White River Journal, Inc

03/09/2025

OBIT OF FATHER OF REV. JAMIE ALEXANDER:

James Marvin "Jim" Alexander, 82, of Little Rock, Arkansas passed away on Monday March 3, 2025. Jim was born in Heber Springs, Arkansas on April 3, 1942 to the late Evelyn Lewis and Cecil Henry "Slick" Alexander. He attended Heber Springs Public Schools and was a member of the graduating class of 1960 of Heber Springs High School. He went on to play football at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, but because of a second concussion his football career ended. He transferred to the University of Arkansas. When his father died in December of 1963, Jim left the U of A to manage the family owned businesses, Alexander's Restaurant and Esso Service Station, with his brother, Cecil Lewis Alexander. When the Alexander brothers sold both businesses after 32 years of family ownership, Jim and his family moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. Jim became the Director of Consultants for the Arkansas Industrial Development Corporation for the State of Arkansas, which was located in the Arkansas State Capitol. In 1980, Jim began his 32 year career as a public finance investment banker and investment advisor with T.J. Raney and Sons. Jim retired as First Vice President with Morgan Keegan in 2012.

Jim was gregarious and took over the room when he entered. He was passionate about his family, friends, Arkansas Razorbacks, sports, bird and duck hunting, cooking, good food, horse racing, people, politics, sharing his opinions, and Heber Springs. Jim was a man of faith who was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church. He is a former member of Heber Springs First United Methodist Church and a current member of St. James United Methodist Church.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents and son Jace J. Alexander, Sr,

Jim is survived by his wife, Jan Jackson Alexander, son Rev. Jaimie J Alexander, grandsons Jace J Alexander Jr, and Jacob J, Alexander, his brother Cecil Lewis Alexander and wife Kathy Alexander, nieces Tracy Hargrove, Brenda Alexander, Lesli Gowen, Christy Lock, sister-in-law Carolyn Tolley and husband Henry Gentry, nephew Matt Tolley and a host of cousins, great-nieces and great- nephews.

A Memorial Service to honor both Jim and his son Jace, will be held on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 2:00 pm at St. James United Methodist Church in Little Rock, 321 Pleasant Valley Dr, Little Rock, AR 72212. A Visitation Reception will be held following

A Service of Burial will be held on Friday, March 21 at 11:00 am at the Heber Springs City Cemetery.

Memorials maybe sent to First United Methodist Church of Texarkana, Arkansas, 400 East Sixth Street, 7184 or St. James United Methodist Church of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Thank you to the dedicated caregivers of Good Shepherd Nursing and Rehabilitation and Hospice Home Care.

Photo taken Sept 2, 2010 @ White River Journal office: Dean Walls on left / Jamie Alexander on right

03/03/2025

Short video (less than 2 mins) of large attendance at funeral service of Brenda Williams Sat, Mar 1, 2025 at Gospel Mission Church in Des Arc. Middle of video zooms in on the family showing her mother Geraldene (wearing an orange hat & top) and her husband Danny in wheelchair to Geraldene's right and one row in front of her.

Brenda Williams
Born on Mar 1, 1953, she taught Elementary in Cotton Plant 3 yrs, Des Arc Elem 22 yrs, retired in 2015, enjoyed her grandchildren, and traveling internationally and being substitute teacher up until her tragic death in a car accident on Feb 7. Could be found at Gospel Mission Church in Des Arc every time doors open for 35 years, where she also played the piano.
Funeral service was postponed until her husband and two grandsons who were also in the car were free to leave the hospital.

02/07/2025

Sharing a short scene from movie shown on TCM Sunday night Feb 2. The scene is of Mr. Holland dedicating a song (Beautiful, Beautiful Boy by John Lennon) to he & his wife's son Cole who was born deaf. Mr. Holland (Richard Dreyfus) is a high school music teacher who is conducting a concert to an audience of deaf students.

Mr Holland sings John Lennon song to his deaf son,Cole

01/12/2025

Another snow video: Driving around Des Arc Sat, Jan 11, 2015

Received 4" snow Thursday night (early Friday morning) Jan 10, 2025

01/11/2025

Just a short video link made yesterday showing Des Arc's first snow of year night of Jan 10, 2025. Just so happens, it was only a couple of days ago that Entergy had a tree contractor butchering the trees on west side of house along 5th St ... as can be seen in following image, the pines removed of their branches up to 20' above power lines, other trees topped below power lines.

12/09/2024

This post is first in a long time, and is being posted both as a "warmup", as well as for a new FB follower of the WRJ page, who lives in California. This is a photo of Dean Walls in 1954 sitting at her new linotype (type-setting machine, instead of setting type by hand) as it had been done since its establishment in 1907 by her father-in-law, C.A. Walls. A relocation of all equipment was required to new location directly across street from Journal's previous (original) location)on south side of Main Street next to Bethell's Cleaners --to opposite (north) side -- to provide a concrete floor for the machine -- but no A/C. The HS students standing from l. to r. are Sandra White, Lynwood King and Sylvia Gipson. With a manual of 3" thickness, Dean learned to perform regular, and many times emergency maintenance on the machine. The paper had to get out on schedule, regardless.

04/27/2024

WRJ Front Pages, 1929 & 1953

Aug 8, 1929 (Portion of 2 center columns only):
1) First 7 blocks of asphalt streets completed this week
(Note: Hwy 11 btwn Des Arc & Hazen was gravel at time)
2) White River Journal is 22 years old today, Aug 8 (first paragraph under "Additional Locals".

September 24, 1953 (Full Front Page - includes these items):
1) Obituary of Mrs Mary Guess (Howard) Ford, 45
2) Poem: In Memory of Mary Ford (by Jerri Pirtle)
3) Lamar Harvey, 10th grade, and son of Mr/Mrs Louis Harvey (see article: FFA Boy Has Good Turnout ... bottom left of page)

04/21/2024

Driving west in Des Arc this quiet Sunday morning Apr 21, '24:
From White River, down Main St, past DAHS and then to Lakeside Cemetery

04/14/2024

HERE'S TO LIFE !
An offering of inspiring lyrics & music ... the song title of which should have special significance for those who may be closing in on the end of their LIFE. . . . . . And for anyone who might want to consider how they want to feel in the future as they near the end of their's.

“No complaints and no regrets
I still believe in chasing dreams and placing bets
But I had learn that all you give is all you get
So give it all you got

I had my share
I drank my fill
And even though I'm satisfied
I'm hungry still
To see what's down another road beyond the hill
And do it all again

So here's to life
And every joy it brings
So here's to life
To dreamers and their dreams

Funny how the time just flies
How love can go from warm hellos
To sad goodbyes
And leave you with the memories you've memorized
To keep your winters warm"

For there's no yes in yesterday
And who knows what tomorrow brings or takes away
As long as I'm still in the game
I want to play
For laughs for life for love

So here's to life
And every joy it brings
Here's to life
For dreamers and their dreams
May all your storms be weathered
And all that's good get better

Here's to life
Here's to love
Here's to you

May all your storms be weathered
And all that's good get better
Here's to life
Here's to love
Here's to you"

Barbra Streisand - One Night Only at the Village Vanguard - 2009 - Here's To LifeTo promote her new album, Love is the Answer, Barbra Streisand sang a one-ni...

04/10/2024

Additional 5 PHOTOS of 4/8/24 Solar Eclipse:
These show the distinct ORANGE color of the Sun as it appeared while wearing eclipse glasses -- but the orange color could NOT be captured using regular or phone cameras.
First pic shows moon taking about 1/4 'bite' out of the sun. Next 2 show sun nearing total eclipse. 4 & 5 show sun at Totality, and if you can zoom in enough on 5th one, you'll see what is thought to be 2 plasma flares shooting out from right side of sun's corona (they're to be studied by scientists).

04/09/2024

EDITED 4/10: Added one photo (Sun & Venus)

Hope everyone that could and was interested in witnessing yesterday's April 8 Total Solar ECLIPSE in fact did ! At last minute decided HAD to get nearer Totality ... and thus headed toward Beebe - at least to where I thought the outer fringe of totality might be - stopped at Evans Nursery on Hwy 38. I was assured by others that it would be total there, so I stayed. Totality lasted only about a minute, but did manage to take this 33 second video of the 360° so-called "Sunset".
3/4 of way thru video, you can see lights that came on inside main building, and at its conclusion I turned phone up toward sun - and caught a glimpse of Venus below & to the sun's right.
I had the good fortune to accidentally meet and share the experience with a wonderful family (the Reeds from Carlisle) who had just happened to drive to the same place to watch. They had 4 young daughters with them . . . and from the audio, you can hear their excited voices as darkness quickly descended upon us.

Simplest way to watch is just to click "Watch again". Closed captions are available. May need to UNMUTE speaker to hear audio. Don't know why 3 different scenes from video appear, but any of them can also be clicked on to view.

Wouldn't advise clicking "See more in video" as Facebook will just present you with extraneous & unrelated videos.

03/06/2024

EDITED Mar 9th: Links / movie scenes total increased from 4 to 8: The Prince of Tides (Links #2, 3, 4, 5 added)

1. https://youtu.be/Qr-CE5t4vJ4
2. https://youtu.be/Mse8xeR5uhU?si=h1ValraenKNSPdCY
3. https://youtu.be/BtK3RjRYAd4?si=1j7fW-Qf_zY13f6I
4. https://youtu.be/P-bZde35_8g?si=0cCM2vmd7eMpHIqn
5. https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxmc6jBcxzNwWldCpXQdGfvpWZq2B_Ygl_?si=E0-898_Mdg6RvGUH
6. https://youtu.be/DL0GUSoiLDw
7. https://youtu.be/E0uxDZUIlZQ
8. https://youtu.be/_05zOUyHnNA?si=GK-QZCzYfj-UaGr-

In response to a comment made on WRJ's last post, saying that "The Prince of Tides" (1991) and "The Way We Were" (1973) were two of their favorite movies; the 8 links above (and further described below) are posted. Note that #5 is not a link, but a clip from an interview w/Barbra Streisand and may loop (repeat) or continue with interview. X out of to end interview and continue elsewhere.

1. Opening scenes
2. Argument between Tom (Nick Nolte) & his mother before his leaving for New York to see psychiatrist re his sister Savannah
3. Tom's dad is fed dog food for supper
4. Tom recounts to psychiatrist Susan Lowenstein his family being terrorized by 3 escaped prisoners and all 3 being killed following assault & secretly buried
5. Tom tells Bernard how he's going to teach him to play football
6. Grand Central Station & Violin scene (this scene features Nick Nolte & Jason Gould, Barbra Streisand's son).
7. Dinner Party & Balcony scene (includes strong language)
8. Final scenes

Jason Gould, born Dec '66 and Barbra Streisand's son is a main character in Prince of Tides. Two photos of them are on set together during filming Hello Dolly in 1969 . . . plus another of them together later in life.

03/04/2024

WRJ wondering if there's anyone out there who might enjoy hearing some music -- as a test for future offings that might be included along with "pages from the past" ? Offered here are Barbra Streisand and her son Jason singing ?
Perhaps one would have to be 60+ years old to relate to the 1973 movie & music "The Way We Were". On other hand, maybe only 40+ years of age to relate to the 1991 movie "Prince of Tides".
In the latter, Jason played the role of a young violinist who also wanted to play football - but which his father, a professional violinist, severely objected to. Well after that movie, the real Jason had 21 years to actually grow taller and develop a wonderful singing voice. That voice was experienced last night on PBS' rebroadcast of a 2012 concert entitled "Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn". Quality may not be great, but hopefully is acceptable.
Seems to me that Jason's words might provide some motivation and courage for more Sons to follow ... while they still can.
EDIT 3:46pm: Added video of Barbra singing Ice Castles, with special lyrics to her friend, Marvin Hamlisch.

03/01/2024

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:eaada27b-04c0-4c12-a269-15ca12dfc3ff

PAGE 14, JAN 19, 2017
Reposting Pg 14, 1/19/17 as a PDF link above . . . as an additional test for "searching" of specific name or word.

03/01/2024

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:23045c68-ceeb-4521-8ca2-4a018bf9b16e

DEC 22, 2016 ISSUE:
Above is PDF link to all 14 pages of Dec 22, 2016 issue. It constitutes a test to learn who, if anyone, can open & view. The main advantage of PDF over Image format is that viewer should be able to search for a specific name (or word) and immediately be shown where it occurs anywhere within the 14 pages. However, it may also require that recipient's device must have Adobe Reader app.

Viewer feedback (whether or not you can view . . . plus SEARCH pages) will be appreciated.

Since posting and testing SEARCH (on computer -- not phone), I entered the words "Des Arc" which appear 70 times within the 14 pages, and by clicking the "Next" arrow, the pages move forward showing where next appearance occurs. It should work the same for names, etc . . . and hopefully on other devices.
Have subsequently tested on iPhone with similar results . . . entered an individual's last name which appeared 5 times within the 14 pages, and by clicking 'next' arrow was taken to page which had automatically zoomed in on name & page where it occurred (phone has PDF Gear app).

03/01/2024

Pg 14, Jan 19, 2017

02/18/2024

PHOTO appeared on Pg 3 of WRJ 12/1/16 issue. The 1945-46 school year was Leon & Bobbie Coker's first year @ DAHS.

02/18/2024

Reinhardt & Wimmer Building, NE corner 5th & Main, home of several different businesses over the years including (as advertised in 1912 WRJ issues) the Des Arc & DeValls Bluff Telephone Co, co-owned by Henry Nichols of Des Arc & John Booe of DVB.
After extensive remodeling in 1972, it became final home for the White River Journal.
Behind the building can be seen a portion of the J.M. Harmony (local barber) house and a 2-story apartment house, which existed on south side of Walnut St before the Water Treatment Plant was built in 1980.