O DEER! Shortly before 8 a.m. one recent day, while driving east along the south perimeter of the University of Arkansas System's gated Cammack Village campus, this columnist spotted movement ahead, an animal sprinting outside the property, between its metal fence and Hawthorne Road.
It wasn't a big dog, but a deer.
The deer, realizing the error of its ways, rounded the corner and high-tailed it back inside the metal gate from which it had most probably ventured earlier that morning.
"I'm not surprised by that at all," says Ben Beaumont, senior director of policy and public affairs with the UA System. Beaumont said that in addition to squirrels, rabbits and even a fox a few years ago, he has seen deer on the property and saw one run across the road in front of him as he was leaving one evening.
"It's certainly a neat little 'oasis' in the middle of town," he said.
RUNWAY RUNAWAY? Some Arkansans who've been following El Dorado native Lacey Claire Rogers' competition on the series finale of America's Next Top Model can watch the final episode at 8 tonight. The show regularly airs Friday nights but high school football championships delayed the finale episode until tonight in the central Arkansas area, KARK-TV, Channel 4, recently announced via Twitter. In the most recent previous episode, which was the first part of the finale, Rogers, one of four contestants remaining, is competing for the grand prize -- landing a Nylon magazine article and Zappos Couture campaign.
BRIGHT LIGHTS: Crossett resident Sam Finney's Christmas Wonderland light display, which draws visitors from more than three states, will appear on ABC's three-part special series, The Great Christmas Light Fight!, airing this month. The episode featuring Finney's annual million-plus light display at 123 Goshen Road is to air at 9 p.m. Dec. 21. If he wins his episode's competition, he could score $50,000.
SWEET SCOOP: The December issue of Food Network magazine has an article on cookies inspired by bakers' home states, including one by TracyCakes in Little Rock. The cookie, in the shape of Arkansas, appears as a gift, wrapped with a bow and framed by a wreath.
SINGING HIS PRAISES: Country singer Tanya Tucker had the original hit on the tune "Delta Dawn" in the 1970s when she was just 13. So what did she think of Marion native Barrett Baber's recent live performance of the song on NBC's The Voice singing competition?
"Barrett sure put a modern twist on that ole song and sang the fire out those lyrics," Tucker said, reports Country Weekly. "Very impressive. 'Delta Dawn' will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am grateful that he chose to perform it in front of a whole new audience."
This week, Baber, who lives in Fayetteville and works as a high school drama teacher, competes against eight other contestants for the show's Final Four.
Contact Linda S. Haymes at (501) 399-3636 or [email protected]
SundayMonday on 12/06/2015