OBITUARIES >> 2-22-06

HELEN COCHRAN, 85Helen Louise Parnell Cochran, 85, died Feb. 17. She was a member of Hamilton Baptist Church. Survivors include her husband of 69 years, John R. Cochran (Bob); one son, Butch Cochran (Theresa) of North Little Rock; two daughters, Roberta Daniels and Esther Matthews of Sherwood; six grandchildren, David , Donny and Billy Daniels of Sherwood , Christie Johnson […]

SAT 2-18-06 EDITORIAL >> Don’t buy off Industries

For once, we have to agree with Asa Hutchinson’s reflexive criticism of one of Mike Beebe’s ideas. The attorney general says if he is elected governor he will ask the legislature to appropriate $50 million every two years that he could use to close the deal on a new plant in Arkansas or to pay a company not to leave […]

WED 2-22-06 EDITORIAL >> Rewriting History

Eager to establish his credentials as a tax-cutter and economic wizard, Asa Hutchinson got a little crossways with history last week. Hutchinson, the expectant Republican nominee for governor, told the North Little Rock Rotary Club that he arrived in Congress in January 1997 just in time to help the Republicans repair the federal fiscal system, turn the nation away from […]

SPORTS >> Lonoke gets good draw for regional

By RAY BENTONLeader sports editorThe Lonoke boys and girls basketball teams begin play tonight in the Class AAA Region 3 tournament in Clinton. They are part of the four teams from the 6AAA that meet up with the top four finishers in the 5AAA conference’s district tournament. That event didn’t finish until last night after Leader deadlines. Regard-less of the […]

SPORTS >> Panthers beat FC, remain in East race

By JASON KINGLeader sports writerForrest City did not hit a shot from the floor during the first 11:59 of the contest, as Cabot upset the second-ranked Mustangs 56-42 Friday night at CHS. The Lady Panthers kept their conference record perfect with a 71-49 win over the Lady Mustangs.The visiting Mustangs’ shooting percentage in the first half was a dreadful three […]

NEIGHBORS >> Published Poetry

By SARA GREENELeader staff writerPoetry written by a dozen students and two teachers at Cabot High School has been published in “Anthology 2005” published by the Arkansas Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts.“Last year when I started teaching the unit on poetry, I could see some of the students were really struggling with it so we started out […]

FROM THE PUBLISHER >> Pizza shop forced out for on-ramp

Virgil and Leigh Wilson have spent more than a decade building their pizza business on T.P. White Drive in Jacksonville, but the state Highway Department has told them they must vacate the premises and start all over again someplace else.The Highway Department will put in an on-ramp at Hwy. 67/167 on the site where the Wilsons’ Pizza Company restaurant now […]

TOP STORY >> PCSSD’s plan causes concerns

By JOHN HOFHEIMERLeader staff writerNo one seems to like the idea, but athletics, cheerleading, dance and some other extracurricular activities will become after-school activities for at least one year at Pulaski County Special School District junior high and high schools, part of the price of extricating the district from its fiscal distress.Students, coaches and parents will just have to bite […]

TOP STORY >> Icy storm threat falls short

By JOAN MCCOY AND JEREMY PEPPASLeader staff writersThe much-anticipated winter storm didn’t materialize. While extra help was ready to go, hospitals, wrecker services and utility companies didn’t have the problems they anticipated.“It was not nearly as bad as we expected,” said Billy Hall of Ivy Hall Wrecker. “We were still busy, about twice as busy as we normally are.”For the […]

TOP STORY >> Suspect is arrested in weekend’s homicide

By RICK KRONLeader staff writerA suspect in Saturday’s deadly shooting at a Jacksonville apartment turned himself in to the Jacksonville police Tuesday.Tavoris M. Bone, 25, of 3711 Henderson Road, came to the police station early Tuesday with his lawyer. Bone was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree criminal attempt to commit murder and is being held in the Pulaski County […]