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Relocation Completed of Rock Island Depot in Arkansas, Now Fundraising Begins to Repair Roof

The Perry depot on Feb. 22, 2020 after being moved to a new location, which is still along the tracks.

Nearly three years after the idea was proposed to move a Rock Island Railroad depot in Perry, Arkansas to keep it from being torn down, a significant milestone has been reached in the project. Last month the 101-year-old passenger and freight station, which was along the railroad’s Sunbelt Line between Memphis and Tucumcari, New Mexico, was moved to a new location. A foundation was then constructed underneath the building. The next priority is to raise money to replace the roof.

I’ve written an update on the project and how people can help by making donations. This really was a long shot idea that has come together thanks to a lot of supporters who realize the significance of this old building. READ MORE.

Arkansas Week: Presidential Primary Politics, Medical Marijuana Arrives in Little Rock

With just over two weeks before Arkansas takes part in Super Tuesday on March 3, presidential politics, including race, dominated most of the conversation on this weekend’s episode of Arkansas Week. We also discussed Little Rock getting its first medical marijuana dispensary, nine months after they began opening elsewhere in the state. I joined state Rep. Fred Allen (D-Little Rock) and Hendrix College political science professor Jay Barth to talk about the issues with host Steve Barnes.

This show was aired just as AETN (Arkansas Educational Television Network) announced it will be adopting a new name, Arkansas PBS, which Barnes discusses at the end of the program. The rebranding reflects the growth of digital platforms to watch programming beyond the six broadcast television signals that make up the network. The new name officially goes into effect on Feb. 28.

Paul English, Longtime Drummer and Enforcer for Willie Nelson, Dies at 87

A highlight of every concert I’ve seen by Willie Nelson has been hearing him sing “Me and Paul,” written about his experiences with longtime drummer Paul English. English officially joined “the family,” which Nelson called his band, in 1966, though they had met a decade earlier. So I was sad to see that English died on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020 after suffering from pneumonia. He was 87.

Paul English brushes the snare drum during a performance of “Me and Paul” with Willie Nelson on Oct. 5, 2012 in Jonesboro, Arkansas during the annual Johnny Cash Heritage Festival. Photos: Michael Hibblen/ KUAR News.

Only once did I cover a Willie Nelson concert as a reporter. That was on Oct. 5, 2012 during the annual Johnny Cash Heritage Festival, which raises money to restore and maintain Cash’s boyhood home in Dyess, Arkansas. Cash and Nelson had long been friends, performed together in the supergroup the Highwaymen, and released a live album together in 1998, the incredible VH1 Storytellers, in which they alternated stories and songs. So it seemed a natural having Nelson play to help support the project for his late friend’s home, which had its roots in a New Deal program during the Great Depression.

Willie Nelson at the Oct. 5, 2012 concert in Jonesboro, Ark.

I was in the pit at the front of the stage shooting photos at the 2012 show and was happy, as I heard Nelson introduce “Me and Paul,” to see a spotlight shine on the drummer, with me taking the photo above of English in signature hat, black outfit and cape. I interviewed Willie Nelson once in 2005, with audio and photos of that, as well as photos from the 2012 concert at this link.

English had a colorful history, not only playing rhythm for Nelson, but also serving as a protector of the singer. The Oxford American (which is based in Arkansas) detailed that history in a 2015 article titled “Watching Willie’s Back,” which delved into the many roles English held over the years. That included being road manager of the show and, in the early days, being the strong-armed collector of payments from club owners for the band. Armed with a pistol in his boot, he was prepared to protect anyone that threatened Nelson or the band. RIP Paul English.

Arkansas Week: Discussing Trump Impeachment, Bloomberg Campaign Visit

This weekend I was among the panelists on AETN’s “Arkansas Week” discussing the ongoing impeachment trial of President Trump in the U.S. Senate. I also talked about covering presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg’s visit to Little Rock on Monday, Jan. 20. He entered the race too late to take part in the first four states holding primary elections and is focusing efforts on Super Tuesday states like Arkansas.

AETN Details the Arrival of Radio in Arkansas

In 1922, the first radio station in Arkansas was put on the air by Harvey Couch, creator of Arkansas Power & Light. The call letters for WOK stood for “Workers of Kilowatts.” Couch made his first broadcast using a tower at his home in Pine Bluff, with a group listening at the nearby Hotel Pines.

I was among those interviewed about this for the AETN documentary “Music in Arkansas: Origins 200 BC-1941 AD.” As I explained, the arrival of radio would have a tremendous impact on the state, especially by connecting those living in rural areas with the rest of the country. You can watch that segment of the program below.