TOP STORY >> PCSSD still struggling, Guess says

By SARAH CAMPBELL Leader staff writer The Pulaski County Special School District faces many challenges, but it is ready to meet them, Dr. Jerry Guess told the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce luncheon Tuesday. Superintendent Guess said goals for the 730-square-mile district with more than 17,000 students include achieving unitary status because desegregation funding won’t last, implementing the common core curriculum, […]

EDITORIAL >> Nelson right on gas tax

The election is a year and a week away, but you can already sense the titanic effort that will be made to defeat the natural-gas severance tax that probably will be on the ballot. Last week, a business consortium filed the papers for a campaign organization that will work against the tax. Naturally enough, it is called Arkansans for Jobs […]

TOP STORY >> Colonel won’t be home for Christmas

By GARRICK FELDMAN Leader executive editor President Obama said Friday all U.S. troops would leave Iraq at the end of the year. That doesn’t mean the U.S. military presence there will end. Some advisers will remain to help with the transition. Col. Kirk Lear, former vice commander at the 314th Airlift Wing here, is assigned to the U.S. Embassy in […]

TOP STORY >> Cabot offers small businesses help

By JOAN McCOY Leader staff writer A free service now offered at Cabot City Hall for startup and existing small-business owners could help them avoid the pitfalls that lead to failure. John Twyford, a consultant working for the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s College of Business, said this week that […]

TOP STORY >> Old school could find new life as arts center

By RICK KRON Leader staff writer Want to know what the city wants to do with the closed Jacksonville Elementary School as an urban-renewal project? Or why Jacksonville supports the proposed gas-severance tax? Or maybe there are other concerns or complaints? The place to be then is the town hall meeting that Mayor Gary Fletcher has called for 7 p.m. […]

TOP STORY >> Neighbors feud over fence

By RICK KRON Leader staff writer The joys of a bonus for city employees in time for Christmas was overshadowed at the Sherwood City Council Monday night by feuding neighbors—a subdivision and an apartment complex. Residents of the Park Crest Apartments and those from the adjoining subdivision, Austin Lakes, exchanged verbal punches, but the council took no action on the […]

SPORTS >> Stuttgart’s defense is obstacle for Lonoke

By JASON KING Leader sportswriter With half of the teams in the 2-4A Conference sitting at 1-4 with two weeks to go in the regular season, the 3-2 Lonoke Jackrabbits are in good shape to earn a playoff spot. With Stuttgart and Clinton, both at 4-1 in league play, left to finish out the schedule for the Jackrabbits (3-5 overall), […]

SPORTS >> Cabot girls take first in conference

By RAY BENTON Leader sports editor The Cabot Lady Panthers took first place in the 7A Central Conference Cross Country meet on Monday at Rolling Hills Country Club in Cabot. The Lady Panthers easily beat second place Bryant with 21 points to the Lady Hornets’ 44. The Cabot boys also turned in a good performance, taking second place and almost […]

SPORTS >> Cabot faces driven Pointers

By RAY BENTON Leader sports editor The Cabot Panthers have shown improvement over the last two weeks, but still haven’t found the winning formula. Last-second plays lifted playoff-bound Little Rock Central and league-leading Bryant to victory over the Panthers in the last two weeks. This week Cabot faces another team that has lost to Central and Bryant, but the Van […]

SPORTS >> Bison schedule tough replacement

By JASON KING Leader sportswriter Senior night at Carlisle will have the added entertainment of some new wrinkles as the Bison take on McCrory in a rare week-nine non-conference game at Fred C. Hardke Field this Friday. Carlisle was originally scheduled to face Hughes in 6-2A Conference play, but the Blue Devils canceled their season back in August when only […]