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TROUT CAPITAL NEWS Cotter, Good things are happening in Cotter; it's a great time to be here! Number 54 Published
by the City of |
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Whitey Herzog at Cotter Gym March 12 |
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By Anne Ramey Baseball’s been very, very good to me. Watching Little League in the city park, listening to the Cardinals on KTLO with my father, watching breathless as Ken Boyer hit that grand slam to win the ‘64 Series from the Yankees, and checking out of study hall to watch Gaylen Pitts pitch. 
I’d been living in St. Louis for several years when Boyer was named manager
of the Cardinals, and that got me to Busch Stadium. The ballpark sounds I’d
heard on the radio as a child and the bright green grass field under the
blazing lights were overwhelming. Oh, the reality of it all!It was tough when Boyer was fired between games of a double-header in 1980, but Whitey Herzog eased that pain. He rebuilt the team, making 11 trades, and managed the Cards to the best record in the league the next year. They weren’t in post-season play in 1981 because a strike by the players split the season. But after the strike, the Cardinals offered $1 seats for the rest of the season. We’d go downtown after work, get a hot dog at the stadium, and watch batting practice. I even got to see Gaylen Pitts play again. By that time the Cardinals were red hot -- even from the top six rows of the upper deck. Watching them run the bases from that height could make you dizzy! When someone says “Who is Whitey Herzog?” time disappears. I’m back at the 1982 World Series, on my feet with 50,000 other people cheering legendary reliever Bruce Sutter in the 9th inning of the 7th game. “What a team, what a |
town,
what a time!” red posters all over the city proclaimed. Indeed. Still the memory thrills. Now Whitey’s coming to Cotter. I won’t be at the dinner, because the memories are too precious to change. But you go, bid on his books and help build the kind of community we all want. Baseball will be very, very good to Cotter, too. I’ll see you at the park. Nuts and Bolts Whitey Herzog was born in New Athens, Ill., about an hour southeast of St. Louis, in 1931. He played professional baseball six seasons, from 1956 to 1963: for the Washington Senators, Kansas City Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers. He was an outfielder and a left-handed hitter (.254, 25 HR, 172 RBI, 231 runs, 13 stolen bases). Later he managed the Texas Rangers,
California Angels, Kansas City Royals, and finally, the St. Louis Cardinals
(1980-1990). He was with the Cardinals only a half-season in 1980, taking
over from the late Cardinal hero, Ken Boyer. |
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| Dinner
Details
Former St. Louis Cardinal Manager, Whitey Herzog, will headline a dinner on
March 12th at the Cotter High School Gym to raise funds to light the ball
field at Cotter’s Big Spring Park. Whitey will be joined by Cardinal great,
catcher Tom Pagnozzi, and local legend, former Cardinal coach and minor
league manager Gaylen Pitts. |
Doors will open at 5 p.m. for the silent auction, and a buffet dinner catered by Brent's Rib House will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at multiple locations in the Cotter area. These include Contractors Truss Systems, Cotter City Hall, Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce and Cotter Schools. In Gassville, tickets are being sold at the First National Bank and Wayne’s Foods. In Flippin, tickets are available at the Wood Realty, and Animal Clinic of the Ozarks. For more information contact Bev Pence, President, Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce, at 430-5012; Teresa Newman 435-5655; Gary Flippin 435-6144.
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City Council fills vacancy, hires new policeman In
other action [See photo on right: Jackie Stinnett (left) and police chief,
Ron Weaver (right)] the Council approved hire of Jackie Stinnett as new
police officer. Officer Stinnett is well
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At their monthly meeting Feb 24th the Cotter City Council approved Darryl
Porter (left) of Rainbow Heights to fill the vacancy for Ward 3 Position 1
on the City Council. He will be sworn in before the March Council meeting.
known
and currently serves on the Cotter School Board. He has most recently served
as a police officer in the Gassville Police Department. The Council heard
first reading of Ordinance Number 05-03, City Tree Ordinance, and approved
final leave settlement for recently retired police chief, Jack Burkhart.
 Mayor’s
MinuteI would like to thank all you folks who came out Saturday afternoon to give our retiring Police Chief, Jack Burkhart a big sendoff. I’m sure that it was gratifying to Jack and Janie that the folks appreciated his 18 years of service. His successor, Ron Weaver was trained by Jack to take over, and I am looking forward to Ron’s leadership. We have brought Jackie Stinnett on board as patrol officer. Jackie is another local boy, who also serves on our School Board where his two daughters attend. If you have not met these men, take a minute to introduce yourself when you see them. I think you will be impressed. Speaking of being impressed, Our very own Fire Department with it’s rescue services is super impressive. Just a few years ago, we had to rely on medical help coming from Mountain Home. Recently, a customer at the White Sands Restaurant needed medical help, and our team and the team from Gassville were there helping the man for at least twenty minutes before the team from the hospital came and took charge. |
The fact remains
that we are ten miles from the hospital, so twenty minutes is fast. We are
indeed fortunate to have such great medical help right here waiting for
something to happen.
Our ballfield renovation project is a good
example of the Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce and the City working together
on a project that will be of great benefit to our town. Kent and Teresa
Newman, owners of Contractors Truss Systems Inc. are heading
up the project for the Chamber and Alderman Gil Stammer is the point man on
the project for the City. When all the improvements are in place, we will be
able to host Little League tournaments and have regular night games. Ronnie
Smith and the City crew have been working on the infield so it will drain
better, and will add a dressing of volcanic ash that will greatly improve
the playability of the field following some rain. |
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Cotter Volunteer Fire Department
Auxiliary |
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Saturday, April 2nd. Come eat all you’d like of our delicious chili or soup from 5:00 to 7:30 P.M. The cost is only $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children 5-12, and kids under five are free. Besides chili or soup, you’ll get trimmings, cornbread, beverage & dessert. The auction will begin at 6:00 P.M. and will feature primarily delicious baked goods with some other special donated items from area merchants. There will also be door prizes and a 50/50 drawing. There will be no silent auction, only the traditional live auction with Dave Gilpen from Dave's Auction in Gassville as auctioneer. |
Dinner will be served by your local volunteer firemen. All money earned will be put toward equipment and vehicles in the fire department. All Cotter area people are encouraged to attend for help with this worthy cause. This is our major fundraiser of the year. Anyone who wishes to contribute baked items for the auction may bring them to the school cafeteria after noon on the April 2nd or may call Sue Whittington at 435-6989 to arrange for someone to pick them up. If
anyone wishes to make a money donation and cannot attend may mail
checks made out to the Cotter VFD Auxil Please join us for good food and a very important cause on April 2nd. |
It’s that time again! The
annual Fire Department Auxiliary Chili Supper and Auction is coming to
the Cotter school cafeteria on 
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Last Chance! Cotter Steel Trout - $125.00 |
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About a year ago, 34-inch steel trout started appearing in Cotter Trout Capital USA. The idea came from the 2025 Progress group, the design by talented and generous Duane Hada, and the construction logistics done by none other than Jim Wallace, the curator of the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis. At that time they were painted deep red. The sale of l6 of the original 50 fish, paid for the 34 hung. And the Tiptons and Nazarenkos kindly donated theirs back for public enjoyment; so 36 were hung, and self paid for. The second batch of fifty more
trout is now in the works. If you would like to own a primed steel trout,
you may. But you will have to hurry, there are only six left. Your purchase
will pay for the next group of trout to be hung in Cotter. When ordering you
need to: |
orientation of fish head |
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Trout Capital News to Get New Editors |
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Laura Morris and Deb Peterson, Innkeepers of Hopkinswoode bed and breakfast, will become Editors of the Trout Capital News effective with the March 2005 issue. They will bring daily involvement in the Cotter community to the paper and continue to make it better. Both women are professional writers, and Laura is the granddaughter of Katharine Hopkins Pitman, who lived all her life at Hopkinswoode. Laura’s great-grandfather was Clarence E. Hopkins, one of the very first settlers of Cotter. |
Mr. Hopkins was at one time the Editor of Cotter’s first newspaper, the Cotter Courier. The Sharps thank you for your support during the past four plus years. They say it was great fun, and they’ll continue to contribute to the news. Submit your stories by e-mail to troutcapitalnews@hopkinswoode.com. Regular mail should be addressed to Trout Capital News, 914 Combs Avenue, Cotter, AR 72626. |
Easter
egg hunt chairman, Shelly Baker, announces that the Annual Cotter Easter Egg
Hunt will be held on Saturday, March 26, at 10.00 a.m. SHARP at Big Spring
Park on the banks of the beautiful White River. All Cotter children ages 0 to
10 are encouraged to participate.
In case of rain, the bunny will hide eggs at the North Arkansas Youth Center, located on Powell Street between 4th & 5th streets, at 10.00 am SHARP on Saturday, March 26th! For more information, contact Shelly at 435-6482.
“Thank You, Jack”
Jack
Burkhart, Cotter’s police chief during the past 18 years, was honored by a
community reception at Cotter High School Gym on Saturday, Feb 19th. A number of
special guests including Cotter Mayor Bill Jennings, Gassville Mayor Louis
Mershon and Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery praised Chief Burkhart’s
conduct in the position of Chief of Police and numerous friends and citizens
also took to the microphone to offer praise.
Several offered testimonials of Chief Burkhart’s effectiveness and specific examples of his good work on their behalf. Superintendent of Schools Don Sharp thanked Chief Burkhart for his work that helped gain services of a school resource officer and also his part in the school mentoring program.
Mayor Jennings presented Janie Burkhart a bouquet of
flowers and thanked her for allowing the City of Cotter to have so much of her
husband’s time.
Chief Burkhart thanked everyone for their support and wished all the best to his successor, Ron Weaver. As the program appeared over, Scott Thrasher, Chief of Police for the City of Gassville, came to the podium and expressed his thanks for all the help he had received from Jack Burkhart as a young police officer and throughout his law enforcement career. Scott presented the keys to a special gift of appreciation from anonymous “friends of Jack” -- a beautiful red pick-up truck.
It is doubtful that in his distinguished law enforcement career, Chief Burkhart has ever been “speechless” about any issue, but those in attendance that afternoon saw him get very close at this most sincere gift from his many friends.
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This newsletter is published monthly
by the City of |
