Arkansas Alligator Farm gives new meaning to hibernation

The Southern Arkansas
Poetry: Ask Me Again... P-4
First
Issue:
May
2007
TAILGATE NEWS
A Nelson Publication accepting news from: GURDON, BRYANT, Arkadelphia, Prescott, Hot Springs, Bismarck, Fountain Lake, Malvern, Glen Rose, Magnet Cove,
Benton.
We are a magazine covering community progress, Christian testimonies and sports highlights. Online “Current issue” every Friday.
Check out our archives since going digital in April of 2012. Password: Jesus Lives! PDFS, past and present, free to copy. Enjoy the read.
YEAR 7: 2013
ISSUE: March 15, 2013
VOL. 95
FREE
12 Pages
Have a great St.
Patrick’s Day.
Sunday,
March 17
Family Dollar Store could
re-build on existing slab
MAKING THAT THIRD OUT - Dylan Weems, pitcher for the
Gurdon Go-Devils against the Rison Wildcats on Monday, March 11,
throws the strike that produces the third out for Gurdon with bases
loaded in the fourth inning and turns the batting back over to the GoDevils so the home team can maintain its 3-0 lead. Gurdon went into
the Rison game 2-1, after a successful showing in the Poyen
Tournament. The Gurdon baseball and softball teams will be at home
on Monday, March 25, when both will take on Lafayette County.
Come on out and support the Go-Devils! (John Nelson photo)
By JOHN NELSON
Tailgate News Editor
The dismantling of the old Gurdon grocery
store, on Highway 53 next to the Senior Center, is
progressing well - with nothing much more than a
store front and tin shell behind it remaining.
According to Jerry Williams, local contractor
hired to take down the old structure, he was given
three weeks to accomplish the task and is now starting his third and final week.
Mayor Clayton Franklin said he believes
Williams will finish right on schedule. As to what the
next move will be for Family Dollar Store, that
remains to be seen. It depends on the seriousness
of Harp’s Grocery out of Oklahoma, in regard to partnering with Family Dollar on a new building set up as
a duplex to accommodate both businesses.
(Continued on Page 2)
Old grocery should be down in another week,
Gurdon Mayor Clayton Franklin predicts.
Arkansas Alligator Farm gives new meaning to hibernation
By JOHN NELSON
Tailgate News Editor
HOT SPRINGS - Alligators,
apparently a large reptile quite
capable of hibernation, turn into
virtual statutes when winterized...
This fact became obvious to
the editor, two of his grandchildren and his wife, in an outing to
an alligator farm on Saturday,
March 9.
Arkansas Alligator Farm and
Petting Zoo, an established business at 847 Whittington Avenue in
Hot Springs since 1917, had
approximately 100 visible alligators, seemingly of all ages,
shapes and sizes .Most of them
seemed to be hibernating on that
“grandparents weekend.”
Joshua Matthew
Hagelstein, 6-year-old grandson
of the editor, said, “Grandpa, I
love this place. This is where I
want to work when I grow up!”
After the owner, a Magnolia
resident who said his grandparents established the farm, showed
the Nelson family a movie of the
alligators eagerly eating chicken
during their active months, it was
decided to make another trip to
the farm in July to see the beasts
in full mobile glory.
Farm literature indicates the
gators eat from May until October,
consuming 200 pounds of chicken
per day. The farm, also a petting
zoo, actually has more than 150
alligators, with those in the feeding pen ranging in age from 25 to
(Continued on Page 7)
GATE INDEX
Making a Difference
John’s Sermon
“The Golden Rule”
Page 3
Soccer here
Gurdon hosts TexArkana
Page 4
Lincoln Day Dinner
April 9
Rex Nelson will give
views on ‘the new Arkansas’
Page 6
Fountain Lake
Fifth graders take Quiz Bowl
Page 11
MOVING A BIT - Arkansas Alligator farm tenants moved about a little on March 9. The population consumes more than 200 pounds of
chicken per feeding day from May until October, when the heat
prompts the warm-weather creatures to eat. (John Nelson photo)
Ph: (870) 353-8201
jay_ [email protected]
Address: 111 East Cherry
Gurdon, Ark. 71743