Pickleball courts to open today in Maumelle
Enter the Dragon: Festival starts this Friday at Lake Willastein; AAA releases new conferences plus education news, sports and headlines
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Pandemic deaths unknown
The state Department of Health again didn’t have a Covid report available for this week. The virus has killed 13,920 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
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Avoid crowds
The Headlines
Meetings: The North Little Rock School Board will have a special call meeting and workshop today. The North Little Rock City Council will meet next Monday night at City Hall.
Events: The annual Dragon Boat Festival is this weekend. For more, keep scrolling.
Pickleball courts to open today in Maumelle
Not one but seven new pickleball courts will open in Maumelle at 10 a.m. today.
The court complex is behind the Jess Odom Community Center and ...
Groundbreaking for the courts was last November, so it took about eight months from start to finish.
There's some limited seating along with canopies that will provide some shade for those watching.
The atmosphere should be festive today as The Prickly Pickle and Joyful Baking Company, both food trucks, will be on hand.
There will also be door prizes and the first 100 will be able to buy a pickleball court key with a limited-edition keychain.
What is pickleball?
The easiest way to explain it is wiffle tennis with a mix of badminton and ping pong, which fancy folk refer to as table tennis.
We confess we have never played pickleball, watched others play the sport -- either live or on television -- and, to be honest, can't explain its popularity.
But it is popular. Wildly so.
Even if it is confusing.
Enter the Dragon: Festival starts this Friday at Lake Willastein
The annual River Cities Dragon Boat Festival returns to Maumelle’s Lake Willastein this Friday and Saturday.
On Friday night, the event will start at 6 p.m. and conclude with a 9 p.m. fireworks show. On Saturday, the dragon boat races will begin at 9 a.m. Admission is free.
A complete schedule for the festival is:
Friday
Noon: Athlete’s Village Team Set Up Begins!
4:45 p.m.: Athlete’s Village Closes to All Vehicles
5 p.m.: Team Check-In Begins
Team Practices on the Water, Food Trucks Open & Yard Games Open
6 p.m.: Children’s Area Opens
7 p.m.: Music & Fun on Stage
8:30 p.m.: Practices Finish
9:10 p.m.: Fireworks Show
Saturday
7:30 a.m.: Athlete’s Village Opens- All paddlers arrive, sign waivers, and receive wrist bands
9 a.m.: Opening Ceremony & Drummer’s Parade
9:15 a.m.: Marshalling & Races Begin
11:30 a.m.: Dragon Cup Race
1 p.m.: Championship Round
2:45 p.m.: Awards Ceremony
Proceeds from the festival benefit the Children’s Protection Center and last year, the event raised more than $150,000, according to organizers.
The event will also feature food trucks in addition to games and watching the 46-foot-long dragon
There’s a total of 38 teams scheduled to race. They are:
CORPORATE TEAMS (Click the team name for more or to donate)
ARKANSAS CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION: TEAM ACAA FLYING DRAGON
CORNERSTONE SPECIALTY HOSPITAL LITTLE ROCK: TEAM CORNERSTONE CONQUISTADORS
DIVISION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES OF DHS: TEAM DCFS/DHS
FABT/TEAM JACKSONVILLE: TEAM DR OWOHS ROWHS: SPEEDWAY EDITION
HORTON’S ORTHOTICS & PROSTHETICS/ BAPTIST REHAB-NLR: TEAM HORTON’S/BAPTIST
LITTLE CREEK BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: TEAM LITTLE CREEK SWAMP DOGS
PINNACLE POINTE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE: TEAM PINNACLE POINTE PIRATES
COMMUNITY TEAMS
Education
UA Little Rock names Spring 2024 Chancellor's List
UA Little Rock recently announced its Spring 2024 Chancellor's List, recognizing students with superior academic performance in a semester.
More than 600 students were named to the Chancellor's List for the spring 2024 semester.
To be eligible for the Chancellor's List, students must earn at least nine credit hours and at least a 3.9 GPA.
North of the River students who made the Chancellor's List include:
Bailey Bishop of Maumelle
Noah Browning of Maumelle
Aliyah Collier of Maumelle
Estefany Contreras Briceno of Maumelle
Willow Danielle of Maumelle
Catherine Dobry of Maumelle
Hannah Fatherree of Maumelle
Abby Feather of Maumelle
Isaac Gonzalez of Maumelle
Peyton Johnson of Maumelle
Susan McClain of Maumelle
Brandon Nichols of Maumelle
Michael Parrott of Maumelle
Christopher Price of Maumelle
Logan Scheiderer of Maumelle
Alycen Singleton of Maumelle
For North Little Rock and Sherwood students, click here.
Spring 2024 Dean's List
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces students who have made the Dean's List for the Spring 2024 semester, recognizing more than 1,265 students whose academic performances have been superior at the end of each semester.
To be on the Dean's List, students must earn at least nine credit hours and maintain at least a 3.5 GPA.
North of the River students who made the Dean's List include:
Bailey Bishop of Maumelle
Alycen Singleton of Maumelle
Lamar Townsend of Maumelle
LaTrisha Williams of Maumelle
Isaac Gonzalez of Maumelle
Michael Parrott of Maumelle
Timothy Davis of Maumelle
Susan McClain of Maumelle
Zadie Neill of Maumelle
Christopher Price of Maumelle
Logan Scheiderer of Maumelle
Jacob Blackburn of Maumelle
Trinity Davis of Maumelle
Abby Feather of Maumelle
Alandrea Griffith of Maumelle
Peyton Johnson of Maumelle
Brandon Nichols of Maumelle
Elisha Robinson of Maumelle
Estefany Contreras Briceno of Maumelle
Willow Danielle of Maumelle
Kaitlin Albey of Maumelle
Akelia Creggett of Maumelle
Noah Browning of Maumelle
Jonathan Buchanan of Maumelle
Catherine Dobry of Maumelle
Ayan Huda of Maumelle
Karoline Putnam of Maumelle
Brian Ruehr of Maumelle
India Shelton of Maumelle
Savanna Zabala of Maumelle
Aliyah Collier of Maumelle
For North Little Rock and Sherwood students, click here.
Sports
AAA releases new conferences
The Arkansas Activities Association recently released the spring sports conferences for the state and North of the River schools will be both staying close to home, but also hitting the road for baseball, soccer and softball.
In baseball, North Little Rock will be in the 6A-Central and while the ‘Cats will get some familiar faces, they’ll be joined by Little Rock Catholic and Little Rock Christian for a nine-team league.
Class 5A baseball runner-up Maumelle will be in the 5A-Central, which is mostly intact from this past school year, while Class 4A runner-up Central Arkansas Christian will be in the 4A-5 North, and will compete against the likes of Pulaski Academy as the Bruins are dropping down, while Harding Academy is moving up. The conference will also include Robinson, Clinton, Heber Springs and Morrilton.
Maumelle Charter will be in the 3A-6 and conference rivals will include Episcopal Collegiate and Lisa Academy North.
In softball, North Little Rock will be in the 6A-Central but the conference drops to seven teams as Little Rock Christian won’t be in the state’s largest classification and neither will be Mount St. Mary.
The 5A-Central picks up both as well as Maumelle and the rest of the central Arkansas 5A schools.
Maumelle Charter will be in the 3A-6 and will gain Harding Academy but lose Episcopal.
CAC will remain in 2A and compete in the 2A-5 with Conway Christian among others.
In soccer, North Little Rock will be in the 6A-Central as well as Little Rock Catholic and Mount St. Mary. Pulaski Academy also joins the league but only in girl’s soccer.
Pulaski Academy’s boy’s squad will be in the 5A-Central with Maumelle as well as Little Rock Christian.
CAC will be in the 4A-North for both boy’s and girl’s soccer and the conference gains Episcopal on the girl’s side, with Harding Academy on the boy’s side. The far flung conference will also include Brookland and Wynne in northeast Arkansas.
Maumelle Charter will be in the 3A-East and will face Baptist Prep as well as Episcopal’s boy’s team.
These conference assignments are good for the next two school years.
Baseball
6A-Central
Bryant
Cabot
Catholic
Central
Conway
Jonesboro
Little Rock Christian
North Little Rock
Southwest
5A-Central
Beebe
Benton
Greenbrier
Jacksonville
Maumelle
Parkview
Sylvan Hills
Vilonia
4A-5 North
CAC
Clinton
Harding Academy
Heber Springs
Morrilton
Pulaski Academy
Robinson
3A-6
Bald Knob
Episcopal
Lisa Academy North
Maumelle Charter
Pangburn
Riverview
Rose Bud
For all the baseball conference assignments, click here.
Softball
6A-Central
Bryant
Cabot
Central
Conway
Jonesboro
North Little Rock
Southwest
5A-Central
Beebe
Benton
Greenbrier
Little Rock Christian
Jacksonville
Maumelle
Mount St. Mary
Parkview
Sylvan Hills
Vilonia
3A-6
Bald Knob
Harding Academy
Lisa Academy North
Maumelle Charter
Pangburn
Riverview
Rose Bud
2A-5
Bigelow
CAC
Conway Christian
Mt. Vernon-Enola
Quitman
South Side Bee Branch
White County Central
For all the softball conference assignments, click here.
Soccer
6A-Central
Bryant
Cabot
Catholic/Mount St. Mary
Central
Conway
Jonesboro
North Little Rock
Pulaski Academy (G)
Southwest
5A-Central
Beebe
Greenbrier
Jacksonville
LR Christian
Maumelle
Parkview
Pulaski Academy (B)
Sylvan Hills
Vilonia
4A-North
Brookland
CAC
Episcopal (G)
Harding (B)
Heber Springs
Lisa West
Robinson
Southside Charter
Westside
Wynne
3A-East
Baptist Prep
Episcopal (B)
Hermitage
Jacksonville Lighthouse
Lakeside LV
Lisa North
Maumelle Charter
For all the soccer conference assignments, click here.
Upcoming Travs games
Opponent – Springfield
Today, 6:35 p.m.
$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 - Kids' Movie Soundtracks | Presented By Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Saturday, 6:05 p.m.
Faith & Family Night: The perfect night for a church group outing! Pre-game speaker to be announced at a later date.
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game!
Sunday, 1:35 p.m.
Operation: 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 Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game!
At Tulsa — June 11 through June 16