SPORTS STORY >> Lonoke wins 16-year-old state crown

By GRAHAM POWELL Leader sportswriter The Lonoke Banking Center 16-under Babe Ruth team’s road to the 16-year-old state championship game wasn’t without drama. Lonoke came out of the loser’s bracket to edge Pine Bluff 9-8 in eight innings on Monday to force another game in the finals of the double-elimination tournament. The team then came from behind in the final […]

SPORTS STORY >> Panthers top Rams, Little Rock

By RAY BENTON Leader sports editor The Cabot Senior American Legion team won two games over the weekend. On Friday, the Panthers beat Little Rock Express 8-4 at home then went on the road to hammer Hot Springs Lakeside 11-3 on Sunday. Cabot piled up 13 base hits in Sunday’s road win. Lakeside hung around for five innings, but Cabot […]

SPORTS STORY >> Bruins overcome Gwatney

By GRAHAM POWELL  Leader sportswriter Gwatney Chevrolet jumped out to a comfortable lead early against Sylvan Hills in the final game of the Jacksonville American Legion Classic tournament, but the Bruins rallied late and took over the game in the sixth inning on their way to an 8-5 win Sunday at Jacksonville’s Dupree Park. Errors plagued the Bruins in the […]

SPORTS STORY >> Juniors win one, lose one Monday

By RAY BENTON  Leader sports editor The Cabot Junior Team 1 American Legion team finished the regular season with a doubleheader split Monday at home against Lake Hamilton. Cabot beat Lake Hamilton’s junior team 5-4 then fell 6-5 to Lake Hamilton’s AA team Monday night at Cabot City Park. The games’ results leaves the Cabot junior team with an overall […]

SPORTS STORY >> A coach’s prime example

By RAY BENTON Leader sports editor High school coaches in every sport see all kinds of athletes come and go. Every now and then a certain type of player comes along who coaches hate to see go. Players, average and even exceptional ones, can be and are replaced. But an attitude, an approach, a work ethic that certain players bring […]

EDITORIAL >> Where were the crowds?

The Jacksonville Patriotic Spectacular on Sunday — an evening under the stars with free entertainment, face painting, miniature American flags and glow sticks — it’s all free, but the crowd was dismal. Jacksonville’s population is around 30,000, and about 29,600 residents didn’t make the event. All those people missed a good show, maybe not the best, but a good show […]

TOP STORY >> Newspaper wins top state honors

For the fifth year in a row, The Leader has been named the best large weekly in the state by the Arkansas Press Association. The paper received more than 20 honors, including 11 first-place awards for its coverage, reporting, writing, photography and design. The awards were announced at a luncheon Saturday in Little Rock concluding the press association’s annual convention. […]

TOP STORY >> Musical salute to America

By RICK KRON Leader staff writer “Jamming with the MTB (Marshall Tucker Band)! What a night! I love my job!!” country singer Candy Coburn tweeted to her Facebook page shortly after her performance at the Patriotic Spectacular on Sunday night. She said she loved returning to Jacksonville for the second year in a row. Even though the crowd was small, […]

TOP STORY >> Fireworks are fizzling in sizzling heat wave

By RICK KRON Leader staff writer Three fireworks shows have been canceled because of dry, arid conditions and fireworks vendors are having one of their worst years in recent history. But Cabot, Beebe, Lonoke, Ward and McRae are still planning on having their firework shows, but are taking extra precautions. Sherwood officials made the decision a week ago to cancel […]