Academics Plus names board appointments
Memorial Day is Monday; Cap and Gown rundown; Boys State starts Sunday; State championships start Thursday plus sports and headlines
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MEETINGS: The Maumelle Planning Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. tonight. To view the agenda, click here. There’s only three items of business, but the most notable is the proposed annexation of 9.378 acres of property at 20906 Hwy. 365 N. The voluntary annexation was proposed by owner Jason Polk and has a do pass recommendation from the city’s planning staff. The meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube page. The School Board for the North Little Rock School District will have a special call meeting at 5:30 p.m. tonight. It is also open to the public and will also be livestreamed. In other school district news, North Little Rock voters approved the millage increase that will be used to build a new middle school campus, renovate Ole Main High School and build an indoor sports complex. The North Little Rock City Council will meet next Tuesday night at City Hall. The meeting is delayed one day due to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday.
EVENTS: Memorial Day is Monday. For more, keep scrolling. In the meantime, North Little Rock High School will be having its annual Dogtown Days this Friday. For more, check out the flyer below
Memorial Day is Monday
Memorial Day is this coming Monday and, as a result, the various government offices will be closed then.
The City of Maumelle will have a Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. on Monday at Lake Willastein and there’s a variety of events stretching from the Little Rock Zoo to the North Little Rock sub that will be held that day.
Trash and recycling will run one-day delayed next week starting on Tuesday.
Cap and Gown rundown
For some, May means flowers, as they follow those April showers, but for others, it means graduation time as both high schools and colleges will be having their commencement ceremonies this month.
Maumelle High School will have graduation at 1:30 p.m. this Saturday, May 24 at UALR’s Jack Stephens Center. Maumelle’s graduation is one of four being held that day with the schedule as follows:
8 a.m. Sylvan Hills High School (90-minute ceremony)
11 a.m. Mills University Studies High School (one-hour ceremony.)
1:30 p.m. Maumelle High School (90-minute ceremony)
4:30 p.m. Robinson High School (one-hour ceremony)
North Little Rock High School will be graduating on Tuesday, May 27, The ceremony will also be at the Jack Stephens Center and will start at 6 p.m. Graduating seniors are limited to eight tickets for family and friends.
That last day of school is Friday, May 30.
Central Arkansas Christian and Maumelle Charter have already held their high school graduation ceremonies.
Academics Plus names board appointments
Academics Plus Charter Schools Board of Trustees announced the appointment of one new board member and the reappointment of two board members for terms of 3 years. Scott Gann of North Little Rock, below, is a new appointment to the board and Sean Hagen and Justin Simpson were reappointed to additional 3-year terms.
Mark Zellner did not seek reappointment and was honored with a service plaque by the board.
Gann currently is the Director of Allied Health at Arkansas Rural Health Partnership and serves as an EMS Program Director and faculty member at South Arkansas College and as a national instructor with Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service where he teaches emergency response and preparedness courses across the United States. His daughter, Bailey, attends Scott Charter School.
The board also elected officers for the upcoming year: Adria Conklin, chair; J.D. Lowery, vice chair; Daren Sweat, secretary and Sean Hagen, treasurer.
Academics Plus Charter Schools comprises Maumelle Charter High School, Maumelle Charter Middle School, Maumelle Charter Elementary School and Scott Charter School.
Education News
North of the River students nominated to attend Arkansas Boys State 2025
More than 610 of the state's brightest young men, representing 207 high schools throughout the state, will attend Arkansas Boys State, an immersive leadership and civic engagement experience sponsored by the American Legion. This summer's 84th annual session runs May 25 through May 30 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
The program's 2025 enrollment marks its largest class of young men in 10 years.
North of the River students attending Arkansas Boys State 2025 include:
Beckham Branham of Maumelle
Austin Cutchin of Maumelle
Khollin Franklin of Maumelle
Lucas Greenwell of Maumelle
Tristan Henson of Maumelle
Joel Jefferson of Maumelle
Joseph Kitchen of Maumelle
Logan Lane of Maumelle
Lucas Mazzoni of Maumelle
Ace Pittman of Maumelle
Wyatt Smith of Maumelle
Haden Steward of Maumelle
Lyric Wright of Maumelle
Eden Briones of North Little Rock
Ethan Troy of Sherwood
Jayden Withrow of Sherwood
Landon Williams of Sherwood
Maziyah Curry of North Little Rock
Nathan Zukowski of North Little Rock
Andrew Lawrence of North little rock
Bryton Lew of Sherwood
Kekoa How of Sherwood
Bodhi Phippin of North Little Rock
Carter Lee of North Little Rock
Owen Walker of Sherwood
Marcus Matthews of Sherwood
Kaden Larkins of North Little Rock
Aaron Withers of Sherwood
MJ Ward of North Little Rock
Jaiden Bridgers of Sherwood
DJ Tidwell of North Little Rock
Win Milholland of Sherwood
Henry Peyton of North Little Rock
"This year's remarkable growth speaks to how this program is playing a life-changing role in the lives of the young men who join us year after year," said Jackson. "We're thrilled that these local students are joining us and will experience this once-in-a-lifetime leadership opportunity in just a few weeks."
While at Arkansas Boys State, these students will be guided through their experience by more than 75 volunteers who serve the program. The staff of volunteers includes college students and career professionals with interests and expertise in education, finance, industry, politics and government, journalism, and more.
Sessions will be livestreamed on the Arkansas Citizens Access Network, myarpbs.org/arcan.
The livestreaming schedule will include:
Sunday, May 25, at 3:45 p.m. – Opening Session and Keynote. More than 560 young men from throughout Arkansas will convene for the 84th session of Arkansas Boys State.
Wednesday, May 28, at 11:15 a.m. – General Session. Delegates will hear remarks from Arkansas state legislators, members of the Boys State Legislative Committee and University of Arkansas System President Jay Silveria.
Wednesday, May 28, at 7:45 p.m. – General Assembly. Delegates will hear remarks from Arkansas Boys State alumnus VP Parker.
Thursday, May 29, at 8:50 a.m. – General Assembly Election Speeches. Delegates running for positions will deliver their campaign speeches.
Thursday, May 29, at 2 p.m. – Boys National Election Speeches. Delegates will deliver speeches in their campaigns to serve as Arkansas’s representative to Boys Nation in Washington, D.C.
Thursday, May 29, 7:45 p.m. – General Assembly and Rally. Delegates will be sworn in with remarks from former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
Sports
State Championship weekend is here
No North of the River teams will be playing for a state title this week, but there’s still plenty of games to be had at the University of Central Arkansas campus in Conway starting today, weather permitting of course.
The baseball and softball games will again be televised live by Arkansas PBS and the schedule is:
1A Softball – Concord vs. Taylor – Thursday, at 10 a.m.
1A Baseball – Taylor vs. St. Joseph – Thursday, at 1 p.m.
5A Softball – Sheridan vs. Benton – Thursday, at 4 p.m.
5A Baseball – Valley View vs. Marion – Thursday, at 7 p.m.
3A Baseball – Ashdown vs. Genoa Central – Friday, at 10 a.m.
4A Softball – Bauxite vs. Pea Ridge– Friday, at 1 p.m.
4A Baseball – Brookland vs. Harding Academy – Friday, at 4 p.m.
3A Softball – Mayflower vs. Harding Academy – Friday, at 7 p.m.
2A Softball – Hackett vs. Riverside – Saturday, at 10 a.m.
2A Baseball – Cedar Ridge vs. Riverside – Saturday, at 1 p.m.
6A Softball – Bentonville vs. Har-Ber – Saturday, at 4 p.m.
6A Baseball – Rogers vs. Fayetteville – Saturday, at 7 p.m.
Other title games are for soccer and the schedule is as follows:
4A Girls soccer - Brookland vs. Robinson, Friday, 10 a.m.
4A Boys Soccer - Morrilton vs. Robinson, Friday, Noon
3A Girls Soccer: Baptist Prep vs. Life Way Christian, Friday, 2 p.m.
6A Boys Soccer - Rogers Heritage vs. Little Rock Catholic, Friday, 4 p.m.
3A Boys Soccer: Cossatot River vs. Little Rock Episcopal, Saturday, 10 a.m.
6A Girls Soccer: Fayetteville vs. Bentonville, Saturday, Noon
5A Boys Soccer - Searcy vs. Russellville, Saturday, 2 p.m.
5A Girls Soccer - Searcy vs. Little Rock Christian, Saturday, 4 p.m.
Stats from the baseball and softball games will be available at myarpbs.org/stats.
Photos from the baseball and softball games will be available for free download at myarpbs.org/photos.
Funding for AR PBS Sports is provided by the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, UAMS, Image One and Winrock Automotive.
Arkansas PBS also recognizes AAA’s sponsors for the state high school baseball and softball finals, including Centennial Bank, Everett Buick GMC, Summerwood Sports, Air National Guard, Wendy’s and Arkansas Farm Bureau.
Upcoming Travs games
At Northwest Arkansas,now trough May 25
San Antonio Missions, six-game homestand
Tuesday, May 27, 6:35 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at DSP Box Office). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Wednesday, May 28, 6:35 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at DSP Box Office). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Thursday, May 29, 6:35 p.m.
Operation: Military Appreciation: $3 Thursday, Enjoy $3 Beer Garden Tickets and select Concessions deals!
Fiesta de Diamantes: The Travs will take the field as the Diamantes de Arkansas in salute of Hispanic Heritage! | Presented By Modelo Especial
Friday, May 30, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks Friday - Mashup Madness: End your week at DSP with a BANG!
Saturday, May 31, 6:05 p.m.
Faith & Family Night: The perfect night for a church (or gymnastics) group outing! Come enjoy a pre-game talk with Olympian and Razorbacks Gymnastics coach Jordyn Wieber, above, who will also be available during the game to meet & greet with fans. | Presented By Hickingbotham Investments
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game! | Presented By First Community Bank
Sunday, June 1, 1:35 p.m.
Operation: Military Appreciation: Service Members get $3 off General Admission and Field Reserved tickets by presenting a Military ID (only available at DSP Box Office) | Presented By Mid-South Ford Dealers
Kids Baseball Clinic: Kids 13 and under are invited to join Travs players on field for a baseball clinic starting at noon!
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game! | Presented By First Community Bank
At Corpus Christi, June 3-8
Health
Pandemic deaths unknown
The state Department of Health didn’t update the state’s dashboard this week, again, and deaths still total 532 for the past year. There’s no tab created for 2025 either and the virus has now killed 14,162 Arkansans since the pandemic began then. That would mean the pandemic death toll has now passed Marion’s 13,635 people, the state’s 29th largest city.
Covid toolkit
There’s now a one-stop shop to learn about vaccination sites and other Covid related information. Click here to learn more.
If you don’t want to get sick and die, there’s some things you can do:
Get vaccinated
Get boosted
Wear a mask
Avoid crowds