SPORTS >>Owls reign supreme

IN SHORT: A runaway win for Abundant Life Tuesday over Riverview secured second place in the final standings for the 3A-2 Conference. By JASON KINGLeader sportswriterAbundant Life needed a win against Riverview in order to wrap up second place in the 3A-2 Conference standings, which they took with a landslide win over the Raiders 15-2 Tuesday at the Rose City […]

SPORTS >>Mustangs and Bears defeated by Devils

IN SHORT: The Jacksonville Lady Red Devils stayed in front of the 6A-East Conference standings with wins over Forrest City and Sylvan Hills.By RAY BENTONLeader sports editorJacksonville earned a trio of fastpitch conference wins this week. The Lady Devils got an easy sweep of Forrest City Tuesday night in a 6A-East fastpitch doubleheader at Dupree Park, winning by scores of […]

SPORTS >>SH takes local foes for two East wins

IN SHORT: Hillside rolled over Jacksonville in a pair of 6A-East matchups at Dupree Park.By RAY BENTONLeader sports editorSylvan Hills put on a vulgar display of power Tuesday night at Jacksonville. After an exciting and competitive, 5-3 come-from-behind win over the Red Devils in game one of their 6A-East doubleheader, the Bears hit five home runs, including four in one […]

OBITUARIES >> 04-21-07

Richard JonesRichard Leon Jones, 89, of Jacksonville died April 17.  He was born in Kemper County Mississippi on Feb. 4, 1918 to the late David E. Jones and Martha A. McDaniels.  He was also preceded in death by a brother, John P. Jones, and a niece, Jackie Jones Yalowitz.  He was a decorated colonel in the Army, serving in the […]

EDITORIALS>>Alberto and Timothy

Everyone who was hoping that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales could reclaim a shred of credibility by convincing members of the Senate Judiciary Committee of his integrity had to be despondent Thursday. That includes President Bush, who had expressed reserved confidence in his old friend but whose own vanishing credibility cannot be reversed while Gonzales is running the moribund Justice Department.Gonzales […]

EDITORIALS>>Dividing spoils

Lawmakers and the lawyers appear to have worked out an arrangement that will keep the money flowing from General Improvement Funds into our communities without violating the state Constitution against directly funding local projects. It’s all smoke and mirrors, but it looks like it might make just about everybody happy, even the courts, although a few disappointed lawmakers think they’ve […]

EDITORIALS>>Entergy out of line

Utility ratemaking is an arcane science that governments from Little Rock to Sacramento practice with varying degrees of concern for the public interest. Every time we read of a rate increase sought by one of our electric or gas corporations we remember Lord Hale’s dictum about regulating ferryboat fares across the English streams when King James was on the throne. […]

EVENTS>>Spring 2007

The Sherwood Chamber of Commerce annual installation and awards banquet will be held starting at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 26 at Sherwood Forest, 1111 W. Maryland.“Come Sail Away” on the S.S. Sherwood with social hour at 6 p.m. and dinner and awards beginning at 7 p.m. Guest speaker will be Walt Coleman, well-known NFL referee No. 65. Music for the […]

TOP STORY >>Ex-engineer back with city

IN SHORT: Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim hires Jay Whisker to fill position as city administrator.By RICK KRONLeader staff writerJacksonville’s former city engineer, Jay Whisker, was introduced at Thursday’s city council meeting as the new city administrator.Jacksonville has been without a city administrator since mid-2004 when Murice Green retired.In making the announcement, the mayor said he had found it easier to […]

TOP STORY >>Major hurdles seen for city

IN SHORT: Federal court, John Walker and setting boundaries are challenges to a Jacksonville school district.By JOHN HOFHEIMERLeader senior staff writerThe two biggest hurdles facing a stand-alone Jack-sonville-area school district will be satisfying Federal Judge Bill Wilson and also determining the new district’s boundaries, Pulaski County Special School District lawyer Sam Jones told members of the Jacksonville Lions Club Wednesday.Jones […]