Free Range Conversations

The Cleveland County Cares fund is launching its annual campaign to support local children and families, extending its aid far beyond the holidays. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit, operating under the Pioneer Village umbrella, began as an initiative to buy Christmas gifts for foster children but has since expanded to serve the entire county, including the Woodlawn and Kingsland areas.

Melinda McKnight, a key organizer, explained in a recent podcast episode that the program works "100% by referrals through a school, through a social worker. Someone who knows the true need." Primary referrals come from teachers, pastors, and the health department, ensuring discreet help reaches those most in need. McKnight recalled a referred grandmother who said, “you’re the first person who has ever offered to help me in any way with these kids,” an encounter that "breaks your heart and makes your day at the same time."

The historic Wesley Chapel Church in Randall, Arkansas, is being saved from potential demolition by a dedicated community restoration effort, spearheaded by Morgan King, whose late grandfather was the last person buried there. Motivated by a love for preserving old things and the fact that the 1872 church remains on its original site, King "crashed" a reunion considering the demolition to rally support. Since starting in August, the project has seen rapid success, with the roof now complete and the foundation underway. Thanks to King's social media efforts, the community has already raised over $14,000 toward the estimated $25,000–$50,000 goal, including $4,700 from a recent singing event. Future work will focus on internal repairs, including flooring, electrical, and HVAC, while a long-term vision plans to use the restored church as a community venue for events like weddings, with revenue supporting the church's upkeep and the nearby cemetery. The project is even engaging the younger generation, with local students earning volunteer credit to help paint the exterior.

Rison Shine Community Development, Inc., is kicking off a Shop Local Christmas Campaign beginning Tuesday, Nov. 4 with the Holiday Open House and Market on Main Street. The campaign also includes a continuation of the popular scavenger hunt from the Rison in the Fall Festival. Host and Rison Shine officer Douglas Boultinghouse navigates this special Christmas episode including guests Malinda Berry from My Berry Patch, Lynn Wilson from Rison Pharmacy and Britt Talent from the Cleveland County Herald. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a segment from Boultinghouse and his fellow masterminds behind the scavenger hunt, Stacy Walz and Austin Compton.

Superintendent Davy King and the Cleveland County School Board held its second community meeting on the proposed 6-mill tax increase to fund construction of a new gym Monday evening inside the Rison gymnasium.

King was a special guest on the Herald’s Free Range Conversations podcast this week to provide details about the millage and how it would support the construction of a new gym at the Rison School campus and possibly help make improvements to Rison Elementary.

Country music star will headline this Saturday’s Rison in the Fall Festival with a free concert to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the festival, and the release of her newest album, Rhinestone Requiem.

The country music traditionalist will take the Rise Up Rison Stage at 7 p.m. to wrap up the festival.

Sweeney recently joined Festival Director Douglas Boultinghouse and Festival Founder Roy Phillips, for an episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast to discuss her upcoming performance and country music.

Musician Ernie Halter joined Douglas Boultinghouse, Director of the Rison in the Fall Festival, along with festival founder Roy Phillips and Rison Shine Community Development President Kristy Strother, for the latest episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast to discuss his upcoming performance on Saturday, Oct. 18, and his career. When asked about his musical style, Halter admits it's hard to pin down. Boultinghouse noted that people kept asking him about the genre, to which he would respond that Halter sings everything. Halter agreed, noting that the title "singer-songwriter" is a technical definition, but it's very vague. When pressed on genre, he prefers a simpler description: "I like to say good music."

While the community meetings that began over the summer were initially hosted by Rison Shine, the final meeting held Monday evening expanded more into an overall Kickstart Cleveland County mission focusing on events and recreation countywide. Recapping the meeting for the latest episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast, Britt Talent is joined by Douglas Boultinghouse, an official with Rison Shine and director of the Rison in the Fall Festival; Malinda Berry, representing the Pioneer Village, and Roy Phillips, representing the Fair Association. All four hosts are active volunteers in the three organizations mentioned, and more. With the focus on events, the hosts explained the benefits of the Herald’s new free newsletter - the Cleveland County Connection, which sends out weekly emails of upcoming events across the county.

Thom Sheppard and Coley McCabe, the dynamic duo known as Thom and Coley, are gearing up for a performance at 35th annual Rison in the Fall Festival.

The couple will be bringing their unique blend of country, folk, and "Beach Country" music to the stage, Saturday, Oct. 18. In this week’s episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast, the pair discussed their journey, from their separate paths to Nashville to their shared life as a musical and married couple, and their deep connection to the songwriting community and the Trop Rock world.

The Rison in the Fall Festival is excited to bring rising country trio, Copper Flats, to the Rise Up Rison stage at this year’s festival on Saturday, October 18 with a performance at 2:30 p.m.

The Arkansas-based band, which formed earlier this year as a side project, has quickly made a name for themselves, securing a deal with Rock Ridge Music Nashville, two booking agents, and even performing at CMA Fest all within the first year of recording.

To explain their formation and give fans a preview of what to expect, members Brandon Kelly (lead vocals), Jeremy Castaldo (keys/acoustic guitar/electric guitar/background vocals) and Drew Smith (acoustic guitar/background vocals) join the latest episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast.

Festival Director Douglas Boultinghouse and podcast co-hosts Britt Talent and Roy Phillips join the conversation.

One of Cleveland County’s own will be making the leap from attendee to performer at this year’s Rison in the Fall Festival, set for Saturday, Oct. 18 in Downtown Rison. Laura Caroline was born in Rison, but grew up in Kingsland attending elementary school, before her family relocated to Northern Arkansas.

Despite the move, Laura never lost her Cleveland County roots where she learned to sing in church at Kingsland Assembly of God. Now she will be taking the Rise Up Rison Stage at the festival, kicking things off at 1 p.m. Her full-band set - a first for the rising singer - will be followed by performances from Copper Flats, Ernie Halter, Thom and Coley, and acclaimed country artist Sunny Sweeney. Laura joins Festival Director Douglas Boultinghouse and Free Range Conversations Podcast hosts Britt Talent and Roy Phillips to talk about her plans for the festival, music and more including her dreams to play the Grand Ole Opry.