Batesville Flower Shops

Batesville AR News

Jul 14, 2017

A passion for farm life: Woman's love for flowers shows in successful florist biz

A flower, to me, is like a smile,” Gibson said, breaking into laughter. “I know that sounds corny.” She was born in Batesville, Indiana and grew up in Covington, then moved to Lexington with her mom. In the mid-1980s, she made her way to Burgin, where she lived with her first husband and their two daughters. It was there, while living in Burgin, that Gibson got started growing plants with a friend Ann Gautier. They would raise tobacco plants in greenhouses for someone else who allowed them use of a smaller greenhouse for flowers. After a few years, that opportunity ended and they were looking for a new location to raise the flowers that had been started in the smaller greenhouse. It was around 1993, which is when Gibson moved with her daughters to a farm near Perryville, when she was remarrying. Another friend was selling a greenhouse she had built, so Gibson and Gautier bought it, and moved it to her farm. The time growing plants led her to a chance to work for Key’s Nursery and Landscaping, where she stayed about 10 years. “I learned tons of information on shrubs, bushes, trees, when to dig them, when to plant them, when to prune them, all of that kinds of stuff,” she said. “I had to leave because we had just bought a new stal... (Danville Advocate)

Dec 2, 2016

In lieu of flowers, justice: Paper runs 'Walking Dead' obit *SPOILERS*

BATESVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Many viewers of AMC's "The Walking Dead" took the shocking deaths of two fan favorites in the latest season premiere as personally as a death in the family. One Arkansas newspaper took it a step further. This week, the Batesville Guard newspaper published an obituary for — spoiler alert— the popular character of Glenn Rhee, who was brutally killed in the newest episode of the zombie apocalypse drama. With a headline of "RIP, Glenn," the obituary says the character's "commitment to moral principles in a world-gone-mad breathed hope and promise into those around him." The obit seeks justice for Rhee's death in lieu of flowers. The newspaper says the obituary was written by Frank Vaughn, a soldier currently stationed in Puerto Rico who writes occasional columns for the paper. (KGBT-TV)

Nov 3, 2016

In lieu of flowers, justice: Paper runs 'Walking Dead' obit

BATESVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Many viewers of AMC's "The Walking Dead" took the shocking deaths of two fan favorites in the latest season premiere as personally as a death in the family. One Arkansas newspaper took it a step further. This week, the Batesville Guard newspaper published an obituary for — spoiler alert— the popular character of Glenn Rhee, who was brutally killed in the newest episode of the zombie apocalypse drama. With a headline of "RIP, Glenn," the obituary says the character's "commitment to moral principles in a world-gone-mad breathed hope and promise into those around him." The obit seeks justice for Rhee's death in lieu of flowers. The newspaper says the obituary was written by Frank Vaughn, a soldier currently stationed in Puerto Rico who writes occasional columns for the paper. © 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. (The Bellingham Herald)

Sep 21, 2016

Slideshow: Flowers Foods revives Wonder Bread plant

A distribution network was already established in the region. “Flowers products were already in the market, but it was a far reach from our Batesville, Ark.; Atlanta; Bardstown, Ky.; and Denton, Texas, bakeries that were supplying goods here,” Mr. Frankum said. This involved “burning a lot of fuel and driving a lot of miles,” according to Mr. Benton. “Lenexa gives us the ability to get the pans close to the shoppers, in other words, to be freshest to the market, and we are having a lot of success here,” Mr. Frankum said. The bakery’s independent distributor partners currently supply grocery stores and supermarkets primarily, with limited service to private label and food service customers. The Lenexa site sits adjacent to I-35, which links the central region of the U.S. from north to southwest. Goods baked here move on tractor trailers and through a DSD network of independent distributors reaching west to Topeka and Wichita, Kas.; north to Lincoln and Omaha, Neb.; south to Springfield and Joplin, Mo.; and east to St. Louis and eastern Illinois. “A lot of our market didn’t exist until we opened this bakery,” Mr. Frankum said. Now, a year after startup, Flowers’ decision has paid off, especially the choice to maximize output of buns. “Our distributor partners could not have served the market over the Fourth of July holiday without this bakery,” Mr. Frankum said. “And we’re able to supplement product to Denton to fill a temporary production gap there.” Flowers sifted through the Hostess assets carefully, selling some locations and transferring equipment to its other bakeries as needed. “We knew that Lenexa was one of the best plants Hostess had as far as equipment and location,” Mr. Benton said. “That’s why we chose it.” Mr. Frankum’s management team at Flowers Baking Co. of Lenexa includes Todd Hamann, vice-­president of sales; Amber Mangiaracino, director of manufacturing; Brian Rutecki, director of engineering; and Damien Butler, director of human resources. With a total of 137,354 square feet under roof on 10.2 acres, the facility uses 50,190 square feet for processing, 13,776 square feet for packaging and 54,360 square feet for warehousing. The office and ancillary facilities cover 19,028 square feet. The bakery employs 160 company staff members and has 142 outsourced associates, including sanitation through Ambassador Services. Approximately 125 independent distributor partners sell fresh bakery foods to retail customers in the market every day. Lenexa houses two processing lines, one for bread, the other for buns, and it has seven packaging lines, four for bread and three for buns. Packaging will soon expand with the addition of two bulk bun packers. Product styles comprise round-top bread, giant and king sandwich loaves, cluster and individual hamburger buns, and cluster hot dog buns. Bread is offered as single loaves and in 2-packs, while buns go out in 8-, 12- and 16-packs. Four exterior silos, with more than 400,000 lbs total capacity, supply flour needs at Lenexa. “The wheat is grown in Kansas, milled in Kansas and baked in Kansas," Mr. Frankum said. "We like it that this bakery’s supply chain is so close to the farmer’s field.” Brownfield investment extended Flowers’ original plan fo... (Food Business News )

Jun 22, 2016

Memorial Day cemetery visits and ceremony detailed

Batesville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3183 and Prell-Bland American Legion Post 271 members will celebrate Memorial Day the way they usually do, with small ceremonies at different cemeteries and an observance at the Liberty Park pavilion. This year members will celebrate at six cemeteries instead of the usual four. According to Bob Smith, American Legion firing squad commander, this is “because we do a lot of funerals at those particular cemeteries.” Area residents can meet the veterans at each cemetery Monday, May 30. A short prayer by one of the chaplains will be followed by three volleys of fire, then the playing of “Taps.” The schedule of cemeteries: Holy Family, Oldenburg, 8 a.m.; St. Anthony, Morris, 8:30 a.m.; St Mark, 9 a.m.; St. John, Huntersville, 9:30 a.m.; St. Louis, 10 a.m.; and Methodist, 10:30 a.m. The firing squad will be traveling to the cemeteries in a bus. “We’re going to be escorted by the Indiana Patriot Guard,” said Smith. The customary holiday program will tak... (Batesville Herald Tribune)

Dec 30, 2015

Leslie Carol Rutledge

Parents of the bride are Nancy and Keith Rutledge of Batesville. She is the granddaughter of the late Dishie and Ralph Leonard, the late Leslie Rutledge and the late Ona Dunphy, all also of Batesville. Photo Gallery Rutledge-Johnson Wedding Reception View The groom is the son of Kathryn Reginelli Johnson of Marion and the late Nathaniel Johnson. His grandparents are the late Annie and Nathaniel Johnson of James Mill and the late EnRica and EnRico Reginelli of Marion. The Lafayette Building was decorated for the Christmas season with red flower arrangements and evergreens. Music was by vocalists David McCoy and Susanna Sampson and pianist Scott Whitfield. The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a strapless trumpet-style gown of ivory mikado-silk embellished with champagne beaded lace. She carried a bouquet of red roses. Serving as the bride's honor attendants were Susan Altrui of Little Rock and Misty Pretty of Batesville. Bridesmaids were Shanda Ferguson of Maumelle and Jennifer Hatten and Dora Vertenten, both Alexandria, V... (Jon Boyce Johnson - NWAOnline)