Johnny Mullens can remember the exact moment he decided he was going to write a children’s book. It was Dec. 26, 2011, and he was driving home from visiting his aunt in Oklahoma over the holidays. He had stopped at a restaurant in Fort Smith and started scrawling notes for what would eventually become his first book, Johnny’s Family Goes Camping. The book — available in print and e-book form on Amazon.com — is a combination of two of ...

SALEM — Of all the things that draw visitors to the annual Fulton County Homecoming Festival, the biggest pull may come in the form of apple pie. At the end of the Bank of Salem Mark Thomas Memorial Apple Pie Run, homemade apple pies await the top 20 runners. It’s a unique motivational tool for the 5K runners, and race organizer Sherry Jackson said the reward draws racers from as far as Jacksonville.

AUGUSTA — Sixteen years after she first started working with the fest, Janice Beard is still nervous as the Augusta Days Festival approaches. She wants it to be a success. Each year, Beard finally lets out a sigh of relief as the Sunday night fireworks show marks the end of another year.

SEARCY — Nine months after relocating to be closer to the students it serves, Searcy K-Life is going strong. The ministry, which stands for Kanakuk Life, is an interdenominational Christian organization that reaches Searcy youth through Bible studies, mission trips and after-school activities. On its website, K-Life’s mission is described as “the ability to build relationships with kids and bring the content of God’s word to bear on those rela...

McCRORY — For the residents of McCrory, mosquitoes in May aren’t a reason to break out the citronella candles just yet. Mosquitoes are a reason to celebrate. The 2013 event marks the 28th year for the community’s Mosquitofest, which will be held Wednesday through Saturday in downtown McCrory. Betty Kate Thompson, McCrory Area Chamber of Commerce president and coordinator of Mosquitofest, said the festival started out as a joke.

PLEASANT PLAINS — As identical twins, Destany Standard Lytle and Felisha Standard have often been mistakenly identified. And, at least once, the sisters tried to be mistaken for each other on purpose. “I remember when we were in second grade in Corning, we wanted to take each other’s test, but when it came time to do it, we couldn’t,” Felisha said. “We both started crying and told the teacher we were trying to switch places.”

HORSESHOE BEND — This year, Horseshoe Bend celebrates its 50th anniversary. In 1963, it was incorporated as a town. Five years earlier, this area of northeast Izard County was known as Gobbler’s Knob. It was all forestland except for a few cow pastures. Houses were few, and roads were fewer. In the 1950s, brothers Bill and Dick Pratt purchased land on the Knob.

The dining room may only be open for business on Fridays and Saturdays, but work at the Tamale Factory rarely slows down. Opened in November, the tamale and steak-centric spot owned by George Eldridge and located on his farm is filled on Mondays and Tuesdays with the spicy smell of simmering tamale fillings and the busy hands of tamale cooks Donna Wallis and Shirley Western. On Wednesday, the farm’s focus reverts back to a working hors...

BROCKWELL — The Izard County High School chess team is back on top of its game. The team was able to check back into the top spot at the Class 1A/2A State Chess Championship after a lull in wins. The team won the title in Beebe on April 27. This marks the eighth time the school has won the state title. Steven Walker, who coaches the chess team, is no stranger to winning a state chess title. Walker is a graduate of Izard County, where he was pa...