Mayor Bill Johnson

End of an Era

Two of the City of West Memphis's leading figures from recent memory were recently honored for their service. Left: Mayor Bill Johnson and Police Chief Donald Oakes, share a hug with Sgt. Jennifer Welsh at a reception marking Oakes’s retirement from the West Memphis Police Department. Right: Johnson shares a hug with State Senator Keith Ingram at a special gathering for Johnson, who will end his 20 year stint as West Memphis mayor on Dec. 31. Look for a special career retrospective on Chief Oakes in the Wednesday, Dec. 26 edition of the Times, and a special section devoted to Mayor Johnson in the Friday, Dec. 28 edition of the Times.

Photos by John Rech