Amboy Fest this Saturday
Community meeting tonight in Maumelle; Bowling for Rhino this Sunday; UCA names incoming Honors Scholars; Free Splash Pad at Dickey-Stephens Park this month plus sports and headlines
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MEETINGS: The North Little Rock City Council will meet next Monday night at City Hall. That meeting will be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube page and the public is also invited. The North Little Rock A&P Commission will have its regular quarterly meeting at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15. The meeting will be held at 600 Main St., in downtown North Little Rock.
EVENTS: Bowling for Rhinos, a fundraiser for the Little Rock Zoo held by the Little Rock Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, is this Sunday, July 12 at the Dust Bowl Lanes and Lounge at 301 Capital Ave. in downtown Little Rock. The event will start at 5 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by clicking here. Side note, my wife has been to Africa and has seen rhinos up close. She reports they’re terrifying animals.
ICYMI: Norris sets reelection bid
Running for office? Let us know by replying to this email or sending a note to jeremyarkansasnews@gmail.com.
PUBLIC NOTICE
There will be a community meeting held at Maumelle City Hall, 550 Edgewood Drive, Maumelle at 4 p.m. today and the meeting is scheduled to end at 5 p.m. The meeting is to discuss a preliminary development plan for lot 700A, Little Caesars at Gateway Plaza. A second public meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23 before the start of this month’s Maumelle Planning Commission meeting. This property is located at the east end of Maumelle Boulevard and south of Orleans Drive, Maumelle. The public is invited to attend either or both meetings.. For more information, call City Clerk Tina Timmons at 501-851-2500.
Amboy Fest set for July 11
The Amboy neighborhood in North Little Rock is excited to announce Amboy Fest, taking place is this Saturday, July 11 at 10:30 a.m. at MacArthur and Military.
Joining in the fun will be the North Little Rock School District, fire and police departments along with food trucks, a pet adoption event by the North Little Rock Animal Shelter. Among the elected officials on hand will be North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick, members of the City Council and, if they’re smart, candidates for state legislative office.
Amboy Fest was delayed by more than three years after the neighborhood was hit by the March 2023 tornado that devastated homes and businesses in the area.
For more information, please contact Paula Lively at pkele@aol.com.
SCAM ALERT: North Little Rock Planning Department
A fraudulent email is circulating North of the River that impersonates a city “Planning Director” and demands payment for fake permit‑related fees. The message claims you must reply to receive wire transfer instructions and lists made‑up of charges like “expert reviews” or “contract staff.”
The City of North Little Rock never accepts wire transfers for any permit or planning fee.
Claims of large approval fees, contract staff charges, or “expert reviews” are false.
The sender, signature, and process described in the email are not connected to any City department.
If you receive this message:
Do not reply
Do not request instructions
Do not send payment
Delete the email immediately.
Official city of North Little Rock. communications always come through verified channels, and the city will never request wire transfers or unexpected payments.
Maumelle Community Partners host Back to School Bash on July 24
Students, teachers, and families from across the Maumelle area are invited to attend the 2026 Maumelle Back to School Bash on Friday, July 24, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Lake Willastein Park.
Hosted through a partnership between the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Maumelle, Maumelle Parks & Recreation, Maumelle Police Department, Maumelle Fire Department and Maumelle Community Partners, the event is designed to help local students and educators prepare for a successful school year while connecting families with valuable community resources.
“The Back to School Bash is one of our favorite community events because it brings together local organizations, businesses, volunteers, and families to ensure students and teachers have the resources they need to start the school year strong,” said Kellie Wall, President & CEO of the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce in a release. “This event truly showcases the spirit of collaboration and generosity that makes Maumelle such a special place to live, work, and play.”
The Back to School Bash will feature the distribution of free backpacks and school supplies for students and free classroom supplies for teachers, while supplies last. Students must be present to receive supplies, and teachers are asked to bring a valid school ID.
In addition to school supplies, attendees can enjoy a variety of free activities and attractions, including:
Free haircuts provided by local barbers
Bouncy houses and kids’ activities
Maumelle Library craft station
Temporary tattoo station
Photo booth
Community resource booths
Free new and pre-owned school spirit shirts
Adoptable pets from Maumelle Animal Services
“One of the things that makes Maumelle special is how our community rallies around families,” said Courtney Dunn, Community Engagement Director for the City of Maumelle. “The Back to School Bash is more than a supply giveaway, it’s an opportunity to connect families with resources, celebrate our students, and ensure they start the school year with the tools they need to succeed. We look forward to welcoming hundreds of students, teachers, and community members to Lake Willastein Park on July 24.”
Organizers are currently seeking sponsors, donors, and community partners to help support the event and expand the number of students and teachers served.
For sponsorship opportunities, donations, or additional information, please visit the event donation page www.maumellechamber.com
Education News
UCA names incoming Honors Scholars for fall
The Norbert O. Schedler Honors College at the University of Central Arkansas has selected 75 incoming first-year students as its newest class of the Schedler Honors College and 37 incoming first-year students for its Schedler Honors Program, alongside 24 exceptional students who have already begun their college careers.
North of the River students selected are:
Rebecca Dunn of Maumelle
Olivia Evatt of Maumelle
Lana Howe-Charles of North Little Rock
William Davis of Sherwood
Gabriella Martinez of North Little Rock
Neema Patel of North Little Rock
Mallory Stewart of Sherwood
Maggie Thompson of Sherwood
Brianna Wood of North Little Rock
Mitchell Bordelon of North Little Rock
Avery Marvin of North Little Rock
The entering Schedler Honors College and Schedler Honors Program classes of 2026 have an average high school GPA above 4.1. The honors class includes 126 students from Arkansas across 38 counties. All members of the incoming honors class were selected using a holistic admissions process that factors in the applicant’s academic performance, writing ability, and service and leadership potential. The process, which requires written essays, letters of recommendation, and participation in a daylong orientation and interview, has been held up within the national collegiate honors community as one of the most in-depth admissions processes in the nation. The students selected represent an exceptional group of citizen-scholars.
Acceptance comes with access to supplemental scholarship funding for every student, access to a living-learning community in Jefferson W. Farris Honors Hall, and participation in a unique interdisciplinary curriculum. Beyond these traditional four-year tracks, the honors community also welcomes students later in their academic careers through its Track II program for current UCA and transfer students, as well as its Honors-to-Honors program for community college honors transfer students.
Students across all honors pathways take part in the high-impact practices of service learning, project-based education, collaborative work and undergraduate research. Honors students also receive exclusive grant funding support for study abroad, undergraduate research and internships.
Sports
Upcoming Travs games
Six-game roadtrip at Amarillo, Tuesday, July y 7 through Sunday, July y 12
Four-day, All-Star Break, Monday, July 13 through Thursday, July y 16.
The Splash Pad at Dickey-Stephens Park will be free every home game in July thanks to a sponsorship by First Security Bank.
Three-game homestand against Wichita
Friday, July 17, 7:05 p.m.
Re-Opening Night: Welcome the Travs back to Dickey-Stephens Park after a long time away from home!
Fireworks Friday: Salute to Sci-FiPresented By Arkansas State University
Saturday, July 18, 6:05 p.m.
Star Wars Night: A short time from now in a ballpark really, really nearby...
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, July 19, 1:35 p.m.
Kids Takeover Day: Children are in charge of the ballpark! Along with kid PA announcers and kid-themed games, fans 12 and under can get $2 General Admission tickets at a WinChoice Box Office Window.
Kids Run the Bases: Children 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 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