I’ve noticed an increasing number of people are turning to their Facebook friends for advice on how to handle encounters when their safety is in jeopardy, or a possible crime is being committed. One couple reported being bullied on the walking path around Lake Willastein. Another reported being racially harassed in their car. Another reported misbehavior by a group of young pre-Hell’s Angels bicycle riders who were also yelling expletives at other kids. There are also similar posts on the whiney-complain-about-everything site, Nextdoor.
Some of the responses to the posts included advice to use pepper spray or getting a concealed-carry permit and a gun. What could go wrong with those ideas? If you are harassed or otherwise molested, you can and should use your mobile phone to take pictures or videos and record license plate numbers. Then, let the police do their job.
If you think your rights are being violated or you are physically at risk, call 9-1-1. That’s why we pay taxes to support a system of emergency help. The Maumelle Police Department also has a non-emergency number, 501-851-1337. But for heaven’s sake, don’t depend on the collective wisdom of Facebook or Nextdoor. They are usually good for helping you to find a plumber or a lost pet, but not emergency help.
Sad News for Flavours Fans
Terry Schwarz West
I got a text yesterday telling me that Terry Schwarz West had passed away. If you ever went to Flavours, you know Terry. She was the food architect and created delectable dishes including many vegan dishes that she got me to reluctantly try. I even liked most of them. I would visit Flavours at least once a week and would also have a good chat with Terry about food or local restaurants, kids and grandchildren and her cousin, actor Peter Coyote. I always loved getting news about Coyote, one of my favorite narrators.
Many times, she would bring me a taste of something to see what I thought. Her food was always delicious, and our visits were always fun and informative. She was a foodie’s foodie.
After Flavours closed, Terry moved to Kentucky to be near family, having lost her husband just a few years ago. What did she do in Kentucky? She found a place to cook of course, which was her passion. All of us are lucky to have had her food and her friendship. She was truly a lovely person.
She was planning a trip home this week to see her granddaughter graduate. Many of us were hoping to have a visit with her while she was here.
I’m sure she’s already finding her way around a heavenly kitchen. Until we meet again, we’ll miss you, Terry.
Snitch on Your Neighbors and They Won’t Even Know It
Did you know you can snitch on your neighbors anonymously? You can report such egregious crimes as an unmowed yard, or a boat or camper left in the driveway too long. You can report your heart out on the city’s website, www.maumelle.org. Click on the “How Do I” tab and then select “Report a concern.”
You can also report other things such as an abandoned vehicle, dead animal, pothole, or a street issue, and so forth. Check it out. You can choose to make yourself known or not. In today’s world, somebody’s watching.
Nightmare on I-430
I’m sure most of you have had the occasion to travel on I-430 northbound over the Arkansas River bridge. Talk about a disaster waiting to happen. The nightmare starts just after you pass the Cantrell exit. All of sudden you’re looking at “merge now” signs, eliminating the inside lane. Then you approach a split where you have to choose left or right. And at night, you are met with blinding lights from the work areas. The next obstacle is hundreds of orange barrels and a small opening to take the Maumelle exit. These are the same people who brought you a cracked bridge on the Mississippi River crossing into Tennessee.
Drivers, beware!
Camps for Kids in Maumelle
Maumelle Parks and Rec is offering several summer camps for kids:
Survivor Camp - June 15-18, for kids ages 6 -12, $55
Art Camp July 7 - 9, for kids ages 8 -14, $65
Fun and Games Camp - July 13 - 15, for kids grades 3 - 6, $55
Chef Camp - July 21- 23, for kids ages 6 -10, $60
I have sent my grandbuddies to these camps for several years and they are usually well organized and worth the money. Visit www.https://maumelleparksandrec.recdesk.com or call 501-851-6990 for more details. You can also sign up in person at the Community Center. The camp size is limited.
Until you get the hang of it, the new Community Center website is a bit confusing and clunky to navigate.
Maumellian Featured in Garden and Gun
Linda Grossman
One of my favorite magazines is Garden and Gun. No, it’s not an NRA publication. It’s a national magazine focusing on the American South. The magazine reports on the South's culture, food, music, art, literature, and its people and their ideas. The gun part comes from their occasional coverage of high-end hunting excursions and equipment.
An excerpt from the story:
Linda Grossman of Maumelle was recently featured describing her journey of visiting every county seat in Arkansas. “My late husband and I traveled until we’d been to all fifty states,” she says. “I’ve been all over the world, but then I wasn’t sure I’d seen all of Arkansas.”
With her bridge club canceled and Sunday school convening virtually, the then-seventy-four-year-old embarked on solo daytrips from her home in Maumelle, taking anywhere from a thirty-minute jaunt from her house into downtown Little Rock, to a fourteen-hour-round-trip drive to explore the north-central part of the state.
Great read this week Neal ... even with all your “normal liberal whining” ✌🏽