Happy New Year
First Day Hikes; Education news and notes; Recycle that Tree; Planning Commission vacancy plus headlines and sports
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MEETINGS: The Maumelle City Council will meet next Monday night at City Hall. The City Council also met this past Monday and finalized the city’s budget for 2026. More on that next week.
EVENTS: Today is New Year’s Eve and the last official day of 2025. Thursday is Jan. 1, the first day of 2026. Just in case anyone wasn’t up to speed on the calendar. As usual, the various government offices will be closed on Thursday due to the holiday. Some may also be closed or working limited hours on Friday, so call ahead if you have any business. Trash and recycling will not be picked up on Thursday and run one-day delayed on Friday. If you need something to do tonight, the GloWild at the Little Rock Zoo is big fun and reasonable in cost to attend. Lots of free parking as well. For more details, click here.
NOTICE: PLANNING COMMISSION VACANCY
The Maumelle City Council is accepting resumes from residents interested in serving on the Maumelle Planning Commission. The Council will make an appointment to Position 2 for a four year term ending Jan. 31, 2030. Resumes should be submitted to Tina Timmons, City Clerk/Treasurer, 550 Edgewood Drive, Maumelle, Arkansas 72113 no later than 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. Resumes can be emailed to cityclerk@maumelle.org. All applicants will be interviewed by the City Council at the next scheduled Council meeting, Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 6 p.m. The City Council will appoint immediately following the interviews. For additional information call 501-851-2500.
First Day Hikes
As the New Year nears, for some that means a reason to get outdoors with a First Day Hike.
It is exactly what it sounds like, on Thursday, you go for a hike. Maybe in the morning. Maybe a little later, after it warms up.
Among those encouraging First Day Hikes is Arkansas State Parks, and they noted that this Thursday is 2026 which means the start of America 250, the semiquincentennial celebration for the United States.
Regardless, America 250 is much easier to write than semiquincentennial.
As part of that effort the state parks system will be distributing stickers to those participating in the hikes. Just check in at the state park to go on a ranger-led hike or you can go on a self-guided hike and log what you did at ArkansasStateParks.com/FirstDayHikes.
Eye on the Sky
Today: Sunny, with a high near 56 and a low around 35.
New Year’s Day: Increasing clouds, with a high near 60, with a low around 46.
Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60, with a low around 38.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 53, with a low around 34. Calm wind.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57, with a low around 41.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62, with a low around 41.
A list of guided First Day Hikes at Arkansas State Parks, along with tips on planning your hike, accessibility information and details on how to share photos and videos, can be found at ArkansasStateParks.com/FirstDayHikes.
Participants are encouraged to share their experiences on social media using #ARStateParks and #FirstDayHikes.
Christmas North of the River: The Ice Skating Rink at Lakewood is now open through Jan. 4 at 4500 Lakeshore Drive
Education news
Maumelle’s Slade earns degree from Central Methodist University
Central Methodist University celebrated its Winter 2025 commencement on Dec. 6 in Puckett Fieldhouse on the Fayette campus in Missouri. Business owner and author Rogers Strickland gave the commencement address as a packed house of family, friends, faculty, staff, and other guests celebrated the graduates.
Students were recognized for earning degrees at the master’s, bachelor’s, and associate’s levels.
Zyon Slade, of Maumelle, above, was among those on the program for the event. Slade graduated with the following degree: Bachelor of Science.
Slade was also a member of the football team there and played in 11 games and finished the season with 422 yards receiving and four touchdowns.
Never Too Late: Nontraditional Student Joyce Young White earns graduate degree
Proving that it’s never too late to pursue a calling, Joyce Young White, below, fulfilled a decades-long dream this December when she received her master’s degree in health education and promotion from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock
.
White, who grew up in Helena and now lives in North Little Rock, returned to college nearly 28 years after putting her education on hold to focus on work and family. She previously earned a bachelor’s degree in health education and promotion from UA Little Rock, along with associate degrees from Phillips County Community College and UA Little Rock.
“I wasn’t able to go to college right after high school, but my desire for knowledge never wavered,” White said. “As soon as I could juggle family, work, and school, I went for it.”
Her path to becoming a UA Little Rock Trojan began in the winter of 1977, when two recruiters visited her community college to speak with students about a summer program. White said she had always believed in her ability to learn but faced limited career options during that era.
“That innate desire to further my education remained a burning desire within me, regardless of the type of employment available that utilized my skills,” she said. “The opportunity to return to school presented itself a few years later, but after several semesters of juggling family and work, I realized I was headed for total burnout.”
She put her education on hold - a pause that lasted nearly 28 years.
“During that time, I witnessed the power of God opening and closing doors and revealing my true passion, which evolved into health care advocacy for the elderly,” she said.
Eventually, White returned to school and completed her bachelor’s degree. Still, she doubted whether graduate school was realistic.
“Graduate school seemed to be an unattainable dream, but God had better plans,” she said. “I found myself surrounded by a support system of encouragement.”
The road was not easy. White faced serious health concerns and other hardships but said her 94-year-old mentor kept her grounded.
“She always said, ‘They can take your car, your house, and just about anything else, but they can never take away your education,’” she said.
While studying full time, White landed what she called her dream job in private health care, working with patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
“I got real-world application concurrent with classroom training and knowledge,” she said. “In addition to learning, I got hands-on training and a critique of my craft.”
Her job came to a heartbreaking end when she and her client contracted COVID-19, and her client died. White continues to experience long-term effects from the illness, but she persisted in her studies.
“Being a nontraditional senior citizen, this journey has been one of the most demanding, difficult, rewarding, and spirit-filled paths I will ever take,” she said.
White struggled in her early graduate courses, at one point walking across campus in the snow, crying as she searched for help with an assignment.
“I wasn’t ready to give up so easily or that early,” she said.
Support from faculty helped her push forward. She remembers a professor commending her performance on a difficult exam, which gave her renewed confidence.
“My self-confidence rose to new heights, and I began to approach all my classes with a positive attitude,” she said. “Those encouragements became my incentive to always give it my best.”
Throughout her coursework, White said she learned to view healing as a holistic concept that encompasses all dimensions of wellness. She also developed skills in qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis, which she successfully applied in defending her thesis.
Qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis combines insights from multiple qualitative studies to build a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of a topic. White’s thesis is titled Prayer for Healing: A Qualitative Interpretative Meta-Synthesis Connecting the Inner Man to the Spirit of God.
White said her mother’s belief in her abilities helped sustain her throughout the journey. Others, including mentors, professors, and friends, served as “voices of reason” who guided her through the challenges.
“It is because of each of them that I endeavored this journey, and because of their faith in my ability that I finished a very long and rocky road,” she said. “All my professors were exceptional, and my committee was phenomenal.”
Now on the verge of earning her master’s degree, White hopes her story inspires others to continue learning at any age.
“I’ve been blessed to do what I wanted to do, and as an older adult, I want to be a role model for those who seek to better themselves through education and training,” she said.
White credits the university with helping her build confidence and chart a new direction.
“UA Little Rock provided me with the formal education to pursue a better life,” she said. “The skills and knowledge I gained gave me a sense of direction that became exciting and very rewarding.”
With about 9,000 students and 100 programs, UA Little Rock offers learning, research, service, social and career opportunities that can only be found at a metropolitan university located in Arkansas’s capital city.
Recycle that Christmas tree
If you want to get all Christmas-y about it, you’re supposed to keep your tree up through the first week of January.
The whole 12 days of Christmas, Epiphany and all that but not everyone does that and now might be the time you’re trying to figure out what to do with that beautiful tree you bought at Junior Deputy.
There’s an environmentally friendly, good for nature option that the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission offers annually in dropping off that tree to be used as a fish habitat in one of the state’s many bodies of water.
This offer only applies to live Christmas trees, the fake ones need not apply..
There’s other options, of course. You could put your Christmas tree out on the curb ““on your yard waste day” if you live in Maumelle or North Little Rock and for more information in Maumelle, call 501-851-2888, while those in North Little Rock can call 371-8430.
You should, under no circumstances, burn the tree in your fireplace as it is a really good way to set your house on fire.
But, if so inclined, you can sink the tree yourself. Any Arkansas stream or river or lake will do.
Game and Fish said, “the small spaces and dense cover offered by fresh Christmas trees make excellent nursery habitat for small fish as well as great places to fish.”
If sinking it yourself, weigh it down with either cinder blocks or sandbags, so the tree will stay sunk and then remember where you put it.
What’s also really great is while Game and Fish will take care of the trees come February, you can also take trees from the pile for yourself to sink.
They note, “trees are relatively short-term habitat because they don’t have much thick woody material, but they can be gathered in clusters easily and sunk in large groups” and “the main stems will last longer than the wispy branches and continue to draw fish throughout the year.”
Trees can be dropped off at any of the following locations until the end of January:
Trees can be dropped off at any of the following central Arkansas locations until the end of January:
Arkansas River – Riverview Park Access in North Little Rock
Lake Barnett – Reed Access
Harris Brake Lake – Chittman Hill Access
Lake Pickthorne – Holland Bottoms Access
Lake Overcup – Lake Overcup Landing
Cox Creek Lake – Cox Creek Lake Public Access
Lake Hamilton – Andrew Hulsey State Fish Hatchery Access
For more locations around the state, click here.
Sports
Upcoming SEC bowl games
Today
ReliaQuest Bowl, 11 a.m.: #14 Vanderbilt (10-2, 6-2) vs. #23 Iowa (8-4) | ESPN/SiriusXM: 211/190 [ESPN Radio - 80]. Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: 11https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?date=2025-12-31&end_date=2024-01-08&start_date=2023-08-25
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, 2 p.m.: #13 Texas (9-3, 6-2) vs. #18 Michigan (9-3) | ABC/SiriusXM: 139/191 [ESPN Radio - 80]. Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?date=2025-12-31&end_date=2024-01-08&start_date=2023-08-25
Thursday
Rose Bowl CFP Quarterfinal, 3 p.m.: #9 Alabama (11-3, 7-1 SEC) vs. #1 Indiana (13-0) | ESPN/SiriusXM: 82 [ESPN Radio - 80]. Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?date=2026-01-01&end_date=2024-01-08&start_date=2023-08-25
Allstate Sugar Bowl CFP Quarterfinal , 7 p.m.: #3 Georgia (12-1, 7-1 SEC) vs. #6 Ole Miss (12-1, 7-1 SEC) | ESPN/SiriusXM: 84 - 82 [ESPN Radio - 80]. Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?date=2026-01-01&end_date=2024-01-08&start_date=2023-08-25
Friday
Duke’s Mayo Bowl, 7 p.m.: Mississippi State (5-7, 1-7 SEC) vs. Wake Forest (8-4) | ESPN/SiriusXM: 84 [ESPN Radio - 80]. Live Statistics/Matchup/Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?date=2026-01-02&end_date=2024-01-08&start_date=2023-08-25
Basketball previews
By Collin Scott
Maumelle Charter Falcons (Boys Basketball)
School: Maumelle Charter High School
Coach: Dalton Diles
Mascot: Falcons
Conference: 3A Region 6
Last year’s record- 8-24
Record so far- 8-10 overall, 2-1 in conference
Returning starters: Brecken Poteat, Gabe Reed, Tripp Patton, Cayden Greiman, Nylan Lovette
Players to watch: Gabe Reed, Nylan Lovette
Outlook: Despite the 43-59 loss to the Ouachita Warriors, Maumelle Falcons have shown a vast improvement this season, going from a 8-24 record last season to an improved 8-10 record so far this season. The inconsistency during these games is what has cost them various games this season. The Falcons have proven this season that they are now able to compete with and are continuing to finish this season stronger than last year.
Basketball schedules
Maumelle Charter
Boys
Tuesday, Jan. 6 ... at ... Episcopal ... 8 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 9 ... at ... Lisa Academy North ... 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13 ... at ... Rose Bud ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 ... vs ... Riverview ... 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 ... vs ... Bald Knob ... 5 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... Pangburn ... 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Harding Academy ... 8 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... vs ... Episcopal ... 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... vs ... Lisa Academy North ... 8 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Rose Bud ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... St. Joseph ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Tuesday, Jan. 6 ... at ... Episcopal ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13 ... at ... Rose Bud ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 ... vs ... Riverview ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 ... vs ... Bald Knob ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... Pangburn ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Harding Academy ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... vs ... Episcopal ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Rose Bud ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... St. Joseph ... 7 p.m.
Maumelle
Boys
Friday, Jan. 2 ... at ... Morrilton ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 6 ... vs ... Jacksonville ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13 ... at ... Sylvan Hills ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 ... at ... Greenbrier ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 ... vs ... Little Rock Christian Academy ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... Vilonia ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Catholic ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... at ... Beebe ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... at ... Parkview ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Jacksonville ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Sylvan Hills ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 ... vs ... Greenbrier ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... at ... Little Rock Christian Academy ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Vilonia ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 27 ... vs ... Catholic ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Jan. 2 ... at ... Morrilton ... 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 6 ... vs ... Jacksonville ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13 ... at ... Sylvan Hills ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 ... at ... Greenbrier ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 ... vs ... Little Rock Christian Academy ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... Vilonia ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Mount St. Mary Academy ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... vs ... Beebe ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... at ... Parkview ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Jacksonville ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Sylvan Hills ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 ... vs ... Greenbrier ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... at ... Little Rock Christian Academy ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Vilonia ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 27 ... vs ... Mount St. Mary Academy ... 6 p.m.
CAC
Boys
Tuesday, Jan. 6 ... vs ... Lisa Academy West ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 ... vs ... Morrilton ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 ... vs ... Robinson ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Heber Springs ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... at ... Lisa Academy West ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... at ... Morrilton ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Robinson ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... vs ... Heber Springs ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Monday, Jan. 5 ... at ... Mt. Vernon-Enola ... 6 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 8 ... vs ... South Side ... 7 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 12 ... at ... Faulkner County HomeSchool ... 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 15 ... vs ... St. Joseph ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 ... at ... Morrilton ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 ... vs ... Robinson ... 5 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... White County Central ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Quitman ... 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 29 ... at ... South Side ... 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 2 ... vs ... Mt. Vernon-Enola ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Bigelow ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Conway Christian ... 5 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Robinson ... 5 p.m.
North Little Rock
Boys
Tuesday, Jan. 6 ... vs ... Central ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 9 ... vs ... Conway ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13 ... at ... Little Rock Southwest ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 ... vs ... Jonesboro ... 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Bryant ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... at ... Cabot ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... at ... Central ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Conway ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Little Rock Southwest ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Jonesboro ... 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Bryant ... 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 26 ... vs ... Cabot ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Tuesday, Jan. 6 ... vs ... Central ... 6:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 9 ... vs ... Conway ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13 ... at ... Little Rock Southwest ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16 ... vs ... Jonesboro ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Bryant ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... at ... Cabot ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... at ... Central ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Conway ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Little Rock Southwest ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Jonesboro ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Bryant ... 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 26 ... vs ... Cabot ... 6 p.m.
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