TOP STORY >>Jacksonville A gets back to Legion state

IN SHORT: Gwatney Chevrolet went through the American Legion Zone 3 tournament undefeated.By JASON KINGLeader sportwriterGwatney Chevrolet dodged every bullet imaginable to advance to the state tournament for the first time in 17 years with a 3-2 win over Conway Wednesday afternoon in the finals of the American Legion Class A Zone 3 tournament finals at the Diamond Center in […]

SPORTS >>Gwatney mercy rules Rogers

IN SHORT: Jacksonville advanced to the second round of the American Legion Class A state tournament for the first time in program history Thursday.By RAY BENTONLeader sports editorThe 2007 version of Gwatney’s Class A team accomplished a program first Thursday afternoon at Burns Park. The Chevy boys won a game in the American Legion state tournament. It had been 17 […]

SPORTS >>Wings win title game with local hoop stars

IN SHORT: DeShone McClure of Jacksonville High School, and North Pulaski players Aaron Cooper and DaQuan Bryant were all a vital part of the national championship winning Arkansas Wings basketball team.By JASON KING AND RAY BENTONLeader sports staffThree local athletes were part of the Arkansas Wings 16-under AAU team, which won the Division 2 national championship last night at Pulaski […]

FROM THE PUBLISHER >>Stax marks 50 years of great music

If you remember Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft,” the Staples Singers’ “Respect Yourself,” Eddy Floyd’s “Knock on Wood,” Otis Redding’s “Dock of the Bay,” Booker T. and the MGs’ “Green Onions” and the Mar-Keys’ “Last Night,” you would have enjoyed a concert last month in Memphis commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stax record label. It seemed as if almost […]

OBITUARIES >> 07-14-07

Ione CranfillIone R. Cranfill, 77, of Beebe passed away July 11. She was born Sept. 15, 1929 in Sac City, Iowa, to the late Otis and Minnie Smith.Also preceding her in death was one sister, Wanda Miller of Anaheim, Calif.Survivors include five children: Karen “Kay” Rogers of Cabot, Ralph Stevens, Jessine Neemann and husband Michael of Cabot, Donnie Stevens of […]

EDITORIALS>>Water utility throws it away

The public interest, which includes the assurance that people will have clean and affordable water, is not always paramount when it collides with the profit goals of developers — not, anyway, when municipal fathers in Little Rock do the reckoning. Still, we were astonished this week when the Central Arkansas Water Board of Commissioners voted to allow Rick Ferguson to […]

EVENTS>>Summer 2007

Drug Court Awareness Day planned Thursday in LonokeThe public is invited to celebrate Drug Court Awareness at 11:30 a.m. Thursday on the Lonoke County Courthouse grounds sponsored by Judge Phillip Whiteaker, presiding judge on the 23rd Judicial Circuit Drug Court. Food will be provided by Community Bank.Cabot High School Class of ‘87plans 20-year reunionThe Cabot High School Class of 1987 […]

TOP STORY >>Charitable bingo legal on July 31

By RICK KRONLeader staff writerCharitable bingo becomes legal July 31, but plans to tax bingo cards may swallow most of the charity groups’ income in the area.State rules call for an excise tax of one penny on every bingo face, which is one standard game grid, which could eat into a group’s profits. Most bingo cards contain a number of […]

TOP STORY >>Idea of hamburger tax appetizing

IN SHORT: Commission, aldermen and public will discuss Monday a two-cent levy to fund marketing and promotion plans for the city.By RICK KRONLeader staff writerA proposed two-cent tax on prepared foods, also known as a hamburger tax, tops the Jacksonville Advertising and Promotions agenda for its 6:30 p.m. Monday meeting at city hall.Monday’s meeting will also include city aldermen who […]

TOP STORY >>Council may vote to buy Armory land

By JOAN MCCOYLeader staff writerCabot Mayor Eddie Joe Williams has struck a deal with a development company for 15.5 acres to build a National Guard armory and will ask the city council Monday evening to approve the purchase.At almost $26,000 an acre the land inside the industrial park on Highway 367 is less expensive than the $30,000 per acre the […]