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If you've lived in Magnolia for very long, you've certainly seen him around town… or at least seen the ubiquitous WDR signs. Today, you'll hear the story behind those initials.   W. Derrell Rogers went from a country boy growing up near Fordyce — without electricity, television, or even a telephone — to a Southern State College graduate who found himself down to eating ten-cent cans of Campbell's soup while working hard to build a business and a life in Magnolia.   But Derrell Rogers didn't just build a business — he helped build a community.   He served three terms as a Magnolia alderman, was president of United Way, and served on the Chamber of Commerce board. Along with nine other Magnolia leaders, he helped form the Magnolia Economic Development Corporation. He and Bob Jones negotiated the purchase of land that is now Harvey Couch Business Park, and Derrell served as MEDC president for its first three years.   He was also very active in the Arkansas Real Estate Association, an organization of nearly 8,000 members, serving as chairman of numerous committees and as president in 1989. His leadership was recognized when Governor Frank White appointed him to the Arkansas Real Estate Commission.   While serving on the Columbia County Library Board, Derrell played an instrumental role in the sale of the old library building, the purchase of the former church building, and working with the architect to convert it into the library our community enjoys today. And for those who remember the Magnolia Follies of the 1970s — yes, Derrell was involved there too.   Throughout his life, Derrell has taken pride not only in his work, but in showing up — serving, participating, and giving his best wherever he committed his time. He believes meaningful work should be something a person enjoys, often saying that when you do what you love, it never truly feels like work.   In today's podcast, we'll hear WDR's simple philosophy, how he met his wife, and the paradigm shift he's noticed in downtown businesses over the years.

There are times in life when tragedy seems to have the final word—but often, God is quietly at work, writing a greater story. Today on Life in LA, we share one of those stories. It begins with Drs. Pierre and Martine Boumtje, professors at Southern Arkansas University, who came to Magnolia from Cameroon, built a life of faith and family, and raised three sons—one of whom seemed destined for an extraordinary medical career. But when their oldest son, a gifted oral surgeon named Guy Martial Njewel Ndega, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 39, the family was left facing an unimaginable loss. What followed, however, was not the end of the story. Instead, it became the beginning of a vision—one that is turning grief into purpose and continuing a legacy of healing far beyond Magnolia. Today, we'll hear how faith, even in the darkest moments, can give rise to something lasting and meaningful.

Today's guest is someone who's logged more miles on the backroads of Columbia County than most of us could count. Terry Hanson has been driving a school bus for the Magnolia School District for 35 years — and that's not counting the year he spent subbing before that. He drives Bus 72, known to the kids as the "Cat Bus," and in some ways it's a reflection of his career — reliable, steady, and still rolling strong.   Terry's day begins out in the Mt. Vernon community, where Lafayette County is practically in his backyard. From there, he heads down those familiar roads, past places like Frog Level — the original county seat of Columbia County — gathering his students one by one on the way into town. He's seen a lot of changes over the years: from cranking open doors by hand — which has given his right arm quite a workout — to the new high-tech buses with automatic transmissions, mounted tablets, cameras, and safety systems that make sure no child is ever left behind. And somewhere along the way, he's driven not just children, but the children of his first riders — which tells you something about how deeply rooted he is in this community. And many of those riders have grown up to become outstanding citizens, and some have become personal friends. It demonstrates the importance of sticking with an endeavor. Terry was recognized last June as one of a handful of district employees with over 30 years of service, and it's a safe bet he'll be honored again when this school year wraps up. So, buckle up and ride along as we hear the story of Terry Hanson — 35 years behind the wheel, thousands of students safely carried, and a legacy of dedication that's pure Magnolia through and through.

His father either had a great sense of humor or a knack for coming up with names. He called the acreage he farmed along the Red River in Lafayette County Miracle Farms, inspired by one of his favorite sayings: "God grants the miracle — we do the work." But why did Mr. Daniels name his son Jack? "I have a lot of fun with the name," Jack Daniels told me. "Apparently my dad had a pretty good sense of humor." In the latest episode of my podcast, I sat down with Jack to talk about the story behind Miracle Farms — its roots, its name, and the faith that still shapes the work that happens out near the Bodcaw community in Nevada County. Along the way, we learn a few amazing facts about the man who keeps things rolling at the farm. Jack hopped on the lead bus from our school district as we arrived, guiding it through the gate and out into the parking pasture. His wife, Sunny, greeted our students as they filed out into acres and acres of agri-tourism fun. Minutes later, Jack was loading passengers onto the hay wagon, then taking his seat on the tractor that would pull them around the farm. Later in the morning, as I tried to corner him for this interview, he hopped on a four-wheeler promising to return shortly. "Jack-of-all-trades" might be a more fitting name than the eponym with the founder of a Tennessee whiskey distillery. Take his education, for example. A graduate of Hope High School, Jack studied both music education at Southern Arkansas University and diesel and heavy truck mechanics at Red River Vo-Tech. How many musicians do you know who also have an interest in heavy mechanics? The music part made sense for a man who grew up singing and playing and currently serves as worship leader at Garrett Memorial Baptist Church in Hope. But the mechanics part — that's where his story takes an unexpected turn. And what a story it is. Jack toured for 20 years with David Phelps, five years with the Gaither Vocal Band, and two years with The Martins. He figured knowing a bit about diesel mechanics might come in handy for someone who lived part of his life on a tour bus. "I've had the great opportunity to be involved in gospel music for 40 years now," Jack told me. "I've traveled with a lot of icons and people that I really, really look up to and think the world of." Jack got his start in gospel music at age 14, performing with his father's family group, The Ambassadors. "My dad and I started when I was 14 years old, back in '84," Jack said. "We traveled regionally for years and years, and I stayed with them all through high school." After graduating from Hope High School, Jack joined the well-known gospel group, The Martins, playing piano with them for nearly two years before deciding to pursue another interest.  "I'd always loved working with machinery," he said. "I was raised on a farm, always working on equipment, and I thought, if I ever join a gospel group, it'd be good to know how to fix a bus if we broke down on the road. So I decided to learn a little diesel mechanics to go along with playing the keyboard." That practical thinking led him to Red River Vocational-Technical School, where he studied diesel mechanics. But Jack's love of music never faded. Before long, he enrolled at Southern Arkansas University, earning a degree in music education — all while continuing to travel and perform with his family's group, The Ambassadors. It was music, too, that brought him together with the love of his life. While singing at a church one evening, he caught the attention of a young woman named Sunny.  "She just fell in love," Jack says with a smile, then admits, "I think it was the other way around." The two have now been married twenty-six years and have six children. To no one's surprise they are all musically inclined and frequently perform at local venues. About a year into their marriage, a family connection opened the door to a whole new chapter. Jack's cousin is married to David Phelps — the world-renowned tenor whose soaring voice helped define the Gaither Vocal Band. When Phelps called one day to ask if Jack might like to play piano for some of his solo shows, Jack said yes. That yes turned into twenty years of music, travel, and unforgettable moments. "Twenty years go by in a hurry," he says. "I traveled the world — played Carnegie Hall twice, performed in London at the O2, and just about everywhere in between. It was an amazing twenty years." During that time, Jack became close with Bill Gaither and the Homecoming family. He even drove Gaither's bus for several years and occasionally filled in on stage, playing auxiliary keyboards, mandolin, or dobro. "Really great opportunities," he reflects. "I got to be part of something special." Even with all the miles Jack Daniels has logged on the road, his heart has never strayed far from the land. Farming runs deep in his veins — three generations deep, to be exact. His family's story is rooted right here on the quiet backroads of Nevada County, where the Daniels family settled not long after the Civil War. The farm itself was purchased by Jack's grandfather, I.J. Daniels, in the 1940s, just after World War II. "He was born just around the curve in 1916," Jack says, pointing down the gravel road. I.J. built the original log house that still stands on the property today, and over the years the family added on to it. Jack and his family still live there, carrying on the legacy that began nearly a century ago. I.J. Daniels was something of a pioneer. In the 1950s, he became one of the first chicken farmers in Nevada County, building some of the earliest poultry houses in the area. Today, the chicken houses still dot the landscape, but the Daniels family has shifted its focus to cattle. "We raise beef cattle," Jack says. "That's our main crop here." Miracle Farms Market is where the family's work meets the community. Their beef is 100% grass-fed, raised right there on the farm from birth to finish — about 28 months of nothing but grass, minerals, sunshine, and, as Jack likes to say, "raised with love." The market also offers seasonal produce: sweet corn, purple hull peas, watermelons, pumpkins, and more. Market season runs May through July, but the beef is available year-round. October brings one of the farm's most anticipated traditions: Fall Family Fun Days. For three Saturdays each October, Miracle Farms turns into a festive gathering place. There's live music on the porch, burgers and pulled pork from the concession stand, and hayrides that weave around the fields. Families wander through an eight-acre maze, children pick pumpkins from the hillside, and the whole place hums with laughter and conversation. School groups come from all over L.A. (Lower Arkansas) — Magnolia, Smackover, Norphlet, Camden, Texarkana — to experience it. It's a joy to watch children enjoying everything the farm has to offer, especially as they set off into that sprawling maze.  As for what's next for Miracle Farms, Jack is always planning the next season. "We have a field day planned for the first of May," he said. "It'll be a lot like our Fall Family Fun Days. We'll take tours of the farm, show everything that's growing — the beef cattle, the crops — and have play areas for the kids, concessions, and live music." Jack Daniels' life has followed two steady rhythms — one set to music, the other to the seasons. Whether he's behind a piano on a world stage or behind the wheel of a tractor in Bodcaw, the same spirit runs through it all: gratitude, hard work, and a deep love for the life God has given him. The same hands that once played Carnegie Hall now mend fences and feed cattle. The same heart that poured out gospel songs now tends the soil that has sustained his family for generations. At Miracle Farms, the name fits. As Jack's father once said, "God grants the miracles — we do the work." It's a simple truth that still echoes across the fields each morning when the dew is fresh and the day begins. —- Steve Ford is a retired Baptist minister who drives a school bus, flies a drone and publishes a podcast called Life in LA Today. Find it wherever you get your podcasts or online at https://lifeinlatoday.blogspot.com

Today on Life in LA, I sat down with a man who's been part of Magnolia's story for nearly six decades. Don Higdon began barbering on the square back in 1966, when a shop might have just one pair of electric clippers that all three barbers shared. Since then, he's seen every hairstyle imaginable come and go — from the flat top and the GI cut to the mullet and beyond — and he's had a front-row seat to the conversations, laughter, and life stories that passed through his chair. But there's a lot more to Don than just a good haircut. In our conversation, I learned about the wedding he once kept secret from his father-in-law, the seasons he spent working in the oil field between barbering, and even his hidden talent for writing — short stories, a novel, and a little freelance journalism along the way. These days, Don and his wife, Carla, still keep busy helping their daughter and son-in-law, Sunny and Jack Daniels, at the Pumpkin Patch at Miracle Farms in Bodcaw. The old sign for Don's Barbershop still stands on North Vine Street, though the building now serves as a deer camp — a fitting reminder of a long and colorful career. I really enjoyed visiting with Don, swapping stories, and reminiscing about what it was like to get a haircut in the good old days — and I'll admit, I wish I still had as much hair today as I did back then. So, settle in and enjoy this conversation with Magnolia's longtime barber and storyteller, Don Higdon.

Today's episode takes us to a special community event in Magnolia, Arkansas — the annual Cruisin' Against Bruisin' car show, hosted at Immanuel Baptist Church. More than just a gathering of classic cars and enthusiasts, this event raises funds for Compassion's Foundation, an organization dedicated to offering empowering services, including emergency shelter and support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. It's an important cause, and the car show brings together people who care deeply about both the cars and the community.   The show is organized by a local group known as the Rodfathers, and I was intrigued to discover that they even have a chaplain. At first, I was surprised — but then again, why wouldn't car enthusiasts need spiritual support just like anyone else? That realization made me all the more eager to sit down for a conversation.   My guest is Steve Atkinson, who moved from the Atlanta, Georgia, area to Lower Arkansas to work at Alcoa. Now retired, he and his wife Sondra Morgan Atkinson have made Magnolia home. I found it refreshing to meet someone who moved to L.A. rather than away from it!  Our visit was set against the backdrop of over 26 cars and vehicles, more than 15 trophies being awarded, food trucks and vendors serving families, and a great day of fellowship and fun.

Philip Story grew up his formative years in the small community of Macedonia, some seven miles south of Magnolia at the intersection of Arkansas Hwys. 19 and 160. He grew up walking up the road to one of the two Franks' grocery stores that served the community. Nearly everything was sold there, including ice cold Coca Colas and those lemon flavored Jackson cookies that were sold out of the big glass jar.   Today, Philip is the co-owner not only of his own country store but the one remaining Franks store  building as well. In December of 2022, the ribbon was cut on Keith's Grocery Store a mile or so north of the old Franks store. Along with his wife Terri, son and daughter-in-law Andrew and Sarah Story and daughter Gretchen Wooley, it's a family effort running the store that has been serving the Macedonia community for decades. It was opened by William Keith  Sr., and carried on by his son, William "Butch" Keith, Jr. Butch passed away in August of 2021 inside the store he loved and served most of his life.   The store remained closed until Philip, recently retired from Albemarle, developed a hankering to return to a profession he had enjoyed in his younger years--grocer! In December of 2022 the Story family held a ribbon cutting at Keith's Grocery was open again serving the Macedonia community.   History repeats itself! Macedonia once was home to not one but two country stores, both just a stone's throw away from each other. How two stores managed to thrive and survive so close to each other in a small community has always been a mystery to me. Macedonia once again has not one but two stores serving its population.   "It was a surprise but we've just tried to put our best foot forward doing what we do as good as we can and find a way to it better and treat our customers as we want to be treated ourselves," Philip told me when I asked about the opening of another store adjoining Keith's Grocery. They've not seen a decrease in sales since the new store opened and they still offer a down-home meat counter with a selection you want find fresher or personally cut to order elsewhere.   I enjoyed my interview with Philip as much as any I've done here in Lower Arkansas. The fact that my dad and his mom were first cousins and we both had family roots in Macedonia made it that much more enjoyable. Take a moment to listen to today's podcast and you may soon find yourself shopping at Keith's Grocery,

When it rains in these parts, I often open the Facebook page of a guy that I know is going to post the amount of rainfall he received in West Lamartine. When I heard him called the Mayor of West Lamartine, I was intrigued. But when he repaired my mother's favorite clock, I knew I had to get a microphone on him and learn more about Larry Polk. Larry and his wife Jean live just about a mile off U.S. 371 in Lamartine.  As befitting a "public servant" in the role of mayor, Larry's Facebook profile and background picture both feature a highway sign bearing the name of his community. Larry and Jean are active members of First Baptist Church in Magnolia, where Larry serves as a deacon. A stack of New Testaments on his workbench attests to his service through the Gideons organization. Larry has done just about every kind of engineering there is to be done. He cut logs to put himself through college--two years at Southern Arkansas University and two at Louisiana Tech, where he earned his degree in engineering.  Having retired from Albemarle, Larry reflected that he had done everything he had wanted to do in engineering. He had worked with pumping in the brine field, on transformers providing power to the wells and even in drilling operations.  Larry at the rain gauge   So it was no wonder that when a friend handed Larry an old clock years ago and asked if he could get it running, he added another skill to his resume. Larry became a clockmaker, a term that is used to describe someone who repairs clocks. There's much that can go wrong with one of the old clocks. They can get "out of beat", causing them to stop running altogether. He has diagnosed a case of this issue by asking his client to hold his phone up to the clock so he can hear the beat. Another problem may be the wear and tear that comes from the gears continually spinning, sometimes causing the hole in which they sit to become elongated and restricting movement. In the case of my mom's clock, it had been in storage for eight months and some of the gears became rusty. A cleaning put it back in working order and it keeps good time today. Obviously the title of Mayor of West Lamartine does not indicate an elected position. He earned the moniker when a neighbor on the other side of U.S. 371, Greg Rich, referred to Larry as Mayor of Lamartine. Larry replied that he was only mayor of the western half while Greg was the mayor of the eastern half. Lamartine is one of the oldest communities in our county. As I spent some time there talking to Larry, I became intrigued with what is labeled by some as the oldest community in our county. It's on its way to becoming a ghost town, save for the modern houses that remain. Once upon a time, a two-story brick plantation house was home to John Dockery and his son Thomas, who rose to the rank of Brigadier General during the Civil War.   Dockery named the community after a French poet and politician, Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine, whom he admired. Dockery had big plans for the new community, which in 1851 boasted a post office, a few stores and a number of churches. Most of their remains are long gone today.   Two events occurred which kept Lamartine from becoming the economic center of Columbia County.  Dockery and local investors began work on a railroad that would connect the Mississippi River with the Red River.  Dockery became president of the first railroad company to be chartered in Arkansas, the Mississippi, Ouachita and Red River Line. But the Panic of 1857, along with the approach of the Civil War, brought the project to a premature end.  Dockery died in 1860 and many of the young men from Lamartine were scattered by the War. When the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railroad was built through Waldo three miles to the south, any hopes for developing Lamartine were dashed. Today it is little more than a ghost town. A memorial marker on the highway tells the abbreviated history of the community. It incorrectly lists Lamartine as the birthplace of T.P.  Dockery.  He was actually born in Montgomery County, North Carolina, where his father had participated in the Indian removals there. The family moved to Tennessee and on to Columbia County, where land was plentiful and cheap.   Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church The plaque sits at the intersection of U.S. 371 and County Road East 60, which leads to Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church and Shiloh Cemetery, one of the oldest and largest in the county. Shiloh church was built in 1853 and organized in 1855. According to an article in the Banner-News of October 1936, Shiloh's first building was of split logs; the second of dressed lumber from the Grance Courtney sawmill nearby. The second building was partially destroyed by a storm so a third building was constructed in 1892 and remodeled in 1924. The fourth and present building was constructed in 1958, a modern brick structure with an auditorium capable of seating 250 people.  The adjacent cemetery had over 1,000 graves situated there in 1936, according to the newspaper article. Sarah and Don Ray have devoted time and energy to the preservation of the cemetery, which is a separate entity from the church. Sarah told me last year that there were over 2,000 graves as of 2023. Many of the cemetery records were lost in a house fire, so the Rays were working on a new count to replace the one lost. A cousin, LaJoyce Doran, told me that Shiloh was the church where her aunt Katie Hyde had died and was buried. Katie passed away dramatically one Sunday morning while sharing her testimony at church. She succumbed while speaking at a revival service, shouting that she could see Jesus before she passed on the spot. What a revival service that must have been!  The plaque stands in front of the site of several stores that were built prior to the railroad coming through Waldo. Most of the store owners packed up shop and relocated to the south. One of those who did so was Joe Washington Dorman, a farmer who transitioned to blacksmith. His grandfather, Green Washington Dorman, had moved to the area first from Spring Hill, then Emerson and finally settling between Lamartine and Falcon. The senior Dorman had come to the area with his wife, lured by free land. He and his wife had 18 children, 16 who lived to adulthood. His son, Wylie Richard Dorman, was one of those survivors. His son, Joe Washington Dorman transitioned from farmer to blacksmith and operated a smithy, or blacksmith shop, across the road from where the plaque now stands. His wife's father, J.W. Whitehead, had been a blacksmith and perhaps it was from him that Joe learned the trade. When the railroad came through Waldo, he was one of the merchants to relocate.  Joe Dorman's sons learned to weld and drive welding trucks and were working in the oil fields at the tender age of 14.  Joe had taught them to weld in the 1920s, converting Model T Fords into wagons when people could no longer afford gas during the Great Depression. They called the converted Model Ts "Hoover Wagons".  Dr. Tony Dorman shared the information about his family line. He observed that his grandfather had lived near Dr. Grimmett in Waldo and married the twin sister of Grimmett's mother. She died in a freak accident from injuries she sustained by backing up to the fire place. Tony's grandfather, as he tells it, went to Rosston, found an old maid and married her since he had been left with an infant child following his wife's demise. To the west of the plaque, County Road 60 is known as Beech Creek Road. The Mayor of West Lamartine lives down this road, not far from U.S. 371.  His brick house, neat as a pin, sits back from the road behind his pond. Out back he maintains a garden and his weather observation site. Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church  Go far enough out the Beech Creek Road, as I did recently and you'll come to Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church, founded in 1850.  It attests to the importance of religion in the founding of Columbia County. Tony's great-great grandfather, Green Washington Dorman, is buried in that church's cemetery. He was born in 1920 and died in 1907. But it's time to get back to the mayor and his ability at clock repair. He had always wanted a clock and today owns several. His favorite is a weight-driven model from the Gustav Becker Clock Company. Becker is one of the better known and higher quality clockmakers from the mid to  late 19th century. Some of his clocks are so well made of such quality material that they were still precise after over 100 years of service.  Fun fact: many clocks with pendulums have the letters R and A, separated by a down arrow. My mom's clock has these letters. This has led some folks to make the observation, "I have an RA clock." But the R/A is not the name of the clock, but rather instructions on adjusting the pendulum. R stands for Retard, A is for Advance. By turning the adjusting knob below, the pendulum will swing faster or slower.  Larry's workshop held three or four clocks he was working on at the time of my interview, and they were all unique and interesting models.  Given enough time and parts, which can sometimes be difficult to come by, he will soon have them all operating correctly again. This has been a longer introduction to my podcast than usual. Much of it came from the entry on Lamartine from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, but other of it came from Facebook correspondence. I'm always intrigued by vibrant communities that once existed but today are a mere shadow of the past, remembered in piles of bricks or church cemeteries. It's doubtful that Lamartine will ever be restored to its former glory, but that's probably ok with its current residents. Larry is a soft-spoken man of deep faith. I enjoyed visiting with him and hearing his story. If you'd like to take a listen, I encourage you to click the link below or tune in wherever you get y

Long before those of us who speak our particular version of English inhabited what is now Lower Arkansas, early man inhabited the countryside. Dr. Carl Drexler is research archeologist for the Arkansas Archeological Survey stationed at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. He is intimately familiar with all periods of cultural development in this region and recently expanded upon them at a talk at the Columbia County Library.   Dr. Drexler was born three years before the release of the first movie featuring the exploits of Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr. and admits he did not see the series until his teen years. And while he may actually own a fedora, he prefers a different style of hat when he's working in the field. Unlike Indiana Jones, he does not use a bullwhip in his work, but he does have a nickname. You'll just have to listen to the podcast to hear what it is as we wouldn't want to make it to accessible by putting it into print.   And like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, there are stolen artifacts that need to be recovered. In 2006--before Dr. Drexler's assignment at SAU began--26 bowls and pottery objects valued at over $100,000 were stolen from the Survey headquarters on the SAU campus. The objects have been listed on the FBI's National Stolen Arts registry and may be viewed on the FBI's website at this link.  And while there have been reported sightings of some of the objects through the intervening years, the reports have not panned out. The mystery continues!   If you're interested in learning more about archeology in South Arkansas, check out the website of the Red River chapter of the Arkansas Archeological Society at this link.   To learn more about the first peoples to call Lower Arkansas home and find out Dr. Drexler's nom de guerre, take a listen to my interview.

Take it from John Harden: the solar eclipse coming up April 8 is an awe-inspiring event with spiritual impact that you don't want to miss. As a father who took his family to see the last, John has first-hand experience. Back in 2017 they drove from Magnolia to Lebanon, Tennessee to witness the eclipse. "You've got to get into the region of 100 per cent totality," John told me. "I drove eight hours to see it the last time, that's probably the extent I would have done it in 2017 but knowing what I know now, I would have driven two days for it. It is that much of a must see. It's incredible." John recommended watching the weather forecast carefully.  Depending on what the regional forecast holds, you might want to get up early to go north or south to be on the line of totality. "It's a deeply spiritual experience," John told me. "Some Bible passages will never read the same again after you experience this: Psalm 19:1, 'The heavens declare the glory of God and the expanse proclaims the works of his hands." And Genesis 1:3, 'Then God said let there be light and there was light.' These passages will never read the same." John noted that many people are moved to tears by the experience of seeing the eclipse. He compared it to making a trip to the Holy Land.  "The Holy Land will take you back to the time of Jesus, this (the eclipse) will take you back to the time of Creation," John explained.  John also recommended getting to your location early, expect traffic delays and be prepared with food and water in the event you are stuck in traffic. As you prepare to view the 2024 Solar Eclipse, take a moment to listen to my interview with John Harden recorded on March 29.

It's hard to believe a full decade has passed since the quintessential voice of Lower Arkansas announced not only his retirement but also his departure from Magnolia for eastern Tennessee. After more than 60 years with Magnolia Radio—KVMA and KFMV as they were known—Ken Sibley turned off the mic, hung up the headphones and left the studio. He and Carol moved to Collierville, TN, where three of their five grandchildren lived, of course with their parents.  Ken had held nearly every leadership position imaginable in church, city and county, in addition to his work in radio. He's a great bus driver and excellent story teller to boot, which landed him a short tenure as a charter bus driver in the Memphis area. He drove me on my first children's church camp trip to Siloam Springs and loves to describe the forlorn look on my face when he dropped me and 20 rowdy kids off for the week. I caught up with Ken through the miracle of modern technology and enjoyed the virtual stroll down memory lane. We reminisced about people we worked with and some of the programs that aired back in the day. Today's generation can't appreciate The Friendly Show, The Mary K Show, I Remember When, Hospital Calling. A few folks remember some of the commercials that aired through the years: Bill Bigley's "Throw away your plumber's friend and call your friendly plumber Broadway" was a fixture in the '50s and '60s; the Magnolia Insurance spot that began with "The Fire Alarm has sounded in Magnolia!" If you've never heard Ken's radio voice, here's your chance to be introduced. If you've been missing that friendly patter, then here's a shot of nostalgia for you.

As a young man, David Rankin had never given any thought to becoming a college professor, let alone an administrator of higher education. His mother had moved back to Arkansas from Tennessee--first to Hot Springs, then to Junction City--after his father had died in World War II and he had just begun college. After a stint at factory work, he decided he preferred higher education and was attending Louisiana Tech University. "David, have you ever thought about being a college professor," asked E. Carl Jones, professor where David was then currently enrolled. "It never crossed my mind the first time," David replied. "Colleges of business are growing like wildfire and they need young instructors to come out and help," Jones told him.  He had just successfully completed a presentation the previous week in class and decided to give it a try. He was accepted to Middle  Tennessee State University and decided he liked the field, so he later began a doctorate program at the University of Mississippi, where he met another student from South Arkansas. That was Louis Blanchard of Magnolia, who went on to become a long-time professor of accounting at SAU. Rankin told Blanchard if they ever had an opening in finance at then-Southern State College to let him know. After David and wife Toni had talked it over, he decided to submit a resume. One day the phone hanging on the wall in their married student apparent rang and David answered it. On the other end was the president of Southern State! "I answered the phone and he said, 'Mr. Rankin, this is Imon Bruce at Southern State College, and we want to offer you a job as assistant professor of business at'—and I had told Toni, if they will offer me at least $8,000 I'll  go to SSC. He said, "We'll offer you as assistant professor of business for eight thousand and forty dollars.' I said, 'Dr. Bruce, sign me up, I'll be there.'" He began his career here in 1968. David had married the attractive redhead--literally the girl next door in Junction  City--and the two have three adult children, all of whom live near the family home. John and Curt are involved in the family timber business and Beth Anne Rankin Baker recently completed her doctorate from Vanderbilt University. David has a gift for making the complicated simple and interesting. The "dismal science" as economics has been called is something David is passionate about. Witness his latest book, The Economics of Freedom written by Dr. Rankin with the assistance of daughter Beth Anne. The two have been promoting the book locally and a copy is available in our local library or for sale in the SAU bookstore on the square in Magnolia, Arkansas. The book is also available through his website, RankinEconomics.com, where you can read his blog posts or watch the two-minute videos on a variety of topics. It's even possible to see money growing on a tree as you take in topics like inflation, government regulation, and debt monetization, each in about two minutes! He currently serves as the chairman of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors, now under his fourth governor. When the current SAU president resigned to go to Henderson, the Board of Trustees asked Rankin to return as interim president while a search is underway for his successor. He will serve in that position until June and becomes what I assume is one of few to be former president, president emeritus and interim president of an institution of higher education. Having read up on all of his accomplishments, I must admit to being somewhat awe-struck at the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Rankin, and not the least because I know next to nothing about economics. But David's ability to make a complicated topic clear and his unfeigned humility made the interview really fly by. As a long-time student of leadership, I asked him what he thought were traits of an effective leader. "First," he replied, "I think you have to do everything you can to get rid of the ego. Pride and ego is just a downfall and they can just carry you down." And second, he says, is the ability to listen to people. "You have to listen to people, you have to be a participatory person," David told me. "That doesn't mean you allow all the organizations to make the decision, but you want to know and you want to be where people can come and look at you and say, 'I've got a complaint.'" If you want to listen to people, I highly recommend you take a listen to today's podcast. You'll then want to pick up your own copy of his book, where you'll learn the importance of freedom to our economic system. You'll also learn the "secret weapon", what David calls the "secret sauce" of capitalism that is available in few other economies. As always, click below to listen to the podcast and be sure to share this with others. You may learn something about the "dismal science" you weren't expecting!

For Dr. Mimo Lemdja and her family, adapting to life in L.A. has been a breeze--a warm, summer breeze that is. Originally from Cameroun in Central Africa, she moved to Canada where she completed high school, then moved to Minnesota.  She finds the climate in South Arkansas much preferable to either of those locations! Her medical studies took her from Minnesota to New York where she met her future husband. She and  Mathias Groghue, have three children. David, Kelly and Matt attend Magnolia Public Schools and together the family has made South Arkansas their home. Mathias is originally from the Ivory  Coast but the two met and fell in love in New York and she might have been content to practice medicine there as the need was great, but life had other plans. They moved to Fayetteville to complete her medical studies and while there she heard about an opportunity to practice in Camden. From there it was a short step to Magnolia where she serves as medical director for UAMS. It was a welcome change for Dr. Lemdja! About the time she gave birth to her last child, she was still delivering babies and keeping very busy. The pace was getting to her and the opportunity to move further south let her and her family come to Magnolia. It's a different  pace of life here, she said. She didn't know how to react at first when her patients would bring her vegetables from their garden. It was a lifestyle she quickly grew to appreciate! The medical needs are different here than in her home country. Fortunately we're not plagued with malaria, yellow fever or other tropical diseases. One of the biggest health issues she faces with her patients is diabetes, which is often complicated by diet. But a growing issue that caught her by surprise while practicing in  Camden was opioid addiction.  She has worked with many patients struggling with the problem and has come up with a two-step approach to help them break the addiction. The program involves medication and counseling and thanks to a grant she has received, it is accessible to anyone suffering from opioid misuse. Opioid addiction can begin easily enough, perhaps with treatment for a back injury, child birth or any other pain issue. As the patient continues taking the medication, the relief decreases and they may ask their doctor to increase the dosage. She saw some patients taking up to 180 opioids per month when she first came to South Arkansas. If the patient can't get the amount they want, they may go to the street for cheaper alternatives, such as methamphetamine.  From there the problem grows as the patient spirals downward in addiction. Because she wasn't prepared to deal with such a problem, Dr. Lemdja began to study opioid addiction with a view to finding an appropriate treatment. Her studies and investigation led her to a grant which offers a viable treatment. The treatment involves a different medication to help taper off the dependency. It also involves psychotherapy with a counselor specializing in the problem. The therapy is provided by "telemedicine" so the patient doesn't have to go out of town for a visit. If you or someone you know needs treatment for opioid misuse, they can request an appointment with Dr. Lemdja by calling 870-786-2033, the number for her private clinic.

Some 40 years ago, a young letter carrier walking his route in the south part of Magnolia became convicted that a certain neighborhood needed to hear the Gospel. Because of his conviction that God was calling him to start a new work, Larry Roach planted the seeds for what would become Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ. Larry and his wife Wanda began the work with Bible study and worship in what had been a barbershop on Lodge Street. From those humble beginnings came the growing ministry that now seats up to 200 people and from which the Gospel is proclaimed regularly. Larry's fruit in ministry came as a result of many folks seeing the potential in a young man from Huttig, Arkansas. His school superintendent told his mom that Larry needed to go to college after graduation, rather than continuing to work in the sawmill like so many in his community. His superintendent helped launch him in his studies at Southern Arkansas University. Following graduation and a stint teaching at Magnolia High School, the father of one of his pupils asked him to go to work for him in the Post Office. But it was while walking his route along South Washington, Lodge and Strickland Circle that Larry felt the call to plant the new church. He had been preaching since his teen years so serving the Lord was not new to Larry. Later this year in December, Larry and Wanda will lead the church to celebrate 40 years of growth in the community. And the day after, the Lord willing, they will continue to lead the church into her 41st year of service. I had a great time visiting with Larry. His love for the Lord and desire to serve and advance the Gospel are apparent. It was also fun to hear him mention by name so many of the folks that I knew coming of age in this part of L.A. And to top it off, he did not shy away from answering my question of what people most need today

Fresh out of broadcast school in Missouri, the young man was hired on his first interview with Radio Station KVMA in Magnolia, Arkansas. Not only was he hired, he was told he was going on the air! With just minutes before opening the mic, Bill Bigley and Bill Merrell asked, "Is that the name you are going to use on air?" What was wrong with his name? He had used it all his life up until now. But suddenly, it was time to choose a "radio name". His Spanish teacher in high school had told him there was no Spanish equivalent for his first name, so she said she would call him by a similar name. His middle name rolled readily off the tongue, so it would be fine for a last name. He cleared his throat, opened the mic switch and spoke, "Hi, I'm Dan Gregory." And so the legend began! His given name isn't really that difficult to pronounce, though the surname is Swiss. And he doesn't really make a secret of it. But after 45 years on the air in Magnolia as Dan Gregory, he will let the cat out of the bag and publicly reveal his given name in today's episode. I had the privilege of working with Dan during my radio days back in the late 1970s. My mentor was Ken Sibley and he and I had a morning newscast for several years that helped me overcome my natural fear of speaking in public. I also learned which buttons NOT to push during that time.  Local radio has changed tremendously in the intervening years. Where once folks tuned in daily to hear the local news, weather forecast, school menus, hog futures, list of current hospital patients and even birthdays, now most of that information (except hospitalizations!) is available elsewhere. Meaning on the Internet!  As the song goes, "Video killed the radio star"; so internet for the most part has killed the local radio program. Most people today have never heard of Mary K, Gladys Martin Oglesby or Margie Wagnon. Who among us is old enough to remember the commercial that began with a laugh track, then concluded with Bill Bigley intoning: "I'm not kidding! I said, 'Throw away your plumber's friend and call your friendly plumber Broadway!'" That commercial ran just like that for so many years that when we switch over to the AM frequency, you can almost hear it coming over the airwaves! Dan was the on-air voice of KVMA/KFMV for many years, serving as host of the online swap shop known as "The Friendly Show". But he really found his niche when he began sports broadcasting. The station carried one little league game each afternoon and Dan cut his teeth learning to call the sport. But he moved on up to the big time in high school and college sports, becoming "the voice" of Panther and Mulerider sporting events. He was inducted into the SAU Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 for meritorious service. Recently he was recognized at one of the SAU home games for his 40 years of broadcast experience with the Muleriders. We had a great time reminiscing and I think some of the fun spilled over into this program. As with most "behind the scene" interviews, the best stories can't be told. But there are plenty here to keep you going. And if you listen long enough, Dan will reveal the name he was given at birth. Take a listen!