Local musicians perform last Friday evening, May 6 in a beloved historical location in Corning, Hop Alley. The remaining piece of the alley can be seen in the distance. One can’t help but think about all the countless Clay County residents who walked, shopped, worked, played pool, and ate in popular cafes in and around Hop Alley throughout Corning’s history.
Small towns are a place where values are important, they are practiced, and the people are authentic. One only has to look at the popularity of Hallmark movies, the Andy Griffith Show, Sweet Magnolias, Bedford Falls, and the Gilmore Girls’ town of Stars Hollow with themes around small town living to see that people embrace small towns and all they symbolize.
Had a letter last week from long-time friends, Mr. and Mrs. Dolpher Trantham, Winter Haven, Florida. He was growing up in communities East of Black river at the same time my father’s family was living in the Ring, White and Walnut Grove communities.
63-year-old Leslie Dunlap of Reyno died Tuesday, May 10 when his 2009 Chevrolet struck a farm implement pulled by a westbound John Deere tractor on State Highway 328 near Clay County Road 135. The collision occurred at 8:37 p.m. Arkansas State Police investigator, Corporal Nicholas Poulsen reported following the crash, Dunlap’s vehicle continued traveling eastbound before leaving the roadway.
Members of the Corning Chamber of Commerce met for their May luncheon at 11:30 a.m. at the El Acapulco restaurant with speaker, Mary Groves from Arkansas Methodist Medical Center’s Inpatient Acute Rehab Department presenting information about their rehab services. The department is located on the fourth floor in the hospital at AMMC. Groves explained, “We offer occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy on an inpatient basis. The difference between outpatient therapy and inpatient therapy is with outpatient, the patient is able to physically go into another facility for therapy and at our facility, they stay in the hospital. It’s also different from a therapy and skilled nursing facility where they stay there, but they get maybe an hour a day versus five days a week. We’re designed for the patient who desires to return home, you know, back to their normal previous level of function. So, our goal is a shorter length of stay than maybe at a skilled rehab nursing home because at our facility the average length of stay is anywhere from one week to 12 to 14 days, versus at a skilled nursing facility is about 20 days.”
Local musicians held an acoustic jam session at Hop Alley in downtown Corning on May 6 at 6:30 p.m. People brought their lawn chairs and came out to hear musicians play and sing songs of various musical genres on the cool, but beautiful May evening. The event was spearheaded by Colton Ladyman and Randall Godwin and was such a success that another event is planned for June 3, 2022 at 6:30 a.m. in downtown Corning. Those who would like to play music are invited to attend as well as those who enjoy listening to music.
The Corning Chamber of Commerce announces it’s time to start planning for the annual Fourth of July Celebration. Raffle tickets are now on sale for this year’s cash prizes. There will be three drawings, a drawing for $5,000, $2,000 and $1,000. Each ticket sells for $3, or a book of 10 can be purchased for $20. The money will be drawn at the conclusion of the Miss Independence Pageant. A person can only win once and does not have to present to win.
The Corning City Council met on Monday, May 9 at 4:30 p.m., earlier than the usual 6 p.m. at City Hall with councilmen, mayor, attorney and clerk present. After the approval of the minutes, Income and Expense Reports, Purchase Orders and bills payable the mayor began the meeting with the old business of a community center gym update. He told the council that they had put three new cameras, one that faces the entry door and then one for each of the workout rooms to upgrade what’s already there at a cost of about $8,600. This package came with a lock that comes with 200 fobs. In terms of adding and deleting an account, Mayor Ahrent said they should be able to handle all that easily.
Corning Lady Bobcat Whitley Bolen was recently named to the Best Under the Sun Girls Basketball Team by the Jonesboro Sun. Bolen was a force to be reckoned with during the Lady Bobcats’ 2021-2022 season. She earned All-State and 3A-3 All-Conference honors while leading the team averaging 15 points, seven rebounds and two steals during the season. The Lady Bobcats ultimately won the 3A-3 Conference Champions.
TUSCALOOSA, AL - Caroline Goodman of Corning is a 2022 recipient of the prestigious Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award from The University of Alabama. Goodman, a Biology major, received the award for a research project titled “Identification of potential neuroprotective compounds using cellular membrane affinity chromatography with immobilized tyrosine kinase receptors B.” Award recipients are nominated and selected by University faculty and staff research directors.