Crystal Hill Saga
Melody Pake writes about the ongoing road project; North Little Rock School District looking to hire; Biden urges state to slow down Medicaid cuts; Education news and notes plus headlines and sports
Note to subscribers: An annual or monthly subscription is billed to your debit or credit card as ARKANSAS.SUBSTACK.COM and if you have questions, please email arkansas@substack.com. Thanks for reading and subscribing!Pandemic death jumps
The state Department of Health, on its Covid dashboard, showed that in the past week, there’s been a total of 15 deaths reported. The numbers were updated Tuesday, June 13.
The total number of reported dead Arkansans is now 13,173 or the state’s 32nd 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
The Headlines
Upcoming meetings: The North Little Rock School Board will meet tonight. To view the agenda, click here. The Maumelle City Council will meet next Tuesday night. The meeting is one-day delayed due to the Juneteenth federal holiday. The North Little Rock Parks & Rec Department will have a public hearing at 5:15 p.m. next Tuesday, June 20, to discuss priorities for the coming year and beyond. The meeting will be held at the Sherman Park Community Center at 623 Beech St. The Maumelle Planning Commission meeting scheduled for next Thursday, June 22, has been cancelled.
Events: Juneteenth, the federal holiday approved in 2021, will be Monday and the city offices in Maumelle and North Little Rock will be closed. Trash and recycling pickups will continue as normally scheduled.
Alert: Sunday is Father’s Day, plan accordingly.
Watching: If you have Apple+, take 90 minutes out of your day and watch, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. Fox, maybe the biggest young star of the 1980s, details his life with Parkinson’s disease and what it means. Also, CBS Sunday Morning recently did a segment on architect Jeanne Gang, who worked on the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts and the museum is featured.
ICYMI: Farr, Hodge to take over Maumelle High, Oak Grove Elementary
Fireworks watch party fundraiser set
The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum in North Little will be hosting its annual Pops on the River fireworks fundraiser watch party on July 4,. Tickets are $15 per person and parking passes are $10, per vehicle to park inside the sea wall.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://tinyurl.com/p6r3ff5v (make an account before selecting the number of tickets) or in person during business hours. The museum is located at 120 Riverfront Park Drive in North Little Rock.
Gates will open at 7 p.m. and the fireworks are scheduled to start around 9:30 p.m. The museum will be selling a limited selection of food and drinks and no outside food and beverages will be allowed.
For more information, call 501-371-8320.
Crystal Hill Saga
By Melody Pake
Editor’s note: Below is a guest post from Maumelle resident Melody Pake on the ongoing Crystal Hill Road Saga. It has been lightly edited and formatted for publication
As of June 12, 3,898 days have passed since voters said yes to the $3.2 million Crystal Hill Road bond project.
YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK
2012 voters approved $3.2 million bonds
In Fall 2012, Maumelle voters approved $3.2 million to redesign about 3 miles of Crystal Hill Road.
SIX YEARS LATER
In 2018 voters asked if it was going to take another election to fix the Crystal Hill Road potholes.
In Spring of 2018, six years had passed and no shovel had hit the ground. With another sales tax on the ballot, the failure to start this 2012 bond project became a bone of contention for voters. Potholes made the road unsafe and nearly impassable in spots. After a social media and citizen outcry, the city patched the road. It was understood those patches were a temporary fix until construction would begin.
SEVEN YEARS LATER
In 2019 we ushered in a new mayor with a promise to kick start this old 2013 bond project. Holloway Engineering was hired to redesign the road that included bike trails and lights. Residents were excited this long overdue project would soon be underway.
EIGHT YEARS LATER
In June of 2020 the bid was awarded to Broyles Construction. Work began at a snail's pace for better part of an entire year.
NINE YEARS LATER
The job was halted in summer 2021 due to a dispute over who was to pay to relocate the utility lines. The ballot clearly stipulated the bonds would pay to relocate the utilities.
The Entergy issue was resolved the first part of September 2021, giving Broyles Construction the green light to proceed with construction.
As of December 2021, there were deep holes in road, no safety barriers, and little progress made. The local news ran a story on the project.
TEN YEARS LATER
The completion was pushed out to June of 2022. That deadline has passed.
The voters approved this bond project in Fall 2012. The bonds are paid off, but the road still isn't finished.
YET ANOTHER STAND STILL
All but around $365,000 has been spent of the $3.2 million bonds.
With inflation and passage of time, no one knows when or if the bond project will be completed or what the final actual costs will be or if will exceed the $3.2 million voters approved back in 2012.
FINAL TAKE
127 months after voters approved the Crystal Hill Road project the bonds are paid off, but the project is still unfinished.
Once completed, it will be a great aesthetic boost to the Maumelle river front property with hopes of future commercial development. This road is rich in Arkansas history.
We need to finish the road and honor its heritage.
Health news
Biden admin implores Arkansas, other states to slow Medicaid cuts
By Hannah Recht
KFF HEALTH NEWS — Americans are losing Medicaid coverage because of red tape, and states should do more to make sure eligible people keep their health insurance, the Biden administration said Monday.
Politico has also reported on the state’s Medicaid cuts. Among the people quoted is Maumelle pharmacist and state Rep. Brandon Achor. Click here to read the article.
More than a million Americans have lost coverage through the program for low-income and disabled Americans in the past several weeks, following the end of pandemic protections on April 1, according to the latest Medicaid renewal data from more than 20 states.
To read the rest of the article, click here.
OrthoArkansas welcomes Spine Surgeon Jason Smith
Orthopedic surgeon Jason A. Smith, M.D. has joined OrthoArkansas. Smith joins a team of four surgeons who specialize in spine surgery.
“We are honored to have Dr. Smith join the OrthoArkansas team,” OrthoArkansas CEO, Levi Bauer said. His more than 25 years of experience and commitment to orthopedic care make him an invaluable addition to our clinic and the community.”
Smith is an Arkansas native who received his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Soon after, he headed west to complete a residency in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Utah School of Medicine, and ultimately to the University of California, San Francisco for specialized training in Spine Disorders and Surgery. He is also certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
“I believe in not only treating my patients but educating them about the causes of their pain and dysfunction and the various treatments necessary to bring about real functional changes in their lives,” Smith said. “If surgery is required, I ensure patients are well-informed about the surgical procedure to put their minds at ease.”
When not caring for patients, he spends time with his family swimming, biking, hiking, and camping.
To make an appointment to see Jason Smith M.D., visit orthoarkansas.com.
North Little Rock School District looking to hire two
If they were planned, or unplanned, is for the comments section, but North Little Rock School District is looking to hire a new athletics director and a new head football coach.
Gary Davis, the long-time AD and previously baseball coach, and Randy Sandefur, the head football coach, have both left the school.
Both were North Little Rock lifers. Davis worked for the school district for 43 years, while Sandefur had been at the school for 40.
Their next steps are a little different though as Davis is headed to retirement while Sandefur is the new Parks & Rec director for the city of North Little Rock.
Both jobs, with some twists, are posted on the district’s website.
The first is, “Dean of Studentsr/Head Football Coach.” It closes this Friday, June 16 and no salary range is listed. The other is for, “Director of Student-Athlete Development and Academic Engagement” and it closes on Thursday, June 22. The listed salary range is $81,881 to $116,108 and is described as a “newly reorganized role is responsible for enhancing all aspects of student-athlete development in the classroom, on the practice and event field, and in the community for all student interscholastic activities as outlined by the Arkansas Athletic Association (AAA).”
Two notes, it is the Arkansas Activities Association and Freedom of Information Act requests have already been filed for applicants for both openings. If the school district is in compliance with state law, that information will be made available on Monday.
Oddly, the AD won’t be hired until after the football coach, based on the advertised closing dates, and the timing on that seems strange.
Education notes
Maumelle’s Josiah Caprino inducted into Phi Kappa Phi
Josiah Caprino of Maumelle, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Caprino was initiated at National Intelligence University.
Caprino is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year.
Maumelle’s Zane Carson graduates from Alabama
Zane Carson of Maumelle, received a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from The University of Alabama
Carson was one of 5,885 graduates during its spring commencement ceremonies.
UALR names Spring Chancellor’s List
UA Little Rock announces its Spring 2023 Chancellor's List, recognizing students with superior academic performance.
To be eligible for the Chancellor's List, students must earn at least nine credit hours and at least a 3.9 GPA.
North of the River UA Little Rock students who made the Chancellor's List include:
Matthew Ball of Maumelle
Ryan Cabico of Maumelle
Cameron Davidson of Maumelle
Catherine Dobry of Maumelle
William French of Maumelle
Isaac Gonzalez of Maumelle
Stacey Johnson of Maumelle
Braden Li of Maumelle
Susan McClain of Maumelle
Michael Parrott of Maumelle
Heather Phillips of Maumelle
Alycen Singleton of Maumelle
Amber Swopes of Maumelle
NOTE: To see the rest of the North of the River students, click here.
Nearly 600 UA Little Rock students were named to the Chancellor's List for the Spring 2023 semester.
UALR names Spring 2023 Dean's List
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces students who have made the Dean's List for the Spring 2023 semester, recognizing more than 1,070 students whose academic performances have been superior at the end of each semester.
To be on the Dean's List, UA Little Rock students must earn at least nine credit hours and maintain at least a 3.5 GPA.
North of the River UA Little Rock students who made the list include:
Bailey Bishop of Maumelle
Ryan Cabico of Maumelle
Akelia Creggett of Maumelle
Cameron Davidson of Maumelle
Catherine Dobry of Maumelle
Isaac Gonzalez of Maumelle
William Holt of Maumelle
Stacey Johnson of Maumelle
Braden Li of Maumelle
Susan McClain of Maumelle
Michael Parrott of Maumelle
Heather Phillips of Maumelle
Lamar Townsend of Maumelle
Kiersin Webb-Carrington of Maumelle
NOTE: To see the rest of the North of the River students, click here.
Harrison in Cooper Honors Program at UALR
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has welcomed Maitlyn Harrison, of Sherwood, to the William G. Cooper Jr. Honors Program in English.
The Cooper Honors Program is a unique honors program that provides qualified students with funding and intense research and creative opportunities. The program is sustained by an endowment created by the family of Dr. W. G. Cooper Jr. in honor of his distinguished service on the Little Rock University Board of Trustees and UA Little Rock Board of Visitors.
Chantel Moore inducted into Lambda Pi Eta
Chantel Moore of North Little Rock, is one of eight students from the Department of Applied Communication inducted into Lambda Pi Eta at UA Little Rock.
The official honor society of the National Communication Association, Lambda Pi Eta recognizes, fosters, and rewards outstanding scholastic achievement while stimulating interest in the communication discipline.
Student membership requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA with 60 credit hours completed and a 3.25 GPA for communication studies courses with 12 credit hours completed.
School of Mass Communication honors award-winning students
The UA Little Rock School of Mass Communication celebrated its outstanding students during an awards ceremony on April 13.
North of the River UA LIttle Rock students who were honored include:
Kiara Bradford of Maumelle, received the Dan and Johnnie Winn Memorial Scholarship.
Daneisha Whitaker of North Little Rock, received the TreDay.com Scholarship.
Ebony Gurley of North Little Rock, received the Jane and John Thompson Endowed Journalism Scholarship.
Arielle Fresh of North Little Rock, received the Dan and Johnnie Winn Memorial Scholarship.
Maumelle’s Townsend honored at Southeast Regional Model Arab League
Lamar Townsend of Maumelle, is part of a team of Model Arab League members from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who have been recognized for their diplomatic skills during the Southeast Regional Model Arab League competition held March 17-19 at Converse University in Spartanburg, S.C.
The Model Arab League is a student leadership development program created by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations. It is a simulation of an international organization, the League of Arab States, which represents 22 countries.
UA Little Rock was awarded the Overall Outstanding Delegation Award for their representation of the country of Qatar.
In addition, Townsend received the Outstanding Delegation Award for participation in the Council of Arab Economic Affairs Ministers.
Ole Miss names Spring 2023 Chancellor's Honor Roll
The University of Mississippi announced students named to the Spring 2023 Honor Roll lists, including Chancellor's Honor Roll.
The following North of the River students made the list:
Brick Gore, of Maumelle, majoring in Accountancy.
Clarence Matthews, of Maumelle, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
Alexander Bromley, of Sherwood, majoring in Biomedical Engineering.
Peyton Price, of North Little Rock, majoring in Biological Science.
Avery Stephens, of North Little Rock, majoring in Psychology.
Abby Vest, of North Little Rock, majoring in Finance.
Jenna Villiger, of Sherwood, majoring in Psychology.
The Chancellor's Honor Roll is reserved for students who earn a semester GPA of 3.75-4.00.
In order to be eligible for honor roll designation, a student must have completed at least 12 graded hours for the semester and may not be on academic probation during the semester.
Southern Arkansas University President's List Spring 2023
Southern Arkansas University has announced that 398 students earned a 4.0 GPA for the spring 2023 semester and have been named to its President's List.
Emma Melvin is a sophomore Game, Animation, and Simulation Design major from North Little Rock.
Gabriel Honeysuckle is a freshman Undecided major from Sherwood.
Katelyn McKeehan is a sophomore Agricultural Science (Pre-Veterinary Science) major from Sherwood.
Stevie Smith is a senior Accounting major from Sherwood.
A total of 398 students were honored on this semester's President's List.
SAU Dean's List Spring 2023
Southern Arkansas University has announced that 551 students earned a 3.5 GPA or higher for the spring 2023 semester and have been named to its Dean's List.
Karisa Nutt is a junior Pre-Nursing major from Maumelle .
Jackson Holsted is a senior Wildlife and Conservation Biology major from North Little Rock.
Mary Insalaco is a sophomore Management major from North Little Rock.
Aaron Sanders is a senior Exercise Science (Strength and Conditioning) major from North Little Rock.
Kaden White is a sophomore Computer Science (Gaming and Animation Design) major from North Little Rock.
Savannah Hibbard is a senior Nursing major from Sherwood.
Wade Koller is a senior Criminal Justice major with a minor in Psychology from Sherwood.
Colton McPherson is a sophomore Pre-Health Biology major from Sherwood.
A total of 551 students were honored on this semester's Dean's List.
Maumelle’s Copeland named to Spring 2023 Dean's Honor Roll at Abilene Christian
Lydia Copeland of Maumelle was named to the Abilene Christian University Spring 2023 Dean's Honor Roll. Copeland is a junior majoring in Bible and Ministry.
Copeland was among more than 1,200 students named to the Spring 2023 Dean's Honor Roll.
To qualify for the Dean's Honor Roll, students must be registered for 12 or more credit hours and earn a GPA of 3.6 or higher.
Sports
Baseball at Dickey-Stephens this week
Home stand against Corpus Christi
Thursday, 6:35 p.m.
$3 Thursday: Enjoy $3 Beer Garden Tickets and Concessions deals, including Hot Dogs, Soft Drinks, Red Bull, Cotton Candy, and a Select Canned Beer & Seltzer! | Presented By Red Bull
Friday, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks: Presented By Baptist Health
Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
Kids Run the Bases: Presented By Museum of Discovery
Sunday, 1:35 p.m.
Pre-Game Brunch Buffet: Get a special Brunch ticket that comes with a Field Reserved seat! Buffet will include select breakfast foods, juice, coffee, and soft drinks. (Alcohol will be available for purchase separately.) Food will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Presented By Picnic Brunch
Kids Run the Bases: Presented By Museum of Discovery
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
Family Sunday: Get $2 General Admission tickets by presenting a physical or digital church bulletin and only available at the Box Office.
Road trip: June 20 - 25 at Wichita
1500 articles?! Wow! Good job!
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