Across 2. CULLUM 3. FOOD 4. MAKEUP 6. TRUST 7. WITHOUT Down 1. SLIDESHOW 5. EIGHTY Riddles 1. Once Upon A Time 2. Once In My Life 3. Discount

By Jennifer Webb Photos by Searcy Living Photography Matt Easley hung up the phone as a thrill shot through him. His dream job at the Searcy Police Department had openings! He loved his patrol job at the Newport police department, but the hours left him little time to spend with his wife, Breanne, and their newborn twin girls. He went to work for the Newport Police Department in 2013 after graduating from ASU with his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and had been there for 4 years. But lately, stress had been getting to him and it was time for a change. With the new additions to his family, the timing was perfect. He had always wanted to work at the Searcy Police Department. He was already very familiar with Searcy, having worked in town since he was 16. He started in December 2017 with 12-hour shifts that allowed him to spend more time with his family. He stopped worrying about promotions and shifted his focus to what he needed to do to be the best officer possible. “Searcy is a very community-oriented Police department.” - Cpl. Matt Easley The job became fun again. He started going to training and soaking up the knowledge like a sponge. Each new thing he learned gave him a different perspective and helped him to be a better officer. Most years, he logs over 100 hours in continuing education and has been a training officer for over four years. When his girls were around four, one of his twins had just been diagnosed with autism. It shifted how he and Breanne viewed the world as they learned what strategies to use to nurture and educate her. She always wanted to know why before she complied with directions. Both of his grandparents had been diagnosed with dementia. What might happen in a different situation if one of them was not in a nursing home, but instead out wandering the streets and a police officer started demanding answers to questions they were currently incapable of answering? Could the situation potentially escalate or would it be better to slow down and take time? What about someone with autism, that has to know why before they comply with directions? He knew from his time on the small police force at Newport that it was way easier to talk someone into handcuffs than to restrain them by force. Was there a better way to respond to people who react differently? Talking people down and intervening in crisis situations could lead to people getting life-changing help and escaping the cycle of going in and out of jail. It also fit with the basics of his jujutsu training - restraining someone with the least amount of force without hurting them. Talking people down was the least possible amount of force. “If you can talk someone into handcuffs instead of having to fight or chase them, it’s a lot easier on everybody and they are a lot more likely to talk to you later on. If you tase people or throw them down they are not very fond of talking to you.” -Cpl. Matt Easley He took his training out on patrol and the more he approached being a patrol officer with compassion, listening, and respect, the more positive results he saw. For example, if he had to arrest someone at a business his approach had a drastic impact on how it went and the willingness of the people to interact with him again. He could go in, abruptly serve the arrest warrant, haul the subject out the front door, and put them in his police car. Or, he could discreetly walk in, talk to the suspect, tell him he was there to serve the arrest warrant, explain the situation to their boss, then peacefully put handcuffs on and discreetly walk them out the back door. His approach had a huge impact on the suspect’s willingness and cooperation. He also started building a positive relationship with the suspect and the business owner. In one scenario, the suspect likely ends up fired. In the other, the suspect may end up promoted when showing maturity, responsibility, and dignity in dealing with the arrest warrant. Cpl. Easley is now certified to teach crisis intervention and de-escalation. He was also instrumental in starting the Searcy Police Department crisis negotiation team, which springs into action in hostage situations or a threat to human life. A new crisis intervention team is in the works for the near future. Crisis intervention addresses mental health or behavioral crises. A team is currently undergoing training and Cpl. Easley and Sgt. Tillett will be instructors for training in this area of the state with the Arkansas Academy. Though he has held the rank of corporal for some time, Cpl. Easley recently moved from patrol to criminal investigation squad. He is excited to rise to the challenges of learning to approach his job from a detective’s perspective. He greets each challenge as an opportunity to better himself and to become the best officer he can be. In his home life, his twin girls are rapidly growing elementary students and he gives himself wholly to being Dad to them and husband to Breanne. He likes to unwind with fishing, with competitive ju-jitsu training, and relaxing with his family. In the summer, they can often be found swimming both at the Searcy Swim Center and in the lake at Heber. The girls are fascinated by aquariums, so they make it a point to put an aquarium on their vacation lists when possible. They often visit one of Searcy’s many parks or take turns singing on their karaoke machine at home. For Cpl. Matt Easley, it’s time well spent. They are his ultimate reason for doing everything he does to help keep the City of Searcy safe. “He greets each challenge as an opportunity to better himself and to become the best officer he can be.” Read the full issue below.

Across 4 AESTHETICS 7 RESTAURANT Down 1 RESTORE 2 NAME 3 STOTTS 5 HOME 6 RING Riddles 1 Three Square Meals Per Day 2 Working Overtime 3 Center Of Gravity

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By Jennifer Webb “Habitat for Humanity is an organization that tries to take care of the community. This was the community’s chance to give something back to Habitat.” It was supposed to be another scorcher - A high of 97 with a heat index of 113 F. Even though it was early morning, Rick could already feel the humidity. It was so thick you could almost swim through it. He watched as the volunteers arrived, many carrying their own personal fans. Many of them were retired, but they were tough. They weren’t going to let the heat get in the way. The Habitat for Humanity ReStore would open early again today and close an hour earlier - a concession for the heat. By afternoon, Rick knew that sweat would be pouring off everyone and those fans would blow 100-degree air on their owners. Some days were hotter in the store than outside. “I’d donate a kidney if we could get some air conditioning in here!” one spunky volunteer joked with him. That started him and the Habitat for Humanity board thinking; they had just signed another five year lease on the building. Blessed with such a fantastic location, perhaps it was time to consider upgrading the building that houses the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. One section of the building already had central heat and air, but the other, more warehouse-type part where the cash register is located, did not. The tall ceilings, big garage doors, skylights, and poor insulation meant that installing central heat and air would be a massive undertaking. It was also likely to be quite cost-prohibitive. With Habitat, all the funds raised in the ReStore support their mission - to provide low-cost housing to low-income families. With a space as big as they had, they were looking at nearly the cost of building a house to get the central heat and air installed. Still, as hot as it was getting, something had to give. Rick gave in and called Adam Hart for advice. Adam has supported Habitat For Humanity for almost 20 years and seems to always have a good solution to a challenge or issue they’re facing. After reviewing the situation, Adam connected Habitat with Justin Dodson of Dodson Heat and Air. Justin came to take a look and then he got busy calling his suppliers. Clairday Electric agreed to wire the HVAC units. Habitat for Humanity is an organization that tries to take care of the community. This was the community’s chance to give something back to Habitat. Rick and the Habitat for Humanity Board were shocked when they got the quote, in the best possible way! With everyone donating and pitching in, the estimated cost was only one-third of what they thought it would be. Habitat did what they could themselves - sealing off skylights, insulating the huge garage doors, and the community filled in the gaps. The warehouse section lost a lot of illumination after the skylights were closed off, giving it a cave-like feel. Stokes Electric took care of that; their electricians contacted a local electrical supply house to obtain nine new light fixtures and other materials. I-DO Rental provided scissor lifts so the workers could safely access the high ceiling on the HVAC and lighting installations. The extra insulation on the seven large garage doors added about 50 extra pounds to each, but Andy Sills and his technicians at Garage Door Services made all the necessary adjustments to ensure they were safe. The Habitat ReStore stayed open the entire time during the process. Now when you go in, you are met with a blast of cool air in the summertime instead of hot. It’s a much more pleasant experience for shoppers, donors, and volunteers. Shoppers can linger and look to their hearts’ content. Volunteers can spend comfortable hours supporting a mission they believe in, that gives back to the community. Habitat’s official mission - to provide affordable housing to low-income families - is only the beginning of what they do. Consider this hypothetical situation: A single Mom who has two kids and makes $15/hour applies for a Habitat house. They accept her application on the condition that she will put in 300 hours of “sweat equity” and agree to make a monthly 0% interest mortgage payment until the cost of building the house is repaid. Friends and family can work 10% of those sweat equity hours for her, but the rest, she must spend working on her own house or volunteering in the Habitat ReStore. She sees all the volunteers that come and work on the house. She works alongside the people who have donated their time and materials to make this seemingly impossible dream happen for her. She makes connections and builds relationships with them. Now she has other people who become friends, and her support network enlarges. Now, she has people to call when she needs a hand with the kids and grandmotherly influences who give her much-needed advice and encouragement. She meets other families who have children the same age as hers. They tell her how someone can get a two-year nursing degree to earn double her current wage. Right now, that’s not possible, because so much of her money is going to rent and simply surviving. But she’s also going to classes that teach her how to care for her house with basic maintenance and money management classes, and she starts to see hope for a better life. When the house is completed and she moves in, the people and the relationships stay in her life. Now that she’s not paying almost half of her salary for rent and utilities, she can afford to go back to school and get that nursing degree. The kids are doing well in school because of the newfound stability, and she has a renewed sense of confidence and self-worth. In providing affordable housing, Habitat for Humanity helps her take the steps to improve the lives of her family. The focus of Habitat’s mission is not simply the construction of homes, but the development and empowerment of people and communities. Habitat has an interest in the people involved in its ministry, both the owners of Habitat fir Humanity homes and those involved with homeowners in the construction of those homes. The organization seeks to break down barriers and form partnerships among people from all walks of life; relationships are the most important thing Habitat builds. Every time you donate, volunteer, or shop at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, that’s what you’re supporting. Along with the new central heat and air unit, that’s what makes Habitat for Humanity ReStore such a cool place to support. To find out more about White County’s Habitat for Humanity, please visit www.habitatwhiteco.org/restore.html . Read the full issue below.

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Across 3. GIFTS 5. COINS 7. THEORY 8. BAKING Down 1. MOTTO 2. FIRST 4. GARY 6. IDEA Riddles Pie In The Sky Robin Hood Time To Go

By Jennifer Webb Paul Guess turned in his resignation.  He was done moving.  He had moved seven times with the pharmaceutical company, advancing his career, but no more.  He was tired of being away from his family.  Now was the time for a new beginning.  He was no stranger to hard work.  He started working at his family’s dairy bar in Des Arc as a 7th grader. His parents taught each of their four children what it took to be an entrepreneur.    The economy was down in 2012, but he had a theory he wanted to test out - If you offer a quality product at a fair price, can you succeed?  His first store in Searcy called “Deck the Halls, Y’all” proved that the answer was YES! “Why don’t you start importing?” His brother asked him.  Paul didn’t know anything about that kind of business, but with determination, he learned all he could.  His journey took him to Harvard University and all around the world.  He traveled to meet each family-owned factory he thought about buying from, went to trade shows, and made all the contacts he could, and surrounded himself with the best artists in the world. He learned his strengths, but more importantly, he learned his weaknesses and surrounded himself with people who excelled in those areas. He expanded his business as he could financially afford it and bought the Lux fragrances and candle factory.  He relocated the factory from Marble Falls, TX to Des Arc, AR - his hometown. That’s when he began importing and designing a line called “Deck the Halls, Y’all” after his first store in Searcy. Each year, the line would have overstocks, and he took to his personal Facebook page, saying, “Hey Des Arc, we have overstocks. Come get them!” People would line up in front of the candle factory. “I want to go into business with you,”  Paul’s older brother told him. “I may be the baby of the family,” Paul told his brother who was 9.5 years his senior, “but I’m not a dumb baby." “No, seriously,” his brother insisted. “Let’s start this spring. I’ll front the money if you’ll do the hiring and the displays.” The following year, they set up a tent in the parking lot of the candle factory, and people lined up. At that point in 2015, Paul knew there was something to his philosophy of offering quality products to customers at a fair price. He knew they needed to expand, and the old Van Heusen shirt factory was sitting vacant in town. He easily obtained permission from the Industrial Development Commission. When Paul walked into the 60,000 sq ft building with no bathrooms and a leaky roof he wondered just what he had gotten himself into.   The only social media page he had was his own personal page, but they managed to set up 10,000 sq ft in Christmas displays with two cash registers. Opening day was a nightmare. “Don’t get in the way of a woman and a Christmas sale,” Paul told his Mom at the end of the day. “I don’t know if I ever want to see another Christmas ornament ever again.”  And he meant it. Momma Guess knew a distress call when she heard it and within hours, the Guess family ladies showed up in force.  His mom, sisters, and sister-in-law worked into the night reconfiguring the layout and moving things to accommodate a better flow of traffic. They made what they had work, focusing on giving their customers not only great products for fair prices but also a fantastic shopping experience. The next day was much more successful and that is how the largest Christmas warehouse in the south started. “I just want people to be able to come and experience a wonderland where they can truly forget about trials and tribulations of everyday life - forget about their worries and spend time with their family, and friends. I want them to enjoy what we have here. That’s most important to me.  If I don’t ever accomplish anything else, I’m satisfied.” - Paul Guess, Owner of Guess and Company Christmas Warehouse  Not only is Paul Guess motivated by wanting to offer quality products at fair prices and giving each customer the best possible shopping experience, but he views his business as an opportunity to give back to the community.  Current events in his personal life usually drive his donations.  For example, he gave to the American Heart Association the year that he suffered a heart attack, and the American Cancer Society when a family member was diagnosed with the disease.  He’s also given back to his community in the form of a gift to the Des Arc Chamber of Commerce. He also looks for ways to give back in non-monetary ways.  He employs at least 50+ high school students each year with the philosophy that “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”  He expects them to both look and act the part, helping them to develop valuable professional skills.  Behind the scenes, he also looks to employ people that he feels need a second chance.  He firmly believes that anyone can choose what they achieve in life and tells them that anyone can bloom where they are planted - right here in small-town Arkansas. “You can do anything you choose in life.  It’s all about your mindset and how you choose to lead yourself and others.”  -Paul Guess, Owner Guess and Company He takes the lessons of responsibility, how to interact with the public, and how to make money and hopes to pass them on to the next generation through the people that he employs.  He feels that one of his God-given gifts is the ability to tap into other people’s strengths and help them maximize their potential. You can visit him any time during the year at guessncompany.com

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By Clay Beason Plot F Row 23 Grave 19, Colleville-sur-Mer (by the sea), France. Emotions can creep up and overcome you when you least expect them. That happened to me at the Normandy American Cemetery on May 21, 2024. I had planned this small-group France trip for over a year. It would be the third year in a row to do a similar itinerary.  I was excited to have someone I worked with 25 years ago and his wife on this trip with me, along with another couple that had traveled with me before to Greece & Italy, and four individuals in their 80s. I did not know these last four, but I knew that two of them had served in the military - one in the Navy and one in the Army.  When we were granted a special wreath-laying ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery, Mr. Robert “Herky” Hardison (retired Navy) and Mr. John Myhr (retired Army) were the obvious choices to participate in the ceremony. While doing research before this trip, I went to the courthouse in downtown Searcy to look at the memorial to those from White County who had served and paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.  Since we would be focusing mostly on World War II during our time in France, I took pictures of those names.  Every name has a story.  I tried to find out as much as I could on several of the individuals.  I found out that some are laid to rest in Searcy, some in Bald Knob, in Pangburn, and other places in and around White County.  But I also found that several are laid to rest in Europe.  And at least one is resting in the Normandy American Cemetery in France. Plot F Row 23 Grave 19, Colleville-sur-Mer (by the sea), France.  This is the final resting place for Private Troylee M Bedwell.  Private Bedwell is from White County, Arkansas.  He was a member of the 300th Engineer Combat Battalion in the U.S. Army.  He was killed in action on June 21, 1944.  He received the Purple Heart, a distinguished military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving in the U.S. armed forces.  This is what I could find on Private Bedwell.  But I know he has more to his story, and I am confident he helped the Allies ultimately be successful in this horrible war. He died at a younger age than my daughter and her fiance. Perspective. Herky is 86 years old and played football at the Naval Academy in the 1950s. Mr. Myhr is 80 years old, was in the Army, and was involved in the Vietnam conflict. I’m thankful to count them as friends after this trip. And I’m so thankful for their service to our country.  Due to preparations for the 80th-anniversary event at the Normandy Cemetery on June 6, the wreath-laying ceremony was slightly adjusted during our visit.  We were able to lay the wreath we had purchased (with a banner reading “Love From NC, TN, AR” - where our tour members are from) at a wall honoring over 1500 individuals whose remains have not yet been found or identified (“The Wall of the Missing”).  We chose to honor another individual from the 300th Engineer Combat Battalion, Technician Fifth Grade Cecil Hurst, also from Arkansas.  Maybe these two young men knew each other.  Just before Mr. Hardison and Mr. Myhr laid the wreath on the Wall of the Missing, the cemetery played the Star-Spangled Banner for us.  Just after the wreath found its resting spot, Taps was played.  As I looked at Mr. Hardison and Mr. Myhr (and as I thought about Private Bedwell and Mr. Hurst), I wondered what was going through their minds.  How many times had they heard this?  How many friends had they lost in war?  After the last trumpet note faded out, there was a moment of silence.  Except for the birds chirping, you could have heard a pin drop.  There was not a dry eye in our group. After this, we watched as Mr. Hardison and Mr. Myhr were escorted by a representative from the cemetery to the resting spot for Private Bedwell.  They rubbed sand from Omaha Beach (which lies just below the cemetery) on the white cross of Mr. Bedwell.  The crosses are white with white lettering etched in them.  When sand is rubbed on them (and then cleaned off), the sand remains in the etchings and the now dark letters really stand out.  They also placed an American flag and a French flag at the grave.  Later, we were given these two flags.  I brought them home to Arkansas in hopes of giving them to a member of the Bedwell family.  I will never forget this experience. Thank you, Private Bedwell.  Thank you, Mr. Hurst.  Thank you, Mr. Hardison.  Thank you, Mr. Myhr.  I am proud to be an American! I’ll end with a short quote from General John J. Pershing that is on Private Bedwell’s memorial certificate: “Time will not dim the glory of their deeds.” If anyone has any knowledge of the Bedwell family, please get in contact with me. I would love to give them these flags that flew over the grave in Normandy. Next small-group tour of Normandy: May 20-29, 2025. If interested, visit www.TCBtours.com Read the full issue below.

By Jennifer Webb It was almost time. Keith Ferren put his hand in the aquarium and took out his snake, Maximus, that everyone calls “Max” for short. The snake seemed to know he was about to be on duty and curled happily around Keith’s hand. Officer Ferren stepped outside the door to his office into the empty hallway. *BEEEEEEEEP* An annoyingly loud bell sounded, doors opened, and kids flooded into the halls. The volume level instantly went up as their conversations filled the air. “Hey Max!” one kid stopped to talk for a minute and run his hand over the snake’s smooth scales, smiling up at Officer Ferren. Max performed his duties admirably - breaking the ice, serving as a conversation piece, and helping spark interactions with the kids. Since Keith got Max as a baby in 2021, when he was serving as the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Southwest Middle School, the snake became very familiar with being handled. Cpl. Keith Ferren chatted easily with the kids, encouraging them, asking how their day was going, joking around, and generally letting them know he cared. The kids didn’t know he had been newly promoted to Corporal; they were just happy that he had “moved up” with them to their new school. The kids were the best thing about serving as an SRO. He was committed to doing his best to keep them safe, and hopefully, being a positive influence in their lives. “Serving as an SRO is fulfilling in a different way than most positions. I get to interact with students and get a lot of feedback instantly. One of the greatest things is when I see a student five years later and they still know the secret handshake or phrase I said often. It’s a reminder that they were listening, even if I didn’t know it at the time.” - Cpl. Keith Ferren, School Resource Officer, Ahlf Junior High School In a few short minutes, the crowd around him and Max dispersed. The kids were back in their classrooms before the bell rang again. Officer Ferren went back inside his office and put Max away, thinking to himself. It was funny that at one point he said he never wanted an SRO position and now he was devoted to it. He started off with the Searcy Police Department as auxiliary and was hired to a full-time position in May 2015. He was able to put his skills to use that he had learned in the service with the 189th Airlift Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard/US Air Force as Security Forces “military police” in England, Iraq, Korea, and Spain. He worked as a patrolman with the Searcy Police Department for four years before getting the opportunity to serve as SRO with Searcy Schools. “I’ll give it two years,” he said to himself in 2019. That would give his daughter, Ally, time to graduate from high school. Now, five years later, he says that the decision to serve as SRO is one of the best decisions he’s ever made. His primary responsibility is ensuring the safety of the kids. Each day, he walks over five and a half miles, directing traffic in the mornings and afternoons, and checking all the doors to make sure everyone in the building belongs there. As a matter of procedure, all visitors must stop by the office to get a name badge. In case of emergencies or crisis—whether they make the news or are personal—he is there to provide a safe space for the kids. Additionally, he serves as a D.A.R.E. instructor, teaching Drug Abuse Recognition Education. This program focuses on healthy decision-making and encourages students to live safe and healthy lives. He loves visiting classrooms and interacting with the kids. Cpl. Ferren is on duty during school hours and attends as many games and tournaments as possible. This not only supports the kids and makes them feel safe but also allows him to meet and interact with parents and the community. As an endurance sport athlete, he understands the dedication and practice time that student-athletes commit to. During the summer, he spends his time training or working on patrol at the police department. One of his favorite roles there is on the Crisis Negotiation Team. To be able to resolve a conflict without force by using communication and listening skills is a satisfying challenge that easily applies to his role as SRO. In his personal life, Keith’s an accomplished runner and cyclist. He has completed bike tours up to 100 miles and multiple 50k runs, marathons, half marathons, 10ks, and 5ks. His ultimate goal is an ambitious 100k run. He also loves coming home to his beautiful wife, Mary. For the past 25 years, she’s been his safe space. They love going camping and just spending time together. “As stressful as this job is, I would describe our marriage as ‘Peace’.” - Cpl. Keith Ferren, School Resource Officer, Ahlf Junior High School Their children, Ally and Jacob, continue to be a big part of their lives. Ally is now in her senior year of college pursuing an agriculture degree, and Jacob and his wife, Rachel, both work at Children’s Hospital. Cpl. Ferren is proud to be a part of the SRO team serving Searcy Schools. For him, there is no better position than right in the middle of the most satisfying job he’s ever worked. Read the full issue below.