Senn hired as new superintendent at PCSSD
Maumelle doesn’t make cut for historical markers; Maumelle Planning Commission meets tonight; Kwame Brathwaite: The 1970s now open at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts plus sports and headlines
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MEETINGS: The Maumelle Planning Commission meets tonight at City Hall. The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. and the agenda can be viewed by clicking here. The meeting will be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube Page. The North Little Rock City Council will meet next Monday night at City Hall.
EVENTS: The Arkansas Quiz Bowl is this Saturday and will start at 9 a.m. It will be livestreamed on myarpbs.org/live.
There’s a total of 14 teams playing for titles in classifications based on school enrollment.
They are:
Class 7A – Bryant vs. Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts.
Class 1A – Haas Hall Academy Springdale vs. Armorel.
Class 6A – Russellville vs. Sheridan.
Class 4A – Arkadelphia vs. Trumann.
Class 3A – Haas Hall Academy Fayetteville vs. Haas Hall Academy Bentonville.
Class 2A – Haas Hall Academy Rogers vs. Hazen.
Class 5A – eStem vs. Valley View.
Each match will last approximately one hour.
Now, for your moment of Senn: Former principal hired as new superintendent at PCSSD
After two nights of meetings, the School Board for the Pulaski County Special School District decided on Monday to hire Jeff Senn, below, as the new superintendent.
This is Senn’s third time to be hired by PCSSD in a leadership role, as he was previously principal at Maumelle and North Pulaski high schools.
Senn left Maumelle in 2021 to become superintendent at Lonoke School District, a position he currently holds.
“I’m looking forward to building new relationships with the new staff who started since I’ve been gone,” Senn said. “And I’m ready to strengthen relationships with those I worked with previously when I was here.”
Senn, who has been in education for four decades, has been a teacher, coach and administrator, at, among others Hamburg and Mayflower, before going to PCSSD in 2009.
He was the final principal at the now closed North Pulaski High School before taking the same role at Maumelle.
Senn will start on July 1 and was given a three-year contract by the board in a unanimous 7-0 vote.
His annual salary will be $274,500 plus a vehicle allowance and the normal package of benefits in terms of insurance and retirement.
“Whether our students choose to go to a university, a trade school, or directly into the workforce, we’re going to focus on all the individual needs,” Senn said. “It’s about providing those opportunities for the kids so they know they have a future that fits them best.”
There were five other finalists for the position Senn was hired for.
They, in alphabetical order, were:
Tracy Allen, currently the principal at Sylvan Hills High School and former principal at North Little Rock High School.
Brett Bunch, currently the superintendent at Brookland School District in northeast Arkansas.
Dr. Jonathan Crossley, currently the superintendent at Hope School District and a former principal in the Little Rock School District.
Dr. Jerry Gibson, currently a consultant and a former superintendent at several districts in Texas.
Dr. Sonya Whitfield, currently the Deputy Superintendent of Learning Services at PCSSD and has been with the district since starting as a teacher in 1992.
Former superintendent Jerry Guess is serving as interim and he previously served as superintendent from 2011 to 2017.
Maumelle doesn’t make cut for historical markers
As is typical for all things Maumelle, what looks like a scandal becomes a big, fat nothingburger with even the shallowest bits of reporting.
The most recent example of this ongoing trend is Maumelle’s omission from the Historical Marker Database.
The occasion that led to a search of the database, available online here, is the National Historical Marker Weekend that starts this Friday and continues through Sunday.
Put on by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, the weekend is billed as a weekend event “on caring for and cleaning historical markers.”
There’s an astonishing number of markers across the country as more than 210,000 are in the database nationally.
In Pulaski County alone, there’s 192.
But for Maumelle?
None. Zero. Nadda.
Scandalous, right?
Again, not really.
There are, of course, some markers in Maumelle. Notably, the city’s first new construction home, near the Maumelle Country Club, has a small sign noting the significance of the house.
For why Maumelle doesn’t have any markers in the database it meant asking around on why and Bob Cook had the answer.
Cook, a long-time writer, runs the Historical Marker Ahead account on BlueSky and also publishes a newsletter on markers. You can follow the account, @historicalmarker.bsky.social, at your leisure.
Cook knows a lot about historical markers, as many middle-aged dads do, and is he the country’s foremost expert on the subject? Sure, why not. Or, at the least, he’s the country’s foremost expert on the subject amongst the people I know.
He had a very simple explanation for why Maumelle didn’t make the cut.
“Your town hasn’t been around long enough for historical markers,” he said and noted Maumelle’s relatively youthful 39 years and 10 months age. “Normally it needs to be 50 to 75 years after an event before an agreed-upon narrative emerges for whatever event happened.”
And, while there were things in the rural part of Pulaski County that is now called Maumelle 75 years ago, most notably the munitions plant that is the reason why the bunkers are still at Lake Willastein, there wasn’t much else.
A cemetery. A few scattered houses, mostly in the Crystal Hill area and near the Arkansas River, then the homes, businesses and churches in Marche. And, really, not much else.
Befitting its age, Little Rock has 176 of Pulaski County’s 192 markers, so there’s not much else, elsewhere.
There are some things of interest in North Little Rock though as there’s a marker on Poplar Street in the Park Hill neighborhood for Confederate fortifications, installed by gen. Sterling Price in 1863.
Marker No. 36 was installed in 2012 by the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, North Little Rock History Commission, Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, Preserve America and National Park Service, Department of the Interior. Click here for more.
If you’re looking for a local landmark, just find North Little Rock Fire Department’s gorgeous No. 5 station and you’re there.
Kwame Brathwaite: The 1970s now open at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts recently announced that Kwame Brathwaite: The 1970s, is on view now through Oct. 12.
Photographer Kwame Brathwaite, who died in 2023, created the visual overture for the Black is Beautiful Movement in the late 50s and early 60s. This intimate exhibition will highlight 16 of the artist’s independent studio works created during the 1970s. Working with The Kwame Brathwaite Archive, AMFA proudly announces that the exhibition features three never-before-seen images.
“Brathwaite’s work is a testament to the power of art as activism,” said Victoria Ramirez, Executive Director of AMFA. “This exhibition honors his extraordinary vision and role in shaping cultural identity through photography and brings his vibrant legacy into dialogue with today's conversations around beauty, representation, and self-determination. We are proud to have these works at AMFA.”
The newly released images include portraits of model and designer Carolee Prince, singer and songwriter Teddy Pendergrass, and a striking group shot of four models against a purple background.
The exhibition, Kwame Brathwaite: The 1970s, shows a more experimental and expressive side of Brathwaite’s photography —one where color, composition, and cultural storytelling take center stage.
Upcoming events
Guided Tours: Museum guests can enjoy a free, docent-led tour of Kwame Brathwaite: The 1970s. Guided tours are offered on April 26, June 21, and July 26, at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are free, and registration is recommended at events.arkmfa.org.
Pine Bluff Through the Lens with Michael Grice: On June 18, Michael Grice, the son of ‘Arkansas’s most prolific photographer’ Geleve Grice, will delve into his father’s legacy of documenting Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
A Legacy of Images: Art Talk with Kwame Brathwaite Jr.: On July 31, the artist’s son, Kwame Brathwaite, Jr., will offer a unique and personal perspective on Brathwaite’s work and legacy.
ASBTDC sets New Lender Quick-Connect Event for Small Businesses on May 7
Small business owners and entrepreneurs seeking funding will have a unique opportunity to pitch their projects at Lender Quick-Connect: Find Your Funder.
The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center is hosting the new no-cost event on May 7, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Reynolds Business Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
In just one afternoon, attendees can connect with multiple Arkansas lenders and pitch their business financing needs in a fast-paced, one-on-one meeting format.
Each participant will be matched with up to seven lenders, based on key business details including their industry, credit score, business stage and project scope.
Attendees can also:
Meet with credit counseling services to discuss financial readiness
Engage with ASBTDC business consultants and Small Business Administration representatives
Get expert tips on crafting a compelling funding pitch
Participating lending institutions include Arkansas Capital Corporation, Arkansas Federal Credit Union, Arvest Bank, Bank OZK, Communities Unlimited, FORGE Community Loan Fund, Hope Credit Union, First Community Bank, First Security Bank, First Service Bank, Regions Bank, Simmons Bank, Southern Bancorp Bank, Southern Bancorp Community Partners and U.S. Bank.
The event is designed to help entrepreneurs navigate the funding landscape and build relationships with funders who have a proven track record of small business lending.
“We hope this format will be more efficient and less intimidating than approaching individual lenders,” said ASBTDC State Director Laura Fine. “With banks, credit unions, microlenders and Community Development Financial Institutions all taking part, Lender Quick-Connect will showcase a wide range of options for funding a new business, business purchase or expansion.”
Pre-registration is required. To reserve your spot, visit tinyurl.com/325wetrc or contact ASBTDC’s Nick Stevens at 501-804-4530 or njstevens@ualr.edu.
Through its offices around the state, the ASBTDC offers no-cost services and resources for Arkansas entrepreneurs and small businesses. For more information, call 800-862-2040 or visit asbtdc.org.
Disclosure: ArkansasNewsroom.com is an ASBTDC client.
Upcoming Travs games
Midland (six-game homestand)
Thursday, 6:35 p.m.
Operation: Military Appreciation: $3 Thursday
Enjoy $3 Beer Garden Tickets and select Concessions deals.
Friday, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks Friday - TBA Theme: End your week at DSP with a BANG. | Presented By Metro Disaster Specialists
Saturday, 6:05 p.m.
Post-Game Wrestling: Time for the Main Event. Stick around after the game for post-game matches featuring the stars of Memphis Wrestling. | Presented By Midtown Billiards
Malmö Oat Milkers Night: Did Someone Say Dynasty? Your other home team is back from their astonishingly successful first season to make even more history in what could be this year's most unforgettable game, including fun like VIP seats, a crazy first pitch, Oat Milker Fan Trivia, the chance to sign an Oat Milkers contract, and more. | Presented By Oatly
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
Kids Baseball Clinic: Kids 13 and under are invited to join Travs players on field for a baseball clinic starting at noon.
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game. | Presented By First Community Bank
At Tulsa, April 29 - May 4
Springfield Cardinals, six-game homestand
Tuesday, May 6, 6:35 p.m.
Mad Mallards Week: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas' obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at DSP Box Office). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Wednesday, May 7, 6:35 p.m.
Mad Mallards Week: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas' obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at DSP Box Office). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Thursday, May 8, 6:35 p.m.
Mad Mallards Week: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas' obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
Operation: Military Appreciation: $3 Thursday: Enjoy $3 Beer Garden Tickets and select Concessions deals!
Friday, May 9, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks Friday - Country Music: End your week at DSP with a BANG! | Presented By Baldwin & Shell Construction
Mad Mallards Week: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas' obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
Saturday, May 10, 4:05 p.m.
Mad Mallards Week: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas' obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game! | Presented By First Community Bank
Sunday, May 11, 1:35 p.m.
Mad Mallards Week: Join us in celebration of Central Arkansas' obsession with waterfowl hunting! | Presented By Arkansas Ducks Unlimited
Kids Baseball Clinic: Kids 13 and under are invited to join Travs players on field for a baseball clinic starting at noon!
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game! | Presented By First Community Bank
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
At Wichita, May 13-18
At Northwest Arkansas, May 20-25
San Antonio Missions, six-game homestand
Tuesday, May 27, 6:35 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at DSP Box Office). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Wednesday, May 28, 6:35 p.m.
Dog Day: Human fans can get $3 Berm tickets by bringing their dog to the game (only available at DSP Box Office). NOTE: Dogs are only allowed in the Berm areas | Presented By Hollywood Feed
Thursday, May 29, 6:35 p.m.
Operation: Military Appreciation: $3 Thursday, Enjoy $3 Beer Garden Tickets and select Concessions deals!
Fiesta de Diamantes: The Travs will take the field as the Diamantes de Arkansas in salute of Hispanic Heritage! | Presented By Modelo Especial
Friday, May 30, 7:05 p.m.
Fireworks Friday - Mashup Madness: End your week at DSP with a BANG!
Saturday, May 31, 6:05 p.m.
Faith & Family Night: The perfect night for a church (or gymnastics) group outing! Come enjoy a pre-game talk with Olympian and Razorbacks Gymnastics coach Jordyn Wieber, above, who will also be available during the game to meet & greet with fans. | Presented By Hickingbotham Investments
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game! | Presented By First Community Bank
Sunday, June 1, 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
Kids Baseball Clinic: Kids 13 and under are invited to join Travs players on field for a baseball clinic starting at noon!
Kids Run the Bases: Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same basepaths the Travs run after the game! | Presented By First Community Bank
At Corpus Christi, June 3-8
Camp Healing Hearts offers free grief camp
Losing a loved one is difficult for everyone, and grieving a loss is essential to accepting painful feelings and creating an opportunity for growth and a new sense of normal.
Camp Healing Hearts is for Arkansas children ages five to 18 and their families who are grieving the death of a loved one. Part of Kaleidoscope Grief Center, a program of Methodist Family Health, Camp Healing Hearts is a FREE overnight event that will begin at 5 p.m. at Camp Aldersgate in Little Rock on Friday, May 9 and end at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 10. Registration deadline is this Sunday, April 26.
Utilizing both therapy and recreation, our camp offers children and families an opportunity to discover their own inner strength. An adult caregiver is required to accompany the grieving child or children attending camp. Activities include heart-to-heart time, fishing, crafts, games, campfires, s'mores and much more. It is best for children and families who have experienced a loss of 3-to-6 months or more. Only 100 spaces are available.
You can apply online at https://form.jotform.com/scox/CAMP_HEALING_HEARTS or download the application and mail it to:
Dao Ward
Kaleidoscope Grief Center
1600 Aldersgate Rd., Suite 100B
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
Application deadline is Sunday, April 26.
Kaleidoscope Grief Center serves grieving children, teens and their families throughout Arkansas. Grief can be an isolating experience for children. The program helps those dealing with loss and bereavement through education, therapeutic and recreational services, grief support programs, counseling and Camp Healing Hearts.
To register for Camp Healing Hearts, learn more about Kaleidoscope Grief Center or find out how Methodist Family Health can assist your family, visit MethodistFamily.org.
Health
Pandemic deaths unknown
The state Department of Health didn’t update the state’s dashboard this week, again, and deaths still total 532 for the past year. There’s no tab created for 2025 either and the virus has now killed 14,162 Arkansans since the pandemic began then. 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