Gobble Gobble: Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving costs are down, Sherry White is up and North Little Rock football is headed to the semifinals at Bryant this Friday plus news and sports headlines for a short holiday week
During this season of giving thanks, and a day ahead of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share my gratitude to readers and subscribers to ArkansasNewsroom.com.
When I started this venture last year, my belief was that there would be an audience for professionally reported local news and sports. I’ll have more details for the first-anniversary edition next week but, suffice to say, the bet has paid off.
Thousands of readers a week, all of whom can’t seem to get enough Maumelle and North Little Rock news and sports.
Truthfully, the response has been both amazing and humbling. I’m tremendously thankful for the support and especially to those who have purchased the subscriptions that sustain ArkansasNewsroom.com as we look to doing even more in Year 2.
You will be getting a subscription renewal notice in your email and it would mean the world if you continued to pay for the local news and sports coverage. We are able to do what we do, because of you.
So thank all of you once again, and thank you for supporting ArkansasNewsroom.com.
Now, for the good stuff. When you eye that suspiciously large pile of leftover turkey on Friday, toast two pieces of raisin cinnamon bread. Then spread a layer of cream cheese on one slice and on the other, leftover cranberry sauce, preferably two slices of the canned stuff. Throw in some turkey and enjoy the best leftover Thanksgiving sandwich one can imagine.
Note to subscribers: An annual or monthly subscription is billed to your debit or credit card as ARKANSAS.SUBSTACK.COM and if you have questions, please email arkansas@substack.com. Thanks for reading and subscribing!The headlines
North Little Rock: Downtown Tip-Off Club returns in December
A Covid head-scratcher: Why lice lurk despite physical distancing
Don’t forget that Small Business Saturday is this Saturday and be sure to support a local business that day. They would appreciate it.
Sports
NORTH LITTLE ROCK: In a battle to the very end, North Little Rock rallied on the road to beat Bentonville, 24-21, in the final seconds of Class 7A playoffs second round. Read more by clicking 'Cats scratch out dramatic win, head to semifinals for sixth consecutive year
CAC GIRLS: Central Arkansas Christian’s Lady Mustangs rang up their first win of the season Monday, escaping Mountain View, 53-52, at Bergman. By Donna Lampkin Stephens and read more by clicking Lady Mustangs get first win
Moore on Maumelle: My Take
Neal Moore is taking the week off.
Hometown Thanksgiving this Thursday in Maumelle
Maumelle’s annual Hometown Thanksgiving will be held this Thursday, Nov. 25, or Thanksgiving, at Center on the Lake.
A donation of $15 is suggested and it starts at 11 a.m. Carryout is also available.
For more details, check out the flyer below.
Talking turkey: The cost of Thanksgiving this year
The Arkansas Farm Bureau released its annual survey of Thanksgiving meal costs earlier this week and it showed that a Thanksgiving meal for 10 would cost $53.31 or $5.33 per person.
This marks the third year in the row that average costs have declined.
In 2020, the cost was $57.14 and in 2019 it was $57.75.
But all that comes with a very important caveat.
The cost of a turkey varied widely this year.
The average cost for a 16-pound bird was $23.99, which is up 24 percent from last year’s $17.36.
That’s a big price surge but the Farm Bureau said it checked prices from Oct. 26 to Nov. 8, which is, “before most grocery store chains began featuring whole frozen turkeys at sharply lower prices.”
According to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, grocery stores began advertising lower feature prices later than usual this year. Also, the average per-pound feature price for whole frozen turkeys was $1.07 the week of Nov. 5-11 and 88 cents the week of Nov. 12-18, a decline of 18 percent in just one week. So, in other words, waiting can save some real money.
And speaking from purely, personal anecdotal experience. The cost of the 26-pound turkey in the freezer was 79 cents a pound. Or just barely over $20. My cost-conscious father-in-law is quite proud.
The shopping list for the survey includes: turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk and enough to serve 10.
The volunteer shoppers looked for the best possible prices without using coupons or purchase deals and individual prices are as follows:
16-pound turkey: $23.99 or approximately $1.50 per pound
2 frozen pie crusts: $2.91
30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $3.64
Half pint of whipping cream: $1.78
1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.05
12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.98
1 gallon of whole milk: $3.30
1 pound of frozen peas: $1.54
3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $3.56
1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): 82 cents
Ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.45
14-ounce bag of cubed stuffing mix: $2.29
Hall of Famer Sherry White is back in the saddle again
Sherry White stayed retired for all of one year.
White, a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, won five state championships in a storied 38-year coaching career with stops at Mountain Home, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Lakeside, Harrison, Fort Smith Southside and Russellville.
Her first state title was at Hot Springs then four more came at Harrison. She took Southside and Russellville to state championship games. She won over 600 games as a high school coach.
White was also one of the better high school players to come out of the state from Bruno-Pyatt and was a four-year all-conference player at Arkansas Tech where she still ranks second in school history in career scoring with 2,248 points at 19.7 points per game and tied for third in rebounds with 842.
So what job lured her off the sidelines? Away from the comfort of home and family?
If you guessed, coaching the ninth-graders at Maumelle High School, you’d be right as Maumelle coach Callie De Los Santos made White an offer she couldn’t refuse.
Santos played for White at Southside and it was her Lady Rebels team that lost in the 2013 state finals. Santos also ended her college career at White’s alma mater, Arkansas Tech, where she was a pretty fair player as well.
So Santos and White have a connection as a coach and player but there’s more. Much more.
If you didn’t already know, or had figured it out, White is also Calli’s mom, and Santos will be entering her first full year as a high school coach. She was hired last season after coaching the junior high at Sylvan Hills but missed the entirety of the year after being on maternity leave.
“I got mom out of retirement to come help out this year,” White said by text and followed by
. “Yes! I love it!! … We are extremely lucky to have her!”
White might miss a game or two this season as she’ll be headed to Harrison later this year to be inducted into that school’s Hall of Fame but her presence will be felt regardless as she’ll also serve as an assistant coach to her daughter.
As for Maumelle, Santos says she has three starters back from last season in London Robinson, Trista Dillard, Taijah Jackson. A key player off the bench last year was Jikirah Riley.
Santos also welcomes a large group of newcomers in: Raelen Randle, Mia Winston, Khyndal Alexander, India Robinson, Hallie Joy Fender and Lake Ramey.
“I think we will be extremely young, but very talented and hard working,” Santos said. “We are a fearless team that will never give up. We will be strong inside and have developed some shooters on the outside.”
Santos added, “This team is one of the closest groups of girls I’ve ever coached. They genuinely are for each other on and off the court. We keep each other accountable, and are all working for one common goal: A State Championship. I feel honored and blessed to coach these girls. We are growing this program in the right direction, and we look forward to what it’s becoming!”
At a glance
Last season's record: 3-13
Years at school: Entering second year as Head Coach
Career high school record: 0-0 (missed last season due to maternity leave)
Assistant coaches: Jimbo Pearson and Sherry White
Streaming site: Natural State Sports and Maumelle Sports Network Youtube and Facebook pages
» High School roster
For the schedule and more click Hall of Famer Sherry White is back in the saddle again
Don’t forget: A Christmas project worth doing
The Christmas at Methodist Family Health Angel Tree is ongoing and donations are still being sought.
To look at the list of names, click here and follow these steps:
Choose a child’s list (all items on the list can be purchased for $150 or less) and purchase the items on that list
Pick and choose items to send (second choice on the site)
Contribute to the Methodist Family Health Foundation, which provides for the necessities of the children and families in our care throughout the year.
The deadline to purchase the items is Dec. 10.