Making a Splash (Pad)
PCSSD keeps mask mandate as Covid numbers drop, Blessing the Animals, Finding treasure in Mountain View plus news and sports headlines
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A Wrenching Farewell: Bidding adieu to my primary care doctor after nearly 30 years
Public backs Medicare Rx price negotiation even after hearing both sides’ views
Sports headlines
MAUMELLE: Maumelle had its best offensive showing of the year last week against Jacksonville in a 49-15 and the Hornets will need to keep the touchdowns flowing as defending state champ Pulaski Academy comes to town this week. Read more by clicking Maumelle cruises past Jacksonville, hosts Pulaski Academy this Friday
NORTH LITTLE ROCK: Little Rock Southwest was exactly what North Little Rock needed as the ‘Cats rolled past the winless Gryphons, 62-14 and next up is winless Little Rock Catholic, in another game that should be comparatively easy.. Read more by clicking Catholic next for 'Cats as North Little Rock goes to 5-1 after beating Little Rock Southwest
CAC: Central Arkansas Christian looks to end a three-game losing streak Friday when Southside Batesville visits Mustang Mountain for homecoming. Tommy Shoemaker’s team (2-4, 0-3 in the 2-4A conference) had a good offensive outing at Heber Springs last week but came up short, 47-26. By Donna Lampkin Stephens and read more by clicking Mustangs hoping for Homecoming win
Moore on Maumelle: My Take
Neal Moore is taking the week off.
Making a Splash in Maumelle
Now that cooler weather has finally arrived, the new Maumelle Splash Pad is ending its first year of operation.
The Pad, a project of the Maumelle Parks & Recreation Department, opened July 1 and is located next to the Maumelle Public Library.
It cost roughly $250,000 to build and admission was free.
The Pad’s costs were covered by the City of Maumelle, Ottenheimer Foundation, Arkansas Department of Health, Clark Family Foundation, Maumelle Lions Club, Riley's Warriors Inc., Kimberly Clark Corporation, Kids Being Kids Therapy, Maumelle Rotary Club, Crafton Tull Foundation, Red Basket, Maumelle River Park Civitan Club, Maumelle Baseball Association, Maumelle Soccer Club, Mazzoni Family, Gardner Family and Maumelle Charter PTO.
Partners include the Timmons Arts Foundation, Play 4 All, Cunningham Recreation and RIR Enterprises.
The Pad is just phase one of a much larger plan and phase two is the addition of an inclusive playground as it will become the Maumelle Play and Splash.
Donations are still being sought for the playground and Parks & Rec Director Phillip Raborn can be emailed at phillip@maumelleparksandrec.com or called at 501-851-6990.
Q&A with Phillip Raborn
Do you have an idea of how many people used the splash pad in its first year?
I don’t know how many people attended the splash pad this first year. I do know that it seemed that every time I drove by there were people using the park. To me it seemed that it was a steady flow of people throughout the day.
After being open for the season, is there anything you'd change for next year?
We utilized a temporary fence this year to help contain the kids and keep them away from the road. There will be a permanent 4 foot fence with a closing gate that will be added before the end of this year so it’s ready for next season.
What's the status on the inclusive playground and when do you anticipate it being done?
We are in the process of getting updated pricing on the inclusive playground to see how much of a price increase there may be added to the project. We are hoping that the success of the splash pad will speed up the process with hopefully more sponsors, donors and grant opportunities.
It seems like the splash pad was well received, but what kind of feedback did you get from the community?
I only received positive feedback from residents and from out of town families that were utilizing the splash pad.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I noticed that most of the visitors to the splash pad treated it more like a playground than a swimming pool. They would stay for an hour or two unlike a pool where people stay for longer periods of time. I never saw it overcrowded but I would see a lot of coming and going throughout the entire day. The Splash Pad is a great addition to the Parks and Recreation Department and the City of Maumelle.
School Covid numbers improve, PCSSD keeps mask mandate in place
The Pulaski County Special School District was among five in the state that now have Covid vaccination rates above 50 percent for the population the district serves, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement said on Thursday.
Pulaski County was at 51 percent, while the other percentages were:
Bentonville … 54
Cleveland County… 53
Magnet Cove … 53
Fountain Lake … 52
The county district’s School Board also voted on Tuesday at its regular meeting to maintain the district’s current mask mandate through December.
The Board will meet again on Dec. 14 about continuing the policy into next year.
Click here to read more.
It’s a Great Pumpkin, AR Rocks
MOUNTAIN VIEW – It was an accidental sighting.
In Mountain View for the weekend, and by the Courthouse square there on a breezy Saturday night to listen to some bluegrass music, the light reflected just right and the orange hue caught my eye.
At first, I thought it was part of the courthouse’s decorative filigrees but it looked like eyes were staring back at me, so I reached down to see what it was and it was an AR Rocks.
Like the Great Pumpkin of Charlie Brown fame was a flat, pumpkin shaped rock, seen below, that had been painted orange and to look like a Halloween decoration. On the back is inscribed, “FB AR Rocks” and “Hardy, Ar. 10-21”
Since Oct. 21 hasn’t happened, one can surmise the “10-21” is, perhaps, a reference to the October of 2021, maybe.
After looking at it, and wondering, does one leave the rock behind for the next person to find, or does one take the rock and move it to another location, for someone else to discover?
Writerly curiosity also kicked in, what is AR Rocks? How does all this work? How does one get involved?
It turns out that Sarah Whitehead, founded the Facebook group in 2016 and has been going strong for the last five years.
In a Facebook post, Whitehead wrote that the group’s “goal is to spread love and inspiration through rock art by painting rocks and placing them throughout our communities and surrounding areas.”
She also explained what to do if you spot an AR Rocks in the wild:
“If you found a rock, you may keep it, put it back where you found it or find a new place to hide it. Whether you decide to keep it or not, please join us and paint your own rocks to hide!”
Whitehead and the group also encourage people to get in on the action by painting their own rocks and putting them out and about.
Some supplies, like rocks, obviously, are needed, but also acrylic paint, paintbrushes, sealer and Sharpie-brand markers.
After decorating one side of the rock, flip and write “AR Rocks” with either Facebook or its logo, so when people, like me who don’t know what’s going on, find the rock, they can do some sleuthing and figure it out.
Whitehead also noted in the post that when you have rocks ready, only put them in safe areas, don’t use profanity or be hateful with the paint jobs along with a reminder for those who go to the trouble.
“Know that by taking a little time out of your day to paint these rocks, and put them out for others, you have the potential to make someone else smile, to brighten their day, and get them involved in their community,” Whitehead wrote.
So, with that, this pumpkin rock, which started in Hardy, then made its way to Mountain View, will now find a home in Maumelle, and then, if you find it, take it elsewhere and keep it going.
When is Neal Moore’s column returning?