Life in LA Today

It's hard to believe a full decade has passed since the quintessential voice of Lower Arkansas announced not only his retirement but also his departure from Magnolia for eastern Tennessee. After more than 60 years with Magnolia Radio—KVMA and KFMV as they were known—Ken Sibley turned off the mic, hung up the headphones and left the studio. He and Carol moved to Collierville, TN, where three of their five grandchildren lived, of course with their parents.

Ken had held nearly every leadership position imaginable in church, city and county, in addition to his work in radio. He's a great bus driver and excellent story teller to boot, which landed him a short tenure as a charter bus driver in the Memphis area. He drove me on my first children's church camp trip to Siloam Springs and loves to describe the forlorn look on my face when he dropped me and 20 rowdy kids off for the week.

I caught up with Ken through the miracle of modern technology and enjoyed the virtual stroll down memory lane. We reminisced about people we worked with and some of the programs that aired back in the day. Today's generation can't appreciate The Friendly Show, The Mary K Show, I Remember When, Hospital Calling. A few folks remember some of the commercials that aired through the years: Bill Bigley's "Throw away your plumber's friend and call your friendly plumber Broadway" was a fixture in the '50s and '60s; the Magnolia Insurance spot that began with "The Fire Alarm has sounded in Magnolia!"

If you've never heard Ken's radio voice, here's your chance to be introduced. If you've been missing that friendly patter, then here's a shot of nostalgia for you.

As a young man, David Rankin had never given any thought to becoming a college professor, let alone an administrator of higher education. His mother had moved back to Arkansas from Tennessee--first to Hot Springs, then to Junction City--after his father had died in World War II and he had just begun college. After a stint at factory work, he decided he preferred higher education and was attending Louisiana Tech University.

"David, have you ever thought about being a college professor," asked E. Carl Jones, professor where David was then currently enrolled. "It never crossed my mind the first time," David replied. "Colleges of business are growing like wildfire and they need young instructors to come out and help," Jones told him. He had just successfully completed a presentation the previous week in class and decided to give it a try. He was accepted to Middle Tennessee State University and decided he liked the field, so he later began a doctorate program at the University of Mississippi, where he met another student from South Arkansas. That was Louis Blanchard of Magnolia, who went on to become a long-time professor of accounting at SAU.

Rankin told Blanchard if they ever had an opening in finance at then-Southern State College to let him know. After David and wife Toni had talked it over, he decided to submit a resume.

One day the phone hanging on the wall in their married student apparent rang and David answered it. On the other end was the president of Southern State!

"I answered the phone and he said, 'Mr. Rankin, this is Imon Bruce at Southern State College, and we want to offer you a job as assistant professor of business at'—and I had told Toni, if they will offer me at least $8,000 I'll go to SSC. He said, "We'll offer you as assistant professor of business for eight thousand and forty dollars.' I said, 'Dr. Bruce, sign me up, I'll be there.'" He began his career here in 1968.

David had married the attractive redhead--literally the girl next door in Junction City--and the two have three adult children, all of whom live near the family home. John and Curt are involved in the family timber business and Beth Anne Rankin Baker recently completed her doctorate from Vanderbilt University.

David has a gift for making the complicated simple and interesting. The "dismal science" as economics has been called is something David is passionate about. Witness his latest book, The Economics of Freedom written by Dr. Rankin with the assistance of daughter Beth Anne. The two have been promoting the book locally and a copy is available in our local library or for sale in the SAU bookstore on the square in Magnolia, Arkansas.

The book is also available through his website, RankinEconomics.com, where you can read his blog posts or watch the two-minute videos on a variety of topics. It's even possible to see money growing on a tree as you take in topics like inflation, government regulation, and debt monetization, each in about two minutes!

He currently serves as the chairman of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors, now under his fourth governor. When the current SAU president resigned to go to Henderson, the Board of Trustees asked Rankin to return as interim president while a search is underway for his successor. He will serve in that position until June and becomes what I assume is one of few to be former president, president emeritus and interim president of an institution of higher education.

Having read up on all of his accomplishments, I must admit to being somewhat awe-struck at the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Rankin, and not the least because I know next to nothing about economics. But David's ability to make a complicated topic clear and his unfeigned humility made the interview really fly by.

As a long-time student of leadership, I asked him what he thought were traits of an effective leader.

"First," he replied, "I think you have to do everything you can to get rid of the ego. Pride and ego is just a downfall and they can just carry you down."

And second, he says, is the ability to listen to people.

"You have to listen to people, you have to be a participatory person," David told me. "That doesn't mean you allow all the organizations to make the decision, but you want to know and you want to be where people can come and look at you and say, 'I've got a complaint.'"

If you want to listen to people, I highly recommend you take a listen to today's podcast. You'll then want to pick up your own copy of his book, where you'll learn the importance of freedom to our economic system. You'll also learn the "secret weapon", what David calls the "secret sauce" of capitalism that is available in few other economies.

As always, click below to listen to the podcast and be sure to share this with others. You may learn something about the "dismal science" you weren't expecting!

For Dr. Mimo Lemdja and her family, adapting to life in L.A. has been a breeze--a warm, summer breeze that is. Originally from Cameroun in Central Africa, she moved to Canada where she completed high school, then moved to Minnesota. She finds the climate in South Arkansas much preferable to either of those locations!

Her medical studies took her from Minnesota to New York where she met her future husband. She and Mathias Groghue, have three children. David, Kelly and Matt attend Magnolia Public Schools and together the family has made South Arkansas their home. Mathias is originally from the Ivory Coast but the two met and fell in love in New York and she might have been content to practice medicine there as the need was great, but life had other plans. They moved to Fayetteville to complete her medical studies and while there she heard about an opportunity to practice in Camden. From there it was a short step to Magnolia where she serves as medical director for UAMS.

It was a welcome change for Dr. Lemdja! About the time she gave birth to her last child, she was still delivering babies and keeping very busy. The pace was getting to her and the opportunity to move further south let her and her family come to Magnolia. It's a different pace of life here, she said. She didn't know how to react at first when her patients would bring her vegetables from their garden. It was a lifestyle she quickly grew to appreciate!

The medical needs are different here than in her home country. Fortunately we're not plagued with malaria, yellow fever or other tropical diseases. One of the biggest health issues she faces with her patients is diabetes, which is often complicated by diet.

But a growing issue that caught her by surprise while practicing in Camden was opioid addiction. She has worked with many patients struggling with the problem and has come up with a two-step approach to help them break the addiction. The program involves medication and counseling and thanks to a grant she has received, it is accessible to anyone suffering from opioid misuse.

Opioid addiction can begin easily enough, perhaps with treatment for a back injury, child birth or any other pain issue. As the patient continues taking the medication, the relief decreases and they may ask their doctor to increase the dosage. She saw some patients taking up to 180 opioids per month when she first came to South Arkansas. If the patient can't get the amount they want, they may go to the street for cheaper alternatives, such as methamphetamine. From there the problem grows as the patient spirals downward in addiction.

Because she wasn't prepared to deal with such a problem, Dr. Lemdja began to study opioid addiction with a view to finding an appropriate treatment. Her studies and investigation led her to a grant which offers a viable treatment. The treatment involves a different medication to help taper off the dependency. It also involves psychotherapy with a counselor specializing in the problem. The therapy is provided by "telemedicine" so the patient doesn't have to go out of town for a visit.

If you or someone you know needs treatment for opioid misuse, they can request an appointment with Dr. Lemdja by calling 870-786-2033, the number for her private clinic.

Some 40 years ago, a young letter carrier walking his route in the south part of Magnolia became convicted that a certain neighborhood needed to hear the Gospel. Because of his conviction that God was calling him to start a new work, Larry Roach planted the seeds for what would become Greater Harvest Church of God in Christ.

Larry and his wife Wanda began the work with Bible study and worship in what had been a barbershop on Lodge Street. From those humble beginnings came the growing ministry that now seats up to 200 people and from which the Gospel is proclaimed regularly.

Larry's fruit in ministry came as a result of many folks seeing the potential in a young man from Huttig, Arkansas. His school superintendent told his mom that Larry needed to go to college after graduation, rather than continuing to work in the sawmill like so many in his community. His superintendent helped launch him in his studies at Southern Arkansas University. Following graduation and a stint teaching at Magnolia High School, the father of one of his pupils asked him to go to work for him in the Post Office.

But it was while walking his route along South Washington, Lodge and Strickland Circle that Larry felt the call to plant the new church. He had been preaching since his teen years so serving the Lord was not new to Larry.

Later this year in December, Larry and Wanda will lead the church to celebrate 40 years of growth in the community. And the day after, the Lord willing, they will continue to lead the church into her 41st year of service.

I had a great time visiting with Larry. His love for the Lord and desire to serve and advance the Gospel are apparent. It was also fun to hear him mention by name so many of the folks that I knew coming of age in this part of L.A. And to top it off, he did not shy away from answering my question of what people most need today

Fresh out of broadcast school in Missouri, the young man was hired on his first interview with Radio Station KVMA in Magnolia, Arkansas. Not only was he hired, he was told he was going on the air! With just minutes before opening the mic, Bill Bigley and Bill Merrell asked, "Is that the name you are going to use on air?"

What was wrong with his name? He had used it all his life up until now. But suddenly, it was time to choose a "radio name". His Spanish teacher in high school had told him there was no Spanish equivalent for his first name, so she said she would call him by a similar name. His middle name rolled readily off the tongue, so it would be fine for a last name.

He cleared his throat, opened the mic switch and spoke, "Hi, I'm Dan Gregory." And so the legend began!

His given name isn't really that difficult to pronounce, though the surname is Swiss. And he doesn't really make a secret of it. But after 45 years on the air in Magnolia as Dan Gregory, he will let the cat out of the bag and publicly reveal his given name in today's episode.

I had the privilege of working with Dan during my radio days back in the late 1970s. My mentor was Ken Sibley and he and I had a morning newscast for several years that helped me overcome my natural fear of speaking in public. I also learned which buttons NOT to push during that time.

Local radio has changed tremendously in the intervening years. Where once folks tuned in daily to hear the local news, weather forecast, school menus, hog futures, list of current hospital patients and even birthdays, now most of that information (except hospitalizations!) is available elsewhere. Meaning on the Internet!

As the song goes, "Video killed the radio star"; so internet for the most part has killed the local radio program. Most people today have never heard of Mary K, Gladys Martin Oglesby or Margie Wagnon. Who among us is old enough to remember the commercial that began with a laugh track, then concluded with Bill Bigley intoning: "I'm not kidding! I said, 'Throw away your plumber's friend and call your friendly plumber Broadway!'" That commercial ran just like that for so many years that when we switch over to the AM frequency, you can almost hear it coming over the airwaves!

Dan was the on-air voice of KVMA/KFMV for many years, serving as host of the online swap shop known as "The Friendly Show". But he really found his niche when he began sports broadcasting. The station carried one little league game each afternoon and Dan cut his teeth learning to call the sport.

But he moved on up to the big time in high school and college sports, becoming "the voice" of Panther and Mulerider sporting events. He was inducted into the SAU Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 for meritorious service. Recently he was recognized at one of the SAU home games for his 40 years of broadcast experience with the Muleriders.

We had a great time reminiscing and I think some of the fun spilled over into this program. As with most "behind the scene" interviews, the best stories can't be told. But there are plenty here to keep you going. And if you listen long enough, Dan will reveal the name he was given at birth. Take a listen!

If you listen to my podcasts, you've heard his voice plenty of times. You just didn't know that the talent behind the intro and outro belongs to my son, John. Born right here in Lower Arkansas, John Ford, Jr. has spent but few years in the Natural State. His upbringing in West Africa and Portugal, along with multiple postings by the U.S. Army, have just about erased any hint of the South Arkansas drawl. Like his dad, he likes to say he has a voice and a face made for radio, but that's an exaggeration--he's a handsome fellow and would have done well in television or movies. But after 22 years in the U.S. Army and with retirement just around the corner, he seems to have found his niche in a horse pasture. Not just any pasture, this is on Ft. Sam Houston, a joint base with the U.S. Air Force in San Antonio, Texas. It's the home to one of 78 national cemeteries and one of only two active-duty, full-time caisson units in the U.S. Army. The other is at Arlington National Cemetery where John was first introduced to horses. John was interviewed several years back and appeared on a CBS News segment detailing the work of the caisson platoon. The Army has apparently recognized his speaking abilities, which he first learned at Radio Stations KVMA/KFMV during his stint at Southern Arkansas University. He's appeared in a publicity post on the Army's Instagram Account, and narrated several events, including last year's 9/11 Commemoration at Ft. Sam Houston. We caught up with him recently on a family trip to San Antonio. Highlights of the trip included watching him fire the 75 mm howitzer for the July 4th observance of Independence Day and attending taekwondo classes for his son, Rion, He and his wife Lisa have two children at home, Evelyn and Rion. Two other children, Darean and Dalton, are already grown and living elsewhere. He reminisced about his previous Army deployments, talked about how he first became interested in working with the horses, and gave some thought to what he would do in retirement on today's episode. Take a listen here or wherever you get your podcasts!

Did you know that one of every seven persons who enters the hospital will need blood? While modern medicine has come a long way, in many instances there's just no substitute for human blood.

To show you just how quick and easy it is to donate blood, I took my microphones down to the LifeShare bus at the Walmart parking lot and recorded this episode with my phlebotomist Shelby. Shelby, a native of Hope, has been with LifeShare for nearly a year now and I was impressed with how knowledgeable (and talkative!) she was. She fielded my questions without pause or hesitation, although she asked me a couple that I was reluctant to answer out loud! Yes, they ask your height and weight and you take a health quiz, but it's relatively painless. And I was in and out of that bus in about a half hour.

A number of LifeShare vehicles set up around Lower Arkansas, as well as Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Stationed out of Texarkana, I guess this would be a great job if you wanted to travel the four states area. There's an online list of where they are headed next, but they are usually pretty prominently located.

"The Power of You" is more than just a slogan for LifeShare. You have the power to save lives when you donate, and to entice you a bit more, they give away some great goodies. In addition to a bottle of water and an oatmeal cream cake, I walked away with a cool beach towel. Other goodies I have acquired include t-shirts and my favorite, a LifeShare hoody. They will be giving away a fleece-lined hoodie in November, so I've marked my calendar.

There's all kinds of information at the LifeShare website, which you can access by clicking here. You can even set up a personal account and do a good bit of the preliminary interview on line to speed up the process.

Donations usually slow down a bit during the summer, so why not stop the next time you see the LifeShare bus or van? Not only do you save lives, you'll even receive an email telling you when and where the blood you donated was used helping you to know the need is real.

So if you've never given blood and wonder what goes on, take a listen to today's podcast. If you'd like to get a free cookie and t-shirt or beach towel while saving someone's life, this could be a red-letter day for you as well! Tell them you heard all about it on Life in LA!

While serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, Donnell Ford's chaplain took one look at the young man and gave him a new name: Mighty Man of God! Donnell had been involved in church most of his life, but he didn't feel like a mighty man of God at the time!

But the chaplain continued to encourage him and model what a servant of God looked like and what he did. Just as the Apostle Paul went to Arabia following his conversion, Donnell began to read and study God's Word at his station in Iraq. And in short order, Donnell was called to step in when the chaplain was away and preached his first sermon.

That encounter was a life changer for the pastor of Full Faith Community Church and the founder and leader of the Mentoring Program in Magnolia Public Schools. In some ways, he is doing today what that Army chaplain did for him years ago. He saw something in that young man and worked with him to bring it to pass in his life.

We sat down in the pastor's office at the church he began to plant in Magnolia two years ago and Donnell shared with me his philosophy of mentoring students. Students struggling with poverty, broken families, hunger, drug use and peer pressure need someone who believes in them. He and his fellow mentors, alongside dedicated teachers in our public school system, work to make that difference.

It's been said if you see a turtle on a fence post, you can be sure that someone put him there. That's what a mentor does. One definition says "a mentor is a person who supports, advises and guides another. They take time to get to know the one they are guiding as well as the challenges they are facing, and uses their experience to help that person improve."

Hear his story and you'll be moved to become one of those people who makes a difference in the lives of others. We all need someone who believes in us and pours into our life. Take a listen and become one yourself!

Does your language have a word that means "a piece of log bitten off the stump by a bear"? One of the L.A. Indian languages did! And when one of the early explorers to this area asked one of the Indians, "What's that?" he replied with this word, which then became the name for a body of flowing water! What stream or creek or bayou was it and what's that word? Our local historian knows and will share it in today's podcast.

While we may not have some of the colorful names that other areas in our state have (Booger Hollow, Toad Suck, Pickles Gap), we have our share of them! Where did Smackover or Lamartine ever come from? And why should the people of McNeil want to change their city name to "Ralph"? Wouldn't it be great to say that we live in the "Ralph-Waldo-Emerson Triangle" of Arkansas?

I sat down with Mike Gee, historian for the South Arkansas Heritage Museum and curator of his own Facebook page dedicated to local history and genealogy, and we had a fascinating discussion. It covered only some of the names that make life in L.A. so interesting. In fact, our discussion was SO fascinating that a half hour had gone by and we hadn't even gotten around to names of roads and streets. Burnt Bridge Road? We'll have to invite Mike to return to hear that fascinating story, which could make an episode all its own!

If you have place names around here that you're curious about, shoot us an email and we'll see what Mike and I can come up with. In the meantime, you know the routine! Click the play button and learn more about place names in South Arkansas.

I tell people that I can usually remember three of the four items I went to pick up at the grocery store. It's the fourth one that always stumps me!

So when I learned that Mercedes Ray, program director for the Social Work Program at SAU was going to be speaking on how to improve your memory, I had to go and listen. And I wasn't disappointed, especially when she agreed to be a guest on the podcast and expound on some of the things that she mentioned in her talk. Mercedes is married to Jason Ray and they have twin boys, Isaac and Judah.

There are things we can do to help our memory. Did you know there is a "memory palace" where you can store all manner of things for later recall? Or that certain mnemonic devices (I love that word because it looks hard to pronounce!) can be used to help your recall. Other things you might not have thought about also impact your ability to recall information: sleeping well, relieving stress, eating better. But the one that surprised me the most was.....well, you're just going to have to listen to the podcast because I can't remember everything she said. And it somewhat defeats the purpose of the podcast if I write it all out here for you!

I thought I would learn more about memory in our conversation, but I was also delighted to learn how a fascinating young lady from Iowa with virtually no southern accent wound up all the way down here in L.A. It's almost as though she was on a mission from God! But we'll let her tell you that too.

Click the play button and if your memory is like mine, you'll want to listen more than once.