Blue, white lights adorn PD Christmas tree
“I’ve got extra blue lights, be more than happy to throw some lights on it,” Sam McClish said, adding that he made strings of more than 200 alternating white and blue lights.
McClish said, “Just for the community… we appreciate all the work; we did Officer Chris Cummings’ house a few weeks ago. We support our law enforcement… that’s what it’s all about.”
Jill Babb and Martin Babb, owners of Wonderland Christmas Tree Farm felt compelled to give a 12-feet tall Frasier fir to the Police Department to honor the memory of Officer Kevin Apple who was killed in the line of duty June 26, 2021.
“It’s about the community, it’s not about us,” Jill said, explaining that she has been touched by the community outpouring of love and support for the department. She said anyone can add ornaments to the tree and that all ornaments will be given to Dalene Hart, mother of Officer Apple.
Street Department employees helped put up the tree, placing it into a metal stand Martin made, on Wednesday, Dec. 1.
The Babbs placed hand-decorated wooden apple ornaments on the tree. Jill said their grandchildren had decorated the ornaments. She also gave 50 blank ornaments to the police to give to anyone who wanted one to decorate for the tree.
A ceremony is planned for 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, at the White Oak Station, Slack Street. City officials will unveil the Kevin Apple Memorial Highway, a portion of Arkansas Highway 72 from Pea Ridge to Bentonville, approved by the Arkansas Highway Department. December 12 was proclaimed Kevin Apple Day in honor of Apple’s badge number, 1212, by both county and city officials.
Apple was killed June 26, 2021, when a suspect he was attempting to question ran over him at White Oak Station. The ensuring pursuit by officers from several agencies resulted in the arrest of Shawna Cash, 22, of Pine Bluff, and Elijah Andazola, 18, of Bentonville, in connection with capital murder.