COMIN' ROUND THE BEND: Union Pacific's 844 is returning to Arkansas during its "Trek to Tennessee" to celebrate the Oct. 22 opening of Big River Crossing between West Memphis and Memphis. The historic high-speed passenger train steam engine was the last locomotive built for the Union Pacific in 1944. This trip is the massive steam engine's first multistate one since its return to service in July after a three-year major restoration. It can be seen in Arkansas the week of Oct. 20-25 as it passes through or makes brief 15- or 30-minute stops in Piggott, Paragould, Harrisburg, Memphis, Wynne, Bald Knob and North Little Rock (where it makes its longest stop, arriving at 2:15 p.m. Oct. 24 and departing 8 a.m. Oct. 25). Visit tinyurl.com/27usp32 for the latest running times and scheduled stops.
BIG WHEELS: A free 30th anniversary screening of the film RAD, considered "the most influential BMX movie of a generation" will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at First Security Amphitheater in the Little Rock River Market District. The film's Arkansas connection? It was directed by native Hal Needham. While it was a box-office flop (only grossing $2 million following $11 million to make it), it remained a top-10 video rental for several years after being released on VHS.
Before the screening, star Bill Allen and BMX pioneer Martin Aparijo will hold a 3:30 p.m. meet and greet with a $10 admission followed by a Southern BMX stunt show.
ARKIE VOICE: Former Little Rock and Benton resident Austin Allsup, now of Fort Worth, is competing on NBC's The Voice on Blake Shelton's team. Allsup will compete in the battle rounds this week. Allsup's dad, Tommy, briefly shown in the audience during the performance, is a longtime session musician, producer and a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Tommy Allsup was a member of Buddy Holly's band along with Waylon Jennings. The senior Allsup has long said he would have been on the ill-fated plane that claimed the lives of Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson after crashing in 1959 in Iowa if he hadn't lost his seat to Valens in a coin toss.
UNSOLVED MYSTERY: The investigation continues into the death of Dr. Frank "Buddy" McCutcheon Jr., a Little Rock native. The 64-year-old plastic surgeon, who had moved to Arden, N.C., was found dead in his home in the early hours of July 16 by his wife, Brenda, who called 911, the Citizen-Times in Asheville reported then.
A memorial for McCutcheon was recently held, reports News 13, WLOS, in North Carolina with family members, including McCutcheon's wife, attending. Around the same time, new search warrants were issued, and Buncombe County detectives seized a USB drive from the couple's home. Investigators also seized an external hard drive. According to the warrants, detectives are investigating a murder, the TV station reports.
Contact Linda S. Haymes at (501) 399-3636 or lhaymes@arkansasonline.com
SundayMonday on 10/09/2016