New police chief
sworn into office
Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry swore into office William Tapley as the new chief of the Conway Police Department on Wednesday.
Tapley steps into the shoes of Jody Spradlin, who retired last week after 29 years with the department.
"We are fortunate to have William Tapley as our new police chief. He came highly recommended from our past chiefs, A.J. Gary and Jody Spradlin," Castleberry said. "He brings over 20 years of service to the Conway Police Department and is a graduate of the FBI Academy. He understands the need for continued community policing and the priorities of an increasingly professionalized department. I'm confident he will continue to build on the success of the past."
Tapley was chief deputy at the University of Central Arkansas Police Department before accepting the city position.
Mayor encourages
wearing of masks
Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry issued a public video statement last week encouraging people to wear masks to help prevent the spread of covid-19.
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Castleberry said the city follows the mandates of Gov. Asa Hutchinson and the state Department of Health, both of which encourage the use of masks when in public.
"I'm going to strongly recommend that you wear a mask anytime you're out in Conway. I'm going to start wearing mine," Castleberry said before donning a cloth mask. "So if you see someone that looks like this with a really bad haircut, that's me."
As of Friday, there were nearly 500 cases of covid-19 in Faulkner County, and three deaths attributed to the virus.
Ty Ledbetter, a Conway firefighter and paramedic who is leading the city's covid-19 response, said the rates are "well above" what is recommended by the World Health Organization and state Health Department.
"Using masks like this, you can help prevent the spread of covid-19, keep yourself safe and others safe," Ledbetter said. "We highly encourage that you wear masks."
Kim Williams with the Conway Downtown Partnership said the organization is grateful for everybody who wears masks in public.
"Our merchants really do appreciate that," Williams said. "The seriousness of this situation really requires that, so we do appreciate it."
Dell joins board
of water alliance
Greg Dell, Conway Corp chief operating officer, was elected last week to the Mid-Arkansas Water Alliance board of directors.
The alliance is a cooperative effort of 27 water utilities in eight Central Arkansas counties working to acquire new long-term drinking water sources.
"All of these water service companies recognize the benefit of planning and coordinating our resources," said Bret Carroll, Conway Corp chief executive officer. "Greg's experience with our planning and engineering department will be a great asset to the MAWA board of directors."
Dell, who has worked for Conway Corp for about 35 years, was named chief operating officer of the utility company in 2017. He worked in several engineering and design departments before being named manager of engineering and planning in 2005, the position he held until being promoted to his current position.
Lineman named to
mutual aid panel
Conway Corp. senior lineman Scott Ussery will serve on the American Public Power Association's mutual aid regional committee.
He will provide leadership for Region VI of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's regional designations, which include Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
"I'm extremely proud of the work Scott and our crews have done while assisting with mutual aid for other public power communities," Conway Corp. CEO Bret Carroll said. "He will do a great job using his knowledge and experience to help others, and I know he will represent Conway Corp and our community very well."
Mutual aid response is a coordinated effort allowing public power utilities to receive assistance after an emergency in their communities. Nationally, mutual aid agreements organized through the American Public Power Association link more than 2,000 public power and rural electric cooperatives.
Ussery, who was hired in 2002 as a utility worker apprentice, entered the lineman apprentice program in 2005 and was promoted to journeyman lineman in 2009 then promoted to senior lineman in 2016.
Also in 2016, he was presented the annual Safety Leadership Award by Conway Corp. The recipient is an employee who leads by example, adhering to safety standards, watching out for others or suggesting improvement to procedures to reduce accidents and promote a culture of safety for the company.
2 directors leaving
theater positions
Mary Ruth Marotte, executive director of Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, and Rebekah Scallet, producing artistic director, are stepping down from their positions at the 14-year-old summer theater festival traditionally held on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas.
Scallet is moving to another state, and Marotte is returning full time to her role as professor in the English department at UCA.
Marotte has been involved with the Shakespeare Theatre since its inception in 2007 and served as president of the theater's board before becoming executive director in 2010. Scallet has worked with the program since 2011, and has produced and directed plays over the past eight seasons.
"What I've witnessed with this festival these past 13 years has not only transformed but exploded my understanding of what is possible when passionate people come together with a purpose," Marotte said. "This festival truly is both a source of local pride and one that is recognized nationally for its artistic excellence. I'm so grateful to Rebekah, our board and committee members, our artistic collective, the numerous volunteers, our brilliant company members and our sponsors, who have helped make AST what it is today."
Scallet said leaving the theater and the Central Arkansas community is bittersweet for her.
"The personal and professional support I've received over the years has been incredible, and I'm very proud of the work that we have created here," Scallet said. "It didn't feel right to let the summer go by without any Shakespeare, and so the Collective came up with the idea to share the best of AST via as many avenues as possible in a safe, socially-distanced way."
The 2020 season would have been Scallet and Marotte's last, but it was canceled because of covid-19.
Instead of the traditional performance-based season, however, the theater is coordinating a series of online and remote experiences featuring social, educational and performance-based projects. The series is created by members of the theater's Artistic Collective, a group of directors, actors and designers who have had significant artistic relationships with the theater over the past nine years.
The season will take place on Facebook and Instagram (@arkshakes), as well as on the theater's website through July 12, during the same weeks the in-person performances would have been held.