
Author Archive: Karen Rickets

Harvest brings every body in
For me, pecans have a strong connection with the meaning of family. Perhaps it’s because pecans are ready for harvest around the time of year when families get together for the holidays. Pecans often grace Thanksgiving dinner tables as the main ingredient of pecan pies and other delectable dishes, or just a dish of autumn […]

A taste of the Old World
You don’t have to travel abroad to find a taste of European cuisine. A trip down state Highway 186 in Altus wine country will lead you to the family-owned Wiederkehr Restaurant. The Wiederkehr family has deep historical roots in the area, and have been in the wine business for generations. The restaurant today was once […]

Rodan + Fields – Lisa Gibson, Independent Consultant
For Lisa Gibson, skincare is just as important as maintaining any other aspect of your health. After teaching for 33 years at Atkins Middle School, Lisa said she wanted to keep busy and found her second calling as an independent consultant with Rodan & Fields skin care. “I decided to start my skin care business […]

Believe we can change the world
“It’s like Because We Can is a book, and food recovery is just the first few chapters,” said Kendall Tubb, the organization’s cofounder. “We have done a bunch of different projects, but the whole reason why we started this was simply to make a difference in society. The whole point is to promote social justice, […]

Russellville Family Funeral
Pam Smith began her career in the funeral home business 17 years ago. “I started at another local funeral home here in Russellville, in the office area helping customers with payments and helping the funeral directors with their paperwork,” Pam said. Later she recognized that assisting people through trying times was her true calling. “It […]

My heart never left
Billy and Marlene Newton’s breathtaking home is built on natural and family heritage. Just a few miles east of Russellville sits 500 acres rich in biodiversity. The land offers sanctuary for native wildlife and for a family with deep roots in the River Valley. Billy and Marlene Newton call this property home. The Newtons own […]

River Valley Music Center
The River Valley Music Center has all the traditional elements of learning music with the convenience of learning in a studio space. “When I was growing up, I went to someone’s house to take lessons,” owner Jason Muncy said. “River Valley Music Center takes you away from not knowing what is going on in someone’s […]

Remnants
Before there was a Russellville, a River Valley, or even an Arkansas, there was The Natural State in its natural state. Sweeping prairies filled with remarkable biodiversity — insects, birds, bison, elk, red wolves, and flora of innumerable varieties — were part of River Valley prehistory. Today, we can glimpse a shadow of this once […]

Riggs CAT
Riggs Cat has proudly been serving customers in Arkansas for the past 90 years. “We have been a caterpillar dealer in the state of Arkansas since 1927,” assistant branch manager Kevin Duvall said. “We are fourth generation owners with fifth generation employees.” There are eight different Riggs Cat store locations in Arkansas with 400 employees […]

Fight Like Bryce!
There is hardly a person who hasn’t been directly or indirectly affected by cancer. We all know someone who has battled cancer: a loved one, a close friend, a neighbor, or your co-worker. Perhaps you are a cancer survivor. Among the horror stories of chemo and radiation treatment, we hear of the men and women […]