TOP STORY >> Q&A with House District 44 hopefuls

By JOAN McCOY Leader staff writer Judy Riley of El Paso, a Democrat, and Joe Farrer of Ward, a Republican, are running for state representative in Dist. 44. Farrer is the director of therapy services at North Metro Medical Center in Jacksonville. Riley is a former White County Extension agent and is an adjunct instructor in family consumer sciences at […]

TOP STORY >> Generational shift in Ward 5, Pos. 2 race

Roger Sundermeier Jr. is challenging longtime Alderman Bill Howard in the race for Jacksonville City Council in Ward 5, Position 2. Sundermeier, 37, is the marketing director of First Arkansas Bank and Trust. He has lived in Jacksonville all of his life except while away for college. In 1998, he graduated with a bachelor’s of fine arts from Delta State […]

TOP STORY >> Crews ready to help

By JOHN HOFHEIMER Leader senior staff writer With about eight million people in the dark along the eastern seaboard, across Pennsylvania and into Ohio, and literally in the wake of Super Storm Sandy, Arkansans stand ready to respond when called. Entergy has sent about 850 scouts, linemen and support workers, according to spokesman Michael Burns, many of them from Arkansas. […]

SPORTS STORY >> Carlisle battling England for second

By GRAHAM POWELL Leader sportswriter The Carlisle Bison hope to finish the regular season on a high note Friday when the England Lions visit Fred C. Hardke Field in Carlisle. With the No. 2 seed and home-field advantage in the opening round of the class 2A state playoffs on the line, the two respective teams still have a lot to […]

SPORTS STORY >> Panthers playing for 7A playoffs

By RAY BENTON Leader sports editor After last week’s domination of highly-ranked Jonesboro, it would be easy to assume the Panthers would beat Searcy at home this Thursday in the regular-season finale, but there’s a lot more to this game than the last week of play. This Lions (5-4, 4-2) are once again the winning program it was years ago. […]

SPORTS STORY >> NLR after perfection

By RAY BENTON  Leader sports editor North Little Rock, fresh off an easy road win over the conference’s last-place team, Mountain Home, is set for its season finale on Thursday against a surging Little Rock Central. The Tigers will also be the first 7A team North Little Rock has played Since Sept. 28, thanks to the Arkansas Activities Association’s decision […]

SPORTS STORY >> League title on the line for JHS

By RAY BENTON  Leader sports editor Jacksonville suffered a major disappointment last week in its 7-6 loss at Mills on Friday, but it didn’t diminish what’s left to play for this week when it hosts highly-ranked Pulaski Academy (7-2, 6-0). The Red Devils (6-3, 5-1) were hoping this Thursday’s matchup at Jan Crow Stadium would be between the league’s only […]

SPORTS STORY >> Cabot ladies win Central Conference

By RAY BENTON  Leader sports editor Cabot sophomore Micah Huckabee led the way as the Lady Panthers’ cross country team won the 7A Central conference meet Monday at Rolling Hills Country Club in Cabot. Huckabee easily took first place in the five-kilometer race with a time of 19:31.08, well ahead of Mount St. Mary’s Cally Cochran, who finished second with […]