Dr. Phil Hart’s Antique Stearman Airplane By Jennifer Webb Dr. Phil Hart noticed that it was quiet at the airport on a perfect spring day. Maybe he should do it now? His three-year project of rebuilding a PT-17 1942 Stearman biplane was complete. He’d had two FAA inspectors out, and he’d gotten his airworthiness certificate. He is a certified A&P Mechanic with Inspection Authorization. The first flight would be fine. Probably. He had a whole list of people who wanted to come out and see its first flight, but that idea made him a bit nervous. Should he just do it now? Today? He had started the engine before and was fairly certain all the bugs were out, at least from what he could tell on the ground. The very first time he started it, there was a significant oil leak. He watched the oil pressure rapidly drop and quickly shut it off before it could do any damage. That was fixed now. He took a breath and decided that yes, today was the day! He pulled the plane out of the hangar and climbed into the second seat of the cockpit, where the pilot sits to solo a Stearman biplane. The 275 hp Jacobs engine roared to life. Oil pressure was good­—steady and holding. He taxied out to the runway and performed all his normal systems checks. Everything was good. It was time to fly! Though it was his first flight in this particular Stearman, he knew this feeling all too well, and he had missed it. This was his second Stearman project. He had instant regret at selling his first one, a yellow navy version of the same airplane. It was good to be back in the cockpit and to feel the control stick in his hand. The extra horsepower in the engine gave him a boost, and the plane leapt into the air, almost as if it had longed to be back in the sky as much as Phil had. He could feel the wind and hear it whipping past the flight wires that connected both sets of wings. Better test the smoke system too— he’d always wanted one of those, and it was a feature that his first Stearman didn’t have. It worked perfectly. The first flight went without a hitch. He noted a few minor corrections and adjustments that needed to be made. When he landed, he felt both joy and relief. He would have to explain to his friends that they missed the first flight, but he was glad that he had followed Joe Faith’s advice and just gone ahead and flown it first with no one else around. If someone had been around, they would have seen what comes to mind as a classic biplane. (Stearmans have been featured in movies such as “Second Hand Lions” and “Pearl Harbor.”) This particular one was the Army version, and like most Stearmans, had been used to train soldiers to fly in World War II. Learning to fly in a taildragger biplane was notoriously difficult. The yellow Navy versions, like his first Stearman, were known as “Yellow Peril.” Taildragger airplanes are notorious for “ground looping,” where the tail of the airplane spins around. It’s an “uncontrolled rotation of an aircraft while on the ground” (dictionary definition). For the pilot—and instructor, if it’s a student pilot­—it also means heart-pounding terror and potentially wrecking your plane on the ground. Now, pilots have to get a special tailwheel endorsement to fly aircraft that have two wheels in the front and one smaller one on the tail of the airplane. In the 40s, that was just what you learned to fly in. George H. W. Bush learned to fly in a Navy Stearman, very similar to Dr. Hart’s first project. Back in the hangar, Phil remembered his journey in rebuilding this airplane. He had known about it for some time. It was sitting in the back of a hangar at Millington, TN. The previous owner would get excited and work on it for a few months, then lose enthusiasm and take a break. That continued for 17 years. “Let me know if you ever decide you want to sell that project,” Dr. Hart told him. The plane was in pieces. Every part that could be taken off was off. But the fuselage (the main body of the aircraft) already had all the rust and corrosion removed and had been painted; it was just dusty. Dr. Phil Hart got a call two weeks later. “Well, the wife and I talked about it, and we decided it’s time to sell that airplane.” Dr. Hart didn’t even try to negotiate the price. It took him three trips with a 16-foot trailer to bring it all back, but he got every piece. Boeing mass-produced around 10,000 Stearman aircraft in the 40s for the military, but after World War II, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation sold many of them as military surplus. Most Stearmans were refitted as crop dusters, but between the chemicals and leaving fabric-covered airplanes out in the weather, this took its toll. There are currently estimated to be around 1,000 in flyable condition in the United States. His wife, Sherry, was not surprised that the project consumed him. It had taken him nine years to rebuild his first one. This one took a bit over three years. Though she does not care for flying in the Stearman, she and Phil have had their share of aviation adventures, flying and traveling in another aircraft that he owned with a partner. Their son, Adam Hart, is also a pilot. Dr. Hart did much of the work in the shop at his house. He had to build one more wing, but the others were already done. The frame for the wings is mostly wood, with some metal pieces to reinforce it. He covered each one with Dacron polyester and shrunk it to fit with an iron. He reinforced all the edges with a special tape and painted it in the original colors with polyurethane paint. The fabric was a huge upgrade from the original cotton. If kept indoors and maintained well, the taunt fabric covering can last over 30 years. It was painstaking work, and he was happy to be done with it, but as he worked, memories of his yellow Stearman came to mind. He had taken it to several airshows and might have performed some acrobatics in it while flying alone. Taking people up for the first time in a biplane is always a thrill. There is a mirror situated in the front seat where the pilot can see their faces from the back seat. All he usually sees is teeth from their smiles as he takes them up for the first time. (Since he is a dentist by trade, he did not mind looking at teeth.) He looks forward to doing all those things with his new Stearman as well, as soon as he gets a few more hours on the engine. Read the full issue below.

Three Pilots' Flight Plans By Jennifer Webb Brothers Scott and Philip Corder Scott and Philip Corder grew up with one eye on the sky. Their dad flew for Delta Airlines and met their mother, who was a flight attendant. They occasionally got to miss school for a mid-week trip and traveled mostly in the off-season. Their dad was gone a lot, but their parents made it work. Instead of car racetracks, they had an airport set they played with, docking planes, loading pretend passengers, and going on adventures as big as their imaginations. As they grew up, nothing else seemed interesting to them. They both started flying when they were 15, took their first solo flights on their 16th birthdays, and earned their private pilot’s licenses soon after turning 17. They were both high school seniors who could legally get behind the wheels of cars and airplanes. The brothers both felt the call of the sky but pursued it in different ways. Scott went to Kansas City after graduating from Henderson State University and started working a traditional career at AT&T, Monday through Friday. But when a few of his buddies got together and asked if he wanted to go skydiving, he knew he couldn’t miss the opportunity to get his feet off the ground. He spent a lot of time talking to the employees and the owner. He walked away with a weekend piloting job taking skydivers up to jump. Scott lived for the weekends, taking the small plane up, talking to the clients, and usually squeezing in a jump for himself on the last flight of the day when someone else was piloting the plane. After 20 years working for AT&T and flying skydivers around, Scott started to feel burnt out and in need of a change. His brother, Philip, had been talking to him about flying for an airline. He took the leap and moved back to Searcy. He had enough hours to apply to an airline, so he started talking to several of them. He found an airline that offered him a job the next day. Ten days later, he found himself in ground school in Houston and started flying commercial jets. He logged 2600 hours in three years at the airline, with 1000 of those hours as captain, before transitioning to his current job flying a business jet for a large corporation. He is often on call, but he gets more time at home. Philip stayed a bit closer to home, but not necessarily closer to the ground. While he was still in college at Henderson State, he flew a plane towing banners at Oaklawn and various festivals and events in Hot Springs and Little Rock. He also worked for Lonestar Airlines, which flew out of Hot Springs, loading baggage, doing ground work, prepping the planes, and checking people in. He saw nearly every aspect of the commercial aviation industry, learning firsthand how many different moving parts come together for a successful flight. After he graduated, Philip did contract flying for a few years, then flew with Lonestar Airlines, out of Fort Worth, TX, then for Aspen Mountain Air before settling at Southwest Airlines in 1999. He made captain in 2005 and chose to be based out of Denver. He lives in Searcy but commutes into an airport and catches either a company flight or rides in a “jump seat” which is available for pilots and flight crew. A jump seat is an unoccupied seat on a commercial flight. Their typical trips are three days on-four days off or four days on-three days off. For Philip, it’s an incredibly fun job, and he feels privileged to do something that he’s always wanted to do. During his career, Philip has been able to fly with his dad professionally a few times and met lots of interesting people, along with a few celebrities. He always puts safety first but also loves meeting new people and talking to first-time flyers. His son, currently a senior at Searcy High School, is now a licensed drone pilot and does work for real estate agents around the Central AR area. His son’s interest sparked his own, and he also works as a drone pilot and aviation consultant for a local security firm. “I love seeing Searcy people on my flight, and my job has been such a privilege. I’m so grateful to God, my friends, and family for all the support.” - Captain Philip Corder, Searcy Resident and Pilot for Southwest Airlines Sheryl and David Escue David Escue, another local pilot who lives in Searcy, did not start out thinking he would be a pilot at all. His parents were in education, and he wanted follow in their footsteps and be a football coach. Between his sophomore and junior year of college at Harding, he got a call from a friend in Memphis who had his private pilot’s license. His friend asked if he wanted to come for the weekend and spend some time flying with him. David got to handle the controls a bit and after flying with his friend for a few hours, came home and told his Dad that he no longer wanted to pursue an education degree. He had been bitten by the flying bug! His dad told him, “I’ll help you get your private pilot’s license, but after that, you’re on your own.” He went to Olive Branch, MS that summer and came home with his private pilot’s license. He returned to Harding, played football for the Bisons, and got the rest of his ratings through Searcy Aviation in the following years. His first piloting job was as a co-pilot for Harding in a 690B Turbo Commander with the university’s chief pilot, David Ridings from Searcy. He also got his CFI rating which allowed him to become a flight instructor. In 1993, he got a job flying for Promus Companies in Memphis, which was a hotel management franchise. They operated Hawkers and Citations. Promus was bought out by Hilton, and the Promus flight department was closed down. He flew for another company that managed a Hawker 800 for AutoZone for a year but was very much looking for his long-term career. That’s how he found FedEx. They started hiring again in May, 2000, and David applied. He started as a flight engineer on a 727, monitoring the systems on the flights in the seat behind the pilot and copilot. Most of their flights were overnight, but their schedule made it easier to work around his family, especially since they lived in Memphis at the time. He moved to the first officer’s seat on the Airbus 300 after 13 months. At that time FedEx had a contract with the U.S. Postal Service. Many days, David would depart Memphis at 4 a.m., fly to a destination with FedEx freight, load back up with the mail, and fly back to Memphis the same morning to be off the rest of the day. It was early mornings, but the schedule allowed him to be there for most of his kids’ sports events. He even got to do some volunteer coaching when his kids were in elementary and junior high. “Flying for an airline is different, as far as being able to work the schedule around your family. When you fly for a corporation, you’re on call a lot. Both make it hard to schedule around family time until you get some seniority. Going to work for FedEx made it easier to schedule family things.” - Captain David Escue, Searcy Resident and Pilot He was able to build some seniority fairly quickly. His seniority affects seat positions, as well as how they bid for schedules. The more seniority he has, the better chance he has of getting a schedule he likes. They bid on schedules on a monthly basis, though pilots can also trade off flights with other pilots. He made his present position as captain on the A300 in 2015. After 26 years with FedEx, he is now #42 out of 242 in seniority in the captain’s seat of the Airbus. Now that he has moved to Searcy and commutes to Memphis, he usually bids on schedules that are 1 week on, 1 week off. He enjoys flying freight and not having to go through the hustle and bustle of the terminals every day. It’s also been a very steady industry. Many of his current runs are at night, and the flights are often close together with time for a nap in between. It’s been a very interesting career, and though one of his sons has stayed in Searcy as the Director of Admissions at Harding, his other son lives in Fayetteville and is a flight instructor at the Springdale airport. It was a career that David never saw coming. All three Searcy Pilots got either their start or additional ratings at Searcy Aviation at the Searcy Airport. (Searcy Aviation is no longer in business, but there are several other flight instruction businesses currently housed there.) One of Philip Corder’s favorite things that he did for 14 years was an Adopt a Pilot Day. It was a career day event where he got to talk to kids about flying and his job as a pilot. His advice is to find what you’re good at and what you like to do. Where those two things meet is a good starting point for a career. “Enjoy your life! People chase the dollar or are so scared of success that they fail. You can’t always have everything perfectly planned. You’ve got to put yourself out there. It’s difficult when you’re young, but sometimes you have to jump off a cliff and build your wings on the way down.” - Captain Philip Corder, Searcy Resident and Pilot If you are interested in becoming a pilot, book a discovery flight at any local airport or flight school. Philip Corder and fellow Searcy SWA pilot Chris Alexander. Read the full issue below.

A Tour With Joe Sims By Jennifer Webb When I texted Joe Sims asking for an interview about his helicopter and the landing spot in his backyard, I never expected to find myself literally 1000 feet off the ground. “Sure! I’ll take you up in it (the helicopter). What do you think about that?” he asked me when he called back to confirm time and place. I might have lost my professional demeanor for a minute in my excitement, but I answered in the affirmative. I’d been up in small planes before, but never in a helicopter. When I got to his hangar at Searcy Airport, I greeted Joe and asked if the wind and the low clouds were going to affect our flight. “It doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you,” he told me. The Robinson R44 Raven I helicopter was beautiful and sleek—black with windows all around the cabin. He attached wheels to the landing skids and a device of his own design to push it outside the hangar. “This is how I keep from having to go to the gym,” he joked, as he nimbly bent down to lock it into place and pushed the entire helicopter out of the hangar. We disconnected the wheels and come-along, and he asked me if I wanted to fly. I wasn’t feeling quite that brave, so he took off the handle on the front passenger seat on the left-hand side of the helicopter. I got in and fastened my seatbelt, the familiar motion strangely comforting. I donned a noise-cancelling headset and paid attention as Joe went through a pre-flight checklist. He had already performed a preflight inspection on the outside of the chopper before I got there. The familiarity of the pre-flight checks made any residual nervousness fade away. For both small planes and helicopters, you check everything that can be checked on the ground. If something happens in your car while you’re going down the road, you can pull over, not so much when you’re in the air. Joe made his calls on the radio, telling other pilots in the area that he was about to taxi down the runway. In a small plane, you basically drive it down the taxiway with your feet. But the helicopter’s wheels were sitting in the hangar. We hovered over the taxiway, flying low to the ground, until the appropriate place to take off. The helicopter did go sideways once in the process, but since Joe didn’t seem to notice, I dismissed it as just being part of flying in a helicopter. “I thought helicopters were hard to fly?” I asked. “Nah. They’re easy to fly, just hard to learn.” I could hear radio calls from a student and instructor practicing around the airport. Joe’s been flying for 35 years. He started with small planes, then went to helicopters. He’s owned a hangar in Searcy for 31 years. He got his helicopter rating after taking instruction from Steve Foster in 2011. He’s had an interest in aviation as long as he can remember, starting with assembling model planes at the age of 10. He’d always dreamed about flying. In the 80s, his wife Marilyn bought him flying lessons at the airport as a Christmas present. He remembers the many people who encouraged him along the way, and does his best to pay it forward. “That’s what I do. I’ve encouraged many, many pilots. Took them flying and they went on to do big things and become airline pilots.” - Joe Sims, Helicopter Owner, Pilot, and Hangar Owner At Searcy Airport I’m not a pilot by any means, but that’s exactly what he was doing for me—taking me flying, encouraging me, and generally showing an interest and encouraging my curiosity about flying. “Where do you want to go?” he asked. “Race Street?” I hadn’t expected this question. In truth, we could have gone anywhere and I would have been happy. Just to get to go UP in the helicopter was a treat. I agreed to Race Street, and much to my delight, I found that Joe flew much lower than I had flown in a small plane. He stayed around 800-1000 feet. We flew over Henard Utility, got a great view of the Harding University Bison Football Stadium, the Searcy Lion Football Stadium, Searcy Courthouse, downtown, and the hospital. I was able to more or less keep my orientation. (Since I am “geographically challenged,” as my husband puts it, I was quite proud of myself for that.) The Little Red River makes for a distinguishable landmark from the air. Being that high up gives you a different perspective. Kids playing on the playground looked like little ants running around. Cars on Race Street looked the size of Hot Wheels. “What’s the visibility up here?” I asked. “Oh, you can probably see some of the tops of buildings in Little Rock from here. The storm that moved through yesterday cut a lot of the haze, so visibility is good today.” Little Rock is 50 miles away. And I could see just as well in the other direction. He took me to his house, and we almost landed in his backyard. We hovered a few feet above the ground. “There’s one of my motorcycle ramps,” he pointed out to me. Joe was in the motorcycle business for 40 years and was the owner of Searcy Yamaha before he retired on May 1, 2000. He personally raced motorcycles for years, competing in both motocross and supercross. He also completed the Baja 1000 in 1998. Though at 78 he no longer races motorcycles; he still follows the sport on TV. “Everything you do, if you do it right, has risks. But if you do it like you should and wear the safety equipment, and take all the precautions, then you know it’s as perfectly safe as possible.” - Joe Sims, Helicopter Owner, Pilot, and Hangar Owner At Searcy Airport “You’re not boring, are you?” I asked with a sideways grin. He just replied with a nope, but I could see the twinkle in his eye. At my request, we flew over White County Central School District, where I used to teach, then back again to the Searcy Airport. We saw cows and horses, a grass farm, lots of cell phone towers, golf courses, walking tracks, swimming pools, and houses. The wind that I had initially been concerned about wasn’t bad at all. The helicopter rotors were much less affected by them than I expected. As we were coming into the Searcy Airport to land, he calmly told me, “We just lost an engine.” It took a minute for the words to register. He was still sitting there, cool as a cucumber, piloting the helicopter. The rotors above us were still spinning. “Did you just say that we lost an engine?” I asked, mimicking his calm demeanor. I wasn’t sure that I believed him. I’d always heard that helicopters flew like rocks without the engine turning, plus he had shown me a safeguard during the pre-flight check. On the other hand . . . we did happen to be over a bunch of trees that were getting closer. “Yeah,” he confirmed . . .“Simulated. This is what it would feel like if we did lose an engine. See the speed and rotation going down to 60?” I knew from when my husband got his private pilot’s license that SIMULATING engine failure is a normal part of pilot training. (It’s also a fun way for the pilots to “entertain” passengers.) That’s why I didn’t hit the panic button. “Oh yeah, I see that.” I replied, like I had instead said, “Yes, nice weather today.” To land, Joe followed the same pattern that planes do when they land, approaching the airport in the standard way. He followed the grass beside the runway a bit, bleeding off speed and altitude. He came to a beautiful and smooth landing on the grass. It was nearly as smooth as pulling your car into the driveway . . . but vertical. I complimented his landing since I knew that a landing that smooth was a show of skill. “It won’t be quite that smooth on pavement,” he told me, as we once again took off to move the helicopter back to the hangar and “taxi,” by flying very low to the ground. But instead of the smooth, slow takeoff before, the helicopter jumped back into the air like a spring. “Wooo! That was fun!” It felt a bit like an amusement park ride. We landed again in front of his hangar and brought the ride to a close. It felt like we had been up 15 minutes, but the chronometer read 50 minutes. Back at the hangar, we sat and visited in his office. He called the student helicopter pilot who had been up and offered some encouragement, even offering to go with him on cross-country flights once he was able to solo. Joe told me that he comes to the airport every morning. Earlier in the week, he’d changed the oil on his friend’s helicopter, gave it a good look-over, put some spark plugs in, leak checked it, and put it all back together. All those are little things to Joe. But they add up to a huge investment in love for others, encouragement, and making a difference in people’s lives by showing up, being there, and showing that he cares. For me, time had literally flown, and I walked away with gratitude to Joe and an unforgettable experience. Read the full issue below.

Issue 3 2026 Across 2. JOE 3. BIPLANE 6. THOMPSON 7. CAREER Down 1. DOWNTIME 4. STATE 5. ROUTE Riddles 1. Odds and ends 2. Long time, no see 3. Before and after Read the full issue below.

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United Way Ladies Tea

By Jennifer Webb When I was a little girl, I was quite the expert on tea parties, but as a grown woman, this was my first. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I looked at it on my calendar with equal parts excitement and nervousness. But I grabbed a hat, donned my Easter dress, and walked in with more confidence than I actually felt. This ladies’ afternoon tea was a fundraiser to benefit United Way and sponsored by Michele Phillips & Company Realtors. Though I did not know exactly what would happen at an afternoon tea (other than the obvious tea-drinking), I did know about United Way. United Way’s focus is on strengthening children, families, and the community. They do this by focusing primarily on providing programs to the community and grants to other nonprofits working in the areas of homelessness, mental health, and financial security, which are all intertwined. They take both volunteers and donations to make a difference in our communities. Simply put, their mission is “to increase the organized capacity of people in White County to care for one another.” I walked into the Robbins-Sanford Center and gave my name. I had a brief conversation with Executive Director Blake Cole, who welcomed me and invited me to have a seat at one of the general admission tables. I looked around at some of the vendors and settled at a table in the back. My tablemates and I chatted like old friends. Dr. Andrea Morris from Harding University, who also serves as President of the United Way Board of Directors, spoke and explained how it all worked. First, we got hot water for our teapots. They also provided cold water and cups. At each place setting, a teacup and matching saucer sat, along with a small pouch of various teas. After we got the water, we started making tea, and then a small snack platter of traditional “High Tea” fare was served, provided by Savory Catering. We chatted comfortably at our tables until it was time for our guest speaker, former Searcy Mayor Belinda LaForce. She viewed her time as Searcy mayor and in the Searcy city offices as an opportunity to serve and to help people. Some of the best times of her life were when she was serving as mayor, and she found that she learned more when she actively listened and then spoke what she had learned. She absorbed knowledge like a sponge and put it to good use, but more importantly, she developed relationships with people. She gave this advice to other women, especially concerning leadership roles: “Stretch yourself. Get out of your comfort zone. You can do anything. Learn to listen and put it into action. You’ll be blessed by it if you do. Be yourself. Be who you are. Be honest to a fault. Your heart speaks louder and speaks volumes.” The tea selection itself was amazing. The food was delicious. As the event concluded and I walked out, it was with a smile on my face, and I found myself wanting to linger longer. It felt like I had been transported back to a time inspired by Jane Austin decor, at an event that brought people of all ages and from all walks of life together to do good in our communities. Read the full issue below.

Issue 2 2026 Across 1. TOCK 3. FAMILY 5. MISSION 6. CAREERS Down 1. TALKING 2. JAMES 4. LIFE Riddles 1. Thunderstorm 2. Turnip 3. Pardon Me Read the full issue below.

By Jennifer Webb In some ways, it looks like an ordinary house build. In other ways, it’s quite extraordinary, and it’s been quietly nestled in the heart of a small town in Cleburne County for over 20 years. A stream of workers in hard hats, tool belts, and safety glasses rotate in and out of the project all day, five days a week. Together, they build a house in 9 months and auction it off to the highest bidder. That process in itself is pretty cool, but unlike most building programs, the main goal is not a financially based one but one of building skills. All the workers are high school students, from Quitman and surrounding schools. Their teacher is Mr. Holland, who starting at ground zero, supervises and manages each build. “I think that for me, it is the best example of a true hands-on learning experience for kids that they can take and will benefit them for the rest of their lives. They are learning a skill and trade in high school that they can take and will always have.” – Michael Stacks, Superintendent, Quitman School District Mr. Holland starts at ground zero in two ways, both with the house and the skill of his crew. He starts with teens who have never built anything in their lives and are at a “this is a hammer; this is a nail” level. All students must complete an OSHA safety course before they are allowed to start working on construction. The house itself starts with laying the floor plan. They consult local real estate agents, learn the trends, and are limited by the size requirements of what can be moved down the road to its new location once it sells. They develop a floor plan, simply drawn on a whiteboard with dimensions. Then they start with laying the foundation. Over the course of the program, the students take the house from planning to foundation, to floor, to frame, to rafters, to roof, to enclosing the walls with sheathing, installing windows and exterior siding, running electrical, installing hvac, installing plumbing fixtures, insulating the walls with spray foam insulation, hanging sheetrock, finishing the sheetrock, building and installing cabinets, laying floors, painting, and all the things that make a house a finished house. As the house grows, so do the students’ skill set and understanding of how things work and are put together. “If it’s not going to hurt them, and it’s not going to cost money, I let them mess up. Then they have to fix it. That’s how they learn.” – Mr. Holland, Quitman Building Trades Instructor Mr. Lonnie Holland runs a tight ship; all students have to have safety gear on before they cross a certain line in the shop. All students can have input on the design of the house, but he ultimately has the final say. (He had to say no to a certain student who was convinced that all the walls would be beautiful in pink.) He did let her pick the hardware for the cabinets, within a certain budget. The moment he printed out a picture of the cabinets and told her, “This is going to go here,” and saw her eyes light up with understanding, he knew he had gotten through to her. This year’s house features a Barn Chic or Barn Boujie look. The ceiling in the living room/kitchen area features boards that were cut to fit, stained, and installed by the students. It’s an open floor plan, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a huge open area in the kitchen and living room areas. It feels spacious, yet cozy and inviting. Mr. Holland draws on his past military and construction experience, as well as his many years of managing the Quitman Building Trades Program. Many of their students have gone on to have careers in the construction industry, while many others have simply walked away with skills that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. “Quitman Building Trades graduates currently make up over 25 percent of our workforce. These positions specialize in fabrication, design, installation, and management. The Program teaches adolescents teamwork, accountability, communication, and leadership. All which are the core focus of our operation today. From reading a tape measure to estimating the cost of a house, Building Trades has and will continue to prepare teenagers for their careers.” – Trey McGhee, Millshop Manager for Nabholz Construction, and Quitman Building Trades graduate They partner with several local businesses that support the program. At the end of the school year, they auction the house to the highest bidder, with one going for as much as $121,000. A short drive will take you past several houses that have come from the Quitman Building trades program, doing the job they were always meant to do—providing a cozy home for a family. Though many students are from Quitman High School, other area schools that include Mount Vernon-Enola, Southside BeeBranch, Guy-Perkins, Heber Springs, and Westside Greer’s Ferry, bus students in to participate in the program. They have recently partnered with ASU-Beebe, and Mr. Holland has earned his credentials to teach the courses for concurrent credit with ASU-Beebe so that enrolled students have the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit. “There are some kids that don’t thrive as much academically until you put them in a real world setting like the Building Trades Program. These kids often find a place to land and grow. It opens our school to giving kids opportunities, not just academically but in more areas where they build life skills and apply the things they learn in their academic classes.” – Ms. Halisha Stacy, High School Principal If you would like to follow the Quitman Building Trades Program, Mr. Holland posts updates on their Facebook page so you can watch the progress of the house build each year, as well as find out auction information. Read the full issue below.

By Jennifer Webb Megan Boedeker always dreamed of badges and sirens. She remembers her dad serving as an auxiliary police officer for Independence County. As a kid, she was fascinated with police cars and always wanted to drive one some day. After she graduated from high school in Batesville, AR, she decided she needed a break from small-town, USA. She went to the University of Central Florida in Orlando, which had around 60,000 students at the time. It was a huge change from her hometown of 10,000. Megan majored in criminal justice with a minor in legal studies. She had longed for warm weather and palm trees but found there were many more adjustments to make than she anticipated, living in a large city and attending a large university. The highlight of her university experience was interning with the U.S. Marshals Service. It was the first time that she got to be in the field, and it gave her a view of law enforcement from the federal perspective. She thought about applying for a position with the U.S. Marshals Service, but there was a federal hiring freeze when she graduated. Standing at a crossroads in her life, she decided to return to Arkansas to be closer to her family. Her first official job out of college was as a deputy jailer for White County. She worked there for a year before going to work at the public defender’s office as a legal assistant. After another few years, she moved to the federal court, where she did civil and criminal docketing. Her job mostly consisted of paperwork, working for specific judges, and making their orders and rulings part of the permanent court records. She also did pro se prisoner docketing. (Pro Se is when an individual represents herself or himself in court.) She worked almost every aspect of our criminal justice system—from court, to corrections, to legal work, to the federal side with her internship at the U.S. Marshals Office—except for one—being a police officer. She returned to Searcy around 2019-2020, after taking a few years off to be a stay-at-home mom with her son. She put in her application with the Searcy Police Department while working in the jail with the White County Sheriff’s Office. Her ultimate goal was to get on patrol somewhere, whether it be with the Searcy Police Department or with the White County Sheriff’s Office. She knew Chief Hernandez from her prior work with the White County Sheriff’s Office. Maybe now was her time? She put in her application with a prayer that someone would take a chance on her. In March 2022, the call came. “I always tell Chief Hernandez that he’s my favorite Chief because he took a chance on me.” - Detective Megan Boedeker Patrol was just as thrilling as she had dreamed. Every day was different. On patrol, every officer finds a niche that each one is good at; hers was talking to people. She leaned heavily on communication, and given a choice, she would rather talk someone into handcuffs than get into a physical altercation. Out of that skill came another assignment—SRO (School Resource Officer) at Westside Elementary. On patrol, she usually interacted with people on one of the worst days of their lives. The SRO position was different. Happy kids would give her hugs daily. They were precious, and they restored her faith in humanity. She was determined to do whatever it took to keep them safe. “What I loved about being at the school was being able to build relationships with the kids. A lot of them already had negative interactions with police, whether it was just seeing someone get arrested, or seeing someone incarcerated in their family. Getting to build relationships with the kids and letting them know we are here to help and not scary was amazing.” - Detective Megan Boedeker She would often go out during recess and push swings or play basketball with the kids to help build relationships with them. The kids thrived with the attention, and she quickly became a school favorite. At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, she raced after a kid running in a busy parking lot close to pickup time. The only thing she could think of was, “I’ve got to get this kid so he doesn’t get run over.” She caught him, but felt something in her arm and shoulder tear. The only thing that mattered in the moment was keeping that kid safe. Later, she feared that the injury would be the one that ended her career. She had torn her bicep and the tendon that attaches it to her shoulder. She underwent surgery in October. Doctors had to physically move where the muscle attached. It was an extended and excruciating rehab process. She could not move her arm and was in a supported sling for a month. “My husband, Justin, has been nothing but supportive during the injury and rehab and through my career as a whole. I would not have made it through without his support!” - Detective Megan Boedeker When she finally got the ok to return to light duty, she stood in front of Chief Hernandez and told him, “ I will go wherever you tell me to go. I’m just happy to be here.” He told her that she’d still be somewhere with a badge and a gun once she returned to full duty. Her next assignment was with the Criminal Investigation Division. (CID) It was somewhere that she always hoped she might wind up, but had no idea the timing would be now. It was a whole new perspective, and with her other experiences behind her, she leaped in with both feet. She has been working with Detective Joey Corbit, primarily focusing on crimes against children, but also working property cases, crimes against people, and a whole gambit of cases so she can get the whole perspective, learn the processes, and become a well-rounded detective. She also serves on both the crisis negotiation team and the crisis intervention team. The crisis intervention team focuses more on day-to-day interactions with people who may have conditions or situations that make them more prone to experience law enforcement contact. It’s part of community-oriented policing that focuses on building relations with the people in the community. The crisis negotiation team steps in if there is a big crisis event, such as a hostage situation. When she is not at work, she finds nature to be therapy. She, Justin, and their son enjoy hiking around the natural state. Their son also plays basketball so much of her “free” time is spent taking him to and from practice, as well as traveling and watching his games. They are a big sports family, though they all cheer for different teams; yes, they are a house divided on game days. Each year, they take a trip to see at least one NBA basketball game, and she hopes to one day visit every Major League Baseball stadium in the country. Through every chapter of her career—whether she was handling dockets, working in the jail, guiding students, or answering calls in the dead of night—she has carried the same steady purpose: to serve with heart, humility, and grit. Now, as a detective, she brings all those experiences with her, turning them into tools that help her protect the most vulnerable and bring clarity to the toughest cases. Her journey hasn’t been linear, and it certainly hasn’t been easy, but each step has shaped her into a better officer. While she may spend her days navigating crises and seeking justice, she always returns home to the people and the places that ground her. In the end, her story is a reminder that service is not a single role—it’s a lifetime of showing up, growing, and choosing courage again and again. Read the full issue below.

By Mike Moffatt As human beings, we are connected in ways we cannot imagine. In biblical times, after the death of Christ, the apostles were commanded to go and preach the gospel to the known world. It is believed that the apostle James journeyed from what is now the southwestern tip of France, across northern Spain. Today, this path is known as “Camino de Santiago” or “The Way of Saint James.” I began the Camino in St. Jean Pied de Port, France (This translates to “St. John at the Foot of the Pass.”). When I checked in at the office, I received my Pilgrim’s Passport. This credential must be stamped twice each day as evidence that you made the pilgrimage. This also gives them a record in case you turn up missing, as one of my fellow pilgrims did. I began on May 16th and walked for 48 days. I covered a distance of 1,039 kms, or 645.6 miles. While many stop in Santiago, I traveled on to Finisterre, up the Costa de Morte to Muxia, and then returned to Santiago. It challenged me with many lessons with life-changing impacts. The three main things I learned were: As human beings, we are connected in ways we cannot imagine. You can’t judge a book by its cover (I have been told this all my life, but it finally stuck.). One does not need many material things to be content. For three months, I had limited clothes, no TV, no heating or AC, and I handwashed my clothes. I carried 500 Euros, which is approximately $550, enough to cover me for about a week, my US passport, and my bank card. I stayed in albergues (bunk hostels) and did not make reservations. I just walked until I got tired, usually about 2 pm. Almost everything in Spain closes from 2-5 pm for the siesta. I looked for an albergue, asked if they had a bed, and got in it. Albergues furnish a paper-fitted bottom sheet and pillowcase. If it was a private albergue, you could eat a meal with the family. The bed was about $15 and the meal about $10. There are three types of albergues: Private houses, Convents/monasteries/churches, and Municipal. I stayed in all types. The first day of the journey was unquestionably the hardest. I started at St. Jean Pied de Port, France, and continued to Roncesvalles, Spain. In total, it was about 15 miles, but it climbed 4,500 ft upward. As I climbed, a Greek myth came to mind in which the main character, Sisyphus, had to roll a boulder up a hill endlessly. I thought the climb would never end! Other famous instances also came to mind, such as The Song of Roland, the oldest epic poem in French literature. Walking through those misty, lonely mountains, it was not difficult to envision the Basque hordes attacking French invaders. I found my bed for the night in a monastery in Roncesvalles. In the bunk next to me was a couple in their 60s from Worcester, Massachusetts, who ran a Catholic charity. I spent the next several days walking with the lady as her husband liked to walk a bit faster. Her mother was from Memphis. I mentioned that I graduated from Whitehaven High School. She said, “My mother graduated from Whitehaven.” We are connected in ways we cannot imagine. On the second day, I traveled through Burguette. If you have read Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, this is where Jake Barnes, Robert Cohn, and Bill went trout fishing. It was not difficult to see them fishing in the small Urrobi River as I walked across the bridge. I arrived in Pamplona on the third day. You can drop in at Café Iruna and visit a space dedicated to Hemingway. I spent the night with Pablo who was a Rotary Youth Exchange student in 2009/2010. We walked the next leg to Punte de La Reina together. After climbing out of the Pyrenees Mountains, you come to the province of Rioja, which is famous for its red wine. Walking over the ancient Roman Via through those fields of gnarled grape vines, some of which are 100 years old, it’s not difficult to envision those Roman Legionnaires marching along and hear the tromp, tromp of their footsteps. The large city of Leon is named after the 7th Roman Legion, which was based there. It is about midway during the pilgrimage. One of the more interesting markers was the village of Carrion de Los Condes, which is to the west of Leon. I stayed that night in a convent, which was part of the Iglesia de Santa Maria and is run by the Augustinian sisters, whose mission is to offer comfort to the Pilgrims. There were five young nuns who invited the pilgrims to Vespers. We returned to the lobby of the convent and had a sing-along. There were about 20 of us, and we sang songs in Spanish, French, English, and Italian. It was one of the best evenings of my walk. I left before dawn the next morning, while locals decorated the streets for a festival. The streets are painted and then covered with flowers. The Camino had clear km markers, but I reached a fork in the road. As Yogi Berra said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” I did and eventually came to the remote village of Samos, whose main claim to fame is the largest Christian monastery in the world. It is presently the home of seven monks. In its prime, it had 70 and many students. I spent the night in the monastery and met Judy. Judy is a nun from Chicago and was walking the Camino. We spent the afternoon touring the monastery and walking around the village. The next leg was to Ponferrada where the Templar castle looms over the town. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Knights Templar’s mission was to protect pilgrims on the three Christian pilgrimages to Santiago, to Rome, and to Jerusalem. From Ponferrada, you climb into the Cantabrian Mountains into Galicia, which is in the Northwest region of Spain (North of Portugal). The typical food is octopus. For many, the journey ends there in Santiago, but I decided to walk on to Finisterre, which the Romans considered the end of the world, up the Costa de Morte to Muxia, and then back to Santiago. I met many memorable people during the trip, but one that stands out is Daniel Salyer. He taught me you can’t judge a book by its cover. I met him three days into the walk, and I immediately knew that I didn’t like him. He came into the albergue and took the bunk above me. He was from Cleveland, Tennessee, but I didn’t believe him. I was wrong. Several days later, I found myself across from Daniel at dinner. He told me his story of leaving California at the age of 17, living in his car, becoming a hobo who rode trains across the US, and finally living in a tent behind a truck stop in Cleveland, TN. He thought the owner would run him off, but instead, the man asked if he had enough to eat and offered him a job at the truck stop, which Daniel accepted. He saved his money and journeyed to Israel in 2023, then to Morocco, then took a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar and found out about the Camino, then made his way to St. Jean Pied de Port, France. Daniel was a person I met who exhibited kindness and pleasant behavior. He only had the clothes on his back but seemed very content. Material things are not very important. On the return to Santiago, Daniel told me there was a pilgrimage in Japan. He bought a plane ticket from Madrid to Tokyo for $400, and while I was still in Spain, I received a video from Daniel showing him climbing Mt. Fuji. Human beings are connected in ways we cannot imagine. Returning to Santiago, I got a bed at the albergue next to the train station. I had an afternoon to kill and was sitting on a couch in the lobby reading the magazines there when an elderly Asian gentleman sat next to me. He initiated a conversation in an unfamiliar language that I did not understand. Although he did not speak English or Spanish, we communicated effectively throughout the afternoon using sign language. The next morning, I was in the station awaiting my train to Pamplona when the Asian walked in with a group of men. He was talking to them and pointing toward me. He walked over, I stood up, he gave me a big hug, and we shook hands. We are connected in ways we cannot imagine. I went to Pamplona to Las Fiestas de San Fermin and spent two more months in Spain. I ended up the last two weeks in Bill Alexander’s condo on the Costa del Sol. This was my second stay at the location, and although I had never met Bill before, I now feel a strong camaraderie with him. As human beings, we are connected in ways we cannot imagine. The Camino brought me closer to many people that I would not have otherwise met. It was such a life-changing experience that I have plans to make another journey soon. The Pilgrim’s Credential As pilgrims traverse the Camino, they carry a passport known as the “credencial,” which is stamped at various points along the route. This document not only serves as proof of the journey but also holds symbolic significance. It is a physical representation of the pilgrim’s commitment and progress, a tangible reminder of the miles walked and the experiences gathered. Upon reaching Santiago de Compostela, the completed credencial entitles the pilgrim to receive the “Compostela,” a certificate of accomplishment. Stories of Transformation Countless stories of transformation and healing emerge from the Camino. Pilgrims speak of newfound friendships, unexpected acts of kindness, and encounters that seem guided by faith. The shared experience of walking the Camino fosters a unique sense of community, where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together with a common goal. The journey often catalyzes personal growth, helping pilgrims grow their faith, confront their fears, rediscover their strengths, and embrace new paths in life. The Legacy of the Camino The legacy of the Camino de Santiago extends beyond the individual pilgrim. It is a living testament to the power of faith, the enduring human spirit, and the bonds that unite us all. The routes are dotted with albergues (hostels), churches, and monuments that bear witness to centuries of pilgrimage. The Camino has inspired art, literature, and music, enriching the cultural heritage of the regions it traverses. It stands as a reminder that, in a world often divided by differences, the journey of the Camino brings people together in a shared pursuit of meaning and connection. Read the full issue below.

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