Administrative Professionals Day April 23rd 82 Years of Progress 1921-2003 Volume 4 Issue 4 Published monthly by the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce April 2003 Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce 82nd Annual Awards Banquet The Clarksville-Johnson County Annual Awards Banquet held on Thursday, March 20, 2003 was a great success with over 200 guests attending. We want to thank the Acoustic Refugees for the evening's entertainment, Tyson Foods and Wal-mart Distribution Center for their generous donations of chicken and shrimp, and the entire Banquet Committee who worked so hard to make the banquet such a success. Committee members for 2003 are Matt Wylie (chair), Cindy Herron, Josh Johnston, Janice Joyce, Darla Morgan, Reba Pridgin, Betty Smithee, Kimberly Spicer, Laura Thulis, and Lee White. Awards were presented to recipients in the following categories: The Community Pride Award went to Phillip Jacobs for his dedicated work to Clarksville and Johnson County. Small Business of the Year winners were King & Jacobs and Sonic Drive In while Corporate Business of the Year went to Tyson Foods, Inc. Community Volunteer of the Year honors went to Steve Fisher who has been very active in community work including the project enhancements for the Spadra Walking Trail. Chamber Member of the Year award winner was Steve Edmisten; Pillar of Progress/Lifetime Achievement winner was Mayor George Overbey, Jr. of Lamar and the Ambassador of the Year award went to Janice Joyce. Clarksville School District's Educator of the Year award winner was Superintendent Don Johnston, Lamar School District winner was Gloria Stumbaugh, Westside School District was Gerald Haltom, Oark School winner was Patricia Patterson and the University of the Ozarks Educator of the Year is Dr. Sharon L. Gorman (Dr. Daniel Taddie accepted award). The Youth of the Year winners were Christen Marie Brown for Clarksville, Sarah Elliott from Lamar, Lexie Pointer from Westside and James David Willis from Oark. Each award winner was presented with a plaque honoring their accomplishments and once again, the Chamber would like to thank everyone for taking the time to make nominations. 82nd Banquet Award Winners Photo Courtesy of Ron Wylie, The Graphic Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce - 2003 Executive Committee Lee White - President Matt Wylie - 1st Vice President Freeman Wish - 2nd Vice President Ken Golden - Sec/Treasurer Adele Jacobs - Immediate Past President Government/Schools Judge Mike Jacobs - Johnson County Mayor Billy Helms - Clarksville Mayor James Hester - Knoxville Beverly Wagner - Lamar Dr. Rick Niece - Schools Board of Directors Chris Allen --- Sara Lee Hosiery Steve Burch --- Century 21 Billy Dickerson --- OK/Harvest Foods Dorinda Edmisten --- Ozark Rape Crisis Center Steve Fisher --- AR River Valley Dentistry Bliss Hicky --- Regions Bank Robbie Jackson --- East Mt. Zion Trinity Baptist Janice Joyce --- Bank of the Ozarks Betty Killough --- Tyson Foods, Inc. Carol Martin --- Individual Jim Pat Mills --- Mills Oil Company Robbi Mooney ---Mid South Roller Max Slaughter --- Johnson Chevrolet David Taylor --- Individual Harve Taylor --- Individual Denton Tumbleson --- Simmons First Bank Darrell Williams --- University of the Ozarks Freeman Wish --- Mazzio's Pizza Executive Director Vicki Lyons Chamber Staff Karen Johnson Ramona Cogan (479) 754-2340 Fax (479) 754-4923 Email: cjccofc@cswnet.com New & Renewing Members *C21 - Douglas Wharton, SA *EWI Constructors *Posey Printing Barbara Fry Bright Harvest Sweet Potato Co. Carma-Graphix Clarksville Country Club Clarksville Super Center Grace Lutheran Church Hardgrave Photography Jim Pat Mills Johnson County Extension Service Kentucky Fried Chicken Kiwanis Club of Clarksville Leslie McClellan Mills Oil Company Next Generation Preschool & Daycare Patterson Oil Company Pyron Insurance Agency, Inc. Stillwell Furniture Wal-Mart Distribution Center EASTER - APRIL 20th Conversational Spanish Classes Survey The Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the University of the Ozarks by conducting a feasibility study on the need for implementation of Conversational Spanish Classes at the University. It is important that everyone respond to the survey to acquire a good indication of this need in Johnson County. So whether or not you or your organization is interested in attending a conversational Spanish class in the near future, it is important that all entities take a few minutes to answer the questions and return it within the designated time frame (no later than April 30, 2003). You can return the survey by mail to 101 N. Johnson St., fax to 754-4923 or go to the Chamber website at www.clarksvillearchamber.com, click the survey icon on the front page, download and respond by email to cjccofc@cswnet.com Governor Signs Economic Measure Governor Mike Huckabee signed HB 1179, the Consolidated Incentive Act of 2003 into law on February 20. This measure will revise tax incentives for businesses in Arkansas and help spur economic growth in the state. The new law has five components. It: Consolidates six of the state's incentives - Enterprise Zone (Advantage Arkansas), Economic Investment Tax Credit Act (InvestArk), Arkansas Economic Development Act. (AEDA), Economic Development Incentive Act (Create Rebate), Emerging Technology Development Act and Biotechnology Training and Development Act. Adds new incentives Consolidates and provides uniform definitions for incentives. Consolidates administrative requirements for incentives. Adds special benefits for counties involved in Amendment 62, Section 9 regional industrial development compacts. A four county Steering Committee has been formed between Johnson, Franklin, Logan and Newton Counties to be in compliance with this new tax incentive. The committee includes Mayors, County Judges and economic/community development representatives from each county. If you are a manufacturer planning to expand in the near future contact the Chamber office at 479-754-2340 for more information on this incentive package. Calendar of Events Central Business District Committee Meeting - April 2nd Noon; Chamber Monthly Tourism Committee Meeting - April 3rd 9 a.m.; Chamber Ambassadors Monthly Meeting - April 8th 9 a.m.; Chamber Compact Meeting April 8th 10:30 a.m.; Chamber University of the Ozarks Alumni Weekend - April 10-12, Reba Pridgin 979-1413 for information List of events planned at the Alumni & Friends pages on the University website at http://www.ozarks.edu Little Mister Johnson County Pageant - April 11th 7 p.m.; Clarksville High School Cafeteria Johnson County March of Dimes monthly meeting - April 9th Noon; U of O Seay Student Center/Cafeteria Agnes of God presented by U of O Theater - April 11 & 12; nightly at 7:30 p.m. The Bijou Players presented by U of O Walton Arts and Ideas Series - April 13th; Call 979-1346 for more information Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Meeting - April 16th 11 a.m.; U of O General Membership Luncheon follows at Noon Clarksville-Johnson County Development Foundation Meeting - April 16th 3 p.m.; Chamber Resource Alliance of Johnson County Monthly Meeting - April 23rd Noon; Emerald Dragon Restaurant News Briefs Johnson County 911 Fire Chief Ron Wylie was the guest speaker for the Clarksville Rotary Club's weekly meeting in late February. He said that the implementation plan has been in effect since 1991 and at the present time, a "hot test" is now about 60 days away. This test will validate the system for operational activation. The Arkansas High School Rodeo held the weekend of March 1 & 2 at Hurley Arena brought in between 1500-2000 attendees per day according to event organizer Bobby Hurley, Jr. There were over 500 contestants entered in the 2-day rodeo. If you would like to read all of the final numbers, go to http://www.geocities.com/rodeorazorbacks/, click on Results and then Clarksville Regional Rodeo. University of the Ozarks Alumni Reunion Weekend will be April 10-13, 2003. To see a list of events planned for the weekend, please visit the Alumni & Friends pages on the University website at www.ozarks.edu and lets all Welcome them with our marques. The Johnson County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Arkansas Community Foundation, awarded grants totaling almost $10,000 to schools and organizations in Johnson County on March 11. Recipients included: Kraus Middle School, Pyron Elementary School, Westside School District, Forrester-Davis Development Center, Clarksville Child Development, Clarksville Junior Auxiliary, Johnson County Regional Library, U of O Women, Johnson County Humane Society, Johnson County Helping Hands, Ozone Community Building, Clarksville Rotary Club and the Clarksville-Johnson County Development Foundation. Mark your calendars for The 7th Annual American Cancer Society's Relay For Life at Clarksville's Metheny Field on May 30 from 7p.m. to May 31 at 7 a.m. Contact Carol Martin at 754-2988, Roxann Tipton at 754-6331 or Becky Dougan at 979-6203 for more information. Rocky Hill Real Estate's new location will be 1219 S. Rogers beginning in April Welcome New Members Douglas Wharton, C21 Sales Associate, EWI Constructors and Posey Printing. Post Office Mural 1939 After cotton prices fell sharply and the 1927 flood wreaked its destruction, the Mississippi River Valley in Arkansas was weakened before the Depression really hit. The government embarked upon a program to place art in a prominent place, the local post office, with two purposes in mind: lifting Americans' badly depressed spirits and providing an outlet for talented but starving artists. The artists were directed by the U.S. Treasury's Section of Fine Arts to select American scenes that related to each post office's location, either through its history, local industry, or other special aspects of the community. Nineteen of these works still exist, including the one at the Clarksville Post Office. This painting was commissioned by the Post Office Department to Mary May Purser of Alexandria, Louisiana and depicts the City of Clarksville in the 1840-1850 eras. The picture shows the Springfield/Saint Louis State pulling up to the Payne Hotel on Main Street. Mrs. Purser did the work at her home in Alexandria in the winter of 1938-39 after studying records and interviewing older residents in the fall of 1938 here in Clarksville. The picture shows Main Street, as it would appear to a person looking eastward toward the covered bridge on Spadra Creek, however the covered bridge was not built until 1859. In the right foreground is the old frame Courthouse inside a picket fence. Noted historian and publisher Steve Logan noticed two errors. Edward E. McConnell's drug store and "Dad" Smith's grocery are on the wrong side. The drug store stood where Hurley enterprises is now located but the picture shows it north side of the street. The grocery appears to be where Hurley's is now but in 1850 it stood on the location of the Bradley Pharmacy building on the north side of the street. Little Rock attorney John P. Gill has made efforts to document the program and has led to the book, Post Masters: Arkansas Post Office Art in the New Deal, published by Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to restore the Louis Freund's artwork that once hung in the Pocahontas Post Office and now is on loan to the Bradbury collection at ASU.

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