Jones hired to lead Academics Plus system
Aldi coming to Maumelle Boulevard; Vaughn hired as Maumelle’s next football coach plus sports and headlines
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MEETINGS: The North Little Rock School Board will have a special call meeting at 5:30 p,m. tonight. The meeting will be held at the district administration building. The Maumelle City Council will meet next Tuesday night at City Hall. Both meetings are open to the public and will be livestreamed on YouTube.
EVENTS: The Travs seasonal job fair will be held today and then again on Saturday, Jan. 17. The first session will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. while the Saturday morning session will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Both will be held at Dickey-Stephens Park and interviews will be conducted on site. There’s 69 home games, not including potential post-season games, with Arkansas Razorback baseball and the upcoming debut of Banana Ball. Day games are set for April 8, April 21 and May 6 with the Razorback game on April 14 and two nights of Banana Ball on March 14 and March 15. Also, Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday, and as a result, the various government offices will be closed that day. Garbage and recycling will also run one-day delayed next week.
Jones hired to lead Academics Plus system
The Academics Plus system didn’t look very far in replacing retiring CEO Rob McGill, as Kyron Jones, below, who was the system’s Chief Operating Officer, was tapped as McGill’s replacement.
Jones, 52, has been with the system since 2018 and was previously the School Improvement Grant Site Director for the Arkansas Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
He, like McGill, started his career in the classroom, as a teacher at Bayou Meto Elementary School in 1996 before heading to Sherwood Elementary as a math specialist, before going into leadership roles at Baker Elementary and eventually rising to principal,
The Academics Plus System is made up of Maumelle Charter and Scott Charter schools with campuses in Maumelle, North Little Rock and Scott.
“It is an honor to serve the students, staff, and community of APCSI,” Jones said in a release. “My passion has always been, and will continue to be, putting students first, ensuring every child feels valued, supported, and prepared for success. I look forward to working alongside our outstanding educators, staff, families, and community partners to build strong schools that serve the whole child and produce high performers.”
Jones is a three-degree graduate of Arkansas State University with his education degree specialist coming in 2014.
The Academics Plus system has nearly 2,000 students across its campuses in Pulaski County.
McGill had been in the CEO role since 2010, and was previously the interim superintendent at Pulaski County Special School District.
For more, go to: www.academicsplus.org
Aldi coming to Maumelle Boulevard
As part of its national expansion, Aldi, the discount grocer, has set its sites on Maumelle Boulevard.
Requests for comment to Aldi corporate communications weren’t returned by press time, but the grocery store will be at the intersection of Counts Massie Road and Maumelle Boulevard. Details, beyond that sparse, but based on the application for plumbing, it will be new construction.
The plans were submitted by SGA DESIGN GROUP, a contractor who specializes in retail construction that has offices in Bentonville, Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
Requests for comment to them weren’t returned by press time either.
So no timeline is as yet available.
This will be the fourth Aldi going into Pulaski County, with other locations in Little Rock and Sherwood.
SGA DESIGN, on its website, claims to have constructed more than 300 Aldi locations across the country.
This story will eventually get updated. So stay tuned.
Vaughn hired as Maumelle’s next football coach
The School Board for the Pulaski County Special School District hired Nick Vaughn to be the next head coach at Maumelle High School at the board meeting on Tuesday night.
Vaughn, above, is currently the head football coach and athletics director at Camden Fairview but is familiar with central Arkansas as he was previously the defensive coordinator at Little Rock Parkview for now North Little Rock head coach Brad Bolding.
Vaughn was also an assistant coach at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia and also coached at El Dorado High School and Forrest City.
Fairview was Vaughn’s first head coaching job and the Cardinals went 5-6 this past season with a first round loss to Pulaski Robinson.
Vaughn was at Fairview for four seasons, starting in 2022 and was 31-18 in that span, making the playoffs all four seasons.
Vaughn’s wife, Natalie, is a former PCSSD teacher and left the district when her husband took the job at Fairview.
Vaughn replaces Brian Maupin, who resigned in December, and had served as the Hornets head coach for four seasons.
Maumelle was 6-5 this past season and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Little Rock Parkview.
State tournament basketball site selection to be held today
The AAA is meeting today in North Little Rock to decide the locations of the upcoming state tournaments for the various classifications.
The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn on McCain Boulevard in North Little Rock.
Also to be decided are the regional host sites.
There won’t be much drama involved with the state tournament sites at least in 6A as Bryant will host that classification but the others are very much up for debate.
The complete list of state basketball tournament sites are:
6A: Bryant
5A: Farmington, Lake Hamilton and Mountain Home
4A: Highland, Morrilton, Brookland and Pea Ridge
3A: Osceola, Elkins, Lamar and Jessieville
2A: Junction City, Quitman, Carlisle, Poyen, Hampton and Marshall/Searcy County at North Arkansas Community College in Harrison
1A: Lafayette County, West Side - Greers Ferry, Jasper and Clarendon
Schools who entered a bid to host a postseason tournament will have the opportunity to present their case as to why they should be selected. The sites for basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, soccer and volleyball for the calendar year will also be determined.
The list for all sports can be viewed by clicking here.
The AAA Board of Directors will hold a regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 16
Sports
Basketball schedules
Maumelle Charter
Boys
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
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. 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. 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
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
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
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
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