Monthly Archives: October 2016

Sightings, Schools Slow Costume Sales

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by Kirsten May
Courtesy of A-State Department of Media

JONESBORO — Halloween is just around the corner, but one scary figure has been getting a lot of attention for months: creepy clowns. ASU TV’s Kirsten May looked at how sightings reported across the nation might be impacting sales at a local costume shop.

“A few of them said, ‘No, I wouldn’t be a clown if my life depended on it, because I don’t want to get shot or arrested,'” Golden Grotto manager Anthony Eveland said.

Eveland said the increased attention to creepy clowns over the past few months has not been good for costume sales.

“Last year we sold all of them. This year we’ve sold a few. I don’t know if it’s because the ban of all the schools,” he said.

And it’s that ban on certain costumes — including clowns — that is frustrating to some parents. Amber Sales said buying costumes for her two sons who love scary movies is a little bit harder this year.

“He was kind of upset because he doesn’t get to do the clown. Because he can’t wear it to school, and there’s been messages put out all over Facebook and social media saying that if you’re dressed up like a clown, you’ll get arrested. So, we don’t know which parts are real and which ones aren’t, so we just aren’t going to test it,” she said.

Sales’ sons are in elementary and junior high in the Jonesboro School District.

She said a note sent home said masks and fake weapons were not allowed, which she understands. But Sales does not like the school restricting the type of costume a child can wear.

“It’s like a parent has to spend $100 per kid just to get them what they want for school and after school,” she said.

Sales also said she believes most of the reported clown sightings aren’t real, just something to get attention on social media.

In the end, Eveland said the store will do fine this Halloween regardless of how many clown costumes stay on the shelf.

“No, no, no. We don’t depend on just clowns,” he said.

Park Celebrates ‘Ghosts, Legends, and the Unexplained’

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by Marie Mitchell
Delta Digital News Service

GREENE COUNTY – While on a hunting trip, a man only identified as Mr. Hamilton and an acquaintance observed a drove of cattle in a state of alarm. As the cattle fled past, they also became alarmed at the sight of an animal that unmistakably resembled a giant human presence. Hamilton claimed the hairy creature resembled a “wildman,” which ran with great speed leaping 12-to-14 feet at a time. His foot prints measured around 13 inches each.

Farmers and ranchers in the Crowley’s Ridge area witnessed this creature from time-to-time, but did not come forth with any information until Hamilton’s story appeared in a Memphis newspaper on May 9, 1851. That “wildman” sighting marked the first actual “Bigfoot” sighting reported and documented east of the Rockies, according to Elizabeth Kimble, park interpreter for Crowley’s Ridge State Park.

Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the “wildman” can attend a haunted hayride on Friday, Oct. 28. This hayride has become a popular event over the past two years, Kimble said.

“What started out as a hundred or so visitors in the past few years, turned into around 1,000 guests last year,” she said. “This year we have extended the hayride even farther into the woods to possibly get a sight of a zombie or two and other ghostly visitors from the past.”

The park’s Halloween event — “Ghosts, Legends, and the Unexplained” — also features carnival-style games, a zombie photo booth, coloring contest, and a stroller and handicapped-accessible path on Lake Ponder Trail filled with free candy donated by local businesses. Kimble encouraged attendees to bring a flashlight and a bag for candy to share. The night will also feature costume contests.

Ages 2-4: Contest begins at 6:30 p.m. with registration opening at 6:15 p.m.
Ages 5-8: Contest begins at 7 p.m. with registration opening at 6:30 p.m.
Ages 9-12: Contest begins at 7:30 p.m. with registration opening at 7 p.m.
Ages 13-17: Contest begins at 8 p.m. with registration opening at 7:30 p.m.
Ages 18 and up: Contest begins at 8:30 p.m. with registration opening at 8 p.m.

Addie, pet of Erica Olney, was among winners of 2015's pet photo contests.

Addie, pet of Erica Olney, was among winners of 2015’s pet photo contests. (Photo courtesy of Crowley’s Ridge State Park)

All costumes must be age-appropriate; trophies and prizes will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners in each category. Winners will also be announced from a pet contest in which contestants submit photos of their pets dressed in costumes.

Nashville recording artist and Northeast Arkansas native Lauren Richmond will provide live entertainment to add to the excitement, Kimble said. Richmond will take the stage around 7 p.m. and perform until 9.

The haunted hayride costs $4 for ages 13 and up, and $2 for ages 4-12 at this cash-only event; those 3 and under ride for free. Although checks and credit cards will not be accepted, concessions and souvenirs will be available for purchase at the CCC Pavilion. Ticket sales for the zombie booth and haunted hayride will end at 8:30 p.m.

For more information, to donate or to volunteer for the event, please call the visitor center at (870) 573-6751. Located on Highway 168 N in Walcott, reach Crowley’s Ridge State Park by traveling west on Highway 412 from Paragould, or traveling north on Highway 141 from Jonesboro.

7 Tips for Improving ‘Battlefield 1’ Multiplayer

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by Christopher Lee
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO – The multiplayer mode in “Battlefield 1” supplies a perfect jumping-on point for newcomers to the series, but it is a harsh and unforgiving place.

If you’re not careful, it will punish your every mistake. To help new players who may struggle in their first days, I’ve compiled a list of seven tips to improve your time in “Battlefield 1.” Following these helpful tips will help you begin your first games knowing what to do.

1. Have Fun

This may seem obvious to many, so this is less of a tip and more of a reminder.  Games are meant to be fun and as you play, it is important to remember this. Strive to maximize the fun everyone is having.

2. Play the Objective

As you play “Battlefield 1” multiplayer, you will hear players telling each other to PTFO. I can’t break down the acronym and keep this list child-friendly, but I can tell you it means play the objective.

From a game-play perspective, this tip will help you the most. “Playing the objective” means doing what is necessary to win. This varies from mode to mode but playing the objective benefits you and your team. You will gain experience and help lead your team to victory.

So capture flags, sectors or even pigeons and you will see the experience pour in.

3. Learn Your Class and When to Switch

Knowing the ins and outs of all the classes is important for successful teamwork in a class-based shooter like “Battlefield 1.” Learning how each class works, when they are needed and how to be effective with each takes time. So pick one class to start and play the class till it reaches level three.

At level three, the class is basically complete minus one item gained at level 10. After reaching level three, move to a new class and repeat the cycle. As stated before, know when a class is needed, e.g. if your team is constantly dying, it would benefit from another medic more than a sniper.

4. Communicate

Communication provides the key to victory, both in history and in “Battlefield” multiplayer.

It is easy to communicate even if you don’t have access to a microphone. “Battlefield 1” contains a built-in text chat used to give information and commands. Keep your team informed about important events happening at your location.

5. Map Awareness

Pay attention to the map and you will never be surprised by any developments again. The map contains an assortment of information: enemy locations, objective statuses and useful equipment.

Keeping an eye on the map allows the team to quickly react to changes in the flow of battle. The faster you react, the faster you can win.

6. Vehicles and When to Use Them

Vehicles can be powerful assets. They can easily sway the battle in your favor, but don’t be too eager to get behind the wheel of history’s first tanks. While they are powerful, vehicles only allow you to level up the special vehicle classes.

I advise you wait to play vehicles until you’ve reached at least level three with all your classes. That said: if you believe a vehicle could possibly save your team and no one else will take the responsibility, then do it.

7. Don’t Quit

This is the last tip I have and it’s pretty simple. Don’t quit unless you absolutely must.

No matter how bad things are going, always stick it out to the very end. Not only does quitting hurt your team (causing teams to be unbalanced until someone takes your place), but it hurts you as well.

At the end of each round, a score multiplier provides large sums of experience you will need to level up. Leveling up gains you “war bonds,” which you use to unlock new weapons and equipment.

Quitting also prevents you from acquiring Battlepacks, which are randomly awarded to players at the end of each round. They contain weapon skins that act as cosmetic enhancements to individual weapons. Weapon skins allow players to stand out in the multiplayer.

Quitting for something important is understandable. No penalty exists for quitting, so go right ahead; but don’t quit just because your team is losing.

Theses tips come from years of “Battlefield” game experience. I can assure you these tips have secured many victories and will never let you down. To see all these tips in action, watch the playlist below where I go through one of the operation matches in “Battlefield 1.”

‘Battlefield 1’ Packs Action, History Lesson

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by Christopher Lee
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO – A new entry in the long-running shooter franchise, “Battlefield 1” drops players into the boots of soldiers in the Great War.

People cower in fear as titans take to the field to decide who will be victorious by Christmas. The conflict will be bloody but only one can be the winner. But enough about the holiday game release schedule; let’s talk about its most recent recruit, “Battlefield 1.”

Released Oct. 21, “Battlefield 1” represents the newest entry in the first-person shooter franchise of the same name. In “Battlefield 1,” players take the role of soldiers in one of the bloodiest conflicts in history: World War I.

World War I provides rarely tread territory in the gaming world. Factors for this could include a lack of a clear bad guy or the relatively static combat. DICE and Electronic Arts took it upon themselves to try it anyway.

This comprehensive review of the single-player and multiplayer campaigns tells you whether or not they succeeded.

Single-player Campaign

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Battlefield 1 single-player menu, “War Stories.” Each story consists of multiple chapters. (Photo by Christopher Lee)

Single-player and Battlefield haven’t always had the best relationship.The lackluster Battlefield 3 and 4 campaigns to the relatively good Bad Company 1 and 2 show a hit-and-miss cycle.

For “Battlefield 1,” it seems developers at DICE focused extensively on the single-player for this entry in the franchise. “War Stories” covers the exploits of five soldiers of varying nationalities as they take part in the “war to end all wars.” From the mud of the Western Front trenches to the sun-scorched deserts of the Ottoman Empire, the campaigns provide a lot to experience.

While battlefield 1’s single-player is definitely a step in the right direction, it is not without its problems.

The Good

The good for “Battlefield 1” can be basically be determined from the writing. Each chapter is a self-contained story with it own characters and narrative. This allows each story to fully flesh out the characters.

Characters interactions are believable and their motivations are genuine. This leads players to form a connection with the characters and their efforts. Many good moments occur throughout the main campaign, but two stories stand out: Chapter 2 “Friends in High Places” and Chapter 4 “The Runner.” While I can’t go too far without spoiling them, I can say the endings will stick with you long after they’re over.

But with the good comes the bad, and Battlefield 1’s single-player is no exception.

The Bad

The majority of campaign problems can be boiled down to one fact: time.

Clocking in at anywhere between eight to 10 hours depending on difficulty and play style, Battlefield 1’s campaign is noticeably short. While this doesn’t subtract from the quality, it does leave the player wanting more.

Luckily the format DICE used for the campaign — having stories be self-contained segments — does allow for the possibility for new chapters in the form of downloadable content.

Single-player Conclusion

As a whole, the single-player gives an enjoyable and enriching experience no “Battlefield” player should go without playing. The following video provides the first 13 minutes of the single-player mode:

Multiplayer

But for many players, the most important questions lie in the multiplayer mode.

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Multiplayer selection screen. Custom games are currently unavailable. (Photo by Christopher Lee)

Multiplayer provided the main selling point for the “Battlefield” franchise for years and with “Battlefield 1,” this is no different. While single-player made major advances to improve, multiplayer provides the majority of the playtime found in “Battlefield 1.”

The Good

The multiplayer mode provides the most refined of all the “Battlefield” multiplayers so far.

Players can quickly grasp the controls and the objectives of each mode as they battle in many of World War I’s greatest battlefields. Achieving rank provides access to period-appropriate weapons and gear to increase your lethality in the field.

New game mechanics and modes increase the re-playability and make each match a fast-paced arena of chaos. But it’s good chaos.

Unfortunately, the multiplayer features its fair share of problems.

The Bad

The biggest problem comes from the game balance. Some weapons and vehicles will cause players many headaches as they die repeatedly until they unlock the weapons they need to fight back.

This problem is worsened by the matchmaker. I found myself fighting players from a variety of levels sometimes having gaps as big as plus-or-minus 30 levels. This led to several unbalanced games.

Multiplayer Conclusion

While it has its problems, multiplayer produced the most fun I’ve had within a “Battlefield” in quite some time. The following video examines “Operations” from “Battlefield 1” multiplayer mode.

Final Thoughts

The romp through World War I left me in awe several times as I saw things I never expected to see brought to life in a video game. Whether a fan of the fighting or the history, “Battlefield 1” supplies plenty of enjoyable moments. I cannot wait to see what DICE and Electronic Arts has in store for the upcoming downloadable content.

Overall score: 8.5/10

UPDATE: Turnout for Cannabis Issues Doubtful

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by Kirsten May
Courtesy of A-State Department of Media

JONESBORO — Arkansas voters will see five issues on their ballot this year, including two different proposals about medical marijuana. ASU TV’s Kirsten May reports on differences in the proposals and how they might affect the state election.

Issue 6 is the Medical Marijuana Amendment. Issue 7 is the Medical Cannabis Act. They would both make marijuana legal for medicinal purposes, but political science professor William McClean said there are important differences between the two.

“Issue 6 I think probably has the better chance of passing than Issue 7. (Issue 6 is) a little more restrictive,” he said.

The Medical Marijuana Amendment allows about 20 medical conditions to be treated with cannabis, whereas Issue 7 covers nearly 60 conditions. It would also be easier to add more diagnoses to that list on Issue 7.

“You can amend an act without going back to the voters, so without amending the Constitution again,” McClean said.

There is also a provision in Issue 7 to let anyone living further than 20 miles from a dispensary to grow their own marijuana.

“People become kind of wary about the ‘Not In My Back Yard’ syndrome, I don’t want my next-door neighbor growing marijuana around my children,” he said.

This is not the first time medical marijuana has been on the ballot. Arkansans nearly passed a similar proposal four years ago.

“That was a surprising outcome as a political scientist given the conservative nature of the state, that it came as close to passing as it did,” McClean said.

Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday thinks more people know about the cannabis proposals on the ballot this time around.

“There’s a lot of debate about, you know, the two different ones, all the differences between them. They’re definitely the most talked about,” he said.

But Holliday and McClean both agree the people most likely to vote for the proposals — young people and college students — aren’t as likely to go cast a ballot.

“We had right at 6,270 people registered in that (18-24) demographic. Now of that demographic, only about 38 percent of that demographic turn out to vote,” Holliday said.

“I think it has a low chance of passing,” McClean said. “Most of the polls show about 80 percent of Arkansans are in favor of some form of medical marijuana. However, it’s probably going to be a low turnout election. Young voters are not very excited about either presidential candidate.”

Both men say what’s important is letting your voice be heard, whichever way you vote for these issues.

McClean said if both pass, the Constitution states the issue with the most votes will take effect. (UPDATE: The Arkansas Supreme Court disqualified Issue 7 from the ballot on Oct. 27, three days after early voting started.)

Students’ Sweat Equity Benefits City, Habitat

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by Austin Hayslip
Courtesy of A-State Department of Media

After a year working with Habitat for Humanity, Jonesboro High School students are getting their hands dirty. ASU TV’s Austin Hayslip reports.

“I loved it, I love the whole idea of working with your classmates to work for a common goal, and that being building a house for a Jonesboro citizen,” said high school student Mark Havdala.

High school students are building houses, not completely on their own, but with the help of Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat has been working with the Jonesboro School District for over a year now. It is a cause Jonesboro High School student Mark Havdala said is worth donating time to.

“You are working, it is a visible and legitimate donation of your time and you actually see what you doing be put to work and the best part is an actual Jonesboro citizen will actually get that house,” he said.

Jonesboro Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Michael Sullivan said it doesn’t begin or end with a house. The students play a vital role in the organization.

“They volunteer, they educate, they fundraise and they advocate on behalf of Habitat for Humanity,” he said.

Students who spent months putting together floor plans will begin putting up walls in the coming weeks.

The house being built now is the first that the Jonesboro School District has helped with.

Assistant Superintendent Sue Castleberry said the school district is including almost every campus, giving each student an opportunity to help.

“Our news crews from math and science will come do some video work, so almost every campus will take some of the things,” she said. “The woodwork things, we’ll take that back to the art teachers at the elementary to paint.”

Castleberry said the students are actually teaching her things as well.

“Last year the students taught me how to know how to measure and actually cut siding,” she said.

Habitat for Humanity and JPS have created a relationship that’s benefiting the entire community.

Bicyclist Voices Safety Concerns

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by Kirsten May
Courtesy of A-State Department of Media

There are a growing number of cyclists in Jonesboro, but there are still no roads with designated bike lanes in the city and some cyclists feel there are not many safe places to ride. ASU TV’s Kirsten May looked into what is being done in Jonesboro to make it more bike-friendly.

JONESBORO, Ark. — “We need to wrap our heads as a community around the concept of a bicycle being part of our transportation mix.”

Bill Smith is the marketing and communications director for Arkansas State University and he is a cyclist.

Many people in Jonesboro are students or work in town who are now using a bicycle as their main form of transportation, and he said he thinks the city needs to focus on helping them ride safer.

“Certainly I think that we could see a greater commitment to bicycle infrastructure in our town, a greater commitment to a plan for how that will be moved around town, and not just in a parks and (recreation) mode,” Smith said. “I think that’s the future and I think that’s what millennials want.”

Jonesboro Parks and Recreation director Wixon Huffstetler said bike safety is a priority for the city and they are working to improve it.

“You know, the new trail obviously at Craighead Forrest that we are building that’ll connect eventually to the greenway that’s in town and we’re definitely looking at bike lanes on the outskirts of Jonesboro and on the bigger roads that we can fit them on,” he said.

Huffstetler understands cyclists want more done on the roads and said the city is looking at how to make that work.

“It’s just that Jonesboro is so grown together on the inside of the city, inner city, that it’s hard to figure out how to put bike lanes in without having to buy property or acquire ride away and stuff like that, which is a long process,” he said.

He said the city is constantly looking for grants to help improve infrastructure for bicyclists.

Both Huffstetler and Smith agree the best thing is for both riders and drivers to be aware of their surroundings and obey all traffic laws.

***

Smith said cyclists fare best when they act like drivers and are predictable.

Smith is teaching a vehicular riding course that teaches experienced cyclists how to be safer when riding in traffic. He said to message the Arkansas State University Facebook page or email him if you are interested in taking the class.

Community, Police Join Forces

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by Kirsten May
Courtesy of A-State Department of Media

Across the nation, tensions continue to rise between law enforcement and community members. Officers in Jonesboro hope to avoid those situations by strengthening relationships with citizens. ASUTV News’ Kirsten May attended an event to bring them together and has more details about what people thought of it.

JONESBORO, Ark. — The event at City Water and Light Park on Cherry Street was just one of four National Night Out events held Oct. 4 in Jonesboro.

Several West End community members attended with their children and families to enjoy some time with local police officers.

Patrolman David Stout has been with the Jonesboro Police Department for nine years and says social events help residents see the person behind the badge.

“It brings people out and we get to interact with the community and they get to see us as human beings and not necessarily just in the cars that, you know, pull them over and have to go on calls and stuff like that and deal with them,” he said.

Sometimes it is hard to break that barrier with residents, Stout said, but it’s something the department pushes officers and new recruits to do.

“That’s one thing I try to impress upon the new guys. Get to know the people in your communities, get to know the people you deal with on a daily basis. Once you do you’ll be accepted more in the community and they’ll tell you stuff if they need to,” Stout said.

In 2015, 16,752 crimes were reported in Jonesboro, which is a 2 percent decrease from 2014. Officers and community members, like Jonathan Adams, both expressed hope that outreach events can help the number continue to decrease.

“I think they really do need to have something like this everywhere because it just brings everybody together. I mean, with all the violence that’s going on in the world, I think something like this once or twice, once or twice a month. I think it would be a good thing for everybody,” Adams said.

***

Another outreach program the department offers is the citizen police academy, where community members can learn about procedures and different areas of law enforcement. They are currently in their fourth session of the program. Applications for the next session can be found at Jonesboropolice.com.

Crowd Enjoys BBQ Festival

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by Myful Al Sarah
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark. – The sharp smell of barbecue, the clouds of charcoal smoke, a big crowd eating meat and cheering up with concert music  – the 8th annual Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Festival proved a success.

People from all over the region traveled to Northeast Arkansas to participate in the contest and enjoy what Jonesboro has to offer. The Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned the event. 

Alderman Tim McCall said 44 teams signed up to participate in the contest. He said the contest, which started early Saturday morning, included sections for pork ribs, pork shoulder/butt, beef brisket and chicken.

The contestants could not sell their foods from the grill, which would have been deemed a health code violation. Still, they could provide free samples of their food.

“Last year, we had nearly 18,000 people coming to the festival and this year we were expecting more. Though I didn’t have the chance to get on the street, I heard it was a record-breaking crowd. We even had visitors from Nashville,” McCall said. “I believe the festival is a great chance for the local vendors to earn a good amount of money and also make a good marketing of their business. I would say, with the limited electricity in downtown, we had a great response this year.”

Visitors line up to purchase barbecue. They could also get free samples from contestants.

Visitors line up to purchase barbecue. They could also get free samples from contestants. (Photo by Myful Al Sarah)

A number of food stalls sold pork ribs, barbecue pork sandwich, barbecue chicken sandwich, nachos, popcorn, funnel cakes. Arts and craft vendors also participated to showcase and sell their work. Hijinx sponsored a children’s play area. Festival organizers also arranged a car show and a wrestling event. People from all age groups found things to enjoy.

Michael Sullivan, owner at the Sully’s in downtown, sold his popular Chicago-style food on the street in front his restaurant. He said he participated in the festival for the second time after a good experience in 2015.

“The festival is a great opportunity for us to make some money. It’s difficult to do business in the downtown most of the year,” Sullivan said. “We have already had a good start from this morning. By the time of the evening, it’s going to be crazy busy here, you will see a huge crowd.”

Poison’s former lead singer Bret Michaels performed on the NEA Baptist stage, which contributed to the crowd. The audience also enjoyed Brothers Osborne, The Greasy Tri and Flatland Funk.

Neither the events nor the concert cost anything due to sponsors including St. Bernards Healthcare, The Sun, Bartel’s, Ritter and The Fox 104.9.

Fans get early seats for Brett Michaels.

Fans get early seats in front of the NEA Baptist stage. Brett Michaels, former lead singer of Poison, headlined the evening’s festivities. (Photo by Myful Al Sarah)

Juke Joint Piano Finds New Home

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by Marie Mitchell
Delta Digital News Service

NEWPORT, Ark. — An old photo led to a new key to the past during this year’s Depot Days’ celebration.

More than 50 years ago, along an area of road now known as Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67 in Jackson County, a juke joint called Porky’s Barbeque attracted performers and audiences alike. At the time, Porky’s was merely a rooftop with an open air stage.

Henry Boyce of Newport said between 1955 and 1962, people came from Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and even as far as Chicago to hear the music coming from Porky’s rooftop. He said musicians also clamored to perform at Porky’s and other roadside dives along U.S. Highway 67.

Boyce said several factors made the juke joint special during the “rockabilly” days.

“We were a wet county surrounded by dry ones,” he said. “We also had about 2,000 soldiers in the area with nothing to do with their paychecks.”

These influences — along with several area clubs allowing illegal gambling — created the perfect storm for a large fan base and overnight musician sensations.

“Local law enforcement turned a blind eye, which encouraged high rollers to come in for the poker games as well as the music,” Boyce said.

Herschel

Herschel “Porky” Sellers sits on an amplifier during the ’50s surrounded by his house band, The Playboys. The piano can be seen at left.

Porky’s owner Herschel Sellers provided his guest entertainers with a second-hand “house” piano that sat on the honky-tonk’s flat roof.

“Back then musicians didn’t carry around 4,000-pound pianos,” Boyce said.

Porky’s rooftop held around 100 people, Boyce said, adding that it didn’t stop crowds of people from gathering on the stairs and areas below to dance and listen to the music. “Rockabilly” artists who performed included Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Sonny Burgess, Ace Cannon, Billy Lee Riley … and the King.

“Elvis performed in March of 1955,” Boyce said. Elvis Presley had just released his single, “That’s Alright,” about nine months before.

Eventually, Porky’s built a cover over the rooftop and remained a popular hot spot well into the ’60s. Some years later when Porky’s closed, a local church obtained the piano. Wilma Evans, an organist at the church, managed to acquire the piano to display in her gift shop. When she closed her business five years ago, she sold the piano to a local doctor.

Dr. Nicole Lawson knew the piano had historical value and donated it to the Jackson County Historical Society. Boyce said the historical society put the piano in storage until they could figure out the best way to showcase it.

Rock ‘n Roll Highway 67 runs a little more than 100 miles through Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Clay and Miller counties. Its name derived from original “rockabilly” artists that performed in establishments along the route has created many venues and commemorations in its honor, including Depot Days at Newport. Held each September since 1997, the festival features two days of entertainment from local, regional and national musicians.

Boyce said over the years, entertainers and visitors to the festival often share stories and history of the past. Boyce and performer Sonny Burgess decided to preserve that history. So they created a map and pinpointed the areas that contained the venues most popular with artists in the 1955 era.

“We drove up and down searching for memorabilia,” Boyce said. 

Ace Cannon, Henry Boyce and Sonny Burgess stand beside Porky’s piano.

Ace Cannon, Henry Boyce and Sonny Burgess stand beside Porky’s piano during the dedication at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum in Newport.

Boyce found an original road sign and a few more items he was able to restore. The sign came from a popular establishment known as the King of Clubs. Owner Bob King had thrown away the sign after the building had burned. A few photos were also salvaged from the burned structure.

“We restored what we could, including the sign,” Boyce said.

Around this time, Boyce decided he needed somewhere to display the memorabilia. The Newport Chamber of Commerce gave him a room in their building to display the items. As the visitor’s list grew, donations from the “rockabilly” days began pouring in from performers and others, Boyce said. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum, still housed in the chamber building, has grown and expanded to a much larger area since then.

“We have acquired exhibits from all over,” Boyce said. “We recently acquired a drum kit used by a Memphis band.”

The most recent donation created a lot of interest. After finding an old photo that had Porky’s piano in it, Boyce knew the piano had found its home. A dedication ceremony was held during Depot Days as Porky’s piano now sits in Newport’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum.