SPOTLIGHT Valda Gonzalez : She oils the engine of ‘global exchange’

BY BOBBY AMPEZZAN

SPRINGDALE — Each month she gathers them inside a conference room at Circle of Life to talk diversity — ministers and community organizers, nonprofit volunteers and police officers, a coordinator of Marshallese outreach and the head of the Sigma Mu transsexual support group, and others. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

Marcel Louis ‘Moose’ Van Poucke : For Siloam’s sake

BY JESSICA WEEKLEY SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

SELF PORTRAIT Date and place of birth: Feb. 27, 1934, Chicago Family: wife Nancy and daughters Vicki Metsers, Kathy Murray and Patti Eiland My worst habit is swearing at bad drivers. My favorite season is fall. My favorite city outside Arkansas is Chicago, my hometown. Three people I’d invite to my fantasy dinner party: Tom Clancy, Harry S. Truman and Ronald Reagan. If I could change one thing about myself, it would be: I don’t think that I would change anything about myself really. I’m 74 years old, and, maybe if something was different, I wouldn’t have made it this far. My wife wishes I could be more considerate of her. If I had more time, I would fi sh more. SILOAM SPRINGS — M.L. “Moose” Van Poucke, the longtime mayor in this growing west Benton County city, is a man’s man who appears unaffected by his hardearned membership in an all-boys club of politicians. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

RIGHT TIME RIGHT PLACE : First sparks felt at church dance

BY BOBBY AMPEZZAN

FAYETTEVILLE — Twentyfive years ago last week it was official : Conrad Odom, Fayetteville High School senior, and junior Laura Dill began dating. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

Gustav doesn’t dampen annual Lewis catfish fry

— Cyd King

FAYETTEVILLE — Gustav be damned, Bev and Harley Lewis’ annual fall fish fry went off as planned. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

UPDATE : Yoga’s in vogue — so is center

BY MICHELLE PARKS

FAYETTEVILLE — Each September, Vogue tries to publish the definitive guide to fall fashion, and this year’s 798-page opus — 75 percent is advertisements — is no exception. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

A nail-biter of a game:

— Cyd King

FAYETTEVILLE — The Razorbacks’ Aug. 30 narrow win over Western Illinois was a squeaker, all right. The basil martinis in a certain westside skybox almost didn’t last through the fourth quarter and into the post-game celebration. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

NORTHERN LIGHTS : Circle of Friends to lick annual Sucker Campaign

BY BOBBY AMPEZZAN

BENTONVILLE — How many checks does it take to get to the end of the annual Sucker Campaign? - Sunday, September 7, 2008

Smaller crowd greets start of city arts festival at party

— Bobby Ampezzan

FAYETTEVILLE — The city’s arts festival kicked off Aug. 29 with an Open Space Art Party at the Fayetteville Town Center — an opportunity for paying guests to gobble up artwork ahead of the throngs the next day. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

‘Green’ definition has many shades of gray

BY KAREN YOUSO MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

MINNEAPOLIS — If you’re not sure what “living green” means, it’s not surprising. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

Spring fashion outlook goes from dark to light

BY MICHAEL QUINTANILLA SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

LAS VEGAS — The spring 2009 previews recently shown here at 17 fashion trade shows for retail-store buyers — all looking for new names, new labels and new items — reveal a surprisingly new, optimistic attitude and outlook. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

Super rich are living larger, thanks to low interest rates

BY SARAH SCHWEITZER THE BOSTON GLOBE

The economic problems gripping the country have left a broad swath of Americans agonizing over $60 gas fill-ups, ballooning grocery bills and houses lost to foreclosure. But for New England’s class of super rich, downtimes have made for a bonanza of deals on luxurious pleasures, from sports cars and yachts to pieds-a-terre and airplanes. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

T-shirts still deliver a message

BY KATHLEEN HENNESSEY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAS VEGAS — It wasn’t so long ago that pop queens sparked the “message” T-shirt fad with tops telling no one in particular “Dump him” or “I stole your boyfriend.” We may all be pleased to learn we’ve evolved. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

MALE CALL : Wearing ironed trousers upgrades the office attire

LOIS FENTON

Q. As a manager, I am one of only two men in my office to wear a tie. In the summer, my general style of dress has been cotton or linen trousers in khaki or dark colors, dress shirt and a tie. In cooler weather, I wear chinos or dark twills. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

LIFELONG HEALTH : Vitamin B supplements don’t lower disease risk

DAVID LIPSCHITZ

As many as 10 percent to 15 percent of individuals over age 70 have significant deficiencies of vitamin B-12. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

ACES ON BRIDGE

BOBBY WOLFF

DEAR MR. WOLFF: I opened one heart, my partner responded one no-trump (announced as forcing ), and my RHO bid two hearts. Was this a Michaels Cuebid, showing spades and a minor? If so, is it alertable? - Sunday, September 7, 2008

NORTHWEST REAL ESTATE : Top six

Pictured below are the six most expensive houses sold Aug. 18-22 in Benton and Washington counties. “Sold” refers to the date on which the real estate deed was recorded by the Benton or Washington county circuit clerk, irrespective of the actual sale date. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

DEAR ABBY : Bad day saved by kindness

DEAR ABBY: Please let the world know that kind people still exist. I was on my way to two job interviews. Not surprisingly, I was nervous, so before I got off my train, I took my phone out to check the directions to the first one. A short walk later, I reached the subway, but when I went into my purse for my wallet to buy a MetroCard, lo and behold, my wallet and new glasses were missing. - Sunday, September 7, 2008

Bridal policy

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Northwest Arkansas bureau invites area residents to submit engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements and photographs for free publication in Northwest Arkansas Profiles. - Sunday, September 7, 2008