Top 10 headlines of 2016
As 2016 draws to a close, it is time to review the top headlines of the year. Siloam Springs saw many changes in 2016, resulting in stories that were exciting, fun, serious and sad. When compiling the list of top news stories, the Herald-Leader staff considered not only community impact, but also the amount of buzz the story created. The top 10 stories of the year are, in descending order:
10 Tori Miller named Miss Rodeo Arkansas
Tori Miller of Siloam Springs was crowned 2016 Miss Rodeo Arkansas during a coronation ceremony in January. Miller earned the title during the Miss Rodeo Arkansas competition at the Saline County Rodeo and Fair in September, 2015. Miller qualified for the state level competition by winning the title of 2014 Miss Rodeo of the Ozarks in Springdale. She spent 2016 representing her home state at rodeos, parades and major events across the country. In December, Miller went on to compete for the title of Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas.
9 Pokemon craze
In July, the mobile app Pokemon Go became wildly popular in Siloam Springs and the rest of the country. Players of the game, which bridged the online and real world, filled downtown Siloam Springs as they searched for Pokestops, or real life landmarks that must be visited to obtain ingame items; Pokemon, the monster that the game revolves around capturing; and gyms, where players battle other players in the game. There were four visible Pokemon gyms in downtown Siloam Springs, including locations at the Cafe on Broadway and Community Christian Fellowship. Local businesses reported an increase in business due to foot traffic generated by the game, while city officials raised concerns about the dangers of so many people walking around unaware of their surroundings. Like many fads, the popularity of the game died down over time.
8 Ramey named state superintendent of the year
Ken Ramey, superintendent of Siloam Springs Schools, was surprised during the school board’s September meeting with the news that he was named 2016-2017 Superintendent of the Year by the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators. Richard Abernathy, executive director of the AAEA, presented Ramey with the award and he was congratulated by former recipients who attended the ceremony.
Superintendent of the Year candidates are chosen for their leadership in learning, communication, professionalism and community involvement. Abernathy said he had never seen a more deserving or humble person receive the award.
The award puts Ramey in the running for the National Superintendent of the Year. He will also be recognized and honored with other State Superintendents of the Year from across the country at the American Association of School Administrators National Conference on Education in March 2017.
7 CASS named after Louie Thomas
The one-year-old building that houses the Career Academy of Siloam Springs was renamed the Louie Thomas Industrial Technology Center in honor of the late educator and school board member during a ceremony in October. Thomas served for 31 years as a teacher and administrator, and 14 years on the school board. Throughout his career he played an active role in advocating for technical training for youth.
Although Thomas was very ill, he was proud to attend the grand opening of the building in October 2015. He died less than two months later in December 2015 after a battle with cancer.
CASS is a charter school within the Siloam Springs High School that teaches manufacturing trade skills such as industrial maintenance, welding, hydraulics and electronics that equips students for entry-level industrial technology jobs.
6 Mt. Olive Street improvements completed
Mt. Olive Street went on a successful diet in 2016. The road slimmed down from 37 feet wide to 23 feet wide as
part of the Siloam Springs Downtown Master Plan, intended to increase downtown walk-ability by expanding sidewalks and slowing vehicle traffic. The street was closed down for most of July and August, but reopened in the fall. Once the project was complete, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department overlaid the road with new asphalt in October. The overlay only caused one lane of the street to be closed at a time. Meanwhile, city crews continued to work on installing landscaping, including native trees and shrubs, alongside the newly narrowed streets.
5 SSHS wins three state titles
Siloam Springs High School won three state titles in 2016. The Siloam Springs girls soccer team won the third straight Class 6A state championship after defeating Russellville 1-0 on May 20 at Razorback Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas. The Lady Panthers finished the 2016 season with a record 13-8-1 and a four year total of 55-31-1. The same day, the Siloam Springs boys soccer team won the Class 6A state championship against Russellville with a final score of 2-0 at Razorback field.
The Siloam Springs girls cross country team pulled off another three-peat during the 6A state championship, held at Oaklawn Park on Nov. 12. Even though Lady Panthers lost one of their top five runners, six of their eight finishers set new personal records and the team won its third straight state championship. Siloam Springs had five of the top 11 finishers in the race and scored 33 points, 16 points in front of second place Lake Hamilton, which had 49. Russellville was a distant third with 69 points. Siloam Springs’ girls cross country team also won state titles in 2001, 2002, 2011, 2014 and 2015.
4 Three-eighths cent sales tax extension
Voters in Siloam Springs overwhelmingly chose to extend a 3/8th-cent sales tax for another 10 years during the March 1 primary. The tax extension was the topic of much discussion leading up to the election. The tax was adopted in 2006 and set to automatically expire in May. The city Board of Directors agreed to place the renewal of the tax on the March 1 ballot with the condition that half of the funds from the tax be used on quality of life projects and the other half on utilities and infrastructure.
The tax collected $8.94 million from 2006 to 2014, and is projected by the city to amount to $13.7 million over the next 10 years. It was originally adopted in 2006 as part of a 1-cent tax increase to renovate the city’s aging electrical system and construct a $20 million sewer plant. The other 5/8th-cent sales tax is scheduled to end either in 2026 or when the sewer plant is paid off.
The tax won 77 percent of the vote in precinct 8, 74 percent in precinct 9, 68 percent in precinct 10, and 71 percent in precinct 11. Overall, 2,895 ballots were cast.
3 Doug the Deer
Siloam Springs residents said goodbye to the town’s unofficial mascot in October. A semi-domesticated deer, affectionately known as Doug, was removed from his home near John Brown University’s walking trails by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission officials because of safety concerns.
The decision raised a storm of controversy among Doug’s many friends. The deer, who was rumored to have been neutered, was known for his friendly and gentle demeanor and his habits of hanging out with students, joining people for their evening walks, posing for selfies, attending soccer games and visiting nearby neighborhoods. Doug even had his own Facebook page with nearly 2,700 friends.
Because the deer became so popular, university officials reached out to the AGFC to see if there were any safety issues, according to Lucas Roebuck, chief communications officer for JBU. The agency replied that it was possible that he could become dangerous during the rut season,
even if he was neutered as rumored.
Doug was captured and released at an undisclosed location on public lands, according to the AGFC. Managed hunting is allowed on the land. It is illegal to keep deer as pets in Arkansas and people should admire them from afar rather than trying to domesticate them, said Keith Stephens, spokesperson for the AGFC.
2 New library completed
The city’s new library, a 18,500 square foot facility on the corner of Jefferson Street and Mt. Olive Street, opened in early March. The $4.7 million project, located on the grounds of the former hospital, features a dedicated children’s area, complete with meeting room for read-alouds, a young adult reading area, study rooms, a dedicated staff area, another meeting area that can accommodate groups of up to 150 people, and a store for the nonprofit group Friends of the Library. Outside, guests can enjoy the back balcony overlooking downtown or the west patio featuring a gas fireplace.
The design process and feasibility studies for the library began in 2012. Construction on the project, which began on May 1, 2015, took less than a year. A ribbon cutting for the new facility was held on March 7, followed by a grand opening on March 12.
1 Davidson
More than 30 agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Marshals Services, joined the Siloam Springs Police Department in the search for Carol Davidson, 35, and her 18-month-old daughter RoseMarry. The Davidsons were last seen in the early afternoon of Nov. 12 at the Green Tree RV Park in Siloam Springs. Their minivan was recovered in a remote area near Siloam Springs on Lookout Tower Road three days later. Searches of the remote area where the van was found using helicopters and dogs were unsuccessful.
The partnering agencies went back to their offices on Nov. 23, but continue to work with the Siloam Springs police on a dedicated task force. As of Nov. 27, an estimated 299 people put in 14,759 hours of work on the case, including conducting 200 interviews and collecting 500 hours of security camera footage. No single lead surfaced to provide a clear picture of the night that Carol and RoseMarry disappeared, a press release from the city stated.
The search for the Davidsons is ongoing. Against the advice of authorities, their family and friends came together to offer a reward of $5,500 for their safe return by Christmas morning, according to a Facebook post by Carol’s sister Terri Russo. Anyone with information related to the search for Carol and RoseMarry Davidson is urged to call Captain Todd Brakeville at 479-524-4110 or email tips@siloamsprings.com.