The Leader

Cabot couple says the home they bought was a meth lab
By EILEEN FELDMAN- Leader Managing Editor
>> IN SHORT>> Clarence and Hazel Cornell moved from Antioch to McRae just 14 months ago, hoping, as Clarence, 65, puts it, "to spend our golden years there." [FULL STORY]

Payday lenders under fire
By JOHN HOFHEIMER and TOM GALANTE
>> IN SHORT>>> Critics charge cash advance businesses prey on desperate customers, especially military personnel, who pay high interest rates even on the smallest consumer loans.
[FULL STORY]

September 22, 2004

Nash is Cabot board winner By JOHN HOFHEIMER- Leader Staff Writer >> IN SHORT>> Brooks Nash, who retired three years ago as principal at Junior High South, was elected to the Cabot School Board. [FULL STORY]	She relives tragedy everyday By JOHN HOFHEIMER Leader Staff Writer >> IN SHORT>>> In a speech reminiscent of the one she gave at the Republican National Convention in August, the widow of a United Flight 93 hero who died September 11 in a rural Pennsylvania field challenged members of the Little Rock Air Force Base community council Tuesday to be a hero to someone. [STORY]
It's fair time in Lonoke Co. By EILEEN FELDMAN Leader Managing Editor >>> IN SHORT>>> The 64th annual Lonoke County Fair and Livestock Show opens today and runs through Sat. Sept. 25. [FULL STORY]	Cabot and Searcy to square off By RAY BENTON- Leader sports editor >>> IN SHORT>>> Cabot Footbal coach Mike Malham will take his second shot at getting career win No. 200 when his team begins conference play in Searcy. [FULL STORY]
Abusive payday lending By JOHN HOFHEIMER -Leader Staff Writer >>> IN SHORT>>> So-called payday lenders are really loan sharks in a feeding frenzy around military installations like Little Rock Air Force Base, according to a newly formed coalition. [FULL STORY]	WARD JAMBOREE Story by RICK KRON Photos by DAVID SCOLLI >>> IN SHORT>>> Annual fun-filled festival attracts plenty of political candidates. [STORY]

September 15, 2004

POW/MIA Ceremony By RICK KRON - L eader Staff Writer >> IN SHORT>> The Little Rock Air Force Base held a Prisoner of War and Missing in Action recognition ceremony Tuesday. [FULL STORY]	Candidates discuss issues By JOAN McCOY Leader Staff Writer Hopefuls for Cabot board tell positions. >> IN SHORT>>> Forum hears candidates discuss issues facing the district, including teacher pay raises. [FULL STORY]
Pizza to go for access By JOHN HOFHEIMER Leader writer >>> IN SHORT>>> A badly needed new northbound entry onto Hwy. 67/167 threatens a popular Jacksonville eatery, but the owner says it to early to decide what to do. [FULL STORY]	Panthers host top-ranked Tigers By RAY BENTON- Leader sports writer >>> IN SHORT>>> Panther Stadium will be the state's center of attention Friday night as defending state champion Little Rock Central brings their 15-game winning streak into town to take on the Cabot Panthers. [FULL STORY]
Air base seeks to extend noise controls By RICK KRON Leader Staff Writer >>> IN SHORT>>> The Jacksonville City Council could require better insulation in nearby homes because the all-new C-130Js are slightly noisier than their predecessors and more flight training is being done at night. [FULL STORY]	Precious Memories Story and Photos By Melissa McCollister >>> IN SHORT>>> Grandparents, daughters and grandchildren collected family photographs and met to make memories over cake and punch at Lonoke County's Extension Office last week. [STORY]

September 08, 2004

Windfall for Cabot Schools 296 more students bring extra funding By BRIAN RODRIGUEZ- Leader Staff Writer >> IN SHORT>> The Cabot School District is expecting to meet its $47.7 million budget approved at last month's school board meeting because of a larger student enrollment from the year before. [STORY]	SWAT TEAM The few and the brave. By TOM GALANTE- Leader Staff Writer >> IN SHORT>> Criminals beware: You don't want these guys knockin on your door. [FULL STORY]
2.5M will buy radios for county By JOHN HOFHEIMER Leader writer >>> IN SHORT>>> Lonoke Co. is the recipient of a 2.5 million Homeland Security grant that will upgrade and standardize all radios used by all local governmental emergency responders. [FULL STORY]	FALCONS AND DEVILS READY FOR SHOWDOWN No Pulaski going into game with confidence By CHAD MATCHETT- Leader sports writer >>> IN SHORT>>> The long-standing ribalry between North Pulaski and Jacksonville continues this Friday at Jan Crow Stadium with a new twist. North Pulaski has the better record. [FULL STORY]
Suit filed in Cabot City Council dispute By JOAN McCOY Leader Staff Writer >>> IN SHORT>>> From the very beginning, when a record-keeping error led a candidate for the Cabot City Council to file in the wrong ward, it was clear that someone was going to file a lawsuit, probably against the county clerk and county election commission. The only question was who. [FULL STORY]	Habitat for Humanity By BRIAN RODRIGUEZ- Leader Staff Writer >>> IN SHORT>>> In recognition of the nearly 200,000 homes built for and by low-income residents-two of them so far in Cabot-Mayor Mickey D. "Stubby" Stumbaugh proclaimed Sept. 12-19 to be Habitat for Humanity Week. [STORY]

September 01, 2004

Cabot schools go over 8,000 By JOHN HOFHEIMER- Leader Staff Writer >>> IN SHORT>>> The number of students attending the PCSSD and the Lonoke School District are slightly down this year, but the extent of the decline would be greater without the addition of new pre-K classes. [FULL STORY]	Jail tax to go on ballot By JOHN HOFHEIMER- Leader Staff Writer >>> IN SHORT>>> A proposed quarter-cent tax increase to pay for fixing the current Lonoke County Jail and add to it was approved Monday and will be sent to the County Election Commission for inclusion on the Nov. 2 general election ballot. [FULL STORY]
Hospital generator kicks in By BRIAN E. RODRIGUEZ- Leader writer >>> IN SHORT>>> Rebsamen Medical Center is always ready for sudden power outages because the hospital can't ever shut down. Its generators could power a small neighborhood. [FULL STORY]	CRUSHED CATS By RAY BENTON- Leader sports editor >>> IN SHORT>>> It may have only been the first game of the season, but Panther football was in prime form Tuesday night as Cabot rolled over Conway 27-10 in the nightcap of the Diamond Bank Bowl. [FULL STORY]
Conviction could derail candidacy By JOAN McCOY Leader Staff Writer >>> IN SHORT>>> The campaign of David Freppon, the White County JP who is running as a Democrat for county judge, is in limbo while he waits to see if he will be prosecuted for failing to acknowledge the follies of his youth on the campaign pledges he has signed for years. [FULL STORY]	FIELD DAY By JOHN HOFHEIMER- Leader Staff Writer >>> IN SHORT>>> At a time when Arkansas farmers are said to average about 60 years of age and their children have flocked to the city for easier or better paying jobs, 35-year-old Bobby Morrison is looking to buy in. [FULL STORY]