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When it rains in these parts, I often open the Facebook page of a guy that I know is going to post the amount of rainfall he received in West Lamartine. When I heard him called the Mayor of West Lamartine, I was intrigued. But when he repaired my mother's favorite clock, I knew I had to get a microphone on him and learn more about Larry Polk.
Larry and his wife Jean live just about a mile off U.S. 371 in Lamartine. As befitting a "public servant" in the role of mayor, Larry's Facebook profile and background picture both feature a highway sign bearing the name of his community. Larry and Jean are active members of First Baptist Church in Magnolia, where Larry serves as a deacon. A stack of New Testaments on his workbench attests to his service through the Gideons organization.
Larry has done just about every kind of engineering there is to be done. He cut logs to put himself through college--two years at Southern Arkansas University and two at Louisiana Tech, where he earned his degree in engineering. Having retired from Albemarle, Larry reflected that he had done everything he had wanted to do in engineering. He had worked with pumping in the brine field, on transformers providing power to the wells and even in drilling operations.
Larry at the rain gaugeSo it was no wonder that when a friend handed Larry an old clock years ago and asked if he could get it running, he added another skill to his resume. Larry became a clockmaker, a term that is used to describe someone who repairs clocks.
There's much that can go wrong with one of the old clocks. They can get "out of beat", causing them to stop running altogether. He has diagnosed a case of this issue by asking his client to hold his phone up to the clock so he can hear the beat. Another problem may be the wear and tear that comes from the gears continually spinning, sometimes causing the hole in which they sit to become elongated and restricting movement. In the case of my mom's clock, it had been in storage for eight months and some of the gears became rusty. A cleaning put it back in working order and it keeps good time today.
Obviously the title of Mayor of West Lamartine does not indicate an elected position. He earned the moniker when a neighbor on the other side of U.S. 371, Greg Rich, referred to Larry as Mayor of Lamartine. Larry replied that he was only mayor of the western half while Greg was the mayor of the eastern half.
Lamartine is one of the oldest communities in our county. As I spent some time there talking to Larry, I became intrigued with what is labeled by some as the oldest community in our county. It's on its way to becoming a ghost town, save for the modern houses that remain. Once upon a time, a two-story brick plantation house was home to John Dockery and his son Thomas, who rose to the rank of Brigadier General during the Civil War.
Dockery named the community after a French poet and politician, Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine, whom he admired. Dockery had big plans for the new community, which in 1851 boasted a post office, a few stores and a number of churches. Most of their remains are long gone today.
Two events occurred which kept Lamartine from becoming the economic center of Columbia County. Dockery and local investors began work on a railroad that would connect the Mississippi River with the Red River. Dockery became president of the first railroad company to be chartered in Arkansas, the Mississippi, Ouachita and Red River Line. But the Panic of 1857, along with the approach of the Civil War, brought the project to a premature end. Dockery died in 1860 and many of the young men from Lamartine were scattered by the War. When the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railroad was built through Waldo three miles to the south, any hopes for developing Lamartine were dashed.
Today it is little more than a ghost town. A memorial marker on the highway tells the abbreviated history of the community. It incorrectly lists Lamartine as the birthplace of T.P. Dockery. He was actually born in Montgomery County, North Carolina, where his father had participated in the Indian removals there. The family moved to Tennessee and on to Columbia County, where land was plentiful and cheap.
Shiloh Missionary Baptist ChurchThe plaque sits at the intersection of U.S. 371 and County Road East 60, which leads to Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church and Shiloh Cemetery, one of the oldest and largest in the county. Shiloh church was built in 1853 and organized in 1855. According to an article in the Banner-News of October 1936, Shiloh's first building was of split logs; the second of dressed lumber from the Grance Courtney sawmill nearby. The second building was partially destroyed by a storm so a third building was constructed in 1892 and remodeled in 1924. The fourth and present building was constructed in 1958, a modern brick structure with an auditorium capable of seating 250 people. The adjacent cemetery had over 1,000 graves situated there in 1936, according to the newspaper article.
Sarah and Don Ray have devoted time and energy to the preservation of the cemetery, which is a separate entity from the church. Sarah told me last year that there were over 2,000 graves as of 2023. Many of the cemetery records were lost in a house fire, so the Rays were working on a new count to replace the one lost.
A cousin, LaJoyce Doran, told me that Shiloh was the church where her aunt Katie Hyde had died and was buried. Katie passed away dramatically one Sunday morning while sharing her testimony at church. She succumbed while speaking at a revival service, shouting that she could see Jesus before she passed on the spot. What a revival service that must have been!
The plaque stands in front of the site of several stores that were built prior to the railroad coming through Waldo. Most of the store owners packed up shop and relocated to the south. One of those who did so was Joe Washington Dorman, a farmer who transitioned to blacksmith. His grandfather, Green Washington Dorman, had moved to the area first from Spring Hill, then Emerson and finally settling between Lamartine and Falcon.
The senior Dorman had come to the area with his wife, lured by free land. He and his wife had 18 children, 16 who lived to adulthood. His son, Wylie Richard Dorman, was one of those survivors. His son, Joe Washington Dorman transitioned from farmer to blacksmith and operated a smithy, or blacksmith shop, across the road from where the plaque now stands. His wife's father, J.W. Whitehead, had been a blacksmith and perhaps it was from him that Joe learned the trade. When the railroad came through Waldo, he was one of the merchants to relocate.
Joe Dorman's sons learned to weld and drive welding trucks and were working in the oil fields at the tender age of 14. Joe had taught them to weld in the 1920s, converting Model T Fords into wagons when people could no longer afford gas during the Great Depression. They called the converted Model Ts “Hoover Wagons”.
Dr. Tony Dorman shared the information about his family line. He observed that his grandfather had lived near Dr. Grimmett in Waldo and married the twin sister of Grimmett's mother. She died in a freak accident from injuries she sustained by backing up to the fire place. Tony's grandfather, as he tells it, went to Rosston, found an old maid and married her since he had been left with an infant child following his wife's demise.
To the west of the plaque, County Road 60 is known as Beech Creek Road. The Mayor of West Lamartine lives down this road, not far from U.S. 371. His brick house, neat as a pin, sits back from the road behind his pond. Out back he maintains a garden and his weather observation site.
Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church
Go far enough out the Beech Creek Road, as I did recently and you'll come to Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church, founded in 1850. It attests to the importance of religion in the founding of Columbia County. Tony's great-great grandfather, Green Washington Dorman, is buried in that church's cemetery. He was born in 1920 and died in 1907.But it's time to get back to the mayor and his ability at clock repair. He had always wanted a clock and today owns several. His favorite is a weight-driven model from the Gustav Becker Clock Company. Becker is one of the better known and higher quality clockmakers from the mid to late 19th century. Some of his clocks are so well made of such quality material that they were still precise after over 100 years of service.
Fun fact: many clocks with pendulums have the letters R and A, separated by a down arrow. My mom's clock has these letters. This has led some folks to make the observation, "I have an RA clock." But the R/A is not the name of the clock, but rather instructions on adjusting the pendulum. R stands for Retard, A is for Advance. By turning the adjusting knob below, the pendulum will swing faster or slower.
Larry's workshop held three or four clocks he was working on at the time of my interview, and they were all unique and interesting models. Given enough time and parts, which can sometimes be difficult to come by, he will soon have them all operating correctly again.
This has been a longer introduction to my podcast than usual. Much of it came from the entry on Lamartine from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, but other of it came from Facebook correspondence. I'm always intrigued by vibrant communities that once existed but today are a mere shadow of the past, remembered in piles of bricks or church cemeteries. It's doubtful that Lamartine will ever be restored to its former glory, but that's probably ok with its current residents.
Larry is a soft-spoken man of deep faith. I enjoyed visiting with him and hearing his story. If you'd like to take a listen, I encourage you to click the link below or tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for your time, Larry!
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Long before those of us who speak our particular version of English inhabited what is now Lower Arkansas, early man inhabited the countryside. Dr. Carl Drexler is research archeologist for the Arkansas Archeological Survey stationed at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. He is intimately familiar with all periods of cultural development in this region and recently expanded upon them at a talk at the Columbia County Library. Dr. Drexler was born three years before the release of the first movie featuring the exploits of Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr. and admits he did not see the series until his teen years. And while he may actually own a fedora, he prefers a different style of hat when he's working in the field. Unlike Indiana Jones, he does not use a bullwhip in his work, but he does have a nickname. You'll just have to listen to the podcast to hear what it is as we wouldn't want to make it to accessible by putting it into print. And like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, there are stolen artifacts that need to be recovered. In 2006--before Dr. Drexler's assignment at SAU began--26 bowls and pottery objects valued at over $100,000 were stolen from the Survey headquarters on the SAU campus. The objects have been listed on the FBI's National Stolen Arts registry and may be viewed on the FBI's website at this link. And while there have been reported sightings of some of the objects through the intervening years, the reports have not panned out. The mystery continues! If you're interested in learning more about archeology in South Arkansas, check out the website of the Red River chapter of the Arkansas Archeological Society at this link. To learn more about the first peoples to call Lower Arkansas home and find out Dr. Drexler's nom de guerre, take a listen to my interview.
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Take it from John Harden: the solar eclipse coming up April 8 is an awe-inspiring event with spiritual impact that you don't want to miss. As a father who took his family to see the last, John has first-hand experience. Back in 2017 they drove from Magnolia to Lebanon, Tennessee to witness the eclipse.
"You've got to get into the region of 100 per cent totality," John told me. "I drove eight hours to see it the last time, that's probably the extent I would have done it in 2017 but knowing what I know now, I would have driven two days for it. It is that much of a must see. It's incredible."
John recommended watching the weather forecast carefully. Depending on what the regional forecast holds, you might want to get up early to go north or south to be on the line of totality.
"It's a deeply spiritual experience," John told me. "Some Bible passages will never read the same again after you experience this: Psalm 19:1, 'The heavens declare the glory of God and the expanse proclaims the works of his hands." And Genesis 1:3, 'Then God said let there be light and there was light.' These passages will never read the same."
John noted that many people are moved to tears by the experience of seeing the eclipse. He compared it to making a trip to the Holy Land.
"The Holy Land will take you back to the time of Jesus, this (the eclipse) will take you back to the time of Creation," John explained.
John also recommended getting to your location early, expect traffic delays and be prepared with food and water in the event you are stuck in traffic.
As you prepare to view the 2024 Solar Eclipse, take a moment to listen to my interview with John Harden recorded on March 29.
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It’s hard to believe a full decade has passed since the quintessential voice of Lower Arkansas announced not only his retirement but also his departure from Magnolia for eastern Tennessee. After more than 60 years with Magnolia Radio—KVMA and KFMV as they were known—Ken Sibley turned off the mic, hung up the headphones and left the studio. He and Carol moved to Collierville, TN, where three of their five grandchildren lived, of course with their parents.
Ken had held nearly every leadership position imaginable in church, city and county, in addition to his work in radio. He’s a great bus driver and excellent story teller to boot, which landed him a short tenure as a charter bus driver in the Memphis area. He drove me on my first children’s church camp trip to Siloam Springs and loves to describe the forlorn look on my face when he dropped me and 20 rowdy kids off for the week.
I caught up with Ken through the miracle of modern technology and enjoyed the virtual stroll down memory lane. We reminisced about people we worked with and some of the programs that aired back in the day. Today’s generation can’t appreciate The Friendly Show, The Mary K Show, I Remember When, Hospital Calling. A few folks remember some of the commercials that aired through the years: Bill Bigley's "Throw away your plumber's friend and call your friendly plumber Broadway" was a fixture in the '50s and '60s; the Magnolia Insurance spot that began with "The Fire Alarm has sounded in Magnolia!"
If you've never heard Ken's radio voice, here's your chance to be introduced. If you've been missing that friendly patter, then here's a shot of nostalgia for you.
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As a young man, David Rankin had never given any thought to becoming a college professor, let alone an administrator of higher education. His mother had moved back to Arkansas from Tennessee--first to Hot Springs, then to Junction City--after his father had died in World War II and he had just begun college. After a stint at factory work, he decided he preferred higher education and was attending Louisiana Tech University.
"David, have you ever thought about being a college professor," asked E. Carl Jones, professor where David was then currently enrolled. "It never crossed my mind the first time," David replied. "Colleges of business are growing like wildfire and they need young instructors to come out and help," Jones told him. He had just successfully completed a presentation the previous week in class and decided to give it a try. He was accepted to Middle Tennessee State University and decided he liked the field, so he later began a doctorate program at the University of Mississippi, where he met another student from South Arkansas. That was Louis Blanchard of Magnolia, who went on to become a long-time professor of accounting at SAU.
Rankin told Blanchard if they ever had an opening in finance at then-Southern State College to let him know. After David and wife Toni had talked it over, he decided to submit a resume.
One day the phone hanging on the wall in their married student apparent rang and David answered it. On the other end was the president of Southern State!
"I answered the phone and he said, 'Mr. Rankin, this is Imon Bruce at Southern State College, and we want to offer you a job as assistant professor of business at'—and I had told Toni, if they will offer me at least $8,000 I’ll go to SSC. He said, "We’ll offer you as assistant professor of business for eight thousand and forty dollars.' I said, 'Dr. Bruce, sign me up, I’ll be there.'" He began his career here in 1968.
David had married the attractive redhead--literally the girl next door in Junction City--and the two have three adult children, all of whom live near the family home. John and Curt are involved in the family timber business and Beth Anne Rankin Baker recently completed her doctorate from Vanderbilt University.
David has a gift for making the complicated simple and interesting. The "dismal science" as economics has been called is something David is passionate about. Witness his latest book, The Economics of Freedom written by Dr. Rankin with the assistance of daughter Beth Anne. The two have been promoting the book locally and a copy is available in our local library or for sale in the SAU bookstore on the square in Magnolia, Arkansas.
The book is also available through his website, RankinEconomics.com, where you can read his blog posts or watch the two-minute videos on a variety of topics. It's even possible to see money growing on a tree as you take in topics like inflation, government regulation, and debt monetization, each in about two minutes!
He currently serves as the chairman of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors, now under his fourth governor. When the current SAU president resigned to go to Henderson, the Board of Trustees asked Rankin to return as interim president while a search is underway for his successor. He will serve in that position until June and becomes what I assume is one of few to be former president, president emeritus and interim president of an institution of higher education.
Having read up on all of his accomplishments, I must admit to being somewhat awe-struck at the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Rankin, and not the least because I know next to nothing about economics. But David's ability to make a complicated topic clear and his unfeigned humility made the interview really fly by.
As a long-time student of leadership, I asked him what he thought were traits of an effective leader.
"First," he replied, "I think you have to do everything you can to get rid of the ego. Pride and ego is just a downfall and they can just carry you down."
And second, he says, is the ability to listen to people.
"You have to listen to people, you have to be a participatory person," David told me. "That doesn't mean you allow all the organizations to make the decision, but you want to know and you want to be where people can come and look at you and say, 'I've got a complaint.'"
If you want to listen to people, I highly recommend you take a listen to today's podcast. You'll then want to pick up your own copy of his book, where you'll learn the importance of freedom to our economic system. You'll also learn the "secret weapon", what David calls the "secret sauce" of capitalism that is available in few other economies.
As always, click below to listen to the podcast and be sure to share this with others. You may learn something about the "dismal science" you weren't expecting!
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For Dr. Mimo Lemdja and her family, adapting to life in L.A. has been a breeze--a warm, summer breeze that is. Originally from Cameroun in Central Africa, she moved to Canada where she completed high school, then moved to Minnesota. She finds the climate in South Arkansas much preferable to either of those locations!
Her medical studies took her from Minnesota to New York where she met her future husband. She and Mathias Groghue, have three children. David, Kelly and Matt attend Magnolia Public Schools and together the family has made South Arkansas their home. Mathias is originally from the Ivory Coast but the two met and fell in love in New York and she might have been content to practice medicine there as the need was great, but life had other plans. They moved to Fayetteville to complete her medical studies and while there she heard about an opportunity to practice in Camden. From there it was a short step to Magnolia where she serves as medical director for UAMS.
It was a welcome change for Dr. Lemdja! About the time she gave birth to her last child, she was still delivering babies and keeping very busy. The pace was getting to her and the opportunity to move further south let her and her family come to Magnolia. It's a different pace of life here, she said. She didn't know how to react at first when her patients would bring her vegetables from their garden. It was a lifestyle she quickly grew to appreciate!
The medical needs are different here than in her home country. Fortunately we're not plagued with malaria, yellow fever or other tropical diseases. One of the biggest health issues she faces with her patients is diabetes, which is often complicated by diet.
But a growing issue that caught her by surprise while practicing in Camden was opioid addiction. She has worked with many patients struggling with the problem and has come up with a two-step approach to help them break the addiction. The program involves medication and counseling and thanks to a grant she has received, it is accessible to anyone suffering from opioid misuse.
Opioid addiction can begin easily enough, perhaps with treatment for a back injury, child birth or any other pain issue. As the patient continues taking the medication, the relief decreases and they may ask their doctor to increase the dosage. She saw some patients taking up to 180 opioids per month when she first came to South Arkansas. If the patient can't get the amount they want, they may go to the street for cheaper alternatives, such as methamphetamine. From there the problem grows as the patient spirals downward in addiction.
Because she wasn't prepared to deal with such a problem, Dr. Lemdja began to study opioid addiction with a view to finding an appropriate treatment. Her studies and investigation led her to a grant which offers a viable treatment. The treatment involves a different medication to help taper off the dependency. It also involves psychotherapy with a counselor specializing in the problem. The therapy is provided by "telemedicine" so the patient doesn't have to go out of town for a visit.
If you or someone you know needs treatment for opioid misuse, they can request an appointment with Dr. Lemdja by calling 870-786-2033, the number for her private clinic.
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Some 40 years ago, a young letter carrier walking his route in the south part of Magnolia became convicted that a certain neighborhood needed to hear the Gospel. Because of his conviction that God was calling him to start a new work, Larry Roach planted the seeds for what would become Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ.
Larry and his wife Wanda began the work with Bible study and worship in what had been a barbershop on Lodge Street. From those humble beginnings came the growing ministry that now seats up to 200 people and from which the Gospel is proclaimed regularly.
Larry's fruit in ministry came as a result of many folks seeing the potential in a young man from Huttig, Arkansas. His school superintendent told his mom that Larry needed to go to college after graduation, rather than continuing to work in the sawmill like so many in his community. His superintendent helped launch him in his studies at Southern Arkansas University. Following graduation and a stint teaching at Magnolia High School, the father of one of his pupils asked him to go to work for him in the Post Office.
But it was while walking his route along South Washington, Lodge and Strickland Circle that Larry felt the call to plant the new church. He had been preaching since his teen years so serving the Lord was not new to Larry.
Later this year in December, Larry and Wanda will lead the church to celebrate 40 years of growth in the community. And the day after, the Lord willing, they will continue to lead the church into her 41st year of service.
I had a great time visiting with Larry. His love for the Lord and desire to serve and advance the Gospel are apparent. It was also fun to hear him mention by name so many of the folks that I knew coming of age in this part of L.A. And to top it off, he did not shy away from answering my question of what people most need today
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Fresh out of broadcast school in Missouri, the young man was hired on his first interview with Radio Station KVMA in Magnolia, Arkansas. Not only was he hired, he was told he was going on the air! With just minutes before opening the mic, Bill Bigley and Bill Merrell asked, "Is that the name you are going to use on air?"
What was wrong with his name? He had used it all his life up until now. But suddenly, it was time to choose a "radio name". His Spanish teacher in high school had told him there was no Spanish equivalent for his first name, so she said she would call him by a similar name. His middle name rolled readily off the tongue, so it would be fine for a last name.
He cleared his throat, opened the mic switch and spoke, "Hi, I'm Dan Gregory." And so the legend began!
His given name isn't really that difficult to pronounce, though the surname is Swiss. And he doesn't really make a secret of it. But after 45 years on the air in Magnolia as Dan Gregory, he will let the cat out of the bag and publicly reveal his given name in today's episode.
I had the privilege of working with Dan during my radio days back in the late 1970s. My mentor was Ken Sibley and he and I had a morning newscast for several years that helped me overcome my natural fear of speaking in public. I also learned which buttons NOT to push during that time.
Local radio has changed tremendously in the intervening years. Where once folks tuned in daily to hear the local news, weather forecast, school menus, hog futures, list of current hospital patients and even birthdays, now most of that information (except hospitalizations!) is available elsewhere. Meaning on the Internet!
As the song goes, "Video killed the radio star"; so internet for the most part has killed the local radio program. Most people today have never heard of Mary K, Gladys Martin Oglesby or Margie Wagnon. Who among us is old enough to remember the commercial that began with a laugh track, then concluded with Bill Bigley intoning: "I'm not kidding! I said, 'Throw away your plumber's friend and call your friendly plumber Broadway!'" That commercial ran just like that for so many years that when we switch over to the AM frequency, you can almost hear it coming over the airwaves!
Dan was the on-air voice of KVMA/KFMV for many years, serving as host of the online swap shop known as "The Friendly Show". But he really found his niche when he began sports broadcasting. The station carried one little league game each afternoon and Dan cut his teeth learning to call the sport.
But he moved on up to the big time in high school and college sports, becoming "the voice" of Panther and Mulerider sporting events. He was inducted into the SAU Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 for meritorious service. Recently he was recognized at one of the SAU home games for his 40 years of broadcast experience with the Muleriders.
We had a great time reminiscing and I think some of the fun spilled over into this program. As with most "behind the scene" interviews, the best stories can't be told. But there are plenty here to keep you going. And if you listen long enough, Dan will reveal the name he was given at birth. Take a listen!
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If you listen to my podcasts, you've heard his voice plenty of times. You just didn't know that the talent behind the intro and outro belongs to my son, John.
Born right here in Lower Arkansas, John Ford, Jr. has spent but few years in the Natural State. His upbringing in West Africa and Portugal, along with multiple postings by the U.S. Army, have just about erased any hint of the South Arkansas drawl.
Like his dad, he likes to say he has a voice and a face made for radio, but that's an exaggeration--he's a handsome fellow and would have done well in television or movies. But after 22 years in the U.S. Army and with retirement just around the corner, he seems to have found his niche in a horse pasture. Not just any pasture, this is on Ft. Sam Houston, a joint base with the U.S. Air Force in San Antonio, Texas. It's the home to one of 78 national cemeteries and one of only two active-duty, full-time caisson units in the U.S. Army. The other is at Arlington National Cemetery where John was first introduced to horses.
John was interviewed several years back and appeared on a CBS News segment detailing the work of the caisson platoon. The Army has apparently recognized his speaking abilities, which he first learned at Radio Stations KVMA/KFMV during his stint at Southern Arkansas University. He's appeared in a publicity post on the Army's Instagram Account, and narrated several events, including last year's 9/11 Commemoration at Ft. Sam Houston.
We caught up with him recently on a family trip to San Antonio. Highlights of the trip included watching him fire the 75 mm howitzer for the July 4th observance of Independence Day and attending taekwondo classes for his son, Rion, He and his wife Lisa have two children at home, Evelyn and Rion. Two other children, Darean and Dalton, are already grown and living elsewhere.
He reminisced about his previous Army deployments, talked about how he first became interested in working with the horses, and gave some thought to what he would do in retirement on today's episode. Take a listen here or wherever you get your podcasts! -
Did you know that one of every seven persons who enters the hospital will need blood? While modern medicine has come a long way, in many instances there's just no substitute for human blood.
To show you just how quick and easy it is to donate blood, I took my microphones down to the LifeShare bus at the Walmart parking lot and recorded this episode with my phlebotomist Shelby. Shelby, a native of Hope, has been with LifeShare for nearly a year now and I was impressed with how knowledgeable (and talkative!) she was. She fielded my questions without pause or hesitation, although she asked me a couple that I was reluctant to answer out loud! Yes, they ask your height and weight and you take a health quiz, but it's relatively painless. And I was in and out of that bus in about a half hour.
A number of LifeShare vehicles set up around Lower Arkansas, as well as Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Stationed out of Texarkana, I guess this would be a great job if you wanted to travel the four states area. There's an online list of where they are headed next, but they are usually pretty prominently located.
"The Power of You" is more than just a slogan for LifeShare. You have the power to save lives when you donate, and to entice you a bit more, they give away some great goodies. In addition to a bottle of water and an oatmeal cream cake, I walked away with a cool beach towel. Other goodies I have acquired include t-shirts and my favorite, a LifeShare hoody. They will be giving away a fleece-lined hoodie in November, so I've marked my calendar.
There's all kinds of information at the LifeShare website, which you can access by clicking here. You can even set up a personal account and do a good bit of the preliminary interview on line to speed up the process.
Donations usually slow down a bit during the summer, so why not stop the next time you see the LifeShare bus or van? Not only do you save lives, you'll even receive an email telling you when and where the blood you donated was used helping you to know the need is real.
So if you've never given blood and wonder what goes on, take a listen to today's podcast. If you'd like to get a free cookie and t-shirt or beach towel while saving someone's life, this could be a red-letter day for you as well! Tell them you heard all about it on Life in LA!
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While serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, Donnell Ford's chaplain took one look at the young man and gave him a new name: Mighty Man of God! Donnell had been involved in church most of his life, but he didn't feel like a mighty man of God at the time!
But the chaplain continued to encourage him and model what a servant of God looked like and what he did. Just as the Apostle Paul went to Arabia following his conversion, Donnell began to read and study God's Word at his station in Iraq. And in short order, Donnell was called to step in when the chaplain was away and preached his first sermon.
That encounter was a life changer for the pastor of Full Faith Community Church and the founder and leader of the Mentoring Program in Magnolia Public Schools. In some ways, he is doing today what that Army chaplain did for him years ago. He saw something in that young man and worked with him to bring it to pass in his life.
We sat down in the pastor's office at the church he began to plant in Magnolia two years ago and Donnell shared with me his philosophy of mentoring students. Students struggling with poverty, broken families, hunger, drug use and peer pressure need someone who believes in them. He and his fellow mentors, alongside dedicated teachers in our public school system, work to make that difference.
It's been said if you see a turtle on a fence post, you can be sure that someone put him there. That's what a mentor does. One definition says "a mentor is a person who supports, advises and guides another. They take time to get to know the one they are guiding as well as the challenges they are facing, and uses their experience to help that person improve."
Hear his story and you'll be moved to become one of those people who makes a difference in the lives of others. We all need someone who believes in us and pours into our life. Take a listen and become one yourself!
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Does your language have a word that means "a piece of log bitten off the stump by a bear"? One of the L.A. Indian languages did! And when one of the early explorers to this area asked one of the Indians, "What's that?" he replied with this word, which then became the name for a body of flowing water! What stream or creek or bayou was it and what's that word? Our local historian knows and will share it in today's podcast.
While we may not have some of the colorful names that other areas in our state have (Booger Hollow, Toad Suck, Pickles Gap), we have our share of them! Where did Smackover or Lamartine ever come from? And why should the people of McNeil want to change their city name to "Ralph"? Wouldn't it be great to say that we live in the "Ralph-Waldo-Emerson Triangle" of Arkansas?
I sat down with Mike Gee, historian for the South Arkansas Heritage Museum and curator of his own Facebook page dedicated to local history and genealogy, and we had a fascinating discussion. It covered only some of the names that make life in L.A. so interesting. In fact, our discussion was SO fascinating that a half hour had gone by and we hadn't even gotten around to names of roads and streets. Burnt Bridge Road? We'll have to invite Mike to return to hear that fascinating story, which could make an episode all its own!
If you have place names around here that you're curious about, shoot us an email and we'll see what Mike and I can come up with. In the meantime, you know the routine! Click the play button and learn more about place names in South Arkansas.
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I tell people that I can usually remember three of the four items I went to pick up at the grocery store. It's the fourth one that always stumps me!
So when I learned that Mercedes Ray, program director for the Social Work Program at SAU was going to be speaking on how to improve your memory, I had to go and listen. And I wasn't disappointed, especially when she agreed to be a guest on the podcast and expound on some of the things that she mentioned in her talk. Mercedes is married to Jason Ray and they have twin boys, Isaac and Judah.
There are things we can do to help our memory. Did you know there is a "memory palace" where you can store all manner of things for later recall? Or that certain mnemonic devices (I love that word because it looks hard to pronounce!) can be used to help your recall. Other things you might not have thought about also impact your ability to recall information: sleeping well, relieving stress, eating better. But the one that surprised me the most was.....well, you're just going to have to listen to the podcast because I can't remember everything she said. And it somewhat defeats the purpose of the podcast if I write it all out here for you!
I thought I would learn more about memory in our conversation, but I was also delighted to learn how a fascinating young lady from Iowa with virtually no southern accent wound up all the way down here in L.A. It's almost as though she was on a mission from God! But we'll let her tell you that too.
Click the play button and if your memory is like mine, you'll want to listen more than once.
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"When the Lord is developing someone, all of life is a school," wrote Henry Blackaby. Bro. Joe Owens is proof of that, as are most of us if we would stop and think of Romans 8:28. The pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church is an example of how God uses His followers in ways they might never have expected.
Bro. Joe didn't grow up a Baptist--in fact he was raised in the Methodist church. But he met a lovely young lady who was a Baptist and since he wasn't actively involved in church at the time, he began to attend Hillcrest Baptist Church in Texarkana, TX. Yes, that's Texas, not Arkansas.
Bro. Joe saw God's plan for his life unfolding as the pastor of Hillcrest reached out to him and involved him in ministry. It's what Jesus did with the 12 men who followed Him during His earthly ministry and it's still an effective way of building disciples today.
"A real Texan" is how Bro. Joe sees himself, but he's proud to serve on their foreign mission field here in L.A. In fact, he and his wife have lived here for so long that folks around here may overlook that shortcoming. And the Owens consider Macedonia to be home now.
And "folks around here" are apt to see this affable Baptist minister demonstrating servant leadership in many locations around town. He is a volunteer at Magnolia Regional Medical Center, delivers devotionals to Wentworth Place nursing home, assists with the Men's Prayer Breakfast that meets every Tuesday morning, and probably many other unsung activities outside the church.
Inside the church, you'll find him doing all the things that a pastor will do. But you may also find him preparing for a wedding, working on the church sprinkler system, or cutting the grass. While he doesn't consider preaching to be his forte, he loves the people and loves to be around them, serving them in ministry. He's always finding ways to serve.
"I quote my mentor, Bro. Buddy Johnson, a lot," Bro. Joe said. "His main quote that he's famous for is 'God honors four things, W, O, R, K.' "
And Joe is familiar with work. He worked construction before being employed by Cooper Tire company in Texarkana. It was during that time that he felt the call to full-time service, which eventually led to his coming to Macedonia Baptist Church. This historic Baptist congregation on Hwy. 160 between Magnolia and Taylor was founded in 1855. When Matt Dillon was serving in Dodge City as sheriff in 1875, Macedonia Baptist Church was 20 years old.
Like many church across the nation, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted attendance at Macedonia Baptist Church, but it continues to thrive and serve its community. One activity that was popular with folks throughout the county was the First Friday Fellowship. Baptists love potlucks, and this one attracted anyone who had a connection with Macedonia. At the last one I attended, I spotted the county sheriff, elected officials, business leaders and just plain country folks who love to get together. Alas, the event has been cut back to once a quarter, but perhaps it will pick up again with time.
The sanctuary has recently been updated, with the paneling being painted, the carpet and upholstery replaced and the old curtains removed. It's a beautiful setting to worship.
Bro. Joe is an interesting fellow to visit with and we laughed more than a few times during the interview. You'll probably share a few of those laughs with us. And you'll also learn a bit more about this former Texan who began a ministry among the Arkansans here in L.A.
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One of the surprising things about life in Lower Arkansas is that you never know what a surprising "back story" the person your talking to may have. A retired real estate guy may have been the drummer for one of the hottest pop groups in the region. The children's librarian may have lived everywhere from Pickles Gap to Idaho but is freshly returned from Poland. Or the kid who pushes your groceries to your car may shoot a mean shotgun. That is, he may be perfectly capable of shooting 500 clay pigeons, two at a time from 27 yards, and never lose his cool!
That's Landon Chandler for you, and he is my youngest guest yet on Life in L.A. Landon has just completed 11th grade where he shot with the Magnolia High School Trap team. Listen to my podcast and he'll tell you approximately how many trophies he has garnered from state meets. Or the secret to his success as a trap shooter.
You learn something from everyone you talk to, even a high school student. I would imagine your nerves could be a problem when you're shooting 100 traps and you're nearing yet another perfect shoot. How does he keep from getting nervous? He has a secret that will work for just about everyone in a tense situation.
Landon isn't sure what the future holds, but he knows he starts 12th grade this fall. He's working at Brookshires to put a little money back for college. He plans to attend Louisiana Tech, and although he lives in L.A., he has strong ties to that "other" LA just across the Arkansas line. Both his parents attended LA Tech, and he recently visited the campus.
While there, he sat on a bench put in place as a memorial to his grandmother. He found the bricks with family names on the walkway of fame. Two grandparents and an aunt also studied there, so family tradition is strong. He plans to study engineering when he gets there.
Take a listen to today's podcast and you'll learn a thing or two. Then say hello to Magnolia's sharp shooter the next time you pick up groceries!
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Ken Stonecipher, one of L.A.'s most eclectic and talented artists/musicians spent some time in Magnolia recently promoting his newest magnum opus--a cookbook entitled Still...Magnolia's Matriarch's. As the subtitle explains, it's a culinary portrait of some of the finest women who ever lived in Magnolia, Arkansas.
We spent a good part of Sunday afternoon reminiscing and getting myself au courant on the latest about Ken. This interview was one of the most je ne sais quoi of any I have done. I laughed, I cried, I listened incredulously and you will too. And most surprising of all, it's my first podcast featuring live music performed by the composer himself!
Ken said he was asked to sing at Asbury Methodist Church Sunday morning and obliged by writing a song in two short days, and one that would go along with the parson's sermon at that. My wireless mics don't do the piano justice, but listen carefully to the words and you will be in awe at Ken's talent and convicted about your relationship with God!
But back to the cookbook. As David told Ahimelek about the sword of Goliath, "There's none like it!" And there's certainly no cookbook like this. It features thumbnail sketches of the lives of some of the great women of Magnolia. As Ken tells it, he knew many of them personally and had sat at many of their tables.
"But most important, these women knew us and nurtured us and taught us and loved us with a dedication and driving force," Ken writes. "No, not everyone has pleasant memories of their mother...a most unfortunate thing. But regardless, mothers are known the world over as that one special person we need, we turn to, we lean on and remember the longer we tread this earth."
The matriarchs range from Elsie Adams to Kathryn Brown to Maurice Groves to Sue Lovell and Mary K Wyrick to name just a few. Perusing the many names brings fond memories of the golden days of our community. And there's a special page right up front remembering Karen Garret Pierce, who contributed mightily to the culinary landscape but was tragically taken from us too soon.
Then there are the recipes! As Ken points out, the Southern cupboard is filled with staples such as Velveeta, cream of anything soup, bacon fat and plenty of Cool Whip and Jell-O. While the use of such everyday items might suggest many of the dishes are similar, his response was, "Yes, but you haven't tasted my mama's!"
So you won't be surprised to find a recipe for Mom's Cheese Roll, Cranberry Fluff, Mexican Cornbread, Basque Style Potatoes, several Beef Stroganoffs, and Coca Cola Chocolate Cake. The recipes are divided into appetizers, soups and salads, breads and rolls, vegetables and side dishes, main dishes and meats, desserts and cookies, and candies. There's even a closing "Miscellaneous" section that will surprise you with all it includes.
The cookbook is invaluable, not only in its breadth of material, but also because of its sentimental value. It would make a great gift for newlyweds as well as for family and friends who love the food of L.A.
You may order copies by sending a check or money order with your shipping information to Ken Stonecipher, 439 Heath Place, Smyrna, TN 37167. Cost is $35 plus $5 shipping. A limited number of copies are available locally at Asbury Methodist Church or the South Arkansas Heritage Museum.
If you're a fan of Ken Stonecipher as I am, or would like to get to know "the man, the myth, the legend," by all means--grab a box of tissue, click the play button, and get ready for an entertaining half hour of good, clean fun!
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Doug Sikes is the publisher of Acclaim Press, the company that is currently working to produce a new volume of history for this county. He and Mike Gee, local historian, were working together this week to get the word out on the new volume.
The deadline for submitting your family information has been extended so gather it up and send it in. The brochure on how to submit your invitation is available right off the main counter in our local library on North Jackson Street. Even if you're not a writer, the company can help you get your info in good shape for publication.
Doug and Mike were also contacting local businesses sharing how they can get their company's information in the keepsake edition. I viewed a copy during my interview with Doug and I was impressed with its quality. I was also impressed with the 200-year guarantee on the paper quality. I intend to save my receipt should there be any issues during the coming centuries!
The podcast got off to a slow start, as I was mesmerized by the tie that Doug was wearing. Then when I glanced at his business card and saw that he's listed as publisher for Acclaim Press, I was further gob-struck. But I got over it shortly and things were going well until I asked if I could submit a photo of me for publication along with information about the Ford family. You'll be surprised at how diplomatically he handled the question, but it was downhill in the interview from that point on. Keen eyes will also note that Doug is the first interviewee who has not had HIS photo included in the podcast info, but it really had more to do with the fact that the library was closing rather the effort to get a picture of me in his book. I'm sorry I didn't get his photo, you would have loved the tie!
Take a listen to this edition of Life in LA and learn how your family, business, or church can be included in this new volume coming out in 2024. You can contact Mike Gee by email at [email protected] or Acclaim Press at [email protected] or drop by the local library for more information. They are friendly folks who are always ready to help out.
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As a new college graduate, Larry Dunn needed a job. So he made a bold promise to the superintendent interviewing him. "If you hire me, we will bring state recognition to Magnolia." Larry more than delivered on that promise, having just returned with his students from New York City and a performance at Carnegie Hall.
Today's interview was one of the first I dreamed of getting for my new podcast. When I learned that Larry was born in Wilmott, educated in Hamburg and matriculated from Southern Arkansas University, I knew then that his story was one of those that makes life in L.A. so special. When you dream big and follow a God-given vision, there's no limit to what you can accomplish and where you can go! Even with a high school choir in tow!
When I heard his choir's rendition recent rendition of Amazing Grace, I was blown away. This is a complicated piece, but Larry doesn't shy away from challenges! And placing a challenge before a competitive bunch of choristers is one of the keys to success.
As an added bonus, an article I read this week mentioned that Larry Dunn is one of two mentors who pour into the life of Derrian Ford, state basketball champion and freshman player for the Arkansas Razorbacks. When we learned that Derrian had entered the transfer portal, we had to ask Larry what he thought.
Buckle your seatbelt, grab a box of tissue and be prepared to be blown away by what Larry Dunn has to say about "Life in L.A."!
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"Older things are fascinating to me," Amy Staten McNeil told me when I asked how it came to be that we now have a museum in Magnolia. Amy is the brainchild behind the South Arkansas Heritage Museum, where she also serves as founder and chairman of the board. The museum was incorporated in 2016 as a non-profit corporation, but it didn't have a home until April 10, 2019 when the deed to the Henry Longino House was signed over from its donor.
The house is located at 317 West Main in Magnolia and is open to the public on Wednesdays (except holidays) from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Volunteers are needed for a wide variety of tasks, including serving as tour guides. We had the opportunity to watch a tour come through while recording this podcast. The museum can also accommodate small groups who would be interested in touring together. Its mission is to preserve and protect local history.
Both the museum and the house are interesting in themselves. I was surprised to learn the house only had two previous owners. Some of the artifacts housed there are truly fascinating, such as an old time clock made from cast iron and must have weighed several hundred pounds. Did you know that baskets can be made from pine straw? But perhaps the most intriguing artifact is the artificial leg--who did it belong to, where was it found, how old is it? So many questions!
The museum has a Facebook page with more information, including the museum store where you can purchase your "I Heart L.A." t-shirt, pine straw baskets and original artwork by Dona Furr.
Take a listen to today's interview with Amy and you'll want to visit the museum. Check the FB page to plan your visit and discover one of the things that makes life in LA so fascinating!
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When David Beene was a young boy growing up in the country outside of Stamps and Buckner, Arkansas he used to have to walk to town down a dirt road. Occasionally a car would come along, but they never stopped to offer him a ride.
"The people who came by you would speed up and cover you in dirt," he said. "They knew where you were going!"
He vowed at that point when he got older, he would get a job and make money, and he would always have a nice vehicle. Today he has fulfilled that vow many times over!
Today's podcast is one of the most satisfying I have recorded to date, and one of the most surprising I might add. I walked up to David at the big box store parking lot admiring his ride and asked if I could interview him for my podcast. He seemed a little reluctant but we eventually found a time that worked for both of us and he gave me directions to his house. I dropped my jaw when I drove up and saw the car collection sitting out front all polished and gleaming!
The story of how he left Lafayette County and returned years later is fascinating, heart warming and a bit je ne sais quoi. You simply must listen!
"I don't intend to go anywhere else," David told me. "I love it here. The pace around here is absolutely wonderful. It's a nice way to live."
David likes to tell folks he's from L.A.--Lower Arkansas. Take a listen to the podcast and you'll have a greater appreciation for life in L.A.!
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