SHINE-ola is tonight
Fundraiser is this evening at South on Main; Maumelle Chamber to have Casino Night on July 30; Memphis the Musical starts next week in North Little Rock plus headlines
Note to subscribers: An annual or monthly subscription is billed to your debit or credit card as ARKANSAS.SUBSTACK.COM and if you have questions, please email arkansas@substack.com. Thanks for reading and subscribing!Death toll inches back up
The weekly death toll from the ongoing pandemic went back up as the total number of dead Arkansans was at 24.
The previous week it was at 16 and the week before that it was 28.
The total number of dead Arkansans is now at 11,620
As for the national trends, the forecast numbers from the Centers for Disease Control are below and through Aug. 6.
The forecasts for both weekly and total death counts are on the upswing. The reason isn’t complicated, cases are on the rise now and death rates are a lagging indicator. With the exception of last week, the death toll has been fairly steady in the mid-20s but those numbers will start going up.
Arkansas is, essentially, in the fourth wave of the still ongoing pandemic. Pretending to believe Covid is over or “being done with it” does no one any good. Reasonable precautions are still reasonable, even though wearing a mask when it is hot as hell outside is pretty not great.
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 crowdsThe Headlines
Wildwood seeks adult performers for Oliver, Spamalot: The Wildwood Park for the Arts is putting on Oliver this fall and they’re looking for adult actors for a production of Spamalot
Auditions will be next Monday, July 18, and will start at 5 p.m. They’ll be held at the Cabe Theater at Wildwood Park for the Arts.
Auditions are by appointment and to schedule email, Zachary Rhodes at at zach@wildwoodpark.org who will also provide instructions on what’s needed. To read more, click here.
ICYMI: My Colonoscopy and Me
Upcoming meetings: The Pulaski County Special School District School Board will meet tonight after the meeting was pushed back from its normal Tuesday night slot. The Maumelle Council will meet next Monday night.
Upcoming events: The groundbreaking for the Park Hill Jump Start project is next Wednesday, July 20, and will get started at 10 a.m. For more details, an informational flyer is below.
Covid toolkit
There’s now a one-stop shop to learn about vaccination sites and other Covid related information. Click here to learn more.
Travs on the road
The Travs are on the road this week at Wichita and while there’s games next week, the team will be on a four-day break Monday through Thursday for the Texas League’s All-Star game.
Road swing
Today ... July 14 ... 7:05 p.m. ... at Wichita
Friday ... July 15 ... 7:05 p.m. ... at Wichita
Saturday ... July 16 ... 6:05 p.m. ... at Wichita
Sunday ... July 17 … 1:05 p.m. ... at Wichita
Next week
All-Star break from Monday through Thursday then a three-game series at Dickey-Stephens Park against Frisco.
SHINE-ola is tonight
The Inaugural SHINE-ola will be held tonight at South on Main.
The show will start at 6 p.m. and is scheduled to run for four hours. The address for South on Main is 1304 Main St., in Little Rock.
Headling will be Jason Lee Hale and The Personal Space Invaders with The Mark Simpson Trio featuring Jure Baloh and Dave Hoffpauir, Cliff and Susan, Texas Rikki D, The Brian Nahlen Band, Griffen and Friends, Mark Curry, Paul Tull, Cherise Martini and The Peacekeepers, Billy Jeter and The Shine Eye Band and Monsterboy performing as well on a packed bill.
Tickets are $7 and can be purchased by calling 501-244-9660 or at the door the day of the show.
SHINE-ola is billed as a “good time with good folks” and will be a benefit to the state’s children who are abandoned, abused, neglected and struggling with psychiatric, behavioral, emotional and spiritual issues.
Proceeds from the concert will go to Methodist Family Health Foundation, which provides for necessities, therapeutic resources and other essentials for the Arkansas children and their families in the care of Methodist Family Health.
“Methodist Family Health has been helping Arkansans since 1899 when they began as the Arkansas Methodist Orphanage,” said Jason Hale, whose band is headlining the event. “In the more than 120 years since they were founded, Methodist Family Health has become a complete continuum of care for children who are struggling with mental health, behavioral and emotional issues. I had no idea of all the ways Methodist Family Health helps in the community, and it’s my honor as well as the performers on this slate to work with them anyway we can.”
Casino Night to be July 30 in Maumelle
The Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce will have its 8th annual Casino Night at Maumelle Country Club on Saturday, July 30.
It will start at 6 p.m. and registration is $40 for chamber members and $45 for non-members at the door.
Heavy appetizers will be served and will include one drink and playing chips for blackjack, roulette, craps and poker. The event will also feature a cash bar and you’ll be able to buy more chips to keep playing. Entertainment is provided by Celebration’s Events and the night will also feature a silent and live auction.
Tickets may be purchased by contacting the Maumelle Chamber at macc@maumellechamber.com, registering for the event on the Maumelle Chamber of Commerce Facebook page or by visiting our event calendar at www.maumellechamber.com.
Casino Night is sponsored by Saracen Casino Resort, Manpower, Stanley Steemer and Team CPR.
Memphis the Musical coming to the Argenta Community Theater
The Judy Kohn Tenenbaum Argenta Community Theater will have a production of Memphis the Musical starting next week.
The first show will be Wednesday, July 20 and will continue through Saturday, July 30.
All shows are at 7:30 p.m. except the Sunday, July 24 matinee that will start at 2 p.m.
While next Wednesday is opening night, preview performances are set for next Thursday and Friday with those tickets costing $25.
All other shows are $35.
The theater is located at 405 Main St., in downtown North Little Rock.
Doors open one hour before the show time.
The show is directed by Brandon Box-Higdem, with vocal direction by Bob Bidewell, choreography by Christen Pitts and Brian Earles, technical direction by Sara Cooke, set design by Alan Malcolm, lighting design by Dena Kimberling, costume design by Shelly Hall and props by Lauren and Rick Nicholas. Trystan Benson is the stage manager.
The cast for this musical is: Satia Spencer as Felicia Farrell, Craig Wilson as Huey Calhoun, Kenneth “Hollywood” Gaddie as Del Ray Farrell, Brian Earles as Gator, Taijee as Bobby, Cheryl Troillett as Momma/Gladys, and Danny Troillett as Mr. Simmons. The remaining ensemble includes: Caleb Allen, Lucas Bachus, Paige Anthony Bryant, Michael Harmon, Willie Johnson, Chuck Massey, Skyler Matthias, Geneva Millikan, Jenny Moses, Dariane Mull, Micah Newell, Brandon Nichols, Kristen Phantazia, Grace Pitts, Mac Ricks, Rhindi White and Emmarie Wilson.
For tickets, click here.