Best & Worst

Best and worst stories for NEA in 2012

By Roy Ockert Jr.

Dec. 30, 2012

Since retiring as editor of The Sun last Feb. 1, I’ve had a chance to look at the news more as a consumer than in many years. On occasion a story has left me thinking, “Boy, I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with that one.” And I didn’t miss staying up most of the night to get the election results wrapped up.

As an editor, you deal with the best and the worst of news. Unfortunately, the worst makes a bigger splash, whether we like it or not, and covering stories involving human tragedy stay with you forever, though certainly not to the extent that it does those directly affected.

As 2012 comes to a close, let’s review some of the best stories in Northeast Arkansas during the past year, as well as some of the worst.

First, my nominees for the best, in no particular order:

• The Arkansas State University football team, despite a revolving door with coaches, had another banner year, earning a second straight Sun Belt Conference championship and trip to the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

• On the academic side ASU hired a new chancellor, Dr. Tim Hudson, whose expertise in international studies led the university to pursue the establishment of a branch campus in Mexico. Further, some of the many interim titles for top administrators and staff members began to disappear.

• The City of Jonesboro purchased a former bank building downtown that, when renovated, will allow the city to consolidate most services in one city hall. Adding to the good fortunes for citizens of the city, ASU abandoned its claim to the former U.S. Army Reserve Center, and the city moved immediately to take it for conversion into a new police headquarters.

• Air Choice One began offering passenger service between Jonesboro and St. Louis in February under the federal Essential Air Service program and seems to be attracting plenty of takers.

• Thanks to the persistent efforts of many ASU faculty, staff, alumni and friends, the historic Kays House was spared from demolition as part of a major campus project to build sorority houses on campus. While its longterm future is not yet assured, a final decision was delayed until funds could be raised to give new life to the beautiful old building without anybody having to stand in front of the wrecking ball.

• Americans for Prosperity, the billionaires’ advocacy group, pumped millions of dollars into Arkansas’ legislative elections this year and in most cases failed to elect their candidates. In Northeast Arkansas Jonesboro businessman Harold Copenhaver unseated immigration fanatic Jon Hubbard, while Butch Wilkins held his seat. So did state Sen. Robert Thompson of Paragould.

• Former Jonesboro Sun Publisher John Troutt Jr. was honored by the Arkansas Press Association with its Distinguished Service Award for a lifetime of achievements in newspapering.

• Abilities Unlimited came to the rescue after the president of Marck Industries, which had been processing the county’s recyclable trash, dropped its participation because of criticism and the inability to make a profit. Perhaps that will lead to new consideration of expanding the Blue Bag recycling program, which has fallen behind what many other cities and counties in Arkansas are doing.

• Ruth Reynolds finally succeeded in getting a wet-dry issue on the ballots in Sharp County, and the “wets” prevailed.

And here are a few of the worst:

• Chavis Chacobie Carter, 21, of Southaven, Miss., shot himself to death while handcuffed in the back of a Jonesboro police car. His death became a national story as out-of-town activists jumped into the fray even before the investigation had been completed. Cooler heads prevailed among local leaders, and the investigation showed some police negligence, which resulted in punishment, but no complicity in his death.

• A bright, young West Memphis businessman, Hudson Hallum of West Memphis, pleaded guilty to election fraud in connection with his election to the state Legislature. His father, a West Memphis city council member and a city police officer all pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the fraud.

• Craighead County paid nearly $328,000 to the Internal Revenue Service for penalty and interest charges related to payroll tax reporting errors dating back to 2003. Longtime County Clerk Nancy Nelms paid for the incompetent accounting, losing her position to a young challenger, Kade Holliday, who jumped into the race late as a Green Party candidate.

• Aggressive District Court sentencing and sometimes inconsistent administration by the company that provides the court’s probation and court-ordered public service kept many people in trouble with the court. Fines on top of fines, along with heavy court costs, continue to put some defendants deep in debt to the court. Hopefully, a second District Court judge next year will allow a review of policies and practices.

• A series of home invasions, including one that resulted in a resident exchanging gunfire with an intruder, left many local citizens on edge, while others decided to arm themselves. Some arrests were made, but many of the 10 or 12 crimes remain unsolved.

• The 2011 murder of Jonesboro businessman Marc Evan Despain got even dicier when his wife was arrested and his father-in-law pleaded guilty to hiring the killing.

I can hardly wait for 2013.

Roy Ockert is editor emeritus of The Jonesboro Sun. He may be reached by e-mail at royo@suddenlink.net.