By Rob Patrick

Suffering — whether it’s heartache, stress, mental anguish, physical pain or something else — is a part of this life. Everyone, from time to time, suffers to some extent.

And it’s easy to complain when it occurs, easy to get depressed about it, easy to say, “Why me?” In fact, it’s often difficult not to feel put upon even to the point of bitterness especially when it lingers.

Also, when we see suffering, particularly harsh suffering, happen to good people or to children, it often runs against our sense of justice. It just doesn’t seem right or fair.

But God can bring good from all things.

Christina Munoz speaking on “Making Memories”, who co-authored the book by that name celebrating the life of KATV Channel 7 anchor Anne Pressly, is featured speaker for the Bryant Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet on Tuesday, Jan. 26. Tickets are on sale now for the 37th Annual Winter Banquet at Pulaski Technical College South. Silent Auction is at 5:30 p.m. and dinner is at 6:45 p.m.

“We are excited to have Christina to talk about Anne. Anne certainly lived in a larger than life way,” said Allison Ramsey, co-chairperson for the event.

Bryant Police Officer Tim Green reports two calls came into Saline County Central Dispatch on the 911 lines initially from unknown persons stating there was a shooting and a bomb at an unknown location.

Bryant Communications Operators Jessica Stocks and Supervisor Martha Courtney were able to determine the calls came in from a disconnected cell phone and that the cellular tower was in a specific area of the Bryant High School.

A graduate of Bryant High School, Natalie Powell White, now residing in Van Buren, has won the $1 million prize for winning the reality television show, “Survivor: Samoa” on CBS-TV.

According to an Associated Press release, White won by “outwitting, outplaying and outlasting an oil company owner (Russell Hantz) and a doctor (Mike Trimming) in the final episode.”

White lettered in basketball and softball while attending Bryant High School.

The Bryant White Hornets eighth grade basketball team of Bryant Middle School improved to 7-2 with a 43-30 win over Rose City of North Little Rock on Thursday, Dec. 17.

Mitch Scoggins scored 16 points and Hunter Holder hit four 3-points on the way to 14 points.

Photos by RICK NATION

By Rob Patrick

LITTLE ROCK — Though the Benton Lady Panthers’ Ashley Martindale and Julie Davis each hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter, there was a long stretch in which they just couldn’t get a good look from beyond the arc as the Bryant Lady Hornets’ defense tightened things up on the outside. It forced the Lady Panthers to try to attack the basket but, when they did, all too often their shots were rejected by Bryant’s Abbi Stearns.

Much to their frustration.

Stearns blocked seven shots in the first half alone. She also gathered a game-high 16 rebounds to go with her 11 points as the Lady Hornets improved to 9-0 on the season with a 70-56 win over their rivals in the annual Salt Bowl Shootout at UALR’s Stephens Center on Friday night.

LITTLE ROCK — The Bryant Hornets got back in it. After trailing by 16 late in the third quarter, they’d worked the Benton Panthers’ lead back to just 3 when senior Brandon Parish drained a 3-point basket from the corner with 1:47 left to play.

At the 1:07 mark, Benton’s Eddie Poland was sent to the free throw line by the Hornets and he converted twice. At the other end, Bryant worked the ball until Parish got another good look from the right corner.

But the shot that would’ve, no doubt, ratcheted up the noise in support of the Hornets even further, did everything but go in and cut the lead to 2. It rimmed out and, in the closing minute, Poland hit four more free throws and Trey Davis two as the Hornets went dry and the Panthers extended the lead to 52-41.

The Bryant White Lady Hornets eighth grade basketball team of Bryant Middle School trailed Rose City 16-6 at halftime of their game on Thursday night but came back in the second half including a 10-2 run in the fourth quarter to earn a 32-22 victory.

The Bryant White seventh grade team was also victorious, 24-9.

December 16, 2005, the Bryant Hornets basketball team starting lineup was Phillip Porchay, Micah Farish, Chris Chumley, Chase Shaw and Jeremy Nordman. The Hornets defeated the Benton Panthers 52-49.

That was the last time a Bryant High School boys roundball team got the best of their rivals from Benton. Since then, it’s been six consecutive losses for the Hornets who, tonight, will try to snap that string at the Salt Bowl Shootout at the Jackson T. Stephens Center at UALR.