In retrospect, it s clear that former Pulaski County Judge Floyd G."Buddy" Villines was a visionary. Villines was county judge for 24 years, serving until the end of 2014. He was a master at combining federal, state, county and municipal funds to achieve common goals.
It s fitting that Shelley Short, president and CEO of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, is ordering something sweet with her coffee during our meeting at JavaPrimo in downtown Arkadelphia. After all, Short s organization has been proclaiming that this part of the state offers "the sweet life."
It s time for my interview with Henderson State University Chancellor Chuck Ambrose, but something has slowed us down. It s the first day of March Madness, and the 13th-seeded Furman Paladins have the fourth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers on the ropes. Ambrose is not only a Furman graduate, he s also a member of the school s board of trustees.