Stories from Friday, January 4, 2013

Competitive dancers from Elite Dance Studio in Berryville recently took 13 routines to the TOPS dance competition at The Auditorium in Eureka Springs. All of Elite's competitive teams received Elite 1st place trophies for their dances. In addition, Kourtney Granger and Lexy Woods won a $125 cash award for their duet. ...

Churches are peculiar places. I've had the opportunity to serve a few of them. Some of my pastoral experiences have been overwhelmingly rewarding: Baptisms, weddings, the transformation of individuals and families. Some other experiences have been about as much fun as a sharp stick in the eye...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Nonprofits benefitting youth and children in Carroll County are invited to submit proposals for the Carroll County Community Foundation's annual competitive Youth Advisory Committee grants beginning Jan. 10. Visit www.arcf.org to view the submission guidelines and download an application. Grant application deadline is Feb. 15...

BERRYVILLE -- The Berryville Community Center is proud to announce the addition of "Tai Chi for Health" to its list of offered classes. Lori Terry, Holistic Health Practitioner, will lead the eight-week, progressive class every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 8:30-9:30...

CARROLL COUNTY -- Carroll County Judge Sam Barr was recently recognized for his years of public service by state Sen. Randy Laverty, who presented the judge with a state Senate citation on Dec. 20. Barr was born and raised in Carroll County and, after graduating from high school, joined the U.S. Air Force, where he served in Korea as a K-9 handler. After leaving the service, he chose to return to Carroll County, resume farming and start a family...

BERRYVILLE -- Susan Brashears, whose family owned the building that housed the Good Shepherd Humane Society Doggie Thrift Store before it burned to the ground last Friday, said her family is proud of the job the Berryville Fire Department -- assisted by Green Forest -- did to contain the blaze, which reached more than 100 feet into the air at times, onlookers said...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Pastor Randall Christy of the Gospel Station Network met with a crowd of cold but curious onlookers atop the bleachers of the Passion Play amphitheater Thursday at noon to detail his group's plans to renovate and reopen the Great Passion Play the first weekend in May...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Gov. Mike Beebe has appointed Tim Parker of Eureka Springs as the new District Judge for the Western District of Carroll County. He replaces Judge Marianne McBeth, whose elected term ended on Dec. 31. She was re-elected in May 2012 for a new two-year term to begin on Jan. 1, but announced in October she would be leaving the bench on Dec. 31 for personal reasons. Parker agreed to serve out her term, so his appointment will expire on Dec. 31, 2014, he said...

CARROLL COUNTY -- The primary suspect in the New Year's Eve death of a Eureka Springs woman had a history of conflict with her, court records show, and was just released from jail after recently being arrested for allegedly attacking her. Victor Hugo Acuna-Sanchez was released from Carroll County Detention Center, where he was being held for battering Laura Acevez, only weeks prior to her untimely death, authorities said...

Green Forest -- Four middle school students have successfully developed a new software application for the Apple App Store. Green Forest EAST Initiative students Nick Luebbering, who served as chief developer, 13; assistant developer Conner Glassell, 12; beta tester Jayce Martin, 12; and code compiler Colin Stimson, 14, have developed an application for the iPhone and iPod Touch that troubleshoots computer problems on a Mac or PC. The new "app" is called Computer TS...