie Owens, their cousin-in-law, Charles Brown, and many other family and friends. Owens Photography is now open for business by appointment only. They are set to celebrate their grand opening November 24 from 1-4 p.m. and look forward to many years to come.
Happy Thanksgiving! You’re Invited!
DeWitt Community Thanksgiving Service Sunday, November 24 at 6:00 p.m. Location: Faith Baptist Church 725 McAdams Rd. • DeWitt • 946-1897 Bro. Jimmy Albrecht, preaching Pastor, First Baptist Church of DeWitt Special Music: Community Choir; Bro. Donald Lee Ruffin, Host Pastor Love Offering Benefits Year-Round Local Assistance for South Arkansas County of the DeWitt Ministerial Alliance of churches