The Maumelle Marathon
The Maumelle Marathon
Maumelle Planning Commission meets tonight; Big Buck Classic this weekend; Living on Tulsa Time plus sports and 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!Pandemic deaths grow
The state Department of Health still hasn’t updated its Covid dashboard this year and has posted on its site that the state was, “developing a new version of this dashboard to provide the Arkansas public with access to COVID-19 information.” However, some information was updated as the state added a death to the 2023 total, increasing that number to 559 and since the ongoing pandemic began in 2020, Covid has now killed 13,429 Arkansans.
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The Headlines
Meetings: Maumelle Planning Commission meets tonight at Maumelle City Hall. The meeting is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. and for more, keep scrolling.
Events: The Big Buck Classic starts Friday in Little Rock and for more, keep scrolling.
Maumelle Planning Commission meets tonight
The Maumelle Planning Commission will meet for the first time this year at 6:30 p.m. tonight at City Hall.
For the agenda, click here.
There’s no old business and four items of new business. There’s one item of staff review that includes the filed plans for the Villages of Maumelle.
The most notable item of new business is the development plan for Take 5 Oil at the corner of Maumelle Boulevard and Crystal Hill Road. The physical address listed is 12000 Crystal Hill Road and the applicant representative is Benjamin McDaniel, Arnold Consulting Engineering Services, Inc.
Planning Commission meetings are open to the public and will also be on the city’s YouTube channel.
Dottie the Doggie
As some have inquired, the puppy video featured last week is Dottie. She’s a nine-week old corgi-lab mix and seems to enjoy snuggles, chewing on sticks and being a good girl.
Big Buck Classic to feature Big Buzz chili cookoff
A chili cookoff is among the events that are part of this weekend’s Big Buck Classic at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock.
The cookoff, known as the BIG BUZZ CHILI COOKOFF, will be Saturday and among the participants is Ditale Outdoors, a brand for women’s hunting apparel.
Joining them is Ken Moody Safaris, an African hunting company and the two companies will help raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
In addition to admission, taster cups are $5 and food service will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday. It will conclude when the chili runs out.
"We believe in the power of collaboration and the joy of giving back,” said Virginia Moody, CEO with Ditale Outdoors and owner of Ken Moody Safaris in a release. “This event is a perfect opportunity for Ditale Outdoors to connect with our community, share our passion for the outdoors, and contribute to a cause that makes a difference.”
Lost 40 Brewing will also be on hand.
The Big Buck Classic starts Friday and concludes on Sunday., Hours are from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, it will open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.
Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children 5 to 12. Those younger are free.
Recycle that Christmas tree
Christmas 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
Greers Ferry Lake – Sandy Beach (Heber Springs), Devils Fork Recreation Area and Choctaw Recreation Area (Choctaw-Clinton)
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
The Maumelle Marathon
Here's the thing about marathons.
Experienced runners say they're about as close to death as a human can get as the body isn't designed to run for 26.2 miles consecutively.
Quite famously, Philippides, the ancient Greek who inspired the marathon, collapsed and died after his run.
But, in more modern times, an elite level marathon runner is finishing in under two hours, while more experienced runners can generally get it done in under three hours.
Which gets back to the Maumelle Marathon, which is also known locally as City Council meetings. One of which happened on Monday night, after being delayed from last week's scheduled meeting thanks to the lousy weather.
The meeting clocked in at three hours, two minutes and 46 seconds.
If you want to subject yourself, click below.
Otherwise, some things to know:
The Council was a member short as Chad Gardner was absent.
John C. Jones and Alice Fulk were appointed to the city's Planning Commission and will replace Tracy Gill and Scott Smith, whose terms expire on Jan. 31.
The most hotly debated agenda item was a settlement agreement between the city and Team Summit, the vendor that operates Park on the River.
And here’s more, Gloria Timmons, the former Maumelle City Council member, runs Team Summit and the settlement was over a dispute between what was owed to the city for unpaid rent.
For some of Park on the River's life, it didn't operate on a contract as it was mostly a handshake deal as the city didn't have the resources to operate it.
Much of what passes as controversy in Maumelle dates back to the city lacking resources and letting either volunteers or vendors conduct that business.
This was true for Park on the River, as well Maumelle Friends of the Animals, in two more recent examples.
As the city has grown, some of those arrangements have been exposed as threadbare and lacking in legal documentation.
Something City Attorney Andrew Thornton explained to the Council as no contract existed for 28 months after the previous lease expired in 2020 and no action was taken by the city to renew.
Thornton then took Team Summit's financial statements, what they billed to those who had rented the facility, and came up with a number that reflected days of usage.
It is also worth noting that Park on the River got little to no use during the height of the ongoing pandemic, something Thornton also took into consideration.
He said that the settlement amount was $31,443.93 and the Council voted 5-2 to approve.
Saying no were Steve Mosley and Jess Holt.
North Little Rock Mayor’s Council honored mentors
The North Little Rock Mayor’s Youth Council had a reception for 14 mentors at the 18th Annual Compass Awards Program on Tuesday at the North Little Rock City Hall.
Council members were asked to choose adults who had set them on or kept them on the right path and had played a large role in helping them to become who they are today. The program’s mentors include teachers, coaches, parents and grandparents.
Honorees are Isabella Portillo, Phyllis Killeen, Patricia Boyd, Adam Hicks, Somer Clark Day, Jasmine Ray, Latrina Dupins, Tina Lee, Sherah Fulton, Joe Phelps, Patricia Adams, Evan Blake, Tara Smith and Stanley Whisnant.
Council members who honored their mentors are Alyssa Cosby, Nicholas Sela, Jackson Grant, Kaelyn Golston, Vivian Day, Jackson Ray, Lark Dupins, Alasha Jones, Kenya Kennedy, Michael Phelps, Jamail Jackson, Jackson Copley, Nicole Smith and Tyler Green.
Now hear this, Van Gogh is good!
TULSA— Oklahoma has been having a bit of a moment in pop culture lately.
There have always been cowboy movies, and Pawhuska’s Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, has been owning her corner of Green Country for some two decades on the Food Network.
But, more recently, Killers of the Flower Moon at the movies and Echo, the new Marvel show on Disney Plus, are all about Oklahoma.
Both feature the plight of the Native American people in northeast Oklahoma, even though they go about it in remarkably different ways.
Regardless, Oklahoma is hot and happening, which isn’t why we found ourselves there last weekend.
Why we found ourselves there was the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit that’s been traveling around the country. It has yet to make its way to Arkansas, but there’s always hope for that later.
For now, Tulsa is close enough to drive, and the tickets were reasonable, even though the ones we used were a Christmas gift.
For more on the exhibit, click here.
Tickets can be had in two ways, a timed ticket for entry at a specific time or a more VIP experience allowing for entry whenever it suits you that day.
Pro tip: If you want to go cheaper, but also take your time, in Tulsa, no minders were moving you in or out, but the more expensive ticket comes with some other bonuses.
The tickets start at $29.99 for adults. There are discounts for children, college students, veterans and seniors. There’s also family and group bundles as well.
The Tulsa show doesn’t run every day, generally skipping Tuesday and Wednesday, and will end on Sunday, March 17.
As for the experience itself, it was, in fact, quite immersive.
Vincent Van Gogh was a tragic figure who cut off his own ear after a dispute with a fellow artist and was plagued by poor health and alcoholism. Those conditions led to depression, and he took his own life at just 37.
He created more than 2,100 pieces of art in his relatively short life and became one of the world’s most famous artists after his death.
All that history is covered on the front end of the exhibit in displays, three-dimensional and multimedia renderings, and a short film. That leads to an area where you stand in front of a depiction of Van Gogh’s famous bedroom as well as some other works.
Then, a curtain beckons and the immersive experience begins. A giant hall with floor-to-vaulted-ceiling screens surround you, with about an hour-long display of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings set to a classical music soundtrack and narration.
The experience is, perhaps, the closest one can get to the holosuites on Star Trek: The Next Generation as Van Gogh’s work, from sunflowers and irises to self-portraits and the familiar “Starry Night,” display and dissolve on all four walls and even the floor.
It was so good, we stayed for two rounds, moving seats for a different view.
The room features chairs, bean bags and benches where one can sit and take it all in.
The only distraction was the curtains where people entered and exited. If facing that way, the trance one goes into is spoiled as folks came and went. There’s a simple solution, just face another way.
After the experience was over, our tickets also allowed us to use the Virtual Reality headsets, which was, again, immersive as it took us on a walking tour of Van Gogh’s landscapes. At the end, a work area with coloring sheets and crayons invited you to color your own Van Gogh, which is then displayed on the wall after being scanned in.
Naturally, the experience concludes in a gift shop, but, again, our ticket came with another bonus: a free poster of a Van Gogh painting.
Was it worth it? Yes.
Would we like something like this to come to Arkansas? Also, yes.
Would we go again? Again, yes, and more pop-up immersive experiences are planned with other artists. Our helpful clerk said the plan was to bring a Monet experience to Tulsa next. Monet? Yes, yes, yes.
Getting there
Tulsa is roughly a five-hour drive from central Arkansas and as easy as going west on I-40 and turning north on the Tulsa Turnpike. That’s a toll road, and we haven’t gotten the license plate camera bill yet, but it's worth it. If, for some reason, you need to pass through northwest Arkansas on the way, head north until you hit the Hwy. 412 interchange and head west. It directly leads into Tulsa. It is also a toll road.
Tulsa is larger but feels like Little Rock if only all of central Arkansas were crammed together, with all points from Cabot to Conway to Benton and even Pine Bluff combined. Tulsa’s metro population is 1.03 million. The 50-mile radius population of Little Rock is about the same.
The biggest difference is the Arkansas River that flows through town is a muddy, shallow, sand-bar filled waterway and wildly different from the industrial river that flows through this state thanks to the McClellan-Kerr River Navigation system. Also, in Oklahoma the senators' names are reversed and it is Kerr-McClellan. Old people and their egos.
Tulsa also has minor-league hockey and some impressive concert venues.
Not everything we wanted to see or do was available, as we were there just before the Arctic Hammer came sweeping down the plain and it was also the weekend before the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Tulsa sits on historic Route 66, and the state’s travel department offers a fun passport that lets you get stamps for some of the things to see. Catoosa’s Blue Whale is a throwback to another time and something worth the few minutes of drive to get there.
Things we missed: The combination of weather and the holiday meant Tulsa’s historic Black Wall Street will be saved for the next time. Also, the Philbrook Museum of Art was closed for a winter break.
Where to eat: Ted’s is a terrific local Tex-Mex chain with good prices, delicious food and entrees that come with complimentary cheese dip, salsa, chips, homemade flour tortillas and, for dessert, free sopapillas and honey. Mother Road Market sits directly on Route 66 and is a food hall with good breakfast and lunch options. It is also where you can get one of those travel passports, and if you ask the right vendor, they’ll hook you up with free tickets to hockey, if they’re playing that night.
High school basketball report
Maumelle
Record so far: 10-10
Last week: Lost to Catholic, 45-43, on Wednesday in a makeup game after a long weather-related delay.
The week ahead: The Hornets didn’t miss a game because they didn’t have a game scheduled on Tuesday. Catholic will be at home this Friday, weather permitting.
Schedule
Friday, Jan. 26 ... at Vilonia ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Jan. 30 ... vs. eStem ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 2 ... at Sylvan Hills ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Feb. 6 ... vs. Parkview ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 9 ... at Jacksonville ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Fri, Feb 16 ... at Catholic ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Fri, Feb 23 ... vs. Beebe ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Roster
Maumelle Girls
Coach: Grover Garrison
Record so far: 2-14
Last week: Lost to Little Rock Christian on Tuesday.
The week ahead: Will face Vilonia and eStem Friday and next Tuesday, respectively. Some makeup dates have yet to be set.
Schedule
Friday, Jan. 26 ... at Vilonia ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Feb. 6 ... vs. Parkview ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 9 ... at Jacksonville ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Fri, Feb 16 ... at Mount St. Mary ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Tue, Feb 20 ... at Little Rock Christian ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Fri, Feb 23 ... vs. Beebe ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Roster
Maumelle Charter boys
Record so far: 16-10
Last week:Lost to CAC on Tuesday but beat Atkins on Wednesday.
The week ahead: At Mayflower on Friday, then a makeup trip to Perryville on Monday, then Perryville, again, on Tuesday but this time at home and for Senior Night.
Maumelle Charter girls
Record so far: 17-11
Last week: Beat CAC last Tuesday
The week ahead: See above.
Boys and Girls schedule
Jan. 26.... Friday ... at Mayflower … VG / VB ... … 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 29 … Monday … at Perryville … VG/ VB … 6 p.m.
Jan. 30 … Tuesday … Perryville (Senior Night) … VG / VB ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 2.... Friday ... at Lamar … VG / VB ... 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 6 … Tuesday … Baptist Prep … VG / VB ... … 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 8 ... Thursday ... at Atkins … VG / VB ... … 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 12-17 … Sr. High District Tournament … VG, VB
Feb. 21-24 … Regional Tournament
Feb. 27- March 2 … State Tournament
North Little Rock
Coach: Nathan Clayborn
Record so far: 13-5
Last week: Lost to Bryant on Tuesday.
The week ahead: North Little Rock travels to Cabot this Friday and then Central next Tuesday.
Schedule
Friday, Jan. 26 ... at Cabot ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Jan. 30 ... at Central ... 7:30 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 2 ... at Conway ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Feb. 6 ... vs. Little Rock Southwest ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 9 ... at Jonesboro ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Fri, Feb 16 ... vs. Bryant ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Feb. 20 ... vs. Little Rock Central ... 7 p.m. ... (C) Makeup game
Thursday, Feb. 22 ... vs. Cabot ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Roster
North Little Rock Girls
Coach: Daryl Fimple
Record so far: 19-2
Last week: Beat Bryant last Tuesday.
The week ahead: Trips to traditionally tough Cabot on Tuesday and then a road game at Central next Tuesday.
Schedule
Friday, Jan. 26 ... at Cabot ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Jan. 30 ... at Central ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 2 ... at Conway ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Feb. 6 ... vs. Little Rock Southwest ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 9 ... at Jonesboro ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Fri, Feb 16 ... vs. Bryant ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Feb. 20 ... vs. Little Rock Central ... 6 p.m. ... (C) Makeup game
Thursday, Feb. 22 ... vs. Cabot ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Roster
Central Arkansas Christian
Coach: Matt Hall
Record so far: 12-3
Last week: Beat Maumelle Charter on Tuesday night.
The week ahead: CAC travels to face Atkins on Friday, weather permitting, and at Maumelle Charter next Tuesday.
Schedule
Thursday, Jan. 25 … at Lamar … 7 p.m. (C)
Friday, Jan. 26 ... vs. Dover ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Jan. 30 ... vs. Mayflower ... 7:15 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 2 ... at Perryville ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Feb. 6 ... vs. Lamar ... 7 p.m. ... (C)
Thursday, Feb. 8 ... at Baptist Prep ... 7:30 p.m. ... (C)
Roster
Central Arkansas Christian Girls
Coach: Steve Quattlebaum
Record so far: 2-15
Last week: Lost to Maumelle Charter on Tuesday.
The week ahead: Lamar is tonight and Dover at home on Friday.
Schedule
Thursday, Jan. 25 … at Lamar … 6 p.m. (C)
Friday, Jan. 26 ... vs. Dover ... 6:30 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Jan. 30 ... vs. Mayflower ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Friday, Feb. 2 ... at Perryville ... 6 p.m. ... (C)
Tuesday, Feb. 6 ... vs. Lamar ... 6:30 p.m. ... (C)
Thursday, Feb. 8 ... at Baptist Prep ... 6 p.m. ... (C)