Groundbreaking held for Tractor Supply
Maumelle Planning Commission meets tonight, Football season starts Friday night, Maumelle Charter High School has ribbon-cutting on Monday plus headlines
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A Maumelle candidate forum sponsored by ArkansasNewsroom.com will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18 in Maumelle. More details to come.
Death toll continues decline
The weekly death toll from the ongoing pandemic dropped as the total number of dead Arkansans was at 36.
The previous week it was at 47 and the week before that it was 58.
The total number of dead Arkansans is now at 11,877.
As for the national trends, the forecast numbers from the Centers for Disease Control are below and through Sept. 17.
The forecasts for both weekly and total death counts are on the upswing, with numbers up to or exceeding 12,000 by the end of the month.
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 crowdsThe Headlines
Upcoming meetings: The Maumelle Planning Commission meets tonight. More details below.
Upcoming events: Football season kicks off on Friday with all three North of the River schools playing in Pulaski County with Maumelle at Sylvan Hills, North Little Rock against Little Rock Catholic at War Memorial and CAC at Mustang Mountain against Lonoke. More details below.
Public health agencies adapt Covid lessons to curb overdoses, STDs, and gun violence
Travs at home this week
There’s only 10 home games left at North Little Rock’s Dickey-Stephens Park as the Travs host Tulsa tonight and through Sunday, then it is off to west Texas for two weeks with games at Midland and Amarillo before closing out the season at home with a six-game series against Corpus Christi.
Homestand
Today ... 6:35 p.m. ... vs. Tulsa; Promotions: $3 Thirsty Thursday and Noche De Diamantes
Friday ... Aug. 26 ... 7:05 p.m. ... vs. Tulsa; Promotions: Fireworks
Saturday ... Aug. 27 ... 7:05 p.m. ... vs. Tulsa; Promotions: Jarred Kelenic Bobblehead Giveaway and Kids Run The Bases
Sunday ... Aug. 28 .. 1:35 p.m. ... vs. Tulsa; Promotions: Operation: Military Appreciation and Family Sunday
Road swing
Tuesday ... Aug. 30 ... 6:30 p.m. ... at Midland
Wednesday ... Aug. 31 ... 6:30 p.m. ... at Midland
Thursday ... Sept. 1 ... 7 p.m. ... at Midland
Friday ... Sept. 2 ... 7 p.m. ... at Midland
Saturday ... Sept. 3 ... 7 p.m. ... at Midland
Sunday ... Sept. 4 ... 2 p.m. ... at Midland
Sports
Friday Night Lights: Maumelle, CAC, North Little Rock play this week
The regular season starts this Friday as all three North of the River teams are in action.
Here’s a look at this week’s games and all kick off at 7 p.m.
Maumelle at Sylvan Hills
Records: Maumelle (0-0), Sylvan Hills (0-0)
Streamer: Natural State Sports
Hootens.com Rankings: Maumelle No. 12 in 5A, Sylvan Hills is No. 6 in 6A
Last week: Maumelle lost in a scrimmage at Marion as the offense managed 272 yards of total offense, but the bulk of that came in the second half and after both teams were playing backups.
Highlights
Season schedule
Friday: At Sylvan Hills ... 7 p.m. ... Non-conference
Sept. 2: Batesville at Maumelle ... 7 p.m. ... Non-conference
Sept. 9: White Hall at Maumelle ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Sept. 23: Pine Bluff at Maumelle ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Sept. 30: At Mills ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 7: Robinson at Maumelle... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 14: At Morrilton ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 21: Watson Chapel at Maumelle ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 28: At Vilonia ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Nov. 4: At Beebe ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
For the roster, click here.
Lonoke at CAC
Records: Lonoke (0-0), CAC (0-0)
Hootens.com Rankings: CAC is No. 31 in 4A, while Lonoke is No. 16
Last week: CAC scrimagged Des Arc and the Mustangs will be led by sophomore quarterback Grayson Wilson, who is already a top prospect and had scholarship offers from Illinois and Central Arkansas, among others.
Highlights
Season schedule
Friday: Lonoke at CAC ... 7 p.m. ... Non-conference
Sept. 2: At Perryville ... 7 p.m. ... Non-conference
Sept. 9: At Bauxite ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Sept. 16: Harmony Grove at CAC ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Sept. 23: At Hall... 7 p.m. ... Non-conference
Sept. 30: Mayflower at CAC ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 7: Pottsville at CAC ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 14: At Clinton ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 21: Dover at CAC ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Nov. 4: At Lamar ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
For the roster, click here
North Little Rock at Little Rock Catholic
Records: North Little Rock (0-0), Little Rock Catholic (0-0)
Streamer: NLRTV
Hootens.com Rankings: North Little Rock is No. 4 in Class 7A, while Catholic is No. 14 out of the now 19 teams in Class 6A.
Last week: North Little Rock rolled past El Dorado in a scrimmage game there. Now senior quarterback Malachi Gober picked up where he left off last season as he was an efficient 9-of-15 passing for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Gober passed for more than 2,500 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.
For stats, click here.
Season schedule
Friday: At Little Rock Catholic ... 7 p.m. ... Non-conference (At War Memorial)
Sept. 2: At Fayetteville ... 7 p.m. ... Non-conference
Sept. 16: Little Rock Parkview at North Little Rock ... 7 p.m. ... Non-conference
Sept. 23: At Little Rock Central ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Sept. 30: At Conway ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 7: Little Rock Southwest at North Little Rock ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 14: At Jonesboro ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 21: At Fort Smith Northside... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Oct. 28: Bryant at North Little Rock ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
Nov. 4: Cabot at North Little Rock ... 7 p.m. ... Conference
For the roster, click here.
Ribbon-Cutting for Maumelle Charter on Monday
At Maumelle Charter, the big news remains the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of the new high school.
The event will be held at the school, 9701 White Oak Crossing, and will start at 10 a.m. in the auditorium on Monday. The keynote speaker will be Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
The 114,900 square foot campus covers 38.2 acres and will serve grades 8th through 12th.
Katie Johnson will continue as principal and Rob McGill serves as Academics Plus CEO.
The new facility will also allow for student enrollment growth with the current cap of 1,600 growing to 2,000 by the 2026-27 school year.
It also means changes at the other campuses in the Academics Plus system with the current elementary building at 900 Edgewood Drive will now serve grades Kindergarten through 3rd and the current high school building will become Maumelle Charter Middle School serving grades 4th – 7th.
In other education news
Maumelle Planning Commission meets tonight
The monthly meeting of the Maumelle Planning Commission will be at 6:30 p.m. tonight at City Hall.
The agenda is a relatively full one as commissioners have six items of new business to deal with. The most significant is the Newton Creek Commercial Addition.
Located at the White Oak Crossing interchange and east of Interstate 40, the 236.39-acre lot, seen below, runs along I-40 and this preliminary plat would be the first step in developing it for commercial use by allowing roads to be built, including a connection to Hwy. 365.
Also on the agenda is the Stone Canyon Addition at 14005 Old Maumelle Road as the plans for that residential development are coming into sharper focus.
There, the roughly 65 acres would go from a R-1 zoning to PRD as the property was newly annexed. Also included with that was a subdivision review that would take 86.8 acres and convert them into 407 lots for new homes.
Of that 407, it would be 258 single family lots, 148 townhome lots with the remaining 10.5 acres for walking and biking trails.
Tonight’s meeting is open to the public.
Arts Education Center coming to downtown North Little Rock
The Sharon Heflin Education Center, and part of the Argenta Community Theater, will open in October at 315 Main St. Suite B and four doors down from the theater’s mainstage.
The 2,000 square foot space will work with students of all ages in the field of performing and technical arts with voice and acting classes coming this fall with additional classes in TV/film, technical production and dance next spring.
The theater’s director, Sydney Wolfe said the efforts of Christen Pitts and her ACTing Up summer program had been so successful that they saw, “the need for year-round classes covering all aspects of the performing arts. Our mission has always been to invest in this community by providing access to professional quality entertainment and education.”
Festivities will begin on Oct. 11 with a VIP night, followed by two more nights of events featuring actor George Newbern and Broadway producer Elizabeth Williams.
Both are Arkansas natives and among Newbern’s credits are being the voice of Superman in the DC Animated Universe, which is a really big deal and I think super cool but others might know him for his roles in Father of the Bride and Scandal.
The gala is presented by Gwatney Chevrolet and Ben E. Keith Foods will and tickets can be purchased at argentacommunitytheater.org.
This season’s sponsors and partners include: Tiffany and Will Feland, The City of North Little Rock, The North Little Rock CVB, The Tenenbaum Foundation, Legacy Termite, Engel & Volkers, Insalaco Family Scholarship Fund, Pulaski County, First Security Bank and Tito’s.
In other arts news
Auditions set for White Christmas and The Producers: The Argenta Community Theater will be having auditions in September for its upcoming productions of White Christmas and The Producers. They’ll be held on Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11 with the first day starting at 1 p.m. and the second starting at 2 p.m. Both auditions are scheduled to last three hours. They’ll be held at 405 Main St., in downtown North Little Rock. To schedule an audition time, please email: casting@ArgentaCommunityTheater.org. Walk-ins will be accommodated on a first come first serve basis.
Groundbreaking held for Tractor Supply
The rain mostly held off Tuesday morning as the groundbreaking was held for the new Tractor Supply distribution center to be built in Maumelle.
The facility will be 1.2 million square feet and when complete, will be Tractor Supply’s 10th distribution center and also its largest. The building will also have 50,000 square feet of mezzanine space set aside for eCommerce.
“On behalf of the City of Maumelle, I am excited to welcome Tractor Supply to our business community,” Mayor Caleb Norris said. “We are thrilled that they chose to build and create jobs in our growing city. The new Tractor Supply distribution center will be a great addition to our thriving industrial park.”
The facility will be in the city’s industrial park and cost $128 million to build. It will employ nearly 500 when staffing is complete and be the hub for more than 300 Tractor Supply stores.
Among those on hand for the groundbreaking were Norris, Tractor Supply President and CEO Hal Lawton, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston and others.
Lawton said the Maumelle center will serve its current and future stores in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma as well as others in the region.
“This distribution center will be a vital link in our supply-chain strategy,” Lawton said.
The building will also feature a rooftop solar array that will generate 6 million kilowatts of electricity and enough power for the facility.
Construction is expected to be complete by the fall of 2023 and the company said hiring would begin in October of next year.
There’s currently 35 Tractor Supply stores in Arkansas with a total of 2,016 across the country.
The nearest distribution center to Arkansas is in Waco, Texas.