Ice, Ice, Baby
Ice, Ice, Baby
Lifetime movie features central Arkansas; Education news and notes, Commercial Real Estate Council elects new board, officers plus headlines
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!Death toll jumps
The total number of dead Arkansans this past week was 65.
Last week, it was 34, and the week before that it was 30.
The total number of dead Arkansans is now at 12,865.
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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 at 5:30 p.m. tonight for a special meeting and workshop, while the Maumelle City Council will meet next Monday night.
Upcoming events: The “Experience Little Rock in Color” Video Series scheduled for today has been pushed back to next Tuesday, Feb. 7. Doors will open at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center at 3:30 p.m. and the presentation will begin at 4 p.m.
Ice, Ice, Baby
The good news is that the forecast high for Sunday is 62 degrees.
The bad news is that it is still freezing outside and the ongoing ice storm has now extended into day three.
But, It will be much warmer tomorrow and certainly by the weekend, so the roads should be passable sooner rather than later.
For now, local schools are closed with teaching being done remotely and the weather also scrambled the basketball schedule, so sports coverage will resume next week.
Next week will also take a look at the impact of this ongoing storm.
Arts: A Lifetime worth of movie
Some familiar faces and some familiar places will be on display this Friday when, “My Husband, The Narcissist” debuts on Lifetime at 7 p.m.
The film, filmed in and around central Arkansas this past summer stars Brianna Cohen and Alexander C. Trumble as a married couple who, after moving to a new town, begin to experience some problems.
For those unfamiliar with the LIfetime template, “problems” understates it quite a bit as there’s a possible psychotic love interest, a detective and, eventually, a murder trial.
Just take a look at the trailer:
While you may not get those two minutes and 23 seconds back, you may have said things like, hey, isn’t that the state capitol and that house looks like one I go past regularly, which is sort of fun.
The film was produced by MarVista Entertainment and several local actors served as extras and had small speaking roles.
Among them was Grace Pitts, of North Little Rock, and currently a student at the University of Alabama.
“I enjoyed being a part of this,” Pitts wrote on social media. “This is the third Lifetime movie I’ve been a part of in the past two years and am grateful for the opportunities!”
The movie is 86 minutes long and will have multiple airings on Lifetime after its Friday night debut, so plenty of opportunities to watch.
Argenta Community Theater announces the 2023-24 season
The Judy Kohn Tenenbaum Argenta Community Theater recently announced its 2023-2024 season. The season will start in June and rung through May of next year.
Season passes are already on sale and can be purchased by clicking here. Individual tickets will go on sale on March 1.
The theater is located at 405 Main St., in downtown North Little Rock
The schedule will feature a mix of plays and musicals.
First up is, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2, JR. and will be from June 28 – 30
That will be followed by RENT from July 26 to Aug. 5
Starting Aug. 30 is BRING IT ON and its run will conclude Sept. 9
A local play, ONE NINTH, will start Oct. 18. One Ninth is written by Spirit Tawfiq, the daughter of Minnijean Brown, who was one of the Little Rock Nine. The play is described as “an exploration of human dignity and racial conflict as seen through the eyes of one of the Little Rock Nine” and “deals with universal themes of systematic racism, bullying, silent witnesses, non-violence, peer pressure, social responsibility, community, and family.”
Matinees will also be held for students for this production.
For the holidays, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET THE PLAY will start on Dec. 6 and conclude Dec. 16
In the new year, GODSPELL is first up and will run from Feb. 21 to March 2.
There will also be two productions at ACT II: The Sharon Heflin Performing Arts Educational Center at 315 Main St.
First is DOUBT on Sept. 13 and is in collaboration with ACANSA and part of their annual Arts Festival of the South. Doubt will conclude Sept. 23.
On May 8, THE LION IN THE WINTER will start and conclude on May 18.
Sponsors and patrons for the Argenta Community Theater include the city of North Little Rock, Pulaski County, Will Feland, The Tenenbaum Foundation, Legacy Foundation, Pulaski County, Arkansas Arts Council, North Little Rock CVB, Celebrity Attractions and ACANSA.
In other news: the cast of Cinderella has been announced and the play will open April 19. For more details, check the image below
Commercial Real Estate Council elects new board, officers
The Commercial Real Estate Council of Metro Little Rock recently added four new board members and elected officers for 2023.
New officers include:
President – Cathy Tuggle, Apartment Hunters
Vice-President – Teresa Kreis, Colliers Arkansas
Treasurer – Rose Kline, Cushman & Wakefield | Sage Partners
Past President – Jeff Yates, ARK Commercial & Investment Real Estate
New board members include:
Reagan Compton, GFF Architects
Michael Crosby, Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC
Rodney Peel, Arvest Bank
Payton Smith, Metro Disaster Specialists
They join current board members:
Matthew Beachboard, Moses Tucker Partners
James Harkins, Blue Whale Development
Brad Sims, Pulaski County Title
The fifth annual real estate awards will be at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at the Arkansas Pharmacists Association, 417 S Victory St..
Roby Brock, CEO of Natural State Media, parent company for Talk Business & Politics and The Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, will emcee the awards ceremony. Tickets are available at crecmlr.org/events. Tables of 8 are $300, member tickets are $25, and guest tickets are $40.
For sponsorship, ticket, or other information, contact info@crecmlr.org or 501-539-0582.
Food Jobs Work receives Jacques Pépin Foundation grant
The Jacques Pépin Foundation recently announced Little Rock’s Food Jobs Work as one of their Winter 2022 Grant Awardees, awarded at the end of December.
One of ten recipients, Food Jobs Work will use their grant to restart their 12-week training program following a pandemic pause, replace much-needed kitchen equipment like knives and cooktops, and gain access to Rouxbe, the world’s largest online culinary school. In addition to the $10,000 grant, the community kitchen will also receive foundation branded aprons for their students and a group membership to the Foundation.
Founded in 2016, the Jacques Pépin Foundation became a grant-making organization in 2019. In the last four years the Foundation has given over $1,000,000 to over 50 different non-profit, community-based, culinary arts training programs that offer life skills and culinary training to individuals with barriers to employment.
“We’re in the business of getting people to believe in themselves, and cooking is a powerful way to do that,” says Christie Ison, founder and Executive Director of Food Jobs Work. “With this grant, we will continue to do the important work of lifting up the forgotten in central Arkansas and empowering them with meaningful work.”
Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund now accepting scholarship applications
Eligible single parents are invited to apply for Summer 2023 scholarships beginning now at aspsf.org/applynow and the deadline to apply is March 15.
The scholarships are up to $1,200 to eligible single parents who are attending college or obtaining technical training. A full list of eligibility guidelines is available at aspsf.org/eligibility.
If awarded, recipients can use the funds for any combination of school and/or household expenses that removes a financial burden and helps the student stay in school.
Scholarships are combined with wraparound services — including workshops, mentorships, and tutoring — to create a support system helping single parents along their higher education journey to graduation and professional employment.
Eligible applicants have a GED or high school diploma, a 2.0 GPA in past courses, and a household income typically not more than 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines. The full list of eligibility guidelines is available at aspsf.org/eligibility.
Education news and notes
UA Little Rock names Fall 2022 Chancellor's List
UA Little Rock announces its Fall 2022 Chancellor's List, recognizing students with superior academic performance in a semester.
To be eligible for the Chancellor's List, students must earn at least nine credit hours and at least a 3.9 GPA.
Maumelle students who made the Chancellor's List include:
Bailey Bishop of Maumelle
Noah Browning of Maumelle
Ryan Cabico of Maumelle
Dustin Dye of Maumelle
Hannah Fatherree of Maumelle
Stacey Johnson of Maumelle
Michael Parrott of Maumelle
Heather Phillips of Maumelle
Alycen Singleton of Maumelle
Alexis Strickland of Maumelle
Dawson Thomas of Maumelle
To see the complete list of North of the River students, click UA Little Rock names Fall 2022 Chancellor's List
About 650 UA Little Rock students were named to the Chancellor's List for the Fall 2022 semester.
UA Little Rock names Fall 2022 Dean's List
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces students who have made the Dean's List for the Fall 2022 semester, recognizing nearly 1,150 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.
Maumelle students who have made the Dean's List include:
Bailey Bishop of Maumelle
Emily Bullock of Maumelle
Ryan Cabico of Maumelle
Jakyra Dixon of Maumelle
Dustin Dye of Maumelle
Stacey Johnson of Maumelle
Braden Li of Maumelle
Erin Maxwell of Maumelle
Michael Parrott of Maumelle
Heather Phillips of Maumelle
Lamar Townsend of Maumelle
Tala Tyner of Maumelle
Daraje Wells of Maumelle
Nashika Wilson of Maumelle
To see the complete list of North of the River students, click UA Little Rock names Fall 2022 Dean's List
Fall 2022 UCA Presidential Scholars
The University of Central Arkansas congratulates nearly 1,200 students who were named a fall 2022 Presidential Scholar.
Maumelle students who were named include:
Madison B Allen, of Maumelle
Jada T Bass, of Maumelle
Alex R Blair, of Maumelle
Anna S Carroll, of Maumelle
Savannah O Fabian, of Maumelle
Franchelsa D Francisco, of Maumelle
Claire J Franklin, of Maumelle
Anna C Grooms, of Maumelle
Molly Harrell, of Maumelle
Rachel M Huey, of Maumelle
Jessica Jones, of Maumelle
Camryn J Joyner, of Maumelle
Hana F Lovett, of Maumelle
Margaret K Matthews, of Maumelle
Malingo A Matute, of Maumelle
Rachel R Middlebrook, of Maumelle
Eva R Palmer, of Maumelle
Stephanie V Ramos, of Maumelle
Hannah G Reeves, of Maumelle
Landon C Smith, of Maumelle
Nicolas Triolet, of Maumelle
Shannon K Varner, of Maumelle
Daniel S Wheeler, of Maumelle
To see the complete list of North of the River students, click Fall 2022 UCA Presidential Scholars
UCA Fall 2022 Dean's List
The University of Central Arkansas congratulates more than 1,400 students who were named to the fall 2022 Dean's List.
Maumelle students who were named include:
Taylor Ammons of Maumelle
Lauren Baker of Maumelle
Adley Barham of Maumelle
Patric Bearden of Maumelle
Hannah Dang of Maumelle
Kameron Davis of Maumelle
Sade' Hendrix of Maumelle
Cameron Heslip of Maumelle
Katie Hindmon of Maumelle
Kyzer Johnston of Maumelle
Carly Joyner of Maumelle
Sarah King of Maumelle
Kaitlyn Kronberg of Maumelle
Emma Lea of Maumelle
Mavita Matute of Maumelle
William McDonald of Maumelle
Faith Mott of Maumelle
Kaylee Munnerlyn of Maumelle
Andrea Yareni Palos Ornelas of Maumelle
Joshua Parkinson of Maumelle
Karter Pawelczak of Maumelle
Laura Priester of Maumelle
Kurtis Robbins of Maumelle
Sydney Siler of Maumelle
Ashley Sims of Maumelle
Madeline Sims of Maumelle
Layla Thomas of Maumelle
Emily Walsh of Maumelle
Jenna Wheeler of Maumelle
Cade Womack of Maumelle
Nadia Woods of Sherwood
To see the complete list of North of the River students, click UCA Fall 2022 Dean's List
Alabama names Dean's, President's Lists for Fall 2022 Term
A total of 12,791 students enrolled during Fall Semester 2022 at The University of Alabama were named to the dean's list with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the president's list with an academic record of 4.0 (all A's). These driven students are making waves across UA's more than 70 undergraduate programs and 12 colleges and schools.
The Alabama dean's and president's lists recognize full-time undergraduate students. The lists do not apply to graduate students or undergraduate students who take less than a full course load.
The 2022 fall lists include the following North of the River students:
Kaitlin Arnold of Maumelle was named to the Dean's List.
Grace Pitts of North Little Rock was named to the Dean's List.
Kimberly McClendon of Sherwood was named to the Dean's List.
The University of Alabama, part of The University of Alabama System, is the state's flagship university and is located in Tuscaloosa.
Students named to Harding University Dean's List
The following North of the River students are among more than 1,200 Harding University students included on the dean's list for grades achieved during the fall 2022 semester.
Jennifer Noel, a Junior, studying child development & French, of North Little Rock
Mary Anna Westerman, a Junior, studying social work, of Sherwood
Ta'Mya Jones, a Senior, studying elementary education, of Sherwood
Megan Drause, a Senior, studying management & management and business ethics, of North Little Rock
Jacob Kirchner, a Sophomore, studying computer science, of Maumelle
McKenna Moore, a Senior, studying psychology, of Sherwood
Dawson Teague, a Senior, studying accounting & information systems, of North Little Rock
Ava Bramlett, a Senior, studying English, of Maumelle
Abbie Durham, a Freshman, studying history, of North Little Rock
Hallie Diles, a Senior, studying middle level education, of North Little Rock
Macy Howard, a Sophomore, studying medical laboratory science, of Sherwood
Julie Cmelik, a Sophomore, studying software development, of Sherwood
Madelyn Cantrell, a Junior, studying Nursing, of Sherwood
Devan Floyd, a Junior, studying exercise science, of North Little Rock
Christian Wilson, a Sophomore, studying mechanical engineering, of Sherwood
Carsyn Burns, a Senior, studying communication sciences and disorders, of Maumelle
Declan Cook, a Sophomore, studying exercise science & leadership and ministry, of North Little Rock
Emilyn Noel, a Sophomore, studying computer science, of North Little Rock
Dru Cash, a Freshman, studying communication sciences and disorders, of Maumelle
Rebecca Hill, a Senior, studying cognitive neuroscience, of Sherwood
Josie Hall, a Junior, studying special education, of Sherwood
Ayden Pritchard, a Sophomore, studying exploratory studies, of North Little Rock
Jacob Carlin, a Sophomore, studying exploratory studies, of Sherwood
Carson Stewart, a Senior, studying biochemistry, of Maumelle