Maumelle’s Chamblee moves on from Hogs
PCSSD names Teacher of the Year winners for each school campus; Aldi's Little Rock location eyes May opening; Travs in town plus sports and headlines
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Pandemic deaths jump by 53
The state Department of Health, in its April 13 report, showed 43 new Covid deaths this year, and 10 were added to the 2023 tally for a total of 53 deaths. The virus has killed 13,765 Arkansans since the pandemic began four years ago. That would mean the pandemic death toll has now passed Marion’s 13,635 people, the state’s 29th largest city.
Covid toolkit
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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
Meetings: The North Little Rock City Council meeting will meet next Monday and the North Little Rock A&P Commission will meet at 3:30 p.m. next Tuesday, April 23.
Events: The No.2 Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team will face UAPB at 6 p.m. next Tuesday at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. The game will be televised on SEC Network+. The game is soldout.
Maumelle’s Chamblee moves on from Hogs
Maumelle's Andrew Chamblee put the former in front of the Arkansas Razorbacks when he announced this week he had officially entered the transfer portal.
A former Maumelle Hornet as well, Chanblee was one of the country's top offensive line prospects in 2022 when he signed with the Razorbacks and became a December graduate to go through spring drills in Fayetteville.
His early arrival and hard work paid off, after an initial redshirt year, and was named to the All-SEC Freshman team this past season, starting most of the season for the Hogs.
Now, that's over.
Chamblee, 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, was called one the "portal's most coveted linemen" by college football writer Pete Thamel and a number of schools are already in pursuit of the left tackle.
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee was coming to Maumelle for an in-home visit, while Chamblee said on social media that the Mustangs, along with Colorado, UCLA and Kansas State were among his top choices. Chamblee said he was planning to visit the other three. They've already offered scholarships as well.
A fifth semester freshman, Chamblee, 19, will have three seasons of eligibility remaining at his new school before turning 20 this June.
Maumelle's Nico Davillier, and one of Chamblee's high school teammates, remains with the Razorbacks as does North Little Rock's Quincy Rhodes. Both play on the defensive line.
PCSSD names Teacher of the Year winners for each school campus
The Pulaski County Special School District is once again participating in the Arkansas Teacher of the Year program with the Arkansas Department of Education. The school-level winners for the 2023-2024 school year are vying to earn the spot of the 2025 Arkansas Teacher of the Year.
Maumelle feeder honorees are:
CRYSTAL HILL ELEMENTARY: Kaneisha Johnson
OAK GROVE ELEMENTARY: Kim Lee
PINE FOREST ELEMENTARY: Sheree Tolefree
MAUMELLE MIDDLE: Whitney Walker
MAUMELLE HIGH: Joshua Jackson
A panel made up of District and school administrators will review the school-level teachers of the year to determine the PCSSD Teacher of the Year. The District winner will be announced at a celebration banquet next month.The winner of the district-wide Teacher of the Year will be submitted to the state for consideration for the 2025 Arkansas Teacher of the Year.
Other honorees:
BAKER ELEMENTARY: Nakesha Cunningham
CATO ELEMENTARY: Katie Beard
CHENAL ELEMENTARY: Jeanie Wilcoxon
COLLEGE STATION ELEMENTARY: Brittney Larry
DAISY BATES ELEMENTARY: Katherine Osborne
HARRIS ELEMENTARY: Jarrod Haymond
LANDMARK ELEMENTARY: Britney Block
LAWSON ELEMENTARY: Dana James
OAKBROOKE ELEMENTARY: Olydia Liddell
ROBINSON ELEMENTARY: Bridget Hudson
SHERWOOD ELEMENTARY: Leona Sanders
SYLVAN HILLS ELEMENTARY: Stephanie Belin
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON ELEMENTARY: Lakesha Banks
MILLS MIDDLE: Chantyana Gray
ROBINSON MIDDLE: Martha Melendez
SYLVAN HILLS MIDDLE: Michael Boyd
SYLVAN HILLS JUNIOR HIGH: Char Dupins
MILLS UNIVERSITY STUDIES HIGH: Amanda Davis
ROBINSON HIGH: Heather Moreland
SYLVAN HILLS HIGH: Robin Dunlap:
DRIVEN VIRTUAL ACADEMY: Stephanie Johnson
Aldi's Little Rock location eyes May opening
The sign is up. So is the banner that says coming soon as the Little Rock grocery store market gets a new entry in Aldi's.
Famous for its low price's Aldi's is a global grocery store chain that already has multiple locations in Arkansas.
The nearest store is in Conway and there's another central Arkansas planned with a store opening in Cabot this fall.
For now, the Little Rock store, formerly in the Bed, Bath & Beyond is gearing up as workers continue to renovate the space.
"We are excited to share that we are planning to welcome ALDI to Little Rock next month with a Grand Opening celebration," said Rob Jeffries, O'Fallon Division Vice President at ALDI. "We will have additional details to share in the coming weeks."
Jeffries said that the store will employ somewhere between 15 to 20 people and that a general manager trainee was among the openings.
That position, with bonuses, would be in low six figures, annually.
For more on openings, click here.
Jeffries said the store would be "approximately 12,000 square feet of retail space" or quite a bit smaller than a typical Kroger and more in line with Trader Joe's, also in west Little Rock.
Aldi's are typically standardized as "the consistent size of ALDI stores across the country is a part of our formula for success. Every ALDI has a similar, easy-to-navigate layout," Jeffries added.
The Aldi's experience
If you haven't shopped at an Aldi's before, here's some things to know:
Bring a quarter. The store's carts are locked and you need a quarter to get one loose. When the cart is returned, you get your quarter back but the more thoughtful Aldi's shoppers leave it behind, pay it forward.
While someone will check you out, you need to bring you grocery store bags and you'll need to pack up what you bought.
Most of what Aldi’s sells are house brands, albeit high-quality house brands. Think Trader Joe's here. This shouldn't be a surprise as they're corporate cousins, sort of like the Puma and Adidas of the grocery store world.
The best deals at the store tend to be dairy. For comparison, Half & Half is $2.79 a quart at the Conway location, while the Kroger brand of the same is $3.29.
Sports
High school: Spring Sports roundup
All upcoming games are weather permitting and records and rosters are from the each school’s ScorebookLive.com page,
Maumelle Charter
Baseball
Record: 8-11 (2-5 conference)
Upcoming games: The regular season ends on Friday with a trip to Lisa Academy North.
Softball
Record: 3-8 (0-5)
Upcoming games: The regular season ends tonight with a home game against eStem
Boys soccer
Record: 8-1-2 (4-1-1)
Upcoming games: There's five games remaining in a regular season that ends on May 2 when Episcopal Collegiate comes to town.
Girls soccer
Record: 6-4 (3-2)
Upcoming games: There's five games remaining in a regular season that ends on May 2 and then a state tournament appearance is likely.
CAC
Baseball
Record: 8-3 (6-0)
Upcoming schedule: The regular season ends tonight with a trip to Pulaski Academy.
Softball
Record: 1-5 (1-2)
Upcoming schedule: The regular season ends tonight with a trip to Cutter-Morning Star.
Boys soccer
Record: 7-3-1 (4-0)
Upcoming schedule: The regular season ends on May 2 with a trip to Hermitage but there's plenty of matches in between with Friday, April 26 match at home against Maumelle Charter. It could likely decide the conference championship and will certainly impact seeding for postseason play.
Girls soccer
Record: 7-3 (3-1)
Upcoming schedule: Five games remain until the end of the regular season on May 2. There's plenty of notable games in-between as There's a trip to Baptist Prep on Thursday, April 18, Episcopal will follow at Mustang Mountain on April 23 then Maumelle Charter on Friday, April 26.
Maumelle
Baseball
Record: 12-5 (8-0)
Upcoming schedule: There's still a ton of baseball to play as the Hornets work through a padded schedule from previous games being rained out. The regular season ends Monday, May 6 at Cabot.
Softball
Record: 16-3-1 (8-0)
Upcoming schedule: The regular season ends May 2 as doubleheaders abound. Maumelle is riding a seven game winning streak and last lost March 30.
Boys soccer
Record: 4-7-1 (4-6-1)
Upcoming schedule: Maumelle hosts Jacksonville tonight and the regular season concludes on May 2 with a home match against Little Rock Parkview.
Girls soccer
Record: 7-8 (7-4)
Upcoming schedule: Five matches remain, all in the conference, and how the Hornets perform will determine the seeding for the state tournament, if they make it.
North Little Rock
Baseball
Record: 4-13 (1-8)
Upcoming schedule: The regular season ends on May 6 for the struggling 'Cats.
Softball
Record: 5-12 (4-4)
Upcoming schedule: The state tournament is still likely for North Little Rock as nine games remain, five in the 6A-Central that will determine seeding.
Boys soccer
Record: 7-7 (2-7)
Upcoming schedule: The 'Cats started strong but have struggled in conference play. A state tournament bid is still possible though with three league games remaining.
Girls soccer
Record: 9-7-1 (1-7-1)
Upcoming schedule: Five matches remain and while the record doesn't sparkle, a state tournament bid is still possible but the 'Cats need some help.
Upcoming Travs games
Opponent – Frisco RoughRiders
Today, 6:35 p.m.
Ticket Offer: $3 Thursday | Enjoy $3 Beer Garden Tickets and Concessions deals, including Hot Dogs, Soft Drinks, Cotton Candy, and a Select Canned Beer & Seltzer!
Friday, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks Friday - Pop Dance Party | Presented By Metro Disaster Specialists
Saturday, 4:05 p.m.
Wrestling Night: Time for the Main Event! Stick around after the game for post-game matches featuring Memphis Wrestling. | Presented By Midtown Billiards | More Info
Sunday, 1:35 p.m.
Brunch at the Ballpark: Get a special Brunch ticket that comes with a Field Reserved seat! Pre-game buffet will include select breakfast foods, juice, coffee, and soft drinks. (Alcohol will be available for purchase separately.) Food will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Military Appreciation: Service Members get $3 off General Admission and Field Reserved tickets by presenting a Military ID (only available at DSP Box Office) | Presented By Mid-South Ford Dealers
Family Sunday: Get $2 General Admission tickets by presenting a physical or digital church bulletin (only available at DSP Box Office)
Kids Baseball Clinic: Kids 13 and under are invited to join Travs players on field for a baseball clinic starting at noon! | Presented By Hog Wash
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game!
At Springfield, April 23-28
Fidelity accepting fund applications
Fidelity Communications began accepting spring 2024 applications on Monday, April 1, for the company’s Charitable Giving Fund, which annually awards $250,000 in grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Applications will be accepted through April 30.
Charitable Giving Fund grants will be made available across communities served by Fidelity and the other Cable One family of brands (Sparklight, Hargray and ValuNet Fiber) and will concentrate support in the following priority areas:
Education and Digital Literacy
Hunger Relief and Food Insecurity
Community Development
Last year, the company awarded grants to more than 50 nonprofits, including organizations devoted to the above priority areas as well as teen suicide prevention, homelessness resources, poverty disruption, child advocacy and more.
“We are honored to support nonprofit organizations helping those most in need in the communities we serve,” said Julie Laulis, Cable One President and CEO. “Being a strong local partner is central to our values and we are proud to help make a positive difference where we live and work.”
The Charitable Giving Fund is an extension of the company’s existing corporate social responsibility efforts, which include:
Supporting national organizations dedicated to advancing education and diversity, including the Emma Bowen Foundation and the National Diversity Council.
Supporting the mission of Special Olympics, which provides year-round sports training and athletic competition, as well as health, arts, leadership, and advocacy programs for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Planting trees through the Arbor Day Foundation on behalf of customers who switch to paperless billing. Since 2015, the company has planted 140,000 trees in its markets and national forests within the company’s footprint.
Supporting the mission of Keep America Beautiful in cleaning up and beautifying communities across the U.S.
Fighting hunger in local communities through volunteerism and donations, as well as supporting organizations such as Feed My Starving Children. Since 2018, Cable One has donated more than 51 tons of food and nearly $500,000 to address food insecurity.
For more information about the Fidelity Charitable Giving Fund, visit www.fidelitycommunications.com/charitablegiving.
Camp Healing Hearts set for May 17
Methodist Family Health’s Kaleidoscope Grief Center is currently accepting applications to attend its free overnight grief camp, Camp Healing Hearts.
It will be held at Camp Aldersgate in Little Rock and will start at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 17 and conclude the next day.
The camp is available to any Arkansas family who has experienced a death in the last three to six months.
Grief can be a terrible thing and the camp is designed to help those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It is for children from 5 to 18 and an adult caregiver is also required to attend with the child.
There’s 100 spaces available and to apply for the free camp, go to MethodistFamily.org/Camp-Healing-Hearts and complete the form online.
Application deadline is Sunday, May 5.
For more information, call Dao Ward at 501-537-3991 or toll-free at 800-756-3709.
Arkansas led the nation in measuring obesity in children. Did it help?
By Kavitha Cardoza / KFF Health News
Sixth-grade boys were lining up to be measured in the Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School library. As they took off their shoes and emptied their pockets, they joked about being the tallest.
“It’s an advantage,” said one. “You can play basketball,” said another. “A taller dude can get more girls!” a third student offered.
Everyone laughed. What they didn’t joke about was their weight.
Anndrea Veasley, the school’s registered nurse, had them stand one by one. One boy, Christopher, slumped as she measured his height. “Chin up slightly,” she said. Then Veasley asked him to stand backward on a scale so he didn’t see the numbers. She silently noted his height as just shy of 4 feet, 7 inches, and his weight as 115.6 pounds.
His parents later would be among thousands to receive a letter beginning, “Many children in Arkansas have health problems caused by their weight.” The letter includes each student’s measurements as well as their calculated body mass index, an indicator of body fat. The BMI number categorizes each child as “underweight,” “normal,” “overweight,” or “obese.” Christopher’s BMI of 25.1 put him in the range of obesity.
In 2003, Arkansas became the first state to send home BMI reports about all students as part of a broader anti-obesity initiative. But in the 20 years since, the state’s childhood obesity rates have risen to nearly 24% from 21%, reflecting a similar, albeit higher, trajectory than national rates. During the pandemic, the state obesity rate hit a high of more than 26%.
Still, at least 23 states followed Arkansas’ lead and required height and weight assessments of students. Some have since scaled back their efforts after parents raised concerns.
One school district in Wyoming used to include a child’s BMI score in report cards, a practice it has since stopped. Ohio allows districts to opt in, and last year just two of 611 school districts reported BMI information to the state. And Massachusetts stopped sending letters home. Even Arkansas changed its rules to allow parents to opt out.
Multiple studies have shown that these reports, or “fat letters” as they’re sometimes mockingly called, have had no effect on weight loss. And some nutritionists, psychologists, and parents have criticized the letters, saying they can lead to weight stigma and eating disorders.
BMI as a tool has come under scrutiny, too, because it does not consider differences across racial and ethnic groups, sex, gender, and age. In 2023, the American Medical Association called the BMI “imperfect” and suggested it be used alongside other tools such as visceral fat measurements, body composition, and genetic factors.
All that highlights a question: What purpose do BMI school measurements and letters serve? Nearly 20% of American children were classified as obese just before the pandemic — up from only 5% some 50 years ago — and lockdowns made the problem worse. It’s unclear what sorts of interventions might reverse the trend.
Joe Thompson, a pediatrician who helped create Arkansas’ program and now leads the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, said BMI letters are meant to be a screening tool, not a diagnostic test, to make parents aware if their child is at risk of developing serious health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory problems.
Sharing this information with them is critical, he said, given that many don’t see it as a problem because obesity is so prevalent. Arkansas is also a rural state, so many families don’t have easy access to pediatricians, he said.
Thompson said he’s heard from many parents who have acted on the letters. “To this day, they are still our strongest advocates,” he said.
The program also led to new efforts to reduce obesity. Some school districts in Arkansas have instituted “movement breaks,” while others have added vegetable gardens, cooking classes, and walking trails. One district sought funding for bicycles. The state does not study whether these efforts are working.
Researchers say the BMI data also serves an important purpose in illuminating population-level trends, even if it isn’t helpful to individuals.
Parents are generally supportive of weighing children in school, and the letters have helped increase their awareness of obesity, research shows. At the same time, few parents followed up with a health care provider or made changes to their child’s diet or physical activity after getting a BMI letter, several other studies have found.
In what is considered the gold-standard study of BMI letters, published in 2020, researchers in California found that the letters home had no effect on students’ weight. Hannah Thompson, a University of California-Berkeley assistant professor who co-authored the study, said most parents didn’t even remember getting the letters. “It’s such a tiny-touch behavioral intervention,” she said.
Arkansas now measures all public school students in even grades annually — except for 12th graders because by that stage, the pediatrician Joe Thompson said, the students are “beyond the opportunities for schools to have an impact.” The change also came after many boys in one school wore leg weights under their jeans as a prank, he said.
Kimberly Collins, 50, remembers being confused by the BMI letters sent to her from the Little Rock School District stating that all her children were considered overweight, and that one daughter was classified as obese.
“It offended me as a mama,” she said. “It made me feel like I wasn’t doing my job.”
She didn’t think her children looked overweight and the family pediatrician had never brought it up as a concern.
Hannah Thompson, the researcher from California, said that’s the biggest problem with BMI letters: Parents don’t know what to do with the information. Without support to help change behavior, she said, the letters don’t do much.
“You find out your child is asthmatic, and you can get an inhaler, right?” she said. “You find out that your child is overweight and where do you even go from there? What do you do?”
Kevin Gee, a professor at the University of California-Davis, who has studied BMI letters, said the mailings miss cultural nuances. In some communities, for example, people prefer their children to be heavier, associating it with comfort and happiness. Or some eat foods that they know aren’t very nutritious but are an important way of expressing love and traditions.
“There’s a lot of rich contextual pieces that we know influences rates of obesity,” Gee said. “And so how do we balance that information?”
Collins’ daughter, now 15, said that as she’s grown older she increasingly feels uncomfortable about her weight. People stare at her and sometimes make comments. (Collins’ mother asked that her daughter’s name not be published because of her age and the sensitive nature of the subject.)
“On my birthday, I went to get my allergy shots and one of the nurses told me, ‘You are getting chubbier,’” she said. “That didn’t make me feel the best.”
Collins said it pains her to see her soft-spoken daughter cover herself with her arms as if she’s trying to hide. The teenager has also begun sneaking food and avoids the mirror by refusing to turn on the bathroom light, Collins said. The girl signed up for tennis but stopped after other children made fun of her, her mother said.
Looking back, Collins said, while she wishes she had paid more attention to the BMI letters, she also would have liked practical suggestions on what to do. Collins said she had already been following the short list of recommended healthy practices, including feeding her children fruits and vegetables and limiting screen time. She isn’t sure what else she could have done.
Now everyone has an opinion on her daughter’s weight, Collins said. One person told her to put a lock on the fridge. Another told her to buy vegan snacks. Her mother bought them a scale.
“It’s a total uphill climb,” Collins said with a sigh.
This article was produced as a part of a project for the Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.