Maumelle Charter has ribbon-cutting
Shots fired and Pit Bulls on the attack, More details on upcoming candidate forum, Maumelle football has home-opener this Friday and headlines.
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A Maumelle candidate forum sponsored by ArkansasNewsroom.com will be held Tuesday, Oct. 18 in Maumelle.
The candidates scheduled to appear are:
Maumelle Mayor: Incumbent Caleb Norris vs. Jodie Mahony
Maumelle City Council- Ward 1 - Position 1: David Cole vs. Christine Gronwald
State Representative, District 71: Republican Brandon Achor, Democrat John J. Pack and Libertarian Aaron Raatz
Pulaski County Sheriff: Incumbent Democrat Eric Higgins and Republican Paul “Blue” Keller
More details to come but paid subscribers to the site will be able to submit questions in advance for consideration to be asked at the forum.
Death toll ticks back up
The weekly death toll from the ongoing pandemic dropped as the total number of dead Arkansans was at 41.
The previous week it was at 36 and the week before that it was 47.
The total number of dead Arkansans is now at 11,918.
As for the national trends, the forecast numbers from the Centers for Disease Control are below and through Sept. 24.
The forecasts for both weekly and total death counts are on the upswing, with numbers exceeding 12,000 by the end of September.
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 North Little Rock School Board will meet tonight. The Maumelle City Council will meet on Tuesday night due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday.
Upcoming events: Football season is here as Maumelle has its home-opener this Friday night. More details below.
As vacation and multiple flights near, please take the time to take a look at this remarkable story from The Verge on the TSA. If you have flown in the last 20 years or plan to fly again, it is worth the time as the piece takes a deep dive into the theater of the absurd that is airport security screenings, The Humiliating History of the TSA
In arts news
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. 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. The gala is presented by Gwatney Chevrolet and Ben E. Keith Foods will and tickets can be purchased at argentacommunitytheater.org.
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.
Travs in Texas
The Travs are in west Texas this week and next with games at Midland and Amarillo before closing out the season at home with a six-game series against Corpus Christi.
Road swing
Tuesday ... Aug. 30 ... 6:30 p.m. ... at Midland
Wednesday ... Aug. 31 ... 6:30 p.m. ... at Midland
Tonight ... 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
Tuesday ... Sept. 6 ... 6:05 p.m. ... at Amarillo
Wednesday ... Sept. 7 ... 6:05 p.m. ... at Amarillo
Thursday ... Sept. 8 ... 6:05 p.m. ... at Amarillo
Friday ... Sept. 9 ... 7:05 p.m. ... at Amarillo
Saturday ... Sept. 10 ... 7:05 p.m. ... at Amarillo
Sunday ... Sept. 11 … 1:05 p.m. ... at Amarillo
Sports
Football: Maumelle wins a thriller
It was a good night last week for the Maumelle Hornets as new coach Brian Maupin started his head coaching career with a thrilling, overtime win at Sylvan Hills. Now the 1-0 Hornets host Batesville this Friday night.
Also in action are Central Arkansas Christian and North Little Rock and both teams are 0-1 as they travel to Perryville and Fayetteville, respectively, for games this Friday night.
Batesville at Maumelle
Records: Maumelle (1-0), Batesville (1-0)
Streamer: Natural State Sports
Hootens.com Rankings: Maumelle No. 10 in 5A, Sylvan Hills is No. 18 in 5A
Last week: Maumelle beat Sylvan Hills, 28-27, in overtime last Friday night as quarterback Weston Pierce threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Alan Timmons was the leading receiver with four catches for an eye-popping 138 yards and a touchdown.
Highlights
Season schedule
Aug. 26: Maumelle 28, Sylvan Hills 27 (OT)
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.
CAC at Perryville
Records: CAC (0-1), Perryville (1-0)
Hootens.com Rankings: CAC is No. 32 in 4A, while Perryville is No. 15 in 3A
Last week: CAC took a home loss to Lonoke to start the season and look to right the ship with a trip to Perryville this Friday night.
Highlights
Season schedule
Aug. 26: Lonoke 41, CAC 13
Friday: 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 Little Rock 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 Fayetteville
Records: North Little Rock (0-1), Fayetteville (0-1)
Streamer: NLRTV
Hootens.com Rankings: North Little Rock is No. 7 in Class 7A, while Fayetteville is No. 6.
Last week: North Little Rock lost a stunner to Little Rock Catholic, 23-6, but the final margin is a bit deceiving, as the last touchdown for the Rockets was scored in the final minute after the North Little Rock defense backed off as it appeared Catholic was going to take the knee and run out the clock. Fayetteville is coming into the game 0-1 after losing to Cabot last week.
For stats, click here.
Season schedule
Aug. 26: Little Rock Catholic 23, North Little Rock 6
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.
Maumelle police respond to shooting, pit bull attack
Last Wednesday, Aug. 24, Maumelle police responded to a report of a shooting on Apple Blossom Road.
Patrolman Christopher Mayfield wrote in the narrative of a report on the incident that a caller told him an older man was walking his dog and that he may have fired a gun.
That man was Marcus Higgins, “who was bleeding from the face and arms.”
“Higgins stated that he was in his front yard with his small dog who was on a leash when two larger Pit Bull mix dogs attacked his dog,” Mayfield wrote. “Higgins stated that he fell to the ground and one of the loose dogs attacked him. … I asked about a gun being fired and Higgins advised he did shoot but missed.”
Higgins told Mayfield that he had Smith & Wesson 380 in his front pocket and was a concealed handgun license.
Mayfield also noted that Higgins’ dog was bleeding from the attack.
More officers responded to the scene and the Pit Bull dogs were located at another home on the street.
“One of the dogs was bleeding from a gunshot wound.”
MEMS took Higgins to the hospital in North Little Rock.
Doorbell video showed Higgins walking to the mailbox with his dog at 8:51 p.m. where it ends. It starts back at 8:54 p.m. with him “bleeding” and saying “he had been attacked by dogs.”
Officers issued citations for Paul Stehley, who owned the Pit Bull dogs.
In a next day report from Detective Brittany Cruse, who was at the scene the day of, said in her report, “I asked Stehley if there had been any reason to believe these dogs were aggressive, prior to this incident. Stehley advised that 4-5 years ago, there had been an incident between one of the dogs and a puppy, advising that they were playing and it became aggressive; but stated that there were no other incidents that would cause him to believe that the dogs were aggressive.”
Stehley was told that it was possible the dogs would be euthanized, he then “appeared lethargic and apologetic.”
Cruse also noted the dog belonging to Higgins had died from its injuries.
Hutchinson speaks at Maumelle Charter ribbon-cutting
While school had been in session for nearly a month, it was still a ribbon-cutting and "grand opening" at the new Maumelle Charter High School at 9701 White Oak Crossing on Monday.
Among those in attendance was Gov. Asa Hutchinson, below, who served as the keynote speaker, as well as a sizable contingent of local elected officials, civic leaders and interested members of the community..
The roughly $35 million building is 114,900 square feet and the campus is 38.2 acres and includes athletics fields, plus an auditorium and gymnasium.
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.
The Academics Plus system also has a campus in Scott.
In other education news
On a personal note
Happy 60th wedding anniversary to my in-laws, Jim and Frances Green of Hoxie. They’re pictured below. If you have a happy, happy you’d like to submit, please send to arkansas@substack.com.
