Bell assumes sports editor role following Wisener retirement

Staff writer Jay Bell was named sports editor of The Sentinel-Record on Wednesday following the recent retirement of Bob Wisener, said Harry Porter, the hometown newspaper’s general manager.

A reception congratulating Wisener on his retirement and welcoming Bell to the position will be held at the newspaper’s office at 300 Spring St. from 2-4:30 p.m. today. The public is welcome to attend.

Wisener will continue to contribute articles and columns to the newspaper during the upcoming live race meet at Oaklawn Park, said Mark Gregory, the newspaper’s editor.

“Bob is an award-winning journalist with a distinguished career, and we are thrilled that our readers will continue to be able to read his racing coverage,” Gregory said. Wisener began work at The Sentinel-Record on Jan. 25, 1980.

“I sincerely congratulate Bob on his outstanding 37-year career with The Sentinel-Record. Bob has become a favorite with our readers and we appreciate his willingness to still contribute articles and columns,” Porter said.

“I am very excited to have Jay transition into the sports editor role. Jay’s dedication and professionalism has served The Sentinel-Record well and I think our readers will enjoy Jay’s approach to our sports coverage,” he said.

Bell is a graduate of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and began his career at the Mariana Courier-Index, an affiliate of the Forrest City Times-Herald. He moved to the Wynne Progress as a sports reporter before his time as a sports editor for the Le Mars Daily Sentinel in Iowa. Bell returned to Hot Springs in 2012 to be closer to family and has since led the newspaper’s education coverage and managed its Twitter account, @TheSenRec.