Stories from Friday, July 26, 2013

In American literature, the biggest religious pretender of all time is probably Sinclair Lewis' Elmer Gantry. While most of us have not read the book, we may remember the movie. The film was a 1960 masterpiece starring Burt Lancaster in an Emmy-winning role as the charismatic but corrupt evangelist...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- The annual meeting of the membership of the Eureka Springs Historical Museum will take place on Monday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center. The president of the Board of Directors, Sara Armellini, will outline the events and accomplishments at the museum in the past year as well as plans for the upcoming year. Facility Director Steven Sinclair will also give a report to the members...

VIAN, Okla. -- A tractor-trailer rig acted as a sort of "rolling roadblock," allowing Sequoyah County (Okla.) Drug Interdiction authorities to arrest a Eureka Springs man found with 26 pounds of marijuana in his pickup on Friday, authorities said. Sequoyah County Sheriff Ron Lockhart said Travis Graham, 24, of Eureka Springs was arrested on charges of drug trafficking, driving while intoxicated, possession of drug paraphernalia and eluding police...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- In a gesture of thanks to the residents of Eureka Springs and the surrounding area for their "great support" of Opera in the Ozarks this summer, the Opera will hold a free concert on Tuesday, July 30 at The Auditorium. The concert will feature the Altius String Quartet in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Opera's Piano and Voice Camps for outstanding junior and senior high music students...

BERRYVILLE -- 538,663. That is the approximate number of hours volunteers have graciously donated to Mercy Hospital Berryville since the inception of its auxiliary in 1982. With duties ranging from manning the information desk to baking goods for fundraising to working in a retail environment, the hospital just would not function like it does with its many volunteers...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra will headline the 2013 Jazz Eureka festival, Sept. 13-14, organizers have announced. Spyro Gyra is a jazz fusion band that formed in the mid-1970s. The band's sound has its roots in traditional jazz, but combines elements of R&B, funk and pop music. The five-man group is known for its mastery over their instruments and the energy of their live performances...

LITTLE ROCK -- Although state Sen. Bryan King (R-Green Forest) on July 9 called for Gov. Mike Beebe to schedule a special session to repeal the state's implementation of Obamacare, that is unlikely to happen. King says this will cause all sorts of problems in light of the federal government's recent delays on the plan...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Despite the best efforts of water operators, concerned citizens and local lawmakers, the new Arkansas law, Act 197 of 2011, mandating water fluoridation of all systems serving more than 5,000 people, remains in place and its implementation is looming at the Carroll-Boone Water District, which serves the cities of Eureka Springs, Berryville, Green Forest, Harrison and their subsidiaries...

BERRYVILLE -- It marked the end of a natural landmark -- but also a dangerous nuisance to motorists. Two very large trees (estimated to be about 100 or more years old) along U.S. 62 on the vacant lot at Karl Street came down on Thursday. The beautiful trees stood as sentinels in front of the house owned by late, lifelong resident Haleen Hyde...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Southwestern Electric Power Co., in a filing with the Arkansas Public Service Commission last Friday, "revised its rankings" of its six alternative routes -- basically withdrawing the three closest to Eureka Springs -- for the proposed Shipe Road-Kings River 345,000-Volt transmission line project in Benton and Carroll counties...

HUNTSVILLE -- Green Forest coach Jay Martin just wants to see all of his players at practice. Martin and the Tigers have been hampered by low numbers all spring and summer. And with the final team camp of the season behind them and week off to prepare for fall drills, getting everyone on board and healthy will be vital to the success of the program...

HUNTSVILLE -- First-year Berryville football coach Lee Atkins was glad to see the final whistle blow Thursday afternoon at the final team camp of the summer, knowing the Bobcats made it through without sustaining any injuries. Now, Atkins and the Cats can take a few days to rest before beginning fall drills Aug. 5...