Airmen of Note to make stops in central Arkansas
Mountain View to host folk festival this weekend; Drug Take Back Day is April 25; Lender Quick-Connect is May 13 at UA Little Rock plus headlines and sports
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MEETINGS: The North Little Rock School Board will have its regular, monthly ,meeting at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the district’s administration building. The Maumelle City Council will meet next Monday night at City Hall. The meetings will be livestreamed on the respective YouTube channels and the public is welcome. The quarterly meeting of the North Little Rock Advertising & Promotion Commission will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28 and will be in the Board Room at 600 Main St.
EVENTS: The annual Folk Festival will be in Mountain View this Friday and Saturday. For more on that, keep scrolling. Also worth noting that Mountain View will again be the place to be when the Ozark Folk Center State Park will host the John Prine Folk Festival on June 19 and 20. Prine’s son, Tommy, is the headliner on Friday with Shawn Camp leading the stage on Saturday. We’ll have more details, as the festival gets closer and will have some peaches to calm down.
Airmen of Note to make stops in central Arkansas
The U.S. Air Force’s “The Airmen of Note” is making a nine-day run through the south with two stops in Arkansas next week.
The concerts are free and open to the public, though tickets are required. Ticket information for these concerts is available at: https://www.music.af.mil/USAFBand/Events/National-Tours/Airmen-of-Note/
The central Arkansas stops are:
Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at the Reynolds Performance Hall on the UCA campus in Conway.
Friday, April 24 at 7 p.m., Little Rock Central High School
Mountain View to host folk festival this weekend
The 64th annual Folk Festival will be held in Mountain View on Friday and Saturday and the Artisans Market on the Square will be open for business.
Located on the grass north of the Courthouse next to Mountain View Music, hours are Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The market will feature arts and crafts from Arkansas Craft Guild members and guests and among the items on sale will be jewelry and pottery, Ozark woodcrafts, quilts, glass beads, stained glass, whipped candles, and leather bags.
Among the artisans are Dana Finimore, at Rare Birds Studio, who makes functional and art pottery, Metalsmith Cindy Kopack, with Whippoorwill Mountain Jewelry, has a selection of hammered silver, copper and brass earrings, necklaces and bracelets, some combined with precious stones. Master glass artists Tom and Sage Holland, Glass Beadmakers, bring colorful flame-worked bead jewelry and sculptural pieces to share with the public. Michael and Ethan Hicks, ro’ark leather return to the Market with hand-stitched leather bags and wallets.
Also, Oddbowlz Ceramics’ Greg Hall will bring functional pottery bowls, mugs and soup bowls. Mike Mowery, MTM Woodworking, shows his turned wooden kitchenware, cutting boards, and board games. Norma and Martie Matthews, NM Quilts and Embroidery, with Martie’s useful and decorative wooden wares have been at Artisans Market for years. Gynna Sutherland, A Touch O’Glass, brings custom stained glass and hand-cut scrollwork frames.
New to the mix is CJ Huber, with Money Bender, who makes rings, earrings, and necklaces from antique and modern coins, including motorcycle gremlin bells and keychains, plus Epoxy/wood charcuterie boards. Cristina Wilcox, Whipped Candle Co. makes handcrafted whipped candles that combine dessert-inspired artistry with CleanScent fragrance and clean-burning wax, designed to be both beautiful and functional. Author John Sajdak’s Whisker Tales is a series of dual-perspective illustrated storybooks written and art-directed by John in both hard and soft covers.
The Arkansas Craft Guild & Gallery, 104 E. Main, is sponsor of the Artisans Market. Demonstrating wildlife painting on cedarwood in the Gallery during Folk Festival will be Loretta Babak, Herpel Heritage, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Loretta Babak will be demonstrating painting April 18 inside the Arkansas Craft Guild & Gallery, 104 E Main, Mountain View, where her art can be purchased. T
Her subject matter ranges from wildlife, natural scenery, and seascapes to pet portraits. She paints in oil, acrylic and watercolor on canvas, cedarwood, and on glass in reverse. Locally her best selling pieces are trout and turkeys painted on cedarwood. Reverse glass painting is almost a dying art, yet she continues to enjoy this method, shown here, the “Red Dot Butterfly.’
Loretta has served as Vice President of the Arkansas Craft Guild for three years and is currently on the Board of Directors. She volunteers once a month as hostess of the Gallery, helping customers with their purchases, usually on a Friday or Saturday.
Loretta maintains membership in the Mountain View Art Guild, Mid-Southern Watercolorists, the Palette Art League, American Women Artists, American Impressionist Society, as well as the Arkansas Craft Guild, which gives her the opportunity to participate in functions with like-minded people. She also participates in the Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour on Sept. 25-27/
Drug Take Back Day is April 25
The National Prescription Drug Take Back day will be held Saturday, April 25.
Among the locations where unused, or out-of-date prescription drugs can be dropped is the South Parking Lot of McCain Mall, where the North Little Rock Police Department will have a drop-off box. Both the Maumelle and North Little Rock police departments have 24-hour, 365 day drop off boxes in their respective lobbies at those cities’ police stations.
Time for local dancers to shine is April 25
The North Little Rock High School Theatre Dance students will host their 23rd annual Preschool/Elementary Dance Workshop on Saturday, April 25th from 9 a.m. to noon in the North Little Rock High School Performing Arts Center.
Sixty local preschool and elementary students have the opportunity to take part in the dance workshop. Each participant is assigned to a high school dance student who remains with their “little friend” throughout the entire workshop. The elementary students are taught a dance that allows them to be featured in the spring dance concert. The Dance Program is a gateway for these young students to become involved in the arts at an early age.
The North Little Rock High School Theatre Arts Department will present its spring dance concert on Thursday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. featuring performances by the school’s Dance Troupe, Theatre Dance I-IV classes, and participants from the Preschool/Elementary Dance Workshop in the new North Little Rock High School Performing Arts Center (201 West 22nd St.).
Tickets are $6 for students/seniors and $8 for adults.
PCSSD hosts Showcase and Career Expo is April 25
The Pulaski County Special School District will host its annual Showcase and Career Expo from 9 a.m. to noon. On Saturday, April 25, The event will be held on the campus of Mills University Studies High School at 708 East Dixon Road.
A key facet of the event is to recruit employees to work in a variety of educational areas within the schools and district office. The district plans to hire at least 100 teachers from a variety of educational areas to work in the district for the 2026-2027 academic year. The district is also recruiting other employee positions such as paraprofessionals, bus drivers, administrative assistants, bookkeepers, and more. Representatives from each school and several district departments will be on hand to speak to visitors about working with the district and scheduling interviews.
Families who are interested in registering their scholars may also visit the Showcase and Career Expo to begin the process or learn more about PCSSD offerings.
Representatives from the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, Good Groceries Mobile Market, and other food and community vendors will be on hand for the event.
Learn more about openings and apply online: https://www.pcssd.org/page/careers.
Lender Quick-Connect is May 13 at UA Little Rock
Arkansas entrepreneurs looking to fund a new business, ongoing operations, expansion or acquisition can fast-track their search at Lender Quick-Connect: Find Your Funder.
The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center will host the free event on May 13, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Reynolds Business Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
In a single afternoon, aspiring and established business owners can connect with multiple Arkansas lenders in a fast-paced “speed dating” format.
Participants will be matched with lender appointments based on key business details such as their industry, business stage, credit history and project scope.
The event is designed to help entrepreneurs navigate the funding landscape and build relationships with funders who have a proven track record of small business lending.
Attendees can also:
Confer with credit counseling services to discuss financial readiness
Engage with ASBTDC business consultants and Small Business Administration representatives
Get expert tips on crafting a compelling funding pitch
“Outside of personal savings or contributions from friends and family, a loan is the most common way to get capital for launching or growing a business,” said ASBTDC State Director Laura Fine. “Lender Quick-Connect is an excellent opportunity to pitch a project to several potential funding partners in a short period of time and explore financing options available through banks, credit unions, microlenders and Community Development Financial Institutions.”
Participating lending institutions include ACC Capital, Arkansas Federal Credit Union, Arvest Bank, Chase Bank, Communities Unlimited, First Security Bank, FNBC, FORGE Community Loan Fund, Hope Credit Union, Regions Bank, Southern Bancorp Bank, Southern Bancorp Community Partners, Stone Bank and U.S. Bank.
Pre-registration is required. To reserve a spot, go to tinyurl.com/3vthe5hr or contact Laterika Tooks-Staton at 501-804-4530 or lstooks@ualr.edu.
Through its offices around the state, the ASBTDC offers no-cost services and resources for Arkansas entrepreneurs and small businesses. For more information, call 800-862-2040 or visit asbtdc.org.
Sparklight opens Spring 2026 Charitable Giving Fund applications
Sparklight, a leading high-speed internet provider, is now accepting applications for its Spring 2026 Charitable Giving Fund. Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Sparklight’s 24-state service areas are invited to apply for funding now through April 30.
Each year, Sparklight awards $250,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations working to strengthen the communities they serve. Funding supports initiatives in three key areas where the need is significant and the impact is lasting:
Education and Digital Literacy
Hunger Relief and Food Insecurity
Community Development
“Local nonprofits are the backbone of strong communities — meeting pressing needs, creating meaningful opportunities and making a lasting difference every day,” said Jim Holanda, Sparklight CEO. “Through our Charitable Giving Fund, we’re proud to support their work and help extend their impact in the communities we serve.”
Since the Fund’s inception in 2020, Sparklight has awarded more than $1.2 million in grants to more than 275 nonprofits. These investments have supported initiatives in digital literacy, hunger relief, child and senior advocacy, housing and broader community programs.
For additional information about the Sparklight Charitable Giving Fund or to apply for a grant, please visit www.sparklight.com/charitablegiving. To learn more about Sparklight internet and mobile services, visit www.sparklight.com/internet.
Sports
Upcoming Travs games
At Tulsa, now through April 19
Six-game homestand against Corpus Christi
Tuesday, April 21, 11:05 a.m.
School Day: Putting the “field” in “greatest field trip ever!” | Presented By Waste Management
Senior Day
Wednesday. April 22, 6:35 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Thursday. April 23, 6:35 p.m.
$3 Thursday: Enjoy an amazing value for the whole family and the best patio in Central Arkansas! Get $3 General Admission or Beer Garden tickets at a WinChoice Box Office Window. Plus, feed the whole crew for less with select concession items for $3 each!
Singles Night: Let the Travs help turn a single into a double! Join us at the ballpark for a pre-game “Singles Mingle” event.
Friday, April 24, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks Friday: Presented By Metro Disaster Specialists
501 Night: Join us in celebrating Central Arkansas! | Presented By Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce
Saturday, April 25, 4:05 p.m.
Bluey at the Ballpark: Wackadoo! Bluey is coming back to the Ballpark -- for real life. Information on the meet and greet with your favorite Heeler will be available soon!
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, April 26, 1:35 p.m.
Bluey at the Ballpark: Wackadoo! Bluey is coming back to the Ballpark -- for real life. Information on the meet and greet with your favorite Heeler will be available soon!
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:
Baseball BINGO: Presented By Arkansas Brighter Future 529
Operation: Military Appreciation: Service Members get $3 off General Admission and Field Reserved tickets by presenting a Military ID (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window) | Presented By Mid-South Ford Dealers
At Wichita, April 28-May 3
Six-game homestand against Tulsa
Tuesday, May 5, 6:05 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Fiesta de Diamantes: The Travs will take the field as the Diamantes de Arkansas in salute of Hispanic Heritage!
Wednesday, May 6, 11:05 a.m.
School Day: Putting the “field” in “greatest field trip ever!” | Presented By Summit Community Care
Senior Day
Thursday, May 7, 6:35 p.m.
Mad Mallards Weekend: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas’ obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
$3 Thursday: Enjoy an amazing value for the whole family and the best patio in Central Arkansas! Get $3 General Admission or Beer Garden tickets at a WinChoice Box Office Window. Plus, feed the whole crew for less with select concession items for $3 each!
Friday, May 8, 7:05 p.m.
Mad Mallards Weekend: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas’ obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
Fireworks Friday
Saturday, May 9, 4:05 p.m.
Mad Mallards Weekend: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas’ obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
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
Trucker Hat Giveaway: Celebrate the Travs’ 125th Anniversary with some limited edition headwear! | Presented By Snapple | First 1,000 Fans (one item per person)
Sunday, May 10, 1:35 p.m.
Mad Mallards Weekend: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas’ obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
Kids Baseball Clinic: Kids 13 and under are invited to join Travs players on field for a baseball clinic starting at noon! Instruction will last approximately 45 minutes. | Presented By Arkansas Brighter Future 529
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
Baseball BINGO: Presented By Arkansas Brighter Future 529
Operation: Military Appreciation: Service Members get $3 off General Admission and Field Reserved tickets by presenting a Military ID (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window) | Presented By Mid-South Ford Dealers
Family Sunday Deal: Get $3 General Admission tickets by presenting a physical or digital church bulletin (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window)
At Northwest Arkansas, May 12-17
Six-game homestand against Springfield
Tuesday, May 19, 6:35 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Wednesday, May 20, 6:35 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Thursday, May 21, 6:35 p.m.
$3 Thursday: Enjoy an amazing value for the whole family and the best patio in Central Arkansas! Get $3 General Admission or Beer Garden tickets at a WinChoice Box Office Window. Plus, feed the whole crew for less with select concession items for $3 each!
Friday, May 22, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks Friday: Presented By Bank OZK
Saturday, May 23, 6:35 p.m.
Cal Raleigh Bobblecard Giveaway: Presented By Hardee’s | First 1,000 Fans (one item per person)
Post-Game Fireworks
Sunday, May 24, 6:05 p.m.
Post-Game Fireworks
Baseball BINGO: Presented By Arkansas Brighter Future 529
Operation: Military Appreciation: Service Members get $3 off General Admission and Field Reserved tickets by presenting a Military ID (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window) | Presented By Mid-South Ford Dealers
Six-game homestand against Frisco
Tuesday, May 26, 6:35 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Wednesday, 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 a WinChoice Box Office Window). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Thursday, May 28, 6:35 p.m.
$3 Thursday: Enjoy an amazing value for the whole family and the best patio in Central Arkansas! Get $3 General Admission or Beer Garden tickets at a WinChoice Box Office Window. Plus, feed the whole crew for less with select concession items for $3 each!
Singles Night: Let the Travs help turn a single into a double! Join us at the ballpark for a pre-game “Singles Mingle” event.
Friday, May 29, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks Friday: Presented By Baldwin & Shell Construction
Saturday, May 30, 6:05 p.m.
Faith & Family Night: The perfect night for a church group outing! | 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, May 31, 1:35 p.m.
Fiesta de Diamantes: The Travs will take the field as the Diamantes de Arkansas in salute of Hispanic Heritage!
Kids Baseball Clinic: Kids 13 and under are invited to join Travs players on field for a baseball clinic starting at noon! Instruction will last approximately 45 minutes. | Presented By Arkansas Brighter Future 529
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
Baseball BINGO: Presented By Arkansas Brighter Future 529
Operation: Military Appreciation: Service Members get $3 off General Admission and Field Reserved tickets by presenting a Military ID (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window) | Presented By Mid-South Ford Dealers
Family Sunday Deal: Get $3 General Admission tickets by presenting a physical or digital church bulletin (only available at a WinChoice Box Office Window).
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