EDITORIAL >> Cabot thrives with $32.8M

Cabot is preparing $32.8 million in improvements to its roads, parks and other city facilities after voters approved renewing the city’s 1-cent sales tax. While other area cities are scrambling to balance their budgets, Cabot is set to modernize on a variety of fronts. The public library will be relocated to the old Knight’s grocery store that will be renovated […]

EDITORIAL >> We support schools plan

The Pulaski County Special School District announced last week it is seeking a modest property tax increase to raise $220 million to build new schools and remodel others, with Jacksonville — where the district has not built a new school in nearly 30 years — slated to receive $80 million to $90 million. Derek Scott, PCSSD’s executive director of operations, […]

TOP STORY >> Cabot couple takes trip of lifetime

By JOAN McCOY Leader staff writer June Tortolano Windsor never met her father’s parents who came to America from a small town in southern Italy sometime around the turn of the last century. They both died while they were still in their 30s. But she knew that it was a desire of her father and his uncle to go back […]

TOP STORY >> Base trains Israelis to fly new C-130Js

By 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs The 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base is famous for its C-130 training program, which instructs airmen from the United States and 46 allied nations around the globe. In true international partnership, three Israeli Air Force students graduated from the J-model course on Oct. 29 and returned home to train Israelis […]

TOP STORY >> Air Force sees more cuts

By JOHN HOFHEIMER  Leader senior staff writer “Over the next five years, the Air Force may be forced to cut up to 25,000 airmen and up to 550 aircraft, which is about 9 percent of our inventory,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh testified last week before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. Among other concerns, Welsh emphasized […]

SPORTS STORY >> Cabot hoops puts on preseason bash

By RAY BENTON  Leader sports editor Cabot introduced this season’s girls’ and boys’ basketball teams to fans with the Panther Basketball Bash on Monday at Panther Arena. Events featured a three-point shooting contest and a ball-handling race between boys and girls team members. Players introduced and each team played a 20-minute intrasquad scrimmage game. In the three-point contest, each team […]

SPORTS STORY >> Falcons, Devils sporadic in outing

By RAY BENTON  Leader sports editor Results were mixed for both local teams that took part in the Jacksonville basketball jamboree Saturday afternoon at JHS. The Jacksonville Red Devils and the North Pulaski Falcons each won one game and lost one. Both teams exhibited vastly different performances in their two outings. The event featured eight teams with Jacksonville splitting into […]

SPORTS STORY >> Bears believe Bobcats are ripe

By JASON KING Leader sportswriter It could be one of the closer No. 1 – No. 4 matchups in the first round of the 5A state playoffs this week as Sylvan Hills prepares for a long road trip to Hope to face the 5A South champion Bobcats on Friday. The Bears (7-3) earned the No. 4 seed out of the […]

SPORTS STORY >> Lonoke ready to host Pokey

By GRAHAM POWELL  Leader sportswriter Lonoke will host its first playoff game since 2009 Friday at James B. Abraham Stadium against the No. 4 seed from the 4A-3 Conference, the Pocahontas Redskins, in the first round of the class 4A state playoffs. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. The last time the Jackrabbits hosted a playoff game, they handed now class […]