NEWS FROM THE OLE HOMETOWN

Tom Pry

Editor Emeritus

In Tuesday’s runoff elections, Mayor Belinda LaForce (who’s been involved in city government since she was 19 years old), won re-election … by a whole 17 votes.

The new County Judge is a nice guy named Michael Lincoln, who will now resign his position as Director of Camp Wyldewood. A Harding grad, he and his wife, Shelley, have a passle of kids, and are grandparents, to boot.

Weather is, on the Wednesday night I’m writing this, 63 degrees, with a little rain. Thunderstorms by morning. Snow by Thursday night or Friday. Stay tuned.

The annual Holiday of Lights is going on in Searcy. They held the 12-category Pageant a week-and-a-half ago. It’s a sign of the times that the top three (age groups) queens are NOT from Searcy. From left to right, they come from Bald Knob, Bradford, and Beebe.

On the other hand, the six-month-king IS from Searcy.

The daytime festival goes on this Saturday, with the parade at 6 p.m.

And the Courthouse has been lit.

More news as it strikes my fancy.

CHANCE ENCOUNTER

Tom Pry

Editor Emeritus

As I started into Berryhill Park late yesterday morning, coffee cup and book in hand, to kill an hour while Mom had her daily lunch at the Lightle Senior Center, a neatly-bearded gentleman on the walking/jogging path was on his way by. We smiled at each other, and then he said, “Tom?”

“Uh, yeah …” I said, just a bit bumfuzzled.

He countered with, “I thought I recognized you from your picture.” Stuck out his hand. “Jim Bohannon.”

Understand that I’ve had a lot of e-mails to-and-from Jim over the past couple of years. Yet, in the strange way of today’s cyberspace wanderings, we hadn’t seen each other face to face since I graduated SHS back in 1956 (he was in the Class of ’57).

We had a brief reunion there under the trees. Jim told me he and his wife try to get in a mile-and-a-half of heavy duty walking every day, hence his being on the path.

I’m sure we’ll encounter each other again.

But it was a nice thing to happen on a Monday.

GOOD AND BAD NEWS

Tom Pry

Editor Emeritus

Having Thanksgiving Dinner with my wife, Karen, and my just-turned-86 Mom yesterday, I was pleased to run into Mary Kathryn Van Patten James and her husband, Larry. As a bonus, got to meet Mary Kay’s sis, Becca, in an atmosphere only slightly less hectic than the recent Homecoming Lions’ game …. and the TRUE treat was finally meeting, face to face, Irvin Van Patten.

Although I’ve spoken to Irvin several times on the phone, and he and his partner in crime, Billy Benz, have taken over this blog, Irvin lives in a suburb of Houston, TX, so this marked the first time we’d ever really met.

Nice people, all.

The Bad News in this was MK telling me of an e-mail she got from Elizabeth Capps Vaughn, which we herewith pass on to you.

Elizabeth Capps Vaughn

Ronald Coward called me this morning to tell me that Joe Coward died late last night, Nov. 21. He had been diagnosed with COPD for a few years and more recently was being checked for Lou Gehrig's disease. He had moved back to New Orleans after Katrina and his ashes will be buried somewhere in that vicinity. He did not want any kind of funeral or service.

Although separated for years, he was still married to Carol Ann (Robertson) from Little Rock. He is survived by a son, Steve, an atty in Lake Charles, and a daughter, Kelli.

SAD NEWS

Tom Pry
Editor Emeritus

Received this in this morning's e-mail from ...

Jim Bohannon

Dear former Searcy High School Class of 1957 members, Mary Kay James, Tom Pry Class of 1958 and Irvin Van Patten, Class of 1963, editor of the Searcy Yesteryear newsletter:

You may have already read that one of our former classmates, Nancy Garrison Hackworth passed away yesterday. It was in today's Searcy newspaper.

Nancy was on the reunion committee for the Class of 1957, 50th anniversary scheduled for June 2007.

Nancy will be missed.

As for me and you, a very dear friend and classmate from those early Searcy School days in the 1950's.

Reba and I extend our deepest sympathy to the Hackworth family.

JimBo

SHS BAND NEWS

Tom Pry

Editor Emeritus

Go take a look at http://www.thedailycitizen.com/articles/2006/11/05/news/features/featuresband.txt for some interesting info on today’s SHS Band.