Recycle that Christmas tree
North Little Rock to get new football coach, holiday events still abound plus headlines
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MEETINGS: There’s no meetings this week or next as the Christmas and New Year’s holidays make for a glorious week of not much going on.
EVENTS: Christmas was Wednesday and expect trash and recycling to run one-day delayed and New Year’s Day is next Wednesday with all the usual caveats of government offices being closed that day with limited hours the other days next week. It also means trash and recycling will run one-day delayed after the holiday. The most notable thing on the schedule this week is the Hogs play in Memphis at the Autozone Liberty Bowl against Texas Tech. Look for live coverage from the game in your inbox on Friday night or read at your leisure whenever.
Recycle that Christmas tree
If you want to get all Christmas-y about it, you're supposed to keep your tree up through the first week of January.
The whole 12 days of Christmas, Epiphany and all that but not everyone does that and now might be the time you’re trying to figure out what to do with that beautiful tree you bought at Junior Deputy.
There’s an environmentally friendly, good for nature option that the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission offers annually in dropping off that tree to be used as a fish habitat in one of the state’s many bodies of water.
This offer only applies to live Christmas trees, the fake ones need not apply..
There’s other options, of course. You could put your Christmas tree out on the curb ““on your yard waste day” if you live in Maumelle or North Little Rock and for more information in Maumelle, call 501-851-2888, while those in North Little Rock can call 371-8430.
You should, under no circumstances, burn the tree in your fireplace as it is a really good way to set your house on fire.
But, if so inclined, you can sink the tree yourself. Any Arkansas stream or river or lake will do.
Game and Fish said, “the small spaces and dense cover offered by fresh Christmas trees make excellent nursery habitat for small fish as well as great places to fish.”
If sinking it yourself, weigh it down with either cinder blocks or sandbags, so the tree will stay sunk and then remember where you put it.
What’s also really great is while Game and Fish will take care of the trees come February, you can also take trees from the pile for yourself to sink.
They note, “trees are relatively short-term habitat because they don’t have much thick woody material, but they can be gathered in clusters easily and sunk in large groups” and “the main stems will last longer than the wispy branches and continue to draw fish throughout the year.”
Trees can be dropped off at any of the following locations until the end of January:
Trees can be dropped off at any of the following central Arkansas locations until the end of January:
Arkansas River – Riverview Park Access in North Little Rock
Lake Barnett – Reed Access
Harris Brake Lake – Chittman Hill Access
Lake Pickthorne – Holland Bottoms Access
Lake Overcup – Lake Overcup Landing
Cox Creek Lake – Cox Creek Lake Public Access
Lake Hamilton – Andrew Hulsey State Fish Hatchery Access Area
For more locations around the state, click here.
North Little Rock looking for new football coach
As expected, Clint Reed resigned as North Little Rock’s head football coach at last week’s School Board meeting.
Reed, who was previously a long-time assistant coach at the school, was head coach for two seasons and compiled a 2-19 record and the ‘Cats went 0-10 this past season.
A college offensive lineman at Arkansas Tech, Reed was the offensive line coach at North Little Rock when the ‘Cats won its first, and only, state championship in the modern playoff era.
But, since then. There’s been a carousel of head coaches since Jamie Mitchell left at the end of the 2020 school year, and counting Reed, there’s been three in the last five years with both him and Randy Sandefur having been long-time assistant coaches at the high school.
Of course, there’s been nearly as many superintendents and the most recent millage attempt, that would have built an indoor practice facility at North Little Rock, failed miserably at the ballot box.
The LEARNS Act, which allows for virtually unlimited transfers, hit North Little Rock this past summer as well with dozens leaving the program for other teams.
While Maumelle was decent, North of the River teams in North Little Rock, Sylvan Hills and Jacksonville went a combined 1-29 last season, so things aren’t great high school football wise.
The opening, as of Christmas night, wasn’t posted to the district’s employment site and also wasn’t posted on the job boards run by the AAA and the high school coaches association.
So it isn’t clear when the district plans to fill the opening and Reed’s resignation is effective on July 1, 2025 when his contract expires.
Reed’s departure also didn’t merit any mention from the district in any of its public facing communications sent out to parents, stakeholders and media. District offices are also closed for the holidays with Thursday, Jan. 2 as the date when administration returns.
Holiday season
Today and Friday then Dec. 30-31 and Jan. 2-3
North Little Rock Parks & Rec will be having a Winter Break camp for students from Kindergarten through 5th grade.
Cost is $15 for either session and $25 to attend both.
Stock the Pantries
There’s nine pantries in Maumelle that are participating in the city’s annual food drive that began earlier this month.
The little pantries are collecting non-perishable food items, along with pet food.
The little pantries are located at:
Maumelle Philanthropists, 404 Edgewood Drive
Calvary Chapel Parking Area, Lake Point Place (across from tennis courts)
First United Methodist Church, 1201 Edgewood Drive
First Baptist Church, 100 Valencia Drive
Maumelle Library Food Pantry, 10 Lake Pointe Drive (inside)
St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church Food Pantry, 2001 Club Manor Drive (parking lot)
Maumelle Police & Fire Station, 2002 Murphy Drive
Klipps Blvd Barbershop, 301 Millwood Circle (inside)
Maumelle Little PET Pantry, #2 Jackie Johnson Cove
Willastein Whimsical Trail
The Whimsical Trail is now open at Maumelle’s Lake Willastein and will be open starting at 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. nightly until Jan. 5.
The lighted trail’s entrance is between the boat ramp and playground at Lake Willastein Park. Admission to the walking trail is free.
Sports
SEC bowl games
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl | Dec. 27/ 11 a.m.: Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6 SEC) vs. Navy (9-3)| ESPN; SiriusXM: 374 [ESPN Radio - 84]
Birmingham Bowl | Dec. 27 / 2:30 p.m.: Vanderbilt (6-6, 3-5 SEC) vs. Georgia Tech (7-5) | ESPN; SiriusXM: 374 [ESPN Radio - 84]
AutoZone Liberty Bowl | Dec. 27/ 6 p.m.: Arkansas (6-6, 3-5 SEC) vs. Texas Tech (8-4) | ESPN; SiriusXM: 374 [ESPN Radio - 80] | Preview: https://www.secsports.com/scores/football?start_date=2023-08-25&end_date=2024-01-08
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl | Dec. 27 / 9:30 p.m.: Texas A&M (8-4, 5-3 SEC) vs. Southern Cal (6-6) | ESPN; SiriusXM: 374 [ESPN Radio - 80]
TransPerfect Music City Bowl | Dec. 30 / 1:30 p.m.: #19 Missouri (9-3, 5-3 SEC) vs Iowa (8-4) | ESPN; SiriusXM: 374 [ESPN Radio - 80]
Pandemic deaths back to 0
The state Department of Health updated the state’s dashboard this week, and showed no new new deaths and 481 deaths for the year. The virus has now killed 14,125 Arkansans since the pandemic began more than 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
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 crowds