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New health system, hospital from NEA Official: ‘Eager to take the next step’ on project BY KARIN HILL SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO — The formation of a new health system and groundbreaking for a state-of-the-art medical complex highlighted 2010 for NEA Baptist Health System. Construction on the new medical campus off U.S. 49 north, 4808 East Johnson Ave., will begin within the next month, Baptist officials recently announced. “We are eager to take the next step in this important project,” Paul Betz, administrator and chief executive officer of NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital, said earlier this month. “The new facilities will help us completely transform the way we care for patients because the hospital and the new NEA Baptist Clinic building will be connected. “Many of our physicians will be in the same location as the hospital, meaning physicians and hospital staff can work together more easily to provide integrated care to patients,” Betz said. Site work on the 76-acre tract began June 1, and an official ground-breaking ceremony was held at the site of the new medical center July 15. Officials said construction of the new medical center will take three to four years. Officials said in early March that construction trailers will move onto the site this month, and work on the buildings will begin in April. The project, designed by architectural firm Earl Swensson Associates Inc., of Nashville, Tenn., is expected to be complete in the summer of 2013. Baptist officials said
Karin Hill | The Sun
Dr. Troy Vines, a family practice physician at NEA Baptist Clinic on West Parker Road, examines Carolyn Neal with the assistance of Julie Hall, a licensed practical nurse, on March 16.
QuickINFO | Name: NEA Baptist Health System Location: 1835 Grant Ave. (NEA Baptist Clinic); 3024 Stadium Blvd. (NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital) Phone: 972-7000 (hospital); 935-4150 (clinic) Web site: www.nea baptist.com; www.nea baptistclinic.com at the ground-breaking ceremonies that the new 181-bed hospital will have 550,000 square feet. An adjoining 213,000-squarefoot professional medical office building will house NEA Baptist Clinic’s medical specialists, surgeons and diagnostic testing services. The project represents a $400 million investment in the Jonesboro community, organizers said. NEA Baptist Health System, formed in early 2010, is the new umbrella organization under which both the clinic and 100bed hospital operate. The hospital offers all private rooms and a number of
Saundra Sovick | The Sun
From right, Mayor Harold Perrin talks with Baptist Memorial Health Care President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Reynolds and Jim Boswell, NEA Baptist Clinic CEO, after a ground-breaking ceremony on July 15 for the new combined NEA Baptist Clinic and NEA Baptist Hospital in Jonesboro.
inpatient and outpatient services, including surgical services, neurology, cancer care, open-heart surgery and labor and delivery services through the hospital’s Women’s Center. NEA Baptist Clinic’s nearly 100 physicians practice in 32 specialties and offer a wealth of services, from weight loss surgery to chemotherapy. The not-for-profit system combines the resources of both companies to provide more streamlined care, officials said. The new system is an affiliate of Baptist Memorial Health Care and will steer the activities of both the hospital and the clinic, whose name changed from NEA Clinic to reflect the new affiliation. Local management of both operations remained essentially unchanged, with a few adjustments. Jim Boswell, the chief executive officer of NEA Baptist Clinic for the past several years, moved to Memphis last fall to become CEO of Baptist Memorial Medical Group, and Darrell King, formerly the chief operating officer, moved into the CEO slot of NEA Baptist Clinic. A board made up of NEA Clinic physicians, Baptist leadership and other community members governs the new health system as a whole. King has been the chief operating officer at the clinic since 2007. He has held senior level administrative positions with physician medical groups for 20 years. Other management changes at NEA Baptist include: • Scot Davis, chief financial officer since 1999, has been named chief financial officer of Baptist Memorial medical Group. He will remain in Jonesboro and have corporate level oversight for the clinic’s financial operations. • Angie Carlton has been promoted from controller to senior director of finance at NEA Baptist Clinic. She will be responsible for the financial operations of the clinic as well as the central billing office and information system. New physicians were added over the last year to serve growth in several areas. “We’ve recently added PLEASE SEE NEA, G2
Burgundy curbs were painted along the Matthews Medical Mile on East Matthews Avenue recently. The designation signifies that the health-care businesses
along the strip have partnered to designate the area as home to a concentration of medical services.
St. Bernards undergoes changes in leadership New health and wellness facility under construction BY CURT HODGES SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO — When St. Bernards President and Chief Executive Officer Ben E. Owens stepped down last year after 38 years at the helm of the medical center, top-level leadership changes were made. Chris B. Barber was named president and CEO of St. Bernards Healthcare, and Michael K. Givens was named administrator of St. Bernards Medical Center. Barber has oversight of all St. Bernards associated entities. On staff at St. Bernards Medical Center for 18 years, Barber served as administrator of St. Bernards Medical Center for the last seven years. Born at St. Bernards, Barber is board certified in health-care management and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has been active in the Arkansas Hospital Association, the Arkansas Health Executives Forum and the Arkansas Hospital Auxiliary Association. He has been recognized by ACHE as recipient of a Regent’s Senior Leader Award. Barber holds degrees in business and public administration from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and Arkansas State University. Givens has served in various capacities at St. Bernards since 2001, most recently as chief operating officer of St. Bernards Medical Center. Originally from Northwest Arkansas, Givens holds degrees in administrative management and business administration and health-care management from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and Harding University at Searcy. He is a fellow in the Arkansas Executives Forum and serves on the ACHE Arkansas Regent’s Council. He was recognized by ACHE as recipient of a Regent’s Early Career Award. Other recent leadership promotions at St. Bernards include Jill Weeks being named vice president for patient services; Kathy Blackman, vice president for patient clinical services; and Jacque Hurd, vice president for human relations.
Other milestones
For St. Bernards perhaps the most significant milestone of the last year was the beginning of construction for the new St. Bernards Health and Wellness Institute off West Washington Avenue near the new Marion Berry-ASU overpass and interchange between West Washington and West Matthews avenues, spokeswoman Rebecca Rasberry said. The Institute is a 54,000-square-foot complex that will integrate a variety of fitness, treatment and prevention services under a single roof. It will blend a fitness center with clinical departments that promote health improvement, lifestyle modification and rehabilitation, officials said. The structure will house a fitness center with an indoor aquatics center, indoor walking track, studio classrooms, and cardio and weight-lifting equipment. It will be staffed by trained exercise instructors, fitness specialists, exercise physiologists and personal trainers. The facility also will house a number of clinical departments that deal with health and wellness: the Center for Weight Loss, Diabetes Management, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Outpatient Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine programs. It will house clinical offices of Jonesboro Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine. Drs. Brian Dickson, Spencer Guinn and Jeremy Swymn will occupy office space in the facility. To be completed in the fall, the new institute represents an investment of about $15 million, officials said. And in November, owners of more than 100 businesses along Matthews Avenue announced the formation of the Matthews Medical Mile. The businesses are situated along a mile stretch of Matthews Avenue and within a block or so on either side of the main artery that runs east to west across the city. The businesses partnered to promote the Matthews Medical Mile as the top destination for health-care goods and services in Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. The Matthews Medical Mile is distinctive in a number of ways — with PLEASE SEE ST. BERNARDS, G2
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Area nursing homes expand, improve facilities BY CHARLENE CREECH SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Since the beginning of 2010, changes have abounded at Jonesboro’s St. Bernards Village and Benedictine Manor. Director Brian Rega said more cottage homes have been developed at The Village. “We are down to our last three cottage home sites until we’re built out,” he said. The 13-year-old complex at 1606 Heern Drive offers three types of living accommodations — cottage homes, independent living apartments and assisted-living apartments. Rega said The Village now has a total of 37 cottage homes on site. “We just completed a duplex,” he said, “and those two units are available. Residents of the cottage homes live independently but have access to services at St. Bernards Village.” The director said the main building houses 89 independent apartments and 53 assisted-living apartments. “We are licensed for 58 residents in assisted living,” he said. “We could accommodate some couples.” There are currently 37 employees at The Village, Rega said. He said The Village is “land-locked,” limiting further expansion on the grounds, but added, “We’re looking at the possibility of enhancing our services.”
Benedictine Manor
Across town, Benedictine Manor’s first residents moved into the affordable-housing properties at 310 and 312 South Bridge St. in Jonesboro in January 2010. Nancy Brewer is site manager. “We’re up and running there, and the buildings are occupied,” Rega said. “We’d love to expand, but it’s based on availability through the housing department and the federal government. We will consider expansion as those funds become available.” Requirements for residency at the manor include a minimum age of 62 and meeting the federal guidelines for low income in Craighead County. Rega said $18,600 is the maximum income residents can earn, based on Craighead County criteria. “There are a lot of people coming from other counties and applying to the properties,” he said. “A person can make a little more money and qualify by moving to Jonesboro.” Benedictine Manor houses 40 units in the two buildings of the independent living facility. Rent is based on 30 percent of adjusted income.
“The balance comes from a HUD subsidy,” he said. “We’re working off a waiting list now, so interested persons can fill out an application for residency at 312 South Bridge St. “As our plans for continued growth materialize, we’ll be looking for additional staff,” Rega added.
St. Elizabeth’s A bistro has been added for residents of Jonesboro’s St. Elizabeth’s Place, Administrator Judy Dunman said. The nursing and rehabilitation facility is located at 3010 Middlefield Drive. “[The bistro] is fully equipped so that residents can enjoy soups, sandwiches, lattes and doughnuts,” Dunman said. She said staff is always present to assist residents in the bistro: “It is divided with a really nice, wheelchair-height bar and tables,” she said. “It’s a pretty place.” Last fall all four of the facility’s whirlpool and shower rooms were remodeled to become spas, complete with foot baths and fuzzy towels. The kitchen at St. Elizabeth’s Place has been updated with a time-saving convection oven, and at Christmas, a 55-inch flat screen TV and DVD player were added in one of the facility’s four dining rooms. “Dr. (Ron) Blachly and his office knew we were getting the TV, so he and his staff came out here and brought us about 40 new DVDs and visited with as many residents as possible,” Dunman said. St. Elizabeth’s Place has about 125 employees, up a little from last year, Dunman said. “Fifty percent or more of our staff is in the nursing category,” she said. “We have 110 beds, and a 95 percent occupancy rate, with 25 percent in rehab.” The nursing and reha-
bilitation facility won National Quality Awards from the American Health Care Association in 2010. “In 2009 we won the Bronze Award, and in 2010 we won the silver award,” Dunman said. “St. Elizabeth’s Place was the only facility in Arkansas to ever apply for and receive the silver award. We are now working on our application for the Gold Award for 2011.” The company owns acreage for physical expansion should the need arise. At St. Elizabeth’s annual recognition dinner in December, Wanda Webb of Bay, assistant director of nursing, received her 25year pin.
Culpepper Place Culpepper Place of Jonesboro is two years old and offers assisted living through studio, 1- and 2bedroom apartments with 24-hour staffing, Administrator Tim Johnson said. Located at 4210 South Caraway Road and owned by The Foster Group of Springfield, Mo., Culpepper Place is licensed for 81 beds and has 65 residents at present. “That number is up tremendously from last year,” Johnson said. “We have only one studio left.” Johnson said 37 full- and part-time employees are employed at the facility. In addition to large rooms and walk-in closets, Culpepper Place offers residents an on-site beauty shop, a post office, a chapel and a private dining room for special occasions. “We also have a very good activity program, along with scheduled transportation,” he added. Pets under 30 pounds are allowed at the facility, but owners must strictly follow house rules. Culpepper Place just received the 2011 Best of Region 8 (KAIT) award
for Best Senior Living Facility and also received The Sun’s local favorite award for retirement living. Johnson said 120 trees were just planted on the grounds.
South Wind Heights Two new co-managers joined South Wind Heights Manager Stan Whisman at the facility at 2305 Bernard St. in 2010. Glenda and Chuck Ingalls have been in Jonesboro about two months, moving here from management of another holiday retirement community in Hot Springs. A new executive chef, Jeff Payne, has also been added, the Ingalls said. This brings the total number of employees to 29. Chuck Ingalls said the facility is at 94 percent of its capacity, with 114 residents. His goal for the coming year is 100 percent occupancy with a waiting list. Holiday Corp., based in Oregon, owns the retirement community and 316 others across the United States. “We are unique in that we have model apartments and guest apartments,” Chuck Ingalls said. “A resident at any other of our communities can stay here free, and family members can come and stay in one of our guests rooms.” South Wind Heights is being remodeled, and work in the dining room has just been completed. Decor throughout the facility is being updated and furnishings added. A Veteran’s Administration representative visits South Wind Heights “every other Tuesday,” Chuck Ingalls said, and veterans and their widows can learn immediately if they are eligible for housing benefits. The facility’s “ice cream room” was recently redecorated. South Wind Heights of-
Saundra Sovick | The Sun
Lela Collins (left) bows her head in prayer during a prayer group meeting with Martha Oates on July 30 in St. Bernards Village at Jonesboro.
ST. BERNARDS: About $20 million invested in electronic system FROM PAGE G1 lots of visual identifiers. Subdivision-type signs will be constructed at the east and west entrances
to the Matthews Medical Mile Also in 2010, the medical center invested roughly $20 million in a Meditech, an electronic
system that provides a single view of clinical data across the continuum of care for patients. The system gives health-care professionals the ability
fers studio, 1- and 2-bedroom units in a number of configurations, and the facility is “pet friendly.”
Wesley on the Ridge Wesley on the Ridge at 300 Creath Ave. in Jonesboro is an independent living retirement facility for residents 62 and older. Vicky Goodwin, services coordinator, said Wesley on the Ridge is a HUD-approved, non-profit facility. One part-time and three full-time employees work at the facility with 36 apartments. There are presently no vacancies. Goodwin said some remodeling has been done there in the past year: “We plan on getting new floors this year,” she said but added that there are no current plans for expansion. Although many of the residents still drive their own vehicles, transportation is available. “The apartments feature kitchenettes, so we don’t have a dining room,” she said, “but we hold potlucks once a month in our community room, along with dinners for special occasions.” Residents and staff at Wesley on the Ridge have held two yard sales in the past year, and decorating for the holidays is “a big” event there. “Last summer we received an award from the home office in Memphis for having an injury-free staff,” Goodwin said.
Rosehaven Villa Mike Carlton of Rosehaven Villa at 3909 Hill Drive in Jonesboro said the number of employees and residents has increased at the residential care facility-retirement home off Airport Road. Carlton, whose wife Diane and sister Mary Hester own and administer the facility, said Rosehaven now has eight full-time and two part-time employees. He said the center is “licensed for 35 residents but only admits 30 ... We are full, and our residency is up from last year.” Hester and Carlton bought the facility three years ago but also owned it in the early 1990s. “We haven’t expanded in the last two years, but we totally renovated it with paint and flooring,” Carlton said. The company has no present plans for expansion. Carlton said the state Department of Human Services Office of LongTerm Care recently completed a survey of the Rosehaven facility, and no deficiencies were found.
Skilcare Skilcare Nursing Cen-
ter at 2911 Brown’s Lane in Jonesboro added a new Medicare private room wing and a new secure unit last year. There are private dining rooms in both areas. “We’re getting a new facelift outside right now, and we’re getting a new sign out front,” said Administrator Shirley Harvey, who has been with Skilcare for 32 years. Harvey said corporate offices of Convacare Management are in Little Rock and Searcy, and plans are under way for a “complete remodel” of the facility in the year ahead. She said the 24-hour skilled nursing care center has 127 employees. “We are a 152 bed facility, and we have 117 residents,” she said. Both numbers are about the same as last year. Skilcare Nursing Center has been on 2.5 acres on Brown’s Lane since 1979. Social Director Ann Wooldridge reached her 25th year of service with the company this year. Harvey said Skilcare has received outstanding compliance awards in the past year. Construction of a new Web site is also under way.
Jonesboro Health Care
Jonesboro Health Care at 800 Southwest Drive has 120 employees and is licensed for 113 beds, with residential openings available. Business Office Manager Sabrina Lee said those numbers have “remained about the same as last year’s.” The nursing home facility offers 24-hour care, with an in-house therapy department and beautician. Marty Tolbert is the Administrator of the facility, which has been managed by Perennial Business Services of Maryland since 2004. An award from the Department of Human Services out of Cross County was presented this past year to Sabrina Lee at Jonesboro Health Care for having the most completed applications for Medicaid patients.
Ridgecrest
Lisa Yahnke, administrator of Ridgecrest Health & Rehabilitation in Jonesboro, said the skilled nursing care and rehabilitation facility employs 75 and is licensed for 83 beds. “Residential openings are available,” she said. No changes in number of personnel nor residents occurred in the past year, she said, adding that no expansion is planned for this year. The facility is located at 3016 North Church St.
NEA: New equipment acquired FROM PAGE G1
to efficiently, systematically and accurately collect electronic health information about a patient throughout hospitalization, according to a news release. Work recently was completed on upgrading two of the cardiac catheterization labs in the St. Bernards Heartcare Center. St. Bernards Medical Center received an Innovator Award from the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, and the St. Bernards Senior Health Clinic received Innovator and Quality Achievement awards in 2010. And the medical center received three awards for outstanding clinical performance from VHA Oklahoma=Arkansas. St. Bernards Home Health was named one of the top 500 home health agencies in the country according to 2010 HomeCare Elite listing. During the last year the medical center brought in 15 new doctors. Already this year, St. Bernards has commitments from about 15 new physicians to join the St. Bernards medical staff.
an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine,” officials said. “Later in the year we will be adding dermatology to our list of services.” New clinic physicians are: • Dr. Ryan Brenza, D.O., family practice, Trumann; • Dr. Aaron Wallace, M.D., orthopedic surgery; • Dr. Tommy Taylor, M.D., internal medicine, Cherokee Village; and • Dr. Regan Baber, anesthesiology. Leadership at the hospital includes: • Paul Betz, administrator and chief executive officer; • Scott Childers, assistant administrator; • Paula Grimes, chief nursing officer; • James Keller, director of human resources; and • David Webb, chief financial officer. NEA Baptist Wound Prevention and Management recently purchased two new hyperbaric chambers. They are larger and more comfortable than the original chambers, officials said. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a clinical treatment where the patient breathes 100 percent oxygen intermittently while enclosed in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. NEA Baptist Radiology recently installed of the first dual source CT scanner in the state of Arkansas. The Siemens Somatom Definition Flash CT scanner is one of only 43 in the United States and 150 in the world. The new scanner can capture incredibly detailed images of the heart, brain, bones — even the smallest blood vessels. The speed is unprecedented and utilizes the lowest radiation exposures. NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital is the recipient of the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award 2010-11. This distinctive award places NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital within the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide for exemplary service to patients.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2011
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NEA health facilities expand, add services BY GEORGE JARED AND MICHAEL WILKEY SUN STAFF WRITERS
NEA health service providers add to staffs, earn recognition
JONESBORO — Health providers of all types, from emergency services to chiropractors and rehabilitation services, earned awards and took steps toward better patient care in 2010.
Medic One
Medic One, 3301 South Caraway Road, spent 2010 preparing for its 10-year anniversary, which it celebrated Jan. 1. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) Thomas Sisneros and William Tyler Roberts received paramedic certification. Six Medic One staff members were recognized for delivering babies, and 92 employees were recognized for assisting in resuscitation of local citizens. “Medic One understands that their business is in handling the lives of others, and this is never an area to be taken lightly,� said Brittni Wright, marketing director. “Medic One continues to add and improve upon the amount of education provided to their EMTs and paramedics. Medic One provides emergency medical services, emergency and nonemergency ambulance transportation, wheelchair transport and education. Owners are Ryan Kibler, George Stem and Sean Stem.
Curtis Chiropractic
Christopher Curtis, D.C., of Curtis Chiropractic & Wellness Center recently became certified in Kinesio Taping, a rehabilitative taping technique designed to facilitate the body’s natural healing process while providing support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body’s range of motion, according to a news release. It provides extended soft tissue manipulation to prolong the benefits of manual therapy administered in the clinical setting. “The taping method is safe for populations ranging from pediatric to geriatric patients, and it successfully treats a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, neurological and other medical conditions,� said Kari Cooper, practice representative for the business. The practice’s main focus is to provide chiropractic care and rehabilitation to restore normal function to the spine and the musculoskeletal system as a whole, Cooper said. The practice plans to add another doctor this year. Located at 2221 South Caraway Road, the practice offers gentle chiropractic care, active and passive rehabilitation, non-invasive acupuncture and nutritional supplements.
Woodruff Family Dentistry
Dr. Robert Kaloghirou joined the staff of Woodruff Family Dentistry in July after graduating from the University of Tennessee Dental School. He is a Jonesboro native and also one of the Arkansas State University Athletic Department team dentists. Located at 2800 Enterprise Cove, the clinic has extended its hours to Monday through Friday. “We are now able to offer same-day
emergency appointments during the week and have three doctors available for emergency calls after hours,� Dr. Randy Woodruff said. Randy and Tim Woodruff have more than 25 years of patient-care experience and have been recognized in “Guide to America’s Top Dentists.�
ARcare In early 2010, ARcare received the state Ryan White contract for people living with HIV/AIDS, providing the company with statewide exposure and more growth opportunities. “At that time, we launched a new branding campaign, changing our name from White River Rural Health Care to ARcare,� marketing representative Julie Wray said. “The new name accurately reflects the comprehensive health-care network the organization has become.� ARcare also opened a second location in Jonesboro at 2816 Fox Meadow Lane, adding six new employees and bringing the Craighead County total to 19. ARcare also has clinics at 1530 North Church St. in Jonesboro and 1009 Arkansas 19 in Lake City. Over the next four years the company plans to add clinics in the Brookland and southwest Jonesboro areas. ARcare offers medical and dental care regardless of ability to pay. “Our assistance programs can help with even more services, including transportation to medical appointments and Medicaid enrollment assistance,� Wray said.
Schmieding In 2010 The Schmieding Home Caregiver Training Program of Jonesboro began offering family caregiver workshops for family members and has completed three to date. Schmieding also introduced the virtual dementia tour to the area and has conducted about 15 tours. The tours are a look into the world of a person with dementia and are scheduled by request. The Schmieding program, funded by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, trains paraprofessional and family caregivers to care for older adults in the home. Upon graduation from the program, students can perform care-giving tasks for clients with varying levels of frailty. Families across Arkansas can access trained home caregivers using the Schmieding Caregiver Directory. Sixty-one students have graduated from 15 certified courses at the program’s Jonesboro location, 2813 Forest Home Road, one of four replicate sites in Arkansas, said Program Project Specialist Clare Pitcock Best, who recently achieved Grant Writing Training-Certification. This year the program’s schedule includes 16 certified courses, five Family Caregiver Workshops and Virtual Dementia Tours by request. The opening of a fourth training program in West Memphis is set for May 20. PLEASE SEE HEALTH, G5
Mississippi County There was a concerted effort to improve the quality of service and offer choices for patients, the chief executive officer for the Mississippi County Hospital System said. Ralph Beaty said the hospital system — made up of Great River Medical Center in Blytheville and South Mississippi County Regional Medical Center in Osceola — has been recruiting doctors for both hospitals. In 2010 the system hired two primary-care physicians, Dr. David Diffine and Dr. Chimere Ashley, and a nurse-midwife, Susan Saunders. Beaty said the hospital is working to bring in a general surgeon and recently hired a podiatrist. The system also created a gastro-intestinal program that has treated more than 250 patients. In addition, the system received a Delta Regional Authority grant for a lithotripter. The device crushes a patient’s kidney stones by sending shock waves into a water-filled tub, according to webmd. com. “We have been working in growing our business and serving the healthcare needs of our patients,� Beaty said. As for infrastructure and accreditation, the hospitals have created a system to archive and retrieve medical records, reestablished ties to the Northeast Arkansas Disaster Grant program and submitted letters to participate in the Arkansas Trauma Network. The hospital has updated dietary services for employees and patients.
Five Rivers In 2008 Five Rivers Medical Center was losing up to $250,000 per month, and it looked like it might go bankrupt. But in 2010 that trend changed, and it broke even financially for the first time in its short history, hospital officials said. “What we’ve been able to do is pretty amazing,� Administrator John Tucker said. The hospital hopes to become a non-profit hos-
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George Jared | The Sun
Lawrence Memorial Hospital won several awards for quality, infection control and other clinical excellence in 2010. pital this year. The change in status would mean higher Medicaid reimbursements to the tune of $350,000 more per year, Tucker said. Reimbursements for charitable hospitals are higher because any potential profits cannot be placed in another government line-item. The hospital is now owned by the city of Pocahontas. Once the non-profit status is established a board will be formed to oversee the hospital.
Lawrence Health Lawrence Health Services (LHS) includes Home Medical Equipment and Supplies, which in 2010 moved into Lawrence County’s former library building. Lawrence Memorial, Lawrence Hall Home Medical and several other health-care providers are also parts of LHS. Lawrence Memorial extended its family clinic hours over the last year and is now the only afterhours family medicine facility in the county, according to hospital officials. The hospital also won several awards for quality, infection control and other clinical excellence. Lawrence Memorial Health Foundation began its Golden Jubilee campaign to raise funds to renovate the hospital’s 25-bed wing, surgery and nursing station areas. Many of the patient rooms are in various stages of repair, according to the hospital. In the future LHS hopes to update its medical records systems.
Harris Hospital Newport’s Harris Hospital is a 133-bed facility that mostly serves the citizens of Jackson and surrounding counties. There are 22 active physicians on staff. Last year marked a new beginning for Harris Hospital, which unveiled a new logo and slogan in October. The slogan is “More than care ‌ Commitment.â€? “We want the public to know that our focus is on the future and on strengthening our dedication to providing health care and services that meet the needs of our pa-
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tients and their families. We know the future will hold changes, and we’re ready for any challenges,� Chief Executive Officer Chip Camp said. Since 1947 Harris Hospital has served Jackson County and the surrounding area. “The hospital has continued the tradition of providing the highest standard of medical care, and we plan to continue this tradition with the changing tide of health care,� Camp said. The hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission and approved by the Arkansas State Health Department, which gives patients the assurance that they meet the highest standards of medical care in services, medical technology and personnel, hospital officials said. The hospital recently upgraded gastro-intestinal (GI) endoscopy unit with the purchase of new technology that allows patients to undergo non-evasive tests and procedures. Another addition in 2010 was Dr. Sujay Kumar, the hospital’s first hospitalist. “Hospitalists serve as an extension of the primary care provider and attend to a patient’s every need during a hospital stay,� Camp said. “They order tests, prescribe medications and monitor results. During each step of the process, the hospitalist communicates with the patient’s primary care physician to ensure the patient gets the proper care.� Senior Circle has become one of the most popular programs at the hospital. “The Senior Circle program represents our commitment to meet the needs of seniors by providing them with opportunities to continue to live the healthiest, most fulfilling lives possible. We offer seniors in our community an outlet where they can participate in activities and share common interests with other seniors, while at the same time promoting health and wellness,� Senior Circle Director Margaret Goodman said. Freelance writer Judy Beard contributed to this report. gjared@jonesborosun.com mwilkey@jonesborosun.com
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Kellie Cobb | The Sun
Sue Lady participates in the Virtual Dementia Tour at the Schmieding Home Caregiver Training Center in Jonesboro.
POCAHONTAS — Several Northeast Arkansas hospitals worked in 2010 to add services, improve health care and rebuild their infrastructure in a sluggish economy. Great River Medical Center in Blytheville, South Mississippi County Regional Medical Center in Osceola, Five Rivers Medical Center in Pocahontas, Lawrence Health Services in Walnut Ridge and Harris Hospital in Newport each reported significant changes during 2010.
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Judge hopes construction completed in ’11 Weather is main factor in staying on schedule with Bono Lake project BY WAYLON HARRIS SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO — After several delays, County Judge Ed Hill is optimistic that, dry weather permitting, construction of the Bono Lake project will be completed by year’s end. “If we can get a dry spring, they’ll be drilling the well points there where the dam is going to be,” Hill said. “But it’s kind of like construction of anything else, there’s got to be pretty weather before they can work. It’s going to depend on that.” Work on the lake slowed to a crawl during winter months, but Hill said construction on the slurry wall portion of the dam will begin soon. Contractors will drill the wells to reroute water where the dam will be. The dam will be built of a flexible bentonite-slurry and earth mix, designed to withstand an earthquake. Work stalled last year when contractors discovered a large amount of subsurface water at the site of the future dam, resulting in the need for wells to be drilled to re-
route a large underground flow of water. The project also slowed because contractors didn’t find enough clay-based soil at the site. Robert Hendrix of Haywood Kenward Bare and Associates said a clay deposit near the site has been found, but they’re waiting for
information from tests to determine if it’s the best site for collection. “We still haven’t determined the quantities of that material,” Hendrix said. “We’re evaluating that to make sure we make a good decision” about gathering the most suitable clay soil.
Hendrix said construction workers from Searcybased Spurlock Inc. should be back on site in coming weeks. Hendrix said construction workers must build a platform from which to drill before they begin drilling the 60 wells along the site where the dam
will be. Once they start that process, Hendrix said workers will continue moving 300,000 cubic yards of dirt at the site. “We’ve only moved 50,000 yards,” Hendrix said. “So there’s still 250,000 yards of dirt to move.” Hill said he still hopes the lake can be completed in 2011. “We’re still optimis-
Sun file photo
Blake Marotti (second from left) with Anderson Engineering of Jonesboro directs crew members at the Bono lake project site in this June 2010 file photo.
tic that once they get the water rerouted, and we have enough dry weather, they’ll be able to stay on schedule,” Hill said. And he thinks they’ll be able to stay within the contracted price, too. “They’re talking like they’re going to be able to keep it” close to the $3.8 million estimate, Hill said. Hendrix said his group is in negotiations with Spurlock Inc. representatives to reduce costs associated with work at the site. “They’ve had some overages on previous work,” Hendrix said. “So we’re in negotiations with them to find some ways to reduce the [overall] cost.” Hendrix said moving dirt and drilling wells will consume most of the construction season. “They’ll be at that for three or four months,” Hendrix said. Plans call for a 100-acre, 40-foot-deep lake on about 300 acres of property. The project is intended to offer flood relief for the Bono area. It is also scheduled to offer camping, fishing and hiking trails to the public. wharris@jonesborosun.com
NEA tourist destinations expect good year in 2011 BY JOHN FLORA SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Northeast Arkansas tourist destinations are looking forward to another good year, despite the nation’s slow economic recovery. Cathy Drew, executive director of the Ozark Gateway Tourist Council, represents seven Ozark region counties — Lawrence, Randolph, Jackson, Independence, Izard, Sharp and Stone. Tourism in her region de-
clined when the economy crashed in 2008 but is steadily returning. Visitors spent more than $219 million in the area last year, she said, up nearly $1 million from 2008. “I just got back from a show in Memphis where we handed out 1,500 of our visitor guides,” she said. “There are a lot of great things people can do at a relatively good price here. This is a very affordable area to vacation.” Noting that the twist-
ing roads of the area are a magnet for motorcyclists, she said, “We’re also focusing a little bit on motorcycle tours. I got a call last week from a man in northern Michigan who was planning a trip to the region with some motorcycle friends.” The region includes special tourism destinations and state parks such as Lake Charles State Park and Powhatan Courthouse State Park, PLEASE SEE TOURISM, G6
John Flora | Special to The Sun
Nick Nichols, 63, Jonesboro, fishes from the dock at Walcott Lake in Crowley’s Ridge State Park.
HEALTH: VA Medical Clinic adds to staff; Superior Senior Care extends services to younger age group FROM PAGE G4
VA Medical Clinic
The John J. Pershing VA Medical Clinic, a VA outpatient clinic at 2420 Linwood Drive in Paragould, saw growth in personnel and building size in 2010. “We are proud to say we have expanded the services available to our veterans in the Paragould area,” said Angela Smith, interim public affairs officer. “We are now able to offer home-based primary care, which includes inhome nursing and social work services.” Smith said the company is also expanding its current mental health-care opportunities at the clinic through Tele-Mental Health Services. This year the company will continue to increase its tele-med
capabilities to allow veteran patients to receive care without physically traveling to the provider’s location, Smith said. The company moved into an 8,500 square-foot building in June 2010. New faces to join the clinic’s staff in 2010 include Dr. Gordon Akin, who works at the Paragould Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. “Primary care for women is now fully integrated into the CBOC environment,” Smith said. “Each female veteran can now receive their gender-specific care at the CBOC and ancillary services such as mammograms and OBGYN care.” The medical center recently recognized two staff members with the Biggest Heart Award. Pat Shirley and Dr. Ramona Ramrup were both given
the award to honor their compassionate care of veterans on a daily basis.
Superior Senior Care Superior Senior Care is extending services to a younger age group and expanding to neighboring states. Superior Senior Care, 710 South Main St., offers non-medical, in-home assistance with activities of daily living through caregiver referrals. Personal care services will now be offered to disabled patients under the age of 21, Marketing Director Melanie Sparkman said. The service also established an office in Paragould, which is set to open April 1. On a larger scale, the business has also extended its services to Mississippi, Tennessee and Missouri.
HealthSouth HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Jonesboro upgraded services and technology in 2010, made progress applying for grants and honored several dedicated employees. HealthSouth advanced from VitalStim to Experia, a functional electrical stimulation for dysphagia or difficulty with swallowing. The clinic also added lymphedema services to outpatient and inpatient
programs, said Mark Peyton, director of marketing operations. “We have applied for the Joint Commission Stroke Center of Excellence Certification,” Peyton said. The clinic received the Most Improved in Clinical Excellence Award for 2010 from HealthSouth Corp. Awards were also given to HealthSouth staff members. Recognized for 20 or more years of employment are: Becky Kimble, Pam Smith, Nioka Clayton, Linda Ford, Judy McQuay, Laura Garner, Mary Smith, Lou Wainscott, Tammy Barley, Jim Eudy, Margaret Moody, Olinda Davis, Janice Russell, Carmen Hottinger, Trina Crigler, Kathy Guilliams and Andy Myatt. Teresa Campbell, Vivian Overturf and Magan Workman received certi-
fied rehabilitation registered nurse designations. Dr. Terence Braden was awarded the Medical Directors Clinical Excellence Award for the Western Region. Robin Jones received a neuro-developmental technique certification. Employees of the quarter were McQuay for the first, Workman for the second, Tywanda Thomas in the third and Holly McKnight in the fourth. Workman was named employee of the year. The hospital also sponsors a monthly stroke support group and amputee clinic available to the community. HealthSouth, 1201 Fleming Ave., is a 67-bed acute medical rehabilitation hospital that offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services.
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Superior Senior Care was also nominated as one of five businesses for a Business of the Year award from Arkansas Business magazine. It has been in operation since 1985 and is owned by Terry and Ruth Cullum. More than 150 caregivers are employed by the service.
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Area schools work to expand athletic facilities BY BEN COWENS SUN STAFF WRITER
Several area school districts have been laying the groundwork for new or improved athletic facilities. Jonesboro High School is in the early stages of a project that will rejuvenate Don Riggs Hurricane Gym by mid- or late-October. Crews are already starting the changes, which include renovations in the locker rooms, restrooms, offices and the lobby. The school spent $67,000 on a maple floor that was installed last summer. The current $3.7 million project is being funded by a recent property tax increase and will include an extra 6,000 square feet of space. The court and surrounding seating won’t be affected — all of the extra area will be distributed among
the lobby, storage areas, offices, rest rooms, a weight room and several other additions. While Jonesboro is awaiting the bulk of its facility upgrades, Valley View’s $2.6 million field house was completed late in 2010. It features a 30- by 40-yard football practice facility, a weight room, space for cheer and dance, public restrooms and concession stands. The facility also has seven offices for coaches and trainers. According to Valley View Athletic Director Gaylon Taylor, feedback has been positive. “The coaches have really loved it,” Taylor said. “It’s been so good for us, especially in the spring time with the bad weather. ... Everybody has been able to utilize it.” Another recent project involved minor work at the softball field, includ-
ing new fencing, netting, dugouts and storage. The next major undertaking at Valley View will be the $21.9 million project being funded by a 4.9-mill property tax increase, which passed earlier this year. The funds will pay for a new high school and increased classroom space for all grade levels. Included in the high school will be a 2,200-seat gymnasium with a weight room and at least four locker rooms and possibly six. According to Taylor, the projection timeline is 18-24 months for completion, but he also stated it’s difficult to know how quickly the project will be finished, considering it’s in the early stages of development. A month after honoring “The Pit” — the Lake City gym that has housed the Rebels for the last 50 years — Riverside
athletes will have a new home. The school district will open a brand-new, 1,240-seat gymnasium next season, and the design includes 300 chairback seats, four dressing rooms, several offices, storage space, a site for a weight room and a concession stand. The building will be part of the $13 million senior and junior high complex that is being built in Lake City. According to Riverside Superintendent Tommy Knight, the complex should be completed by mid-summer. While the Lake City gymnasium will take the place of “The Pit,” the basketball teams will continue to play part of their schedules at the Caraway campus. According to Riverside Athletic Director Buster Campbell, Riverside also recently built a softball field and is in the process of building two new ten-
Putting You First Earned
nis courts. The Brookland School District continues to build toward the 2012 football season when it will field its first varsity high school football team. Between a junior varsity high school team and the varsity junior high team, 127 players donned pads and helmets for the Bearcats in 2010. The level of interest led to some alterations in the locker rooms. According to head football coach Kelly Mills, the school district expanded the number of football lockers from 70 to around 120. The Bearcats also added some equipment to the weight room and used their new practice field for the first time. As for the football stadium, Mills estimated the on-campus facility currently has around 1,400 seats, which is up considerably over the number of seats in 2009. With the extra seating in place, major improvements on the football facility are expected to be finished prior to the 2012 seasonopener. But there is a plan in the future to pave the track surrounding the football field. Progress in athletic
facilities isn’t limited to the schools of Craighead County. Greene County Tech is about eight months away from moving into its brand-new high school complex, which includes a 2,300-seat athletic arena. According to Athletic Director Ted Cunningham, the first athletic competitions in the new arena are expected to be a pair of holiday basketball tournaments on Dec. 19. At the very least, the basketball teams will be in their new home for conference play next season. The below-ground facility will have 541 chairback seats, three concession stands, a weight room, five dressing rooms and an auxiliary court. People will enter at ground level into a large lobby and will be able to walk around the entire concourse area. Cunningham said there are plans to build other athletic facilities on the new site for the outdoor sports teams at Greene County Tech, but no definite time frame has been established. Until then the teams will continue to use the facilities at the current high school. bcowens@jonesborosun.com
st State of Arkansas
Saundra Sovick | The Sun
Paul Clements of Sport Floors Inc. paints the Jonesboro High School Hurricane logo at center-court on the JHS gym floor on July 13.
TOURISM: Parks plan activities FROM PAGE G5
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both in Lawrence County; Davidsonville State Park, Randolph County Heritage Museum, the historic Pocahontas Court Square and the original Randolph County Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Maynard Pioneer Museum in Randolph County. Kendra Harris, superintendent of Davidsonville State Park, said surveying work is scheduled to begin soon for an elevated interpretive trail at the site of Arkansas’s first courthouse. Archaeologists have done several digs at the park, and newly unearthed artifacts are on display in the visitor center, she said. This year’s Davidsonville schedule includes workshops on frontier medicines and a series of week-long day camps for children. Crowley’s Ridge State park is offering a fishing experience for the first time this spring. Park Superintendent Gretchen Sacotnik said Walcott Lake was stocked with 500 rainbow trout for a latewinter Boy Scout Camporee, and most of the fish remain to be caught. Visitors are welcome to fish, she said, adding that anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license and a trout stamp, both of which are available at the Crowley’s Ridge State Park Visitor Center. Rainbow trout are not native to the area and are not expected to survive through the summer, she said, emphasizing that this is a one-time event
for the park. Sacotnik said the trails are clear and ready for hikers. She expects the park will see a lot of visitor traffic this year, in part because of rising gasoline prices. “We’ve noticed that visitation is up at parks that are closer to urban areas — and we’re right here between Jonesboro and Paragould. The gas prices seem to have hurt the parks in rural areas like Petit Jean and Mount Magazine.” Vicki Trimble, assistant superintendent at Frierson Lake State Park on U.S. 141, said a soil erosion prevention project was completed recently, and work is under way on a new sewer system. “We’re also getting ready to install a bunch of new firefighting equipment at our buildings,” she said. Volunteers are invited to come to the park at 8:30 a.m. April 2 for the Great American Cleanup, improving the habitat of the many species of wildlife that call Lake Frierson home. A free picnic lunch will be offered for all volunteers, along with a drawing for prizes. The staff will offer hand-led horseback rides at the park April 16. The fee is $3 per person. Lake Frierson State Park will host three Dutch oven workshops where visitors can learn the nearly lost art of Dutch oven cooking. Advance reservations are required by calling 932-2615. The workshops are scheduled for April 23, May 14 and Sept. 24.
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Playing sports should be fun Recreational sporting organizations expand offerings, improve facilities BY TONY MANLEY SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO — Jonesboro Softball Association officials, coaches, players and their families participated in a cleanup day at Southside Softball Complex in early March. Workers picked up trash and rocks on and around the fields, washed bleachers and gave the dugouts a fresh coat of paint. While those efforts should help provide a more pleasant softball experience for children and their families, a couple of more changes at Southside should help even more, according to JSA board member Larry Brantley. The Jonesboro City Council recently approved the hiring of a softball coordinator in the Parks and Recreation Department. The person will be paid $29,625 per year and will assume responsibilities from the Jonesboro Softball Association. Brantley — the JSA’s youth league coordinator for the past several years — and other JSA board members will take on an advisory role to aid the paid softball coordinator. “I think it will be better for the girls and the ballpark,” Brantley said. “It’s hard to get volunteers to do some of the things a paid employee will do.” Another change Brantley said he likes is the league’s new organizational affiliation. Jonesboro Softball Association leagues and the tournaments the JSA puts on will now be sanctioned by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), a switch from recent years, when the JSA was sanctioned by the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA). Unlike USSSA, ASA has a youth coordinator who lives in Northeast Arkansas, Sharron Turman. “It makes things a lot better to have someone visible, someone you can talk to if you need them,” Brantley said. JSA youth spring and summer leagues run from April to June, while adult leagues go from April-July. Adult fall leagues are also held in September and October. Brantley said he expects around 40 youth teams (approximately 500 children) to play in JSA leagues this spring and summer. Youth leagues range from T-ball (ages 6 and under) to 14 and under. A large number of players also compete in adult leagues, which have men’s, women’s, church and co-ed divisions.
Jonesboro baseball
Jonesboro Baseball Boosters have run the
baseball leagues now held at Joe Mack Campbell Park for more than 20 years, and approximately 850 boys and girls from age 4-18 competed in the organization’s recreational program last spring and summer. Gary Hoyt, the JBB’s secretary and recreational league director, said he expects those numbers to go up to around 950 kids this year. Recreational league play begins in late April and runs to early July. District, state and regional Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth tournaments will follow, some of which will be held at JMC Park. The park is in its second year of hosting a Spring Training League for USSSA-sanctioned traveling teams. The league has an 8-game schedule and helps teams in the 9-14 age brackets get ready for tournament play. It runs from early March to late April. Campbell Park also hosts regular tournaments on weekends throughout the summer for USSSA teams.
Jonesboro CCSA The Jonesboro Craighead County Soccer Association regularly serves between 600-700 players a year for its leagues, which encompass a variety of levels. The league took things to an even higher level in the past few months, merging with the Arkansas Rush soccer club. “The Jonesboro-Craighead County Soccer Association (JCCSA) voted to merge with the Arkansas Rush to provide the opportunity for all of our soccer players to develop their soccer skills to their fullest potential in a setting with highly-trained coaches,” said Wayne McKinney, president of JCCSA, on the league’s Web site.
Saundra Sovick | The Sun
Alexis Hughes of the Diamond Dolls arrives at home plate ahead of the tag from Pink Panthers defender Skyler Bailey during a game in the 12th annual RAID Supports DARE youth softball tournament at the Southside Soft“In addition, the philosophy of Rush Soccer has been tested, and it is successful. Putting the development of players first works, not only across the country but here in Arkansas, too. As a board, it was an easy decision to merge because it expands the soccer programs offered in our community, which is in the best interest of all of our kids.” Under the new organization soccer players will be able to work on technical and tactical skills while learning sportsmanship and teamwork through competitive team play in the “Rush Way” with the new training environment. The JCCSA, which has been around for about 30 years, hosts spring (March-May) and fall (August-October) seasons. Games are played at Joe Mack Campbell Park. Ages for leagues range from 4 to adult. Children age 4-12 generally participate in Level 1 leagues, while more competitive soccer teams for ages 13-18 will play tournaments and travel, as well as play a few friendly matches with other local
From left, swimmers Joseph Giles and Abigail McMullan pose with their Jonesboro Jets swim team coach Shawn Drake after competing in the USA Speedo Sectional Meet in Oklahoma City in early March.
organizations such from Paragould, Batesville and Pocahontas. Any child wanting to play at this level can. These Jonesboro teams also play in the annual Harvest Cup tournament. Level 2 and Level 3 teams participate in what is known as classic soccer. Players on these teams go through a tryout process and are placed on teams. There is also an adult league for anybody over the age of 18.
Jonesboro Bowling Center The Jonesboro Bowling Center, which has been at its current location at 3102 Shelby Drive for 35 years, has a variety of entertainment and recreational options for its customers. The JBC hosts multiple summer and fall-winter leagues at its 40-lane facility, attracting between 700-1,000 bowlers during its league seasons. The JBC also has a full-service pro shop and a 30-game arcade. The arcade also has a redemption center, in which arcade players can redeem tickets they win for prizes. In addition to its
Athletes from Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma qualify by time for the prestigious meet. Jets offers programs and competition for all levels of swimmers.
E. Paul Milam, MCD, CCC-SLP www.therapysolutionsofnea.com
ball Complex in April 2010. The DARE tournament is one of several youth tournaments annually held at Southside, home of the Jonesboro Softball Association. leagues, the JBC hosts the annual Greater Jonesboro Halsey Self Storage PBA Open in July as well as a variety of high school, youth and adult tournaments. A tournament hosted by Optus and Ritter raised $13,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in January, according to Frank Jameson, the JBC’s director of marketing and community relations. Jameson said the JBC could become bigger and better in the near future, with remodeling in the planning stages.
Jets Aquatic Club Formerly known as the Jonesboro Jets, the Jets Aquatic Club has been around for more than 20 years, offering recreational and year-round programs for its swimmers. The Jets Aquatic Club offers competitive swimming options for ages 18 and younger. The yearround program is affiliated with USA swimming, while the recreational summer program is affiliated with AAU swimming. The USA team also has a location in Caruthersville, Mo., which is an expansion that happened in the past year and led to the renaming of the organization to the Jets Aquatic Club since it encompasses more than just Jonesboro as a team. Kids involved in the year-round program travel to meets in Arkansas and regionally, while the recreational group competes mainly in meets in Northeast Arkansas. Kids in the year-round program use Arkansas State’s HPESS swimming pool for their training during the non-summer months. During the summer, the Jets make the Jonesboro YMCA pool their home.
City Stars Jonesboro’s City Stars may be down one sport from what it offered last
year, but other aspects of the free program are on the rise. City Stars, which added baseball and softball to its list of sports last year, has combined those leagues into a baseball-only program for both boys and girls. As of mid-March around 225 kids (age 414) had signed up for City Stars baseball, a number that includes 43 girls. The numbers are down from what the baseball and softball leagues combined to attract last year, but the facility that the baseball league calls home has seen an upgrade, according to Danny Kapales, Jonesboro Parks and Recreation’s youth sports coordinator. “Deral Burrow Park is back to where it needs to be,” Kapales said. “We went through and cleaned up the facility, added bleacher covers on the main quad and re-did the bleachers.” While City Stars baseball is beginning its second year, City Stars basketball and soccer continue to motor along. The soccer program has been around since April 2001, and City Stars basketball began in January 2002. The basketball program — for kids age 4-19 — has winter and summer seasons. Games are played at Parker Park and Allen Park. The soccer program — also for ages 4-19 — has spring and fall seasons, and for the first time all games will be played at Joe Mack Campbell Park. In past years, games were played at multiple sites around Jonesboro. Both the basketball and soccer leagues have a limit of 500 kids per season. In addition to its free programs, Jonesboro Parks and Recreation is in its 10th year of the Wolf Cub tackle football league, a pay program for kids in grades 4-6. Games are played from SeptemberNovember at JMC Park. tmanley@jonesborosun.com
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Special sporting events successful BY KEVIN TURBEVILLE SUN STAFF WRITER
Krystin Phillips | The Sun
Tanner Rockwell of the Northeast team pitches during the 2010 Xtra Innings Classic game against the Southeast squad at Jonesboro on July 5.
JONESBORO — It’s already been a good year for the organizers of the annual Arkansas SportShow. Held each February, the SportShow attracts thousands of outdoor enthusiasts to the Arkansas State University Convocation Center. This year’s 26th annual SportShow was especially successful. Chairman Naz Kazi said he has been told that the Feb. 1113 event probably ranked among the top five shows put on by the Rotary Club of Jonesboro. Giving what he called a conservative estimate, counting everyone including volunteers for the event and vendors, Kazi said total attendance was about 22,000. That includes about 14,500 tickets sold for the SportShow. If all the monetary pledges come in as expected, Kazi said the show will raise about $90,000 for various Rotary Club projects. This year’s attendance was higher than any of the past three years, he said, and food vendors sold out a few hours before the show ended. “Last year the show wasn’t as big because of
the economy. We made the show smaller,” Kazi said. “This year we were to capacity and above. We actually had booths set up out in the parking lot.” The Rotary Club invested more in prizes and found the laser trap shooting attraction to be popular, Kazi said. The event also featured guest speaker Eddie Salter, a 2-time world champion turkey caller, the annual Mid-South Big Buck Extravaganza, a 3D archery competition, a trail camera photo contest and the World’s Greatest Trout Tank.
Greater Jonesboro Open An increase in prize money helped organizers of the Greater Jonesboro Open lure some of the top professional bowlers to Jonesboro Bowling Center for the 14th annual tournament last July. The championship came down to two PBA mainstays, with Chris Barnes beating Steve Jaros for the $5,000 first prize. Barnes and Jaros are exempt PBA bowlers, meaning they are guaranteed a place on the regular PBA Tour. They can also compete in regional PBA events. “Prize money attracts them for sure,” said Kelly Stevens of the Jonesboro Bowling Center. “The more money they can win, the better chance that we’ll get them in here.” The 2010 pro tournament drew 87 bowlers, Stevens said, and the proam event before the tournament had 177 bowlers. The tournament pays one-third of the field, with the exact number depending on the entries, and last year’s event paid out around $25,000 in prize money. The payouts for this year’s event, set for July 15-17, will be similar.
teams and fans was a success once again in 2010. Tournament committee co-chairman Jim Parrish estimated attendance for the New Year’s Eve championship games at about 6,000. Total paid attendance for five days at the tournament was 17,553. Jonesboro-area teams played for the championships in the large-school bracket. The 2010 tournament also featured three eventual state champions — Bay in Class 1A, East Poinsett County in Class 2A and Rivercrest in Class 3A — and included two of the state’s top players in Hunter Mickelson of Westside and Rashad Madden of EPC, a pair of Arkansas Razorback recruits.
ers make the trip to Jonesboro in July for the annual Xtra Innings Classic, a showcase that features 88 underclassmen in front of college coaches and major league scouts. Last year’s seventh annual showcase drew close to 50 coaches and scouts. Jim Chastain, an event organizer, said 10 individual Major League teams had scouts present, and the Major League Scouting Bureau, which sends reports to all the teams, was also represented. Dozens of college coaches were also there. Pro Day events are held at Nettleton’s Raider Field, and games involving the prospects are played at Arkansas State’s Tomlinson Stadium. This year’s event will be July 6-7.
State tournaments
More events
Buffalo Island Central officials were looking for big crowds when they hosted the Class 2A state basketball tournament in early March at Monette. That’s what they got. BIC boys’ basketball coach Garrett Eoff, the tournament manager, estimated total attendance between 10,000-11,000. Having a number of local schools — BIC, Riverside, EPC (two teams), Rector, Cross County and Marmaduke — certainly helped at the gate. “With seven teams within 30 miles of us qualifying for the tournament, we knew the crowds were going to be great, and they were,” Eoff said. Wynne was the site for the Class 5A state volleyball tournament in the fall. That event also benefited from local participation and success, as both Nettleton, Paragould and Wynne all advanced to the semifinals. Nettleton went on to win the championship game
The Sun Senior Classic, an all-star game featuring some of the area’s best high school senior basketball players, was held for the fifth time in 2010. This year’s sixth annual event is set for a new venue, Valley View’s Blazer Gym, on April 10. The annual Red Wolves Classic at Jonesboro Country Club serves as the primary fund-raiser for the ASU golf program. Last year’s 29th annual tournament drew 92 twoplayer teams to the July tournament. Joe Mack Campbell Park was the site of the USSSA 14-and-under AA state tournament last summer. The tournament will return to Joe Mack Campbell park June 24-26, and the park will be the site of the 10-year-old North Arkansas state baseball tournament July 8-10. Football teams from Jonesboro and Greene County Tech kicked off the 2010 high school season in front of a large crowd at ASU Stadium on Aug. 31. Jonesboro held on for a 24-19 victory.
NEA Tournament
Xtra Innings Classic
The annual gathering of high school basketball
Many of the state’s best high school baseball play-
Graycen Colbert | The Sun
Brothers Magnum (left) and Clay Posey of Forrest City practice their aim with a paintball gun during the Arkansas Sportshow recently at Jonesboro’s Convocation Center.
kturbeville@jonesborosun.com
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SERVICES AND ENTERTAINMENT
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THE JONESBORO SUN
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Records set for ASU sports exposure, ticket sales BY MATTHEW V. ROBERSON SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO — Arkansas State made a record 10 appearances on television, including two nationally broadcast games, during the 2010 football season. After making eight television appearances the previous year, all but two of ASU’s football games were on TV last season. ASU went 4-8 overall in 2010 and 3-7 in televised games. The Red Wolves also played on national television for the first time at home, defeating Middle Tennessee State 51-24 at ASU Stadium while being broadcast by ESPN2. ASU’s other national TV appearance was a 35-19 loss at Navy broadcast by CBS College Sports. It was the second straight year ASU made two national television appearances in the same season after appearing on ESPN2 in back-to-back
weeks in 2009. Prior to the past two years ASU had not appeared on national television since the 2005 New Orleans Bowl. ASU is scheduled to appear on national television at least once in 2011 when it hosts Florida International. The game is slated for Oct. 18 and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Other television appearances in 2011 will be announced closer to the season.
Increased attendance While ASU’s football team made a record number of television appearances in 2010, it also played in front of some of the largest crowds to watch a game at ASU Stadium. Total attendance for five home games in 2010 was 86,969. While the average attendance of 17,394 was the fifth-most in school history, it was slightly down from 2009. Attendance at ASU home
Graycen Colbert | The Sun
Arkansas State University student Joe Cross of Batesville shows his school spirit during the Nov. 13 football game against Western Kentucky University at Jonesboro.
Saundra Sovick | The Sun
Arkansas State’s Bryan Hall (left) and Demario Davis team up to bring down Middle Tennessee’s Bemjamin Cunningham during the first half of the game that was broadcast on ESPN2 on Nov. 2 at Jonesboro. ASU won 51-24. football games in general has been on an upswing in recent years with four of the school’s top five single-season attendance figures. ASU’s biggest crowd in 2010 was on Homecoming when it hosted Louisville. An announced crowd of 25,219 watched the Red Wolves fall to the Cardinals 34-24. It was the fifthlargest crowd ever for an ASU home game. ASU also drew an announced crowd of 23,176 for the home opener against Louisiana-Monroe. It was the 10th largest crowd on record at ASU Stadium. With improved tailgating areas and pregame and postgame festivities, season ticket sales have also risen for ASU football games. Season ticket sales were a record-high 6,180 last year, an increase of nearly 6 percent from the previous year. ASU season ticket sales in 2009 totaled 5,840. ASU Sports Information Director Jerry Scott said season ticket sales for 2011 were selling at a record-setting pace. ASU had sold 1,325 season tickets by the second week of
March, compared to 429 in April of last year. Season ticket sales for ASU men’s basketball this past year remained steady at 1,886, while average attendance dipped slightly to 3,285. Season tickets sales in 2009-10 totaled 1,884, while average attendance was 3,326. Attendance for ASU women’s basketball increased dramatically this past season to 1,513, an increase of 38.5 percent over the previous year. ASU women’s basketball attendance was 1,092 in 2009-10.
Expanded coverage ASU’s radio network included a pair of 100,000watt anchors and two new affiliates in 2010. ASU teamed with East Arkansas Broadcasters for radio coverage of football, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball. The flagship station was KFIN (FM-107.9) in Jonesboro, while KABF in Little Rock provided a second 100,000-watt outlet. The two new stations added as affiliates were KAPW (FM-99.3) in Brinkley and Forrest City,
along with KAFN (FM102.5) in Gould and Monticello. ASU has 11 affiliates total. ASU also made audio broadcasts of all 12 football games in 2010 available free of charge on the university’s official Web site, www.astatered wolves.com.
New cyberspace look ASU unveiled a redesigned Web site with an entirely new look and new features in 2010. The school relaunched its official Web site, www .astateredwolves.com, in September. While providing a cleaner look, the new Web site also features enhanced roster pages, drop-down menus for easier navigation and increased video content. Another feature is a schedule module on the main page that includes scrolling schedules for all of ASU’s 16 teams.
Facility upgrades ASU Stadium received a small facelift in 2010 with the installation of new state-of-the-art field turf inside. The turf project
United Way continues to work with area charities BY MYRA BUHRMESTER SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO — The United Way of Northeast Arkansas was established Sept. 24, 1955. By partnering with local non-profit agencies in Clay, Craighead, Cross, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph and Poinsett counties, the United Way supports programs that improve the education, income and health in communities it serves. Nanette Heard is the executive director. Board members are: Kim Long, president; Clint Vogus, vice president; Connie Stevenson, past president; Grant McDaniel, treasurer; and Melinda West, secretary. Each year United Way thanks its contributors
and volunteers with a luncheon. Several individuals and businesses are singled out in categories such as Distinguished Service Award, Loaned Executive of the Year and largest campaigns. “The purpose of the luncheon is to celebrate the hard work that so many volunteers have given toward the campaign and to United Way,” Heard said. “We’re excited about the pledges we have received and are already looking forward to next year’s campaign.” Projects for the year include — Volunteer Tax Preparation for Earned Income, Stuff the Bus, Day of Caring and Imagination Library. U n i t e d Wa y f u n d s programs that focus on education, income and health.
Saundra Sovick | The Sun
Nancy Brooks displays Beth Snodgrass’ painting, “Bloom United,” during the auction during the United Way of Northeast Arkansas lunch Feb. 24 in Arkansas State University’s Centennial Hall. The painting sold for $2,150. “Our desire is to make a lasting impact in the communities we serve,” Heard said.
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Awards presented at the luncheon highlighted businesses that donated to the annual campaign.
The overall largest donation winner for corporate was Frito-Lay, followed by City Water and Light for the employee category. Long said CWL had 100 percent employee participation. Largest campaigns by county were: Iberiabank, Clay; Hays Food Town, Cross; Wal-Mart, Greene; Arkansas Department of Correction, Jackson; Iberiabank, Lawrence; Riceland, Poinsett; Paslode, Randolph; and CWL, Craighead. Individuals recognized were — Selena Barber, Liberty Bank, marketing corporate director, 2010 Bank Marketer of the Year and 2010 Ambassador of the Year; Amy Osment, Liberty Bank, marketing corporate director, Regional Chamber of Commerce, Outstanding
was completed in July just before preseason practice began after the previous turf was damaged by copious rain the year before. It took about three months to complete the installation of the ProGreen playing surface, which has been described as slightly thicker and sand-based. A pair of Red Wolf logos, a larger A-State logo and two larger Sun Belt Conference logos were added to the design, while some of the outline color and striping was altered for a more pleasing look. Tomlinson Stadium also had a slight upgrade with improvements being made to the scoreboard. Scoreboard lighting was fully restored and is a deep red color, while another improvement is the addition of a pitching-speed display that indicates pitches’ miles per hour. The only near-term future facility plans include a new film tower for the ASU football practice fields, said Randy Knowles, ASU assistant athletics director for facilities and event management . mroberson@jonesborosun.com
QuickINFO | Name: United Way of Northeast Arkansas Address: 407 Union St., Jonesboro, AR 72401 Executive Director: Nanette Heard Phone number: 935-3658 Web site: www.uwnea .org E-mail address: nanette .heard@unitedway.org
Young Professional Specialist for 2010; Kenny Jackson, owner, Anthem Pictures, Silver Addy Award for 2010; and Debra Taylor, Liberty Bank, vice president, and Mark Morrow, Simmons First Bank, loan officer-vice president, volunteer recognition certificates. United Way of Northeast Arkansas’ mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities. myrab@jonesboro.com
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THE JONESBORO SUN
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SERVICES AND ENTERTAINMENT
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SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2011
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Athletic businesses offer NEA residents options BY CORY CLARK SUN STAFF WRITER
JONESBORO — For those interested in recreational and athletic businesses, Jonesboro has plenty of options available. Jonesboro offers four golf courses that include the 18th hole: Jonesboro Country Club, Sage Meadows Country Club, RidgePointe Country Club and Brookland Hills Golf Course. Sage Meadows saw a big change in 2010 after the Sage Meadows Property Owners Association bought the golf course and surrounding property from previous owner Bob Troutt late in 2009. It is a Tommy Bolt Signature course that offers quite a challenge and is open to the public with tee times available by contacting the pro shop. Club Pro Tom Guipe said Sage Meadows had to do plenty of work on its greens after the extreme heat of last summer. “We have overseeded the greens; they’re healing, and they’re about 80 percent now,” Guipe said. The Sage Meadows driving range is also being improved. “We have the largest practice facility in town, and we’re putting flags in where we can shoot our distances every day when you’re out there,” he said. “Wherever those ropes are at, we are going to be able to tell you what your distance is to each flag. It’s a little thing, but for someone who likes to practice and wants to know how far they’re hitting it, it’s great.” Guipe said Sage Meadows has bought several pieces of new equipment thanks to a bigger golf budget. Last year Sage Meadows began a youth golf program, and Guipe said he is expecting it to have continued success this year. “I had around 30 to 35
kids in it, and this year I would expect that to double,” he said. Just like at Sage Meadows, the Jonesboro Country Club’s golf course suffered from the extreme heat of last summer. Course Superintendent Dan Nagy said the club took drastic measures with some greens. “We ended up reconstructing three of our greens and reseeding them to a newer type of bent grass,” Nagy said. “It’s supposed to be a little bit more heat-tolerant.” Nagy said the club also interseeded the rest of the greens with the new bent grass. The club also restored its cart paths and worked on improving the drainage on the course. L o c a t e d o f f Wo o d Springs Road at 2510 RidgePointe Blvd., RidgePointe Country Club features an exceptional and challenging 18hole course, and like the Jonesboro Country Club and Sage Meadows it also offers tennis courts and a pool. Club pro Adam Carney said RidgePointe worked hard in 2010 on improving the drainage on the course. Better drainage will help the course in a variety of ways. “We sit in kind of a low area compared to all the homes around us, so it will get the course dryer faster, get golf carts off the cart paths faster and create better playing conditions,” Carney said. While the course had to deal with the heat of last summer, Carney said its health going into the hot weather kept it from sustaining a lot of damage. “Everybody had that problem, but it’s just one of those things. We struggled like everybody else, but I think we may have been a little healthier than the others,” he said. With warmer weather now arriving, Carney said the course is look-
Saundra Sovick | The Sun
Steve Tricarico Jr. tees off at No. 16 during the 11th annual Arkansas State University Sports Medicine Athletic Training Golf ing good, and he is excited about the spring and summer. “I think we’re looking good. It’s hard to tell until spring comes, but we didn’t have ice cover or snow cover all year long, so we haven’t seen any winter kill,” he said. “I think this spring should be pretty good actually.” Brookland Hills is a great getaway for the everyday golfer, and it’s always easy to get on the course without a wait. On Target Golf is great for a family outing as it offers 10 batting cages, an 18-hole miniature golf course, a driving range and a baseball practice field on U.S. 63 across from Joe Mack Campbell Park. Owner Al Skroch said On Target is building a 9-hole, par three executive golf course. “It will be nine par threes between 70 and 140 yards, and we’ll have a practice green also, and we hope to have that up and running by Aug. 1,” Skroch said. Joy Selph is the co-owner. Divots Golf at 1809 East Parker Roard offers a wide variety of golf equipment and a recently opened driving range that lets golfers work on their game.
Tournament on July 16 at Sage Meadows in Jonesboro.
Fitness centers Jonesboro also has plenty of fitness centers. One of the newest in town is 10 Fitness, which lets customers work out for only $10 a month. The gym opened Jan. 4 at 1222 South Caraway Road. “When you sign up here, you don’t have to commit to a year contract like most gyms,” Manager J.J. Ryan said. He said the gym has a multitude of machines for every body part as well as a women’s-only workout room. “We’ve got a total of around 70 pieces of cardio equipment,” he said. During the week the gym opens at 5 a.m. on Monday and is open 24 hours for the rest of the week until it closes at 10 p.m. on Friday. Weekend hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and Ryan said there is always an employee on duty for assistance no matter what the hour. Another one of the new fitness facilities in Jonesboro is NEA Total Fitness at 2810 East Highland Drive. Unlike most gyms NEA Total Fitness specializes in Pilates classes and is owned by certified Pilates instructor Frank
Kasper. He said Pilates is an excellent workout for all ages. Traditional mat classes are available along with classes on the Reformer machine, which involves resistance training in the Pilates workout. “The machine is different because it is resistance training and because you are going to develop long lean muscles, and that’s the whole idea behind Pilates,” Kasper said. Keeping the classes small is important to Kasper so each student can get plenty of one-onone instruction. The first class is free, and Kasper said Pilates are beneficial to retirement-age individuals because it focuses on balance, coordination, strength and flexibility. “As we grow older, those are the four things we tend to lose,” he said. “This is something safe for them to do because it’s low impact. It’s very easy on the joints.” Another 24-hour gym open to the public is the Trim Gym, which has been in Jonesboro more than 20 years. Along with many machines, the gym also has free weights, an Olym-
pic-sized indoor pool, and racquet ball, basketball and tennis courts. Located at 1916 Race St., the gym also has a variety of classes including Pilates, Zumba, yoga and many others. Day-care services and tanning booths are also offered. The NEA Wellness Center at 2617 Phillips Drive offers a variety of workout options including an indoor track, indoor pool, free weights and cardio equipment. Personal Training Plus at 2204 Fowler Drive allows those who are interested to work with a personal trainer. Fitness Bootcamp has been open for six years and is at 3402 Willow Road. Owner Cornelius Lovelace said the bootcamp is a 45-minute workout designed for all levels of fitness. “It’s basically developed to improve overall health and fitness,” Lovelace said. With nine classes a day and a kids fitness room Fitness Bootcamp gives clients many options. The Sotox Yoga and Wellness Center at 323 South Church St. offers a variety of yoga services including Pilates, prenatal yoga and yoga for beginners. Curves of Jonesboro and Paragould — located at 2207 East Highland in Jonesboro and 211 North 23rd St., Plaza 1, Unit 3 in Paragould — offers a complete workout where a woman can benefit from cardio-respiratory exercise, strength training and flexibility exercise in just 30 minutes or more. The incorporation of Zumba Fitness and The Cleveland Clinic into Curves’ programs will allow its members to receive all their needs for fitness, nutrition, weight loss and counseling for behavior modification for only one rate. sports@jonesborosun.com