Cotter, Arkansas
Good things are happening in Cotter; it's a great time to be here!

Trout Capital News Home Page

Cotter Community Supports Band Instrument Drive

Evelyn Denton, Education Chairman of the Saturday Club of Cotter, presented a check for $200 for instruments to the Cotter band president Corey Condrey, shown here with the entire high school band. The donation was made possible by those who bought bulbs during the Saturday Club's recent fundraiser.

     Cotter Band Director, John Devos, reports a wonderful outpouring of support from the community to donate old band instruments for Cotter band students. Some have donated cash that will be used to repair old instruments that have been donated. A special thanks to Ron and Carol Reedy, Pat Wicker, Alice James, Crystal Copeland, Lana Smith, Tammy Marts, Bill Johnson, Richard and Maggie Lyon, Helen Gunter, Delter Wiseman, Micro Plastics (Flippin), Gil Stammer, Melissa Hodge, Melva Dickerson, Janet Latham and Amanda Condrey.
    Over 25 instruments have been received to date, including flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, percussion equipment, and even an accordian. The biggest shortfalls are in more expensive instruments such as tubas, baritones and french horns. Much help is still needed to fund this area.
     The additional instruments have enabled more kids to participate in music at Cotter schools. A good opportunity for the community to directly see the benefits is to come to the Holiday Program presented by Amanda Gist Elementary School on, at 7 p.m. in the new gym. The program will include the 6th grade band, the students that are using the donated instruments.
     The Cotter High School Band and Choir will present their combined Holiday Concert on Sunday, December 14, 2003, at 2 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend. For more information contact John Devos at 435-6323.

Care Crew Building Another
Railroad Workers Memorial Wall

     An additional memorial wall adjacent to the conductor statue at the Anglin-Tinnon Railroad Workers Memorial at Big Spring Park will soon be built. Two walls are there now and each includes 75 bricks that honor railroad workers and their families. The new wall will display 78 additional bricks.
     Other Care Crew projects include support for the Cotter Band instrument drive and the annual elementary school Halloween carnival. The Baxter County Heritage Museum at Gassville has agreed to provide a display room for railroad history. Memorabilia is being collected and the display room should be opened in early spring 2004.
     The next meeting will be Thursday, November 13, 8:30 a.m., at the White Sands. Come have breakfast with us! For more information contact Lynn or Jerry Stude at 430-5645.

Mayor’s Minute

     Persistence does pay off. Last Spring, Fire Chief John Urban supervised the application for a grant from the Arkansas Department of Rural Services. Jim and Sue Whittington and several others volunteered the preparation of the reams of paperwork and submitted it only to be turned down. The folks at Rural Development suggested that we re-submit the application in the next cycle, which we did and lo and behold the application was approved! On November 18, 2003, Governor Huckabee will present a check for $15,000.00 to John. Whit sent word that he won't be able to be present, but said that he will be there in spirit. Congratulations to all that worked so hard on the project. That money will buy equipment that will help make our great Fire Department even better.
     The painting project in Big Spring Park is complete. The pavilion and the footbridge both look new. The all white pavilion is so much brighter and appears so much larger. The footbridge is now a forest green and looks like it belongs in a wooded setting.
     As you go by Warrior Park, you will notice nice bright paint jobs on the playground equipment. Debbie Simmons and her park committee have spent a lot of time cleaning, repairing and painting. Richard Weaver repaired the merry-go-round with a ball bearing made to fit a piece of farm equipment. I am sure that a lot of children will appreciate the work by all the folks.
     The Arkansas Department of Health is sponsoring a clinic to give flu shots in the pavilion between 1 and 3 p.m. on November 14, 2003. Those of us on Medicare get the shot without charge. Everyone not covered by Medicare or Medicaid can receive the inoculation for $15.00. That is a great price when you consider the alternative. As the man says: "Believe me, I know" -- they really work.
     The meeting night for our City Council meeting was changed to the fourth Thursday of each month. However, the November (Nov. 20) and December (Dec. 18) meetings will be on the third Thursday because both Thanksgiving and Christmas fall on the fourth Thursday. Starting in January (Jan. 22) 2004, the meetings will be at 6:00 PM on the fourth Thursday of each month.
     It’s "Light the Loop" time again. Carolyn Gill and the Chamber of Commerce are working hard to make this year’s Christmas lights competition the biggest and best in the ten year history of the event. Ribbons will be awarded for winners in each category, and cash prizes will be given to the best overall in each town. Let’s have so many lights in our town that people will think the northern lights have moved south!

Music Returns to Historic Adams Hall

     For many years the large two story concrete building near Second and Combs, constructed in 1914 for Joe Adams, the “picture show man” and C. B. Eaton, Cotter’s second Postmaster, had been the site of special musical events. During Cotter's boomtown days its upstairs ballroom was the site of formal balls, dances, special parties and picture shows, while the downstairs rooms held retail stores, such as the Golden Rule Store and Fielding’s Grocery. In more recent years an occasional concert or other special event was held there, but activity had dwindled.
     New owner Tim Mulaney, a St. Louis area veterinarian and brother of Sharon Peters, has been working hard to renovate the building, and community members are beginning to use it again. During this year’s fall festival, it was the site of children’s games and each Saturday night from 6-9 p.m.the building is the scene of great toe-tapping music for the public to enjoy. On one recent Saturday night, there were more than 40 people in the audience and up to 20 musicians, passing the microphone around the big circle in which they were arranged.
     A special friend of Cotter, Alice Marshall, says:

     “Reconnecting with its past, music has poured out of the historic building on Second Street between McLean and Combs the past several Saturday nights. Lights on the porch revealed an open door to a well-lit room filled with musicians having a jam session, as well as an appreciative, toe-tapping group of people listening and visiting.
     “The musicians are a local group of men and women who enjoy playing music (guitar, fiddle, mandolin  and harmonica), many who also play with other groups. Bob Middleton has been putting in double time, cleaning and arranging the space to maximize its use as a music venue.
     “The historic building, has been rearranged to maximize its use as a music venue. It has been renamed the Montana by its owner, Tim Malaney, who is donating space for this to happen in Cotter. He renamed the building “Montana” because of its resemblance to many such structures in that state and also because “a river runs through it.” A run-off from across the street carries water in a creek-like gully under the building.
     “The group encourages all musicians, regardless of their expertise, to join in. Listeners are welcome to bring a chair and come to this no-charge jam session.”

Bev Pence To Lead Cotter Chamber

Lights! Lights! Lights!

     The various Chambers of Commerce surrounding Bull Shoals Lake, Cotter, Flippin , Bull Shoals, & Lakeview, are reminding and encouraging us to join in and take part in Light The Loop this year. This is a 40-mile loop through six communities along Highways 178, 62, 62B, and 126 from late November-December.
     Advertised and promoted by the Arkansas Tourism Department, we will have visitors from all around Arkansas visiting our town to view holiday lights. Get in the spirit and string some lights. There are cash prizes available for the 3 best displays in Cotter. For more information call Carolyn Gill, at 435-2207 or e-mail her here.

Council Takes Up Special Water Rates and Special Events

     At their monthly meeting on October 23, 2003, the Cotter City Council heard a first reading of Ordinance 03-07 which affirms water and sewer rates and establishes seasonal rates to be charged by the City of Cotter. Second and third readings will be heard at the next two Council meetings to enable public review and input prior to implementation.
     Alderman Mosley gave an update on the Wastewater Treatment Plant. A series of tests are being run prior to bringing the plant on-line. On October 23rd manufacturing representative’s personnel from Garver Engineering and individuals from J & L Construction were on-site for a series of reviews. The end result is to ensure that equipment has been properly installed and will operate at or above engineering specifications. Tests will be completed in several weeks and problems identified will be corrected. The actual switch-over to the new plant has not yet been scheduled, but estimates are for late 2003.
     Alderman Simmons described upgrades being made in City Hall. These include computerizing records and information for monthly court and other departments. The Water Dept work area to include the pay window will be remodeled to better serve the public.
     The Police Department is going to be remodeled to provide an office area plus an interview room. This will cut down on interruptions while the police are trying to do interviews and help keep documents more secure.
     The council had a lengthy discussion about major celebrations to be held in Cotter in 2004. In addition to the spring and fall festivals Cotter will celebrate its centennial and also be able to re-dedicate the renovated rainbow arch bridge. No action was taken but the community will be sampled for input and the subject will be on the November meeting agenda, November 20, 2003. (See related article)

Flu Shots at Spring House

     Flu shots sponsored by the Arkansas Health Department will be offered at the Spring House on November 14, 2003, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The cost of the shot will be $15.00 or free with your Medicare or Medicaid card.

Bridge Dedication of 1930 Recalled;
Re-dedication Plans Considered

     On November 12 and 13, 1930, the dedication and grand opening celebration was held for Cotter’s rainbow arch bridge. The renovation will probably be completed sometime in the first half of 2004, and Cotter citizens and elected officials are beginning to talk about the re-dedication celebration.
     Following are parts of the story of the dedication from the November 14, 1930, issue of the Baxter Bulletin. The report from the Cotter Record has not as yet been found.

Cotter Royally Entertained Record Crowd

A plane appeared out of cloudy skies, hovered over the new bridge across the White River for an instant, and a stream of poppies cascaded from the cockpit. As the first of the descending flowers touched the magnificent structure, Miss Betty Ruthven, Queen of the bridge celebration said, "I christen this bridge Progress and dedicate it to Service," and the bridge was formally opened.

One of the largest crowds that ever assembled in North Arkansas was in Cotter Tuesday for the bridge opening and celebration. The assemblage was estimated at between 3,000 and 4,000 . . .

The christening ceremonies were very impressive and to many of the old settlers of this section who were present, the new bridge seemed unreal. Such a structure even ten years ago was unthought.

The parade, in which one thousand cars took part trailing behind numerous floats, was one of the features of the day. The float carrying the Queen and her maids led the parade with floats from Mtn. Home, Cotter, Gassville and other towns. The float from Gassville was unique. In the center was a big rainbow representing the new rainbow type bridge, and this idea was carried out in other decorations.

      The Queen's float was a gorgeous thing in pink, and carried Miss Betty Ruthven, her maids Lena Appleby, Daisy Matthews, Gereda Simmons, all of Cotter, Louise Robertson and Alice Curlee, of Mtn. Home,  Maxine Tucker of Gassville, and  little George Alfred Frances and Maxine Olsen, train bearers.

     Bands from West Plains and Green Forest participated, as well as the “Mountain Home-Cotter Band” and a military unit, Service Battery 206, of Harrison.

      Politicians from Missouri and Arkansas were introduced by Judge R. M. Ruthven, and they all spoke, anywhere from a “few words” to a “discourse at length.” The outgoing and incoming State Representatives, Kent Jackson and W. U. McCabe were among the speakers, as was Senator Thaddeus H. Caraway and “Bob Berry and other local celebrities.”

      The second day of the celebration consisted of more speeches and a farm development program.
      If you’d like to read the whole story of the dedication, it has been put on Cotter’s Internet page:

http://www.cotterarkansas.com/bridgestory.htm

     If you have ideas for this celebration, or for Cotter’s centennial, July 7, 2004, let the City Council members know your feelings. Better yet, come to the next meeting on Thursday, November 20, and share them with the crowd.

Cotter 2025 Committee Meetings Changed

     The Cotter 2025 committee has decided to meet twice a month, the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. at the Spring house. The work of listing all ongoing projects is completed, and work to formulate plans for the future has begun. Everyone who loves Cotter is encouraged to attend, bring ideas, and help with the planning to make Cotter an even better place to live!