IN SHORT: Beebe spoiled North Pulaski’s homecoming night, but not without a tussle from the winless Falcons. Beebe won the conference matchup 33-23.By RAY BENTONLeader sports editorThe Beebe Badgers caught North Pulaski’s best shot so far this season, but still managed to get out of Falcons Stadium with a 33-23 victory over the Falcons on homecoming night.The Falcon offense stalled […]

IN SHORT: Sylvan Hills knocked off Little Rock Hall in a non-conference match Thursday night at Sylvan Hills High School.By RAY BENTONLeader sports editorThe Sylvan Hills Lady Bears improved to 6-7 on the year Thursday with an easy non-conference victory over Little Rock Hall. Thursday’s win followed a tough conference loss to Jonesboro on Tuesday. Tuesday’s result left Sylvan Hills […]

IN SHORT: The Hurricane handed the ball to the fullback 42 times and played power football to defeat Jacksonville 22-7 in a big 6A-East matchup at Jan Crow Stadium.By RAY BENTONLeader sports editorJacksonville’s offense continued to struggle Friday night against Jones-boro, only this time, there weren’t two defensive touchdowns late in the game to pull out a win.The Red Devils’ […]

IN SHORT: Catholic missed an extra point in overtime, and Cabot made its own to beat the Rockets.By JASON KINGLeader sports writerAfter five quarters, the difference in Friday night’s 7A-Central matchup between Cabot and Little Rock Catholic at Panther Stadium came down to extra-point attempts in overtime.The Panthers made theirs; the Rockets missed.Cabot took their first conference win of the […]

This is the part of the election season we dislike, when the 527s take over. Those are the “independent” political groups that are exempt from the rules of the game set up by the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance law. You don’t know who is paying for the attack ads, they aren’t subject to gift and spending limitations and disclosure requirements, and there’s […]

By RICK KRONLeader staff writerMajor crime jumped 5 percent in Arkansas in 2005, while arrests for those crimes fell 8 percent, according to a recently released crime index report by the Arkansas Crime Information Center.Major crimes tracked by the state for its crime index include murder, rape, robbery aggravated assault, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.Based on those crime […]

By SARA GREENELeader staff writerBronze Stars were recently awarded to Sr. Airman John Leese and Sr. Master Sgt. Stanley Joseph, both of the 314th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, for their heroism during a recent deployment to Iraq.After an improvised explosive device struck a truck in Leese’s convoy, he rendered combat-lifesaving actions to his injured comrades.“(He) […]

IN SHORT: Boards are decided, one run-off will happen in Lonoke Oct. 10.By SARA GREENE AND JOAN MCCOYLeader staff writerCharlie Wood was declared the winner Friday with two votes to spare over incumbent Ronnie Calva in the race for the Pulaski County Special School District Board after Wood picked up an absentee vote. He’d been leading Calva with one vote […]

IN SHORT: Metroplan dots the final “i” on road projects, while commission accepts bids.By JOHN HOFHEIMERLeader staff writerConstruction could begin within six or eight weeks on the widening of state Highway 67/167 northbound from Hwy. 440 to Redmond Road at Jacksonville, according to state Highway Commissioner Carl Rosenbaum. At $13.4 million, Weaver-Bailey Contractors, Inc. of El Paso (White County) was […]