FEATURES
Profile: Arkansas Razorback Coach Sam Pittman
Feels Like Family
It’s no secret in Arkansas (or anywhere else, for that matter) that the Arkansas Razorback football team has gone through some tough times in recent years. The Hogs have struggled to find their way back to a time when they felt like family. Those who remember the way it was, remember an entire state yelling “Wooo Pig.” We were not fair-weather fans. We loved our Hogs, win or lose.
Lately, that feeling has been missing. That sense of community that can only start with a coach and trickle down throughout every small town in the state. But hope seems to have returned with the Razorbacks’ new head football coach, Sam Pittman.
Destination: Prairie Grove
Discover the history, charm and hidden gems in this Small Town Done Right!
If you have ever visited Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, then you may think you have seen all there is to see in this tiny town west of Fayetteville. Located on U.S. Highway 62, it is widely known for its 1862 Civil War battle — as well as its boot-stomping, jaw-dropping square-dancing competitions at the annual Clothesline Fair. But there’s more to this “small town done right” than you may realize.
Sonny Hudson, the current and longest-serving mayor of Prairie Grove, reminds us that his small town has a great deal to offer. “Prairie Grove was originally called ‘Sweet Home’ in the 1840s, and that name…still rings true today,” says Hudson. “We are a growing community that has maintained our small-town values. We are full of friendly residents with a great mixture of old and new, and we have a significant historical past that is on display at the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.”
Arts & Culture:
Lighting the Way Back to the Stage
There’s a superstition in the performing arts community that theaters are prone to be haunted by ghosts. Theater professionals take superstition seriously, and the idea of theater spirits is no exception.
Typically, a ghost light is a bare light bulb that is left burning on the stage when a theater closes for the night. Legend has it that the light is left on to give ghosts a chance to perform and to keep them from causing mischief. Even though its origins are rooted in theater lore, the ghost light still serves a practical purpose in theaters today.
The ghost light acts as a beacon for anyone who finds themselves in a dark, empty theater. It lights the way for actors and staff to safely make their way to the stage.
Health: Raising Cystic Fibrosis Awareness in the Black Community
Arkansas native Terry Wright is making a difference nationwide
Terry Wright of Little Rockwas not diagnosed with cystic fibrosis until he was 54 years old – despite having frequent hospitalizations and living with the symptoms of the disease since birth. Cystic fibrosis is a rare, genetic disease that progressively limits the ability to breathe and ultimately causes premature death.
Terry remembers the pain and confusion of misdiagnosis all too well. He says, “Imagine if you continued to suffer, regardless of the countless hospital visits, up to and throughout grade school, with no changes as far as diagnosis or prognosis. I was repeatedly sent back to the hospital for the doctors to say, yet again, it was just a virus.”
Living Spaces: A Home for Family and Business
Local builder creates award-winning home where his personal and professional lives can flourish
As a homebuilder, Scott Johnson dreamed of building his own home one day.
Professionally, he wanted to build a home that he could live in — one that would give him an opportunity to experience the homebuilding process from a client perspective. He also wanted a place where he could show clients the quality and detail he builds into his homes.
Eats & Drinks: Feed and Folly
New gastropub features British comfort food at its finest
Dining out has changed. At least for the foreseeable future, the days of gathering with friends to meet for an impromptu dinner are over.
There are so many variables that come with deciding where to eat. Yet sadly, the first question we find ourselves asking these days is, “What’s open?” Then the following questions ensue, “Did the restaurant temporarily close; are they closed forever; what are their hours; and are they allowing guests into their dining room?”
Nonprofit Spotlight: Single Parent Scholarship Fund
Empowering single parents to achieve their dreams
“Education is the key that unlocks the golden door to freedom.”— George Washington Carver
For single parents striving to achieve their post-high school success, higher education is not only the key to bettering their own lives. It is also a catalyst for their children to have better futures.
Dr. Karen Hodges knows the value of education as much as anyone. A single mother while completing her mastersand doctorate degrees from the University of Arkansas, she says she and her son sacrificed much.
“He always complained that we never did anything fun,” she says. But the benefits of her education paid off for both of them.