News
Faulty filter fouls fountain
By Jeff Della Rosa Staff Writer jeffd@nwanews.com
Twin Springs Fountain in Twin Springs Park might start again as soon as this week. Water stopped flowing from the fountain about one week ago when a fitting on the filter broke, said Scott Hodge, manager of Siloam Springs Parks and Recreation Department. The fountain’s pump stopped once the system lost pressure. “It shut itself off,” Hodge said. “It has an override.” The filter part might be replaced this week, Hodge said. The part might be in this week. The fountain has worked well since it was officially started April 24, he said. Nearly 100 people gathered around the fountain to see water flow down the fountain’s four tiers. The fountain had a trial run April 14. Siloam Springs Community Improvement Fund raised nearly half of the money needed to pay for the $82,856 fountain. The city paid the remaining cost with special, one-time turnback funds from the state. - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
SSMH group hears audit results
By Jessica Weekley Staff Writer jessicaw@nwanews.com
An auditing team from independent firm McGladrey & Pullen descended on Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital in their yearly audit in mid-April and the results were reported to the hospital finance committee at its June 25 meeting. CPA Ryan Weber, representative from the firm, presented audit results and answered board member’s questions. “Honestly, we weren’t surprised with the results,” said Penny Mc-Clain, Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital’s chief executive officer. “I’ve been here for six years and we have never had a bad audit.” The hospital’s post-audit net income was $3,672,766 for the fiscal year ending March 31, said hospital accounting controller, Marty Harrison. The reported net income was the largest in the history of Siloam Springs Medical Center. Last year’s net income, $2.2 million, pleased hospital officials after years of the local hospital operating in debt, McClain said. This year’s financial gain was determined by hospital board members as yet another vote of confidence for the growing hospital. - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
KUOA sold to Hog Radio group
By Jeff Della Rosa Staff Writer jeffd@nwanews.com
Galen Gilbert, president of Classic Country KUOA 1290-AM, announced his retirement Tuesday afternoon after more than 60 years in the radio broadcasting business. Gilbert decided to sell the Siloam Springs-based radio station to Jay Bunyard of DeQueen. An agreement was signed Thursday, and the deal is expected to close in early August. “It was an unsolicited officer,” Gilbert said. Hog Radio Inc., which owns stations in Berryville, DeQueen, Mena, Arkadelphia and Camden, will be KUOA’s new owner, Gilbert said. “The buyer is offering to continue employment to most of the employees,” Gilbert said. Grant Merrill will be the station manager. The Federal Communications Commission must approve the deal before the station is sold, Gilbert said. “This is the last station I have interest in,” he said. - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
‘Overdrive’ kicks into high gear
By Jessica Weekley Staff Writer jessicaw@nwanews.com
The closest that you can get to a mosh pit or bodysurfing in Siloam Springs is probably not where you’d expect. The building, at 902 East Main Street, where passersby hear rock music reverberating from the walls twice a week isn’t a garage band rehearsal site — it’s actually a house of prayer. “The purpose of what we do here is to engage the current culture, to bring people who have been turned off by church back in,” said Pastor Steve Welch. “What we’re after is not church’s usual, we don’t even want it to look traditional — that can scare people away.” The 200-person capacity church that was converted from a building that once served as both a bread store and an auto parts shop, doesn’t look much like a church. On a stage that covers the entire front wall of the building drums, bass guitar, a keyboard and a high tech sound system practically hum with energy — even when the power is off. The drum set is encased by transparent plastic to help deaden sound, and microphones hover tall on stands at the front of - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Local contractors receive builder awards
By Jessica Weekley Staff Writer jessicaw@nwanews.com
Two Siloam Springs natives proved their originality, architectural prowess and building expertise this month. Building contractor and owner of Seven Pillars Contracting, Matt Timboe received several notable honors this month at the Parade of Homes sponsored by the Northwest Arkansas Home Builders Association. This year’s Benton County Parade of Homes was June 20-22. Timboe, with his business partner and wife of six years, April Timboe, and his team of builders, were awarded best floor plan, best curb appeal, best kitchen and best master suite on “We won awards in Category Four which is the highest priced category for homes $1 million and above,” Timboe said. “The house is in Highfill but has a Bentonville address.” The four bedroom, four bathroom home is complete with a custom swimming pool, expansive living areas and several patios. It was built for Timboe’s parents who decided to move from Texas to Arkansas to be nearer their grandchildren. Sprawled across a lush, manicured lawn, the home was completed in M - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Freedom Fest hits Gentry July 4
From Staff Reports
GENTRY — The July 4 Freedom Fest “is shaping up to be a huge event,” according to Main Street Gentry Chamber of Commerce executive director Bev Saunders. “This will be an opportunity for families across northwest Arkansas to spend a fun day on July 4th, enjoying crafts, good food, softball tournaments, bands, pageants, car shows, horseshoe tournaments and the city’s biggest fireworks display ever,” Saunders said Monday. “We’ve asked the same band we had last year, Earl’s Garage, to be the featured entertainment before the fireworks display,” Saunders said. “Earl’s Garage was a huge hit in 2007, with a large selection of music for everyone. Of course, the great part of this band, aside from the fact they are very good, is that two band members are local Gentry folks, Dr. Alan Lamb and attorney Kevin Bonner.” A second band, the Continental Singers, has been added to the musical entertainment for the evening. They will be performing earlier in the evening, entertaining the crowds with both Christian and patrioti - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Court hearing on gun rights has Siloam Springs connection
By Jacob Sanders and Alex Daniels Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling striking down the District of Columbia’s ban on handguns would have had “more of an impact on our state if it had gone the other way.” The former Jonesboro police officer said that because Arkansas sets few restrictions on owning guns — including no mandates for storing or locking guns and no limit on ammunition purchases — Justice Antonin Scalia’s majority opinion was in keeping with the state’s laws as they stand. “That the Supreme Court interpreted, I think rightly, that gun ownership is an individual’s right, not just a collective right for American militias, is a validation of what we already believe here in Arkansas,” McDaniel said. - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
$10,000 fine could be levied for road work delay
By Jeff Della Rosa Staff Writer jeffd@nwanews.com
Several streets in Siloam Springs were completed recently, but one contractor faces monetary charges because its road project was not completed on time. The contractor of the Country Club Road project faces as much as $10,000 in damages because it completed the project 20 days behind schedule, City Administrator David Cameron said. Wilson Brothers Construction Co. of Alma is facing the charges on the $1.5 million project. The charges, or liquidated damages, are part of the agreement between the city and the contractor. The contractor pays them if it does not complete the project in the time specified in the contract. The project was completed under budget by about $50,000, Cameron said. The contractor of the $1.7 million Hico Street project completed it in time and will not face charges, he said. The Hico Street project was over budget by $13,000. The Country Club Road project was expected to take 180 working days. - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Community-wide service planned
From Staff Reports
“One Church, One Community, One Service” is the theme for a community wide worship service planned for Sunday, Sept. 14 in Siloam Springs. The service will be held at 11 a.m. in the Glenn Black Football Stadium on the Siloam Springs High School campus. Dr. Chip Pollard, president of John Brown University, will be the featured speaker. Sponsor of the event is the Siloam Springs Ministerial Alliance. Ryan Shields of Community Christian Fellowship will be in charge of the music, and Reece Watson, music director of the First Baptist Church, will direct a combined choir of singers from various churches in the area. Members of the ministerial alliance are asking area churches and individuals to become involved and volunteer to help and participate, as many are needed to see this event to fruition. “We are holding this service to show unity, and that Christians can worship together despite denominational differences,” said Dr. Randy Rowlan of the First United Methodist Church. For more information contact Jay Foley - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Allen attends LR Film Festival Su Su
From Staff Reports
LITTLE ROCK — Last month marked the second year of the Little Rock Film Festival and Siloam Springs was represented by local award-winning film producer David Allen. As a self-made filmmaker and mentor to others in his field, Allen, a Siloam Springs native, sits on the Advisory Board of the Little Rock Film Festival. The weekend also consisted of various workshops and events. Allen served on the panel for the “Mobile Film School Pitch Session” in which aspiring high school student directors were given an opportunity to pitch their film idea and receive feedback from industry experts. Allen’s recent work, “Death Valley,” was among the 55 movies shown, and was heavily attended on both of its screening nights. “The Little Rock Film Festival continues to amaze me in not just the quality of its overall film lineup, but also the size of the fest and the amount of public support it receives,” Allen said to festival attendees. “ I’ve been attending and participating in film festivals around the globe for over a decad - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Gentry celebration to last all day
GENTRY — A full day of activites is planned for Friday’s Freedom Fest at the city park. Activities will begin early in the day, with softball and horseshoe tournaments. Rides, displays, food booths and venders are scheduled to be open by noon. The Independence Day pageants were cancelled Monday because of a shortage of contestants, but everything else is set to be held as scheudled. The following is a schedule of the day’s events and activities: 10 a.m. — Horseshoe tournament — Horseshoe throwers may register for the tournament at the horseshoe pits prior to the start of the event. All-day — Co-ed softball tournament games will be played all day at ball diamonds in the city park and at McKee Foods Corporation ball fields. All day — Old tractors, trucks and engines will be on display throughout the day in the park. This display is sponsored by the Tired Iron of the Ozarks. Noon — Inflatable rides for children — $10 arm bands allow unlimited access all day to inflatable slides, bouncies, an obstacle course, cas - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Sales keep ‘booming’ at T&T
By Jessica Weekley Staff Writer jessicaw@nwanews.com
For a quarter of a century, Butch Thompson has sat at a dark, wooden desk at 1851 E. Main St. in Siloam Springs ready to make a deal. Pen in hand and a devilish twinkle playing from behind wire-rimmed glasses, he’s a Southern-tongued business man through-and-through. T&T Car Lot, owned and operated by Thompson and his wife, Sheva, is in its 25th year of operation. The local lot’s ever-changing stock includes a wide range of vehicles ranging from 15-passenger vans to vintage motorcycles. “I’ll sell anything that I can make a dollar on,” Thompson said. T&T offers in-house financing. The business weighs heavily on buying, selling and trading. In-house financing is available for qualifying customers. - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
‘Buggy’ summer continues with Siloam Springs Library program
From Staff Reports
Sign ups for the 2008 Summer Reading Program, “Catch the Reading Bug,” at the Siloam Springs Public Library start any time after the last day of school. A variety of programs, activities, prizes and contests for ages 3 and up will be offered all summer, so pick up a list of events at the library and drop in as often as possible. Anyone who reads at least three hours will be invited to a final party with food, activities and rewards. The Summer Reading Program schedule of events follows: Thursday, July 3, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.: All ages, Worms are Wonderful presentation by the Solid Waste Institute of NE Oklahoma Tuesday, July 8, 11 a.m.: Middle School, Staying Alive — Bug Fear Factor Tuesday, July 8, 2 p.m.: All ages, Fly Fishing — sponsored by SWEPCO Tuesday, July 8, 4:30 p.m.: Bilingual Story Time/Activities Thursday, July 10, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.: All ages, A Bug’s Eye View — picture contest Friday, July 11, 2 p.m.: Popcorn and Bug Movie Tuesday, July 15, 11 a.m.: Middle School, Mask-making, Hooray for Honeybee - Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Future hazy for Hwy. 412 signage : Business owners uncertain of next step to take
By Jeff Della Rosa Staff Writer jeffd@nwanews.com
Small business owners along U.S. Highway 412 are concerned about losing their signs because of the highway widening project but seem to have little control over what happens. Robert Conde, manager for Natural Foods grocery store, said a representative of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department told him that his sign would not need to be moved. He said another highway department employee previously told him that it would need to be moved. Lynn Clark, co-owner of Arkoma Lanes bowling alley, said she’s unsure if her sign will need to be moved. Another business owner, who declined to be identified, said he’s in favor of progress but doesn’t think he has a choice about losing his sign. City planning staff recently compiled a list of 108 signs that will need to be moved. It included the signs for Natural Foods and Arkoma Lanes. They are two of the nearly 60 signs that will be in the highway department’s right of way are already in the right of way, according to a memo from city planning staff. The other - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Planners agree to grandfather signs that violate 15-foot rule
By Jeff Della Rosa Staff Writer jeffd@nwanews.com
Signs along U.S. Highway 412 will remain in limbo until the state highway department and the city know how much land they’ll need for the project to widen the highway to six lanes. Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department will purchase $2.3 million in right of way frontage ground for the 1.6-mile project, between Washington Street and the state line. The city will need up to a 15-footwide easement for its utilities, starting from the edge of the highway department’s right of way. The width of the easement will depend on how many utilities need to be relocated. Right of way or easements have yet to be purchased, City Administrator David Cameron said. A public hearing on the sign issue will be 4 p.m. July 8 during the planning commission meeting in the board room at City Hall. Siloam Springs Planning Commission, in a specialcalled meeting Thursday, voted to allow, or grandfather in, signs that violate the city’s 15-foot setback requirement. Commissioners also approved: Grandfathered in signs to remain as - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Board sticks with tradition on high school construction
By Jamie Brunk Staff Writer jamieb@nwanews.com
The new Siloam Springs High School will be built using the traditional bidding and construction process, members of the Siloam Springs School Board agreed Thursday afternoon. The board met for a work session, which is a planning meeting designed to allow the board to discuss issues at length, but no binding vote is taken. The board can, however, come to a consensus on issues to provide district leaders with direction. Such was the case in Thursday’s meeting, when the three board members present at the work session told architects from Hight-Jackson that for this project, they want to stick with the traditional process. The traditional process of “design, bid, build” first involves the architects designing the full project, then putting the project out for bids. Contractors then bid on the project, and the board awards a contract, most likely to the lowest bidder. The winning company then constructs the project, in this case a new high school. Gary Jackson of Hight-Jackson presented another, newer option calle - Sunday, June 29, 2008
La-Z-Boy plant welcomes Gov. Beebe
By Laurie Whalen Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Norma Dennis has firsthand experience with a philosophy that’s rejiggered the assembly of La-Z-Boy sofas and chairs at the popular recliner brand’s plant in Siloam Springs and at five others in the United States. Sitting in front of her sewing machine, Dennis, a 35-year La-Z-Boy manufacturing worker, said dividing furniture assembly into “cells” has created a noticeable difference in the flow of work. “Before, people used to be in lines,” she explained. “There’d be a line of back makers, a line of seat makers, and there might be a whole bunch of rails” that weren’t being attached to - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Vila works to make Reading Program successful
By Cynthia Lee For The Herald-Leader
Susan Vila is a seasoned Summer Reading Program coordinator. She managed the program in the summer of 2005 and was able to get through most of the 2006 summer sessions before she and her family moved to Jordan in connection with her husband’s employment. They returned to the United States in 2007. A long-time resident of Siloam Springs, Susan has three children: Samuel, 13; Charlie, 9; and Henry 6. She was an elementary school teacher before she had a family and became a homemaker nine years ago. She earned a B.S. in Elementary Education at St. Louis University. Although Susan coordinates children’s programs and handles other tasks for the library all year long as a part-time employee, the Summer Reading Program is the most major, complex and popular program she manages. The Summer Reading Program offers children age 3 and up a wide variety of activities, prizes, contests and topics, including films and concerts. The Summer Reading Program started June 12 and will end July 29 after 20 action and information-p - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Bridge closed indefinitely
By Jeff Della Rosa Staff Writer jeffd@nwanews.com
The landmark low-water bridge in Siloam Springs has closed indefinitely because it’s in need of repair. Cracks spanning the width of the bridge and a hole about two feet deep and nearly a foot wide have developed in the downtown bridge on Sager Creek. It closed to vehicle traffic Friday but will remain open to pedestrians, City Administrator David Cameron said. The hole will be covered up. Cameron said an engineer that specializes in bridges is expected to look at the bridge next Monday. Raging water from recent heavy rains likely caused the bridge to deteriorate to its current condition. - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Mckirch named Rodeo Queen
Sophia Mckirch, 17, of Gentry, was recently named Miss Siloam Springs Rodeo Queen at the rodeo held last week in town. She just graduated from Gentry High School this spring and plans to attend University of Arkansas at Fort Smith in the fall to earn her bachelors degree in nursing. She is the daughter of Vernon and Sonda Mckirch. Princess winner is Dally Clark, 12 years old, from Colcord, Okla. Her parents are Derek and Angie Clark. Sweetheart winner is Ericka Marang, 8 years old, from Claremore, Okla. She is the daughter of Traci and Ricky Marang. - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Project Graduation raising funds for safe celebration
By Jessica Weekley Staff Writer jessicaw@nwanews.com
Members of the Siloam Springs graduating class of 2009 are busy this summer. They’re scooping ice cream and folding clothes at summer jobs, vacationing with their families and visiting the city pool with friends. The incumbent seniors’ parents are busy too. They know that on May 23, a mere 327 days away, they will watch their children walk across the stage of Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville to accept their diplomas. Students and parents alike are preparing for the end of a high school era. For a decade, parents of the graduating class of local seniors have sponsored the Siloam Springs High School Project Graduation. “This is my first time doing it,” said 2008-09 Project Graduation President, Beth Graves. “The officers are parents of seniors so it changes every year.” Parent Tom Perry is serving the committee this year as treasurer and Marla Strickland is secretary. - Sunday, June 29, 2008
Siloam Springs housing market set to rebound
By Jeff Della Rosa Staff Writer jeffd@nwanews.com
The Siloam Springs’ housing market has hit a low, but it’s expected to get better soon. - Sunday, June 29, 2008
