This is my favorite version of Auld Lang Syne. Dan Fogelberg is priceless.
Archive for December, 2009
Thursday, December 31st, 2009
This is my favorite version of Auld Lang Syne. Dan Fogelberg is priceless.
Still unsolved
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
The murder scene. Photo by News-Times photographer Jim Lemon
Authorities continue searching for the suspect(s) involved in the killing of Clarence Ritchey of Junction City.
As reported in the News-Times on Monday, Union County Sheriff said that investigators are defining persons of interest in the investigation into the murder.
Ritchey, 52, was found shot to death by his wife, Janet, the evening of Dec. 23 in the yard of his son’s residence at 149 Lonesome Dove Road. He had gone to the residence, which is across the street from his home, to investigate a possible breaking and entering in progress.
Some interesting notes: Shortly before Clarence Ritchey’s murder, his residence was burglarized twice in as many days — on Dec. 20 and 21. According to UCSO reports, on Dec. 20, Ritchey reported that a window at his home had been pried open and several pain pills were missing.
The following day, the home was burglarized again, and again the stolen items were pills.
Three days after Ritchey’s Christmas Eve murder, Joe Telford, who lives at 149 Lonesome Dove Drive, reported that he found the rear door to his residence open after returning home to feed his dogs. He told deputies that he secured the door before he left. Nothing was reported missing.
Anyone with any information involving this crime should immediately call the UCSO at 864-1970.
Missing hunter has been found
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009A Union County man who got lost while duck hunting on a remote area of land outside of El Dorado was found alive Tuesday.
Union County Sheriff Ken Jones said that deputies found John Edward Ginger, 22, of El Dorado, standing braced against a tree in waist-deep water.
Jones said that Ginger was responsive but confused. Ginger had been missing since 11 a.m. Monday.
Look for more in Wednesday’s News-Times.
Turmoil in Turrell
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009Heard about the trouble in Turrell, Ark.? Kinda makes our local shenanigans seem trite.
Demolition
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
The former Charles Louis Laundry building was razed this morning as part of ongoing work at the Conference Center site.
The business has moved to the corner of Faulkner and Madison. I snapped this photo just before the structure came crashing down. More photos are on the jump below.
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Forgive the shakiness in this video, I was trying to avoid being hit by flying debris.
Demolition of Charles Louis Laundry from Between Editions on Vimeo.
‘Arkansas Business’ features Aubra Anthony
Friday, December 25th, 2009Click here for a link to the Arkansas Business feature on Aubra Anthony, president and CEO of Anthony Forest Products in El Dorado.
In the piece, Anthony discusses, among other things, how his company has weathered the recent economic downturn.
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 24th, 2009Things have been very hectic the past couple of weeks, dealing with the holiday rush and early deadlines and such.
Here’s an update for you:
Wednesday night a Junction City man was killed in the yard of his son’s home. Clarence Ritchey, 52, of Junction City, was found by his wife, who told the Union County Sheriff’s Office that her husband had gone to their son’s home at 149 Lonesome Dove Road to investigate a possible breaking and entering in progress.
Look for more on this in Thursday’s News-Times.
Also, flooding has plagued parts of Union County today, and the National Weather Service is predicting the possibility of snow tonight for parts of the area. I’ll have to see it to believe it.
It’s snowing currently in the Dallas area.
New jobs coming to Union County
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
NexGen BioMass, a company that plans to produce wood pellets for stoves in Europe, announced today that it will create 150 permanent jobs at the former Georgia Pacific plant on Junction City Highway.
The facility will begin operations next year with 50 employees and will hire additional workers as production ramps up, according to Robby Hanry, CEO of NexGen BioMass.
Look for more in Friday’s News-Times.
Downtown water supply will shut off tonight
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009The El Dorado Water Utilities announced this morning that water supplies to some downtown areas will be cut tonight as workers continue to repair a broken water valve.
Affected areas will be: All of Main and Cedar streets between Washington and Jackson streets.
Water is expected to be back on in these areas by Thursday morning.
Dragons seal second straight state title
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Click here for more on the Dragons’ impressive year. They beat Bearden Saturday in the State 2A playoffs 24-14.
This game was a bit bittersweet for me. I work in Union County, and Junction City is on my beat, but my dad is the band director at Bearden Schools. I announced for the Bearden band at halftime, and was hoping that the Bears could pull out a state championship win for the first time in school history.
But it just wasn’t in the cards for the Bears. I bestow congratulations on Junction City, and Coach David Carpenter, for not only a great season, but for what appears to be a true dynasty in Arkansas 2A football.
Carptenter is to JC what Paul “Bear” Bryant was to the University of Alabama. And that’s no understatement. His hard-driving style mirrors Bryant’s, and the JC teams he has coached deserve every accolade they have received.
The State 2A title Saturday was hard fought, and the best this year at War Memorial Stadium, according to the official public address announcer in the press box.
Bearden lost the ball several times during the first half — costly turnovers that sealed their fate in the end. I take my hat off to the Junction City Dragons for taking full advantage of these mistakes. Good job, men. A great show, and a great day for Union County. First the El Dorado Wildcats, and now the Dragons.
Seaport announces Liberty Bowl rates
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Chamber offering Christmas parade DVDs
Friday, December 11th, 2009The El Dorado Chamber of Commerce is selling DVDs of the El Dorado Christmas Parade. Order forms are available at www.goeldorado.com. DVDs are $12 each and feature the entire parade.
Deadline to order is noon Dec. 17.
If you participate in Christmas, believe in it
Friday, December 11th, 2009**Note** I have amended my post, as the earlier version didn’t quite hit the point that I was trying to make.
A good many people I know, and countless others I don’t, celebrate Christmas, even though they hold a large amount of skepticism — some even complete disbelief — in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
I find it rather odd that these folks participate in the Christmas season. It would be like me, a Baptist, participating in Hanukkah.
It really bothers me when I hear that these non-believers are celebrating Christmas when they no more believe in Christ than I believe in the Easter Bunny.
I have no problem with someone celebrating the season with gifts and parties and cookies, etc. Call it Winter Solstice, call it anything you wish. Just don’t celebrate with presents under the umbrella of “Christmas” if you don’t believe the true meaning behind it, please.
2009 El Dorado Christmas Parade
Friday, December 11th, 2009Congratulations to the South Arkansas Community College Foundation for winning the float contest in this year’s parade. Their float is shown in the second photo below. All photos were taken by News-Times photographer Chris Vinn.
The world famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses clomp through downtown.
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Riders on the “Camp SouthArk” float sing Christmas songs next to a campfire as they roll through downtown.
Don’t bet the TV
Thursday, December 10th, 2009This video is, well, just as rich as Donald Trump.
