The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The lights at Garvan Gardens are a delight, What to do with that tree, Very Merry Maumelle winners, UALR basketball at Simmons Bank Arena tonight plus sports and headlines

Dec 29, 2022

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

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 drops

The total number of dead Arkansans this past week was 14.

Last week, it was 25, and the week before that it was 43. The lower number this past week may be a reflection of of deaths not being reported during the Christmas holiday and also the severely cold weather.

The total number of dead Arkansans is now at 12,686.

Covid toolkit
There’s now a one-stop shop to learn about vaccination sites and other Covid related information. Click here to learn more.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

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

The Headlines

Upcoming meetings: The Maumelle City Council will meet next Tuesday night due to the holiday. The December Maumelle Planning Commission meeting was postponed and that month’s agenda will be added to the regularly scheduled January meeting.
Upcoming events: City offices are Monday due to the New Year’s holiday. The swearing-in ceremony for Maumelle’s elected city officials will be held prior to Tuesday’s night’s City Council meeting, while North Little Rock’s will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at City Hall.
ICYMI: Get your flu shot!

A Very Merry Maumelle winners

Truly Traditional: Joe and Cathryn Woods, 113 Nantucket Loop
Light Up Maumelle: Amanda Galiano, 8 Chicot Cove
People's Choice: Nick Wade, 36 Riverwood Cove
Mayor's Choice: Alan and Kelley Wray, 213 Seminole Lane

The lights, the lights are calling, you guys

HOT SPRINGS — It has been two long years since the Christmas lights at Garvan Woodland Gardens shined.

The botanical garden in Hot Springs had an annual tradition of displaying Christmas lights that was wildly popular here in Arkansas. For that matter, people came from across the south and Midwest to see the lights.

They were spectacular.

This year though, this year was better. There’s a certain amount of absence makes the heart grow fonder going on but the garden also made the acreage of the display smaller and packed in more lights.

Jeremy Peppas @jeremypeppas

The musical Christmas tree at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs.

More than five million lights this year on a little more than 100 acres. Walking the path and seeing most of the lights worked out to be about a 1.9 mile walk, per the Fitbit on the wrist.

The changes in the displays along with the redone foot paths made for a nice walk on a brisk night earlier this week.

The lights are really something. The garden’s rolling landscape, in combination with the lights, gives a layered look that defies description that is anything beyond pretty.

If you want to go, there’s still time as the lights are on and up until this Saturday night.

Tickets are $20 and have to be purchased in advance by clicking here, or, pro tip, spring for an annual membership. A dual membership is $75 and gets you into the gardens year around with no admission or waiting in some dumb line.

It also saves you a bit of money if you go back in the spring for the tulips.

Let your Christmas tree sleep with the fishes

Think of it as the last Christmas present.

But for the fishes.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is again asking people to donate their used, live Christmas trees to the state’s waterways as they make excellent habitats for fish.

What you shouldn’t do, is burn the tree in your fireplace, said Tamara Walkingstick with the University of Arkansas Extension Service. Her advice was, “when it’s ready to come down, recycle it in your yard or pond.”

You can also put out your Christmas tree on the curb ““on your yard waste day” if you live in Maumelle or North Little Rock.

All decorations should be removed and unwanted lights, even those not working, can be taken to any Goodwill, where they will be recycled.

For more information in Maumelle, call 501-851-2888, while those in North Little Rock can call 371-8430.

The best, and certainly the funnest, is sinking that tree to the bottom of an Arkansas stream or river or lake.

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.”

So you can drop off the tree at the locations listed below or, if you fish, you can make your own spot by sinking a tree yourself with either cinder blocks or sandbags, that will deteriorate underwater but, by then, the tree will be waterlogged and will then stay sunk.

Again, the decorations should be removed before doing either option and this only applies to fresh trees as artificial trees won’t work as a fish habitat.

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
Lake Conway – Lawrence Landing 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
Jack Nolen – Boat Ramp Access at Fire Station
Sugar Loaf Lake – Boat Ramp Access

Auditions for Cinderella in January

The Argenta Community Theater is putting on a production of Cinderella next April and auditions for the show will be held in January.

The shows will open on April 19 and close on April 29. Those dates also include two, daytime productions for students.

Evening shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. and the matinee time is 2 p.m. Additional shows may be added as well.

The first audition is Saturday, Jan. 21 and will start at 1 p.m. while the second is the following day and will begin at 2 p.m. Both audition periods are set for three hours each.

The auditions will be held at the Argenta Community Theater’s ACT II (Sharon Heflin Performing Arts Education Center, at 315 Main St., in downtown North Little Rock. Rehearsals for Cinderella will begin in March. To schedule an audition, email casting@ArgentaCommunityTheater.org to male an appointment but walk-ins will also be accepted.

Vincent Insalaco will serve as director while Brian Earles will be the choreographer:

Characters needed for the show, along with an approximate age and vocal range, are:

Evil Stepmother (Madame) Female Lead Mature Mezzo-Soprano
Ella (Cinderella) Female Lead Young Adult Soprano
Portia (Grace) Female Supporting Young Adult Mezzo-Soprano
Joy Female Supporting Student Mezzo-Soprano
Prince Charming
(Topher, Christopher) Male Supporting Young Adult Baritone
Fairy Godmother (Marie) Female Supporting Mature Soprano
King Maximillian Male Featured Mature Baritone
Queen Constantina Female Featured Mature Mezzo-Soprano
Town Crier (Lord Pinkelton)* Male Featured Mature Tenor
Ensemble* Male/Female Featured All Ages All ranges
Ensemble* Male/Female Featured Starting Age 8

Note: Ensemble roles will include Herald, chef, steward, coachman, footman, guards, minister, ball guests, townspeople, horses, mice and children and ensemble actors will play multiple roles.

Sports

Basketball: Little Rock’s water-logged OVC debut

As debuts go, it is an inauspicious one.

After years in the Sun Belt Conference, Little Rock joined the Ohio Valley Conference this past summer and tonight, the Trojans are set to make their basketball debut in the new league.

The game is still on, it just won’t be on-campus in the Jack Stephens Center as last week’s cold snap froze the pipes and caused a massive water leak that flooded the floor.

So, now, the games against Tennessee-Martin will be played at North Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena with the women’s game tipping off at 5 p.m. and the men’s game to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Doors open at 4 p.m. and tickets will only be sold at the box office for $10. The games will not be broadcast on ESPN+ and season tickets will be honored. All seats are general admission.

Parking around the arena will be free.

Both games should be good ones.

UTM enters the games hot. The women’s team is 4-7 but that includes wins at Arkansas State and Vanderbilt. A game last week was cancelled due to the weather.

There's two Arkansans on the roster with 5-foot-10 guard Josie Storey out of Mountain View while 5-11 guard Kenley McCarn played at Melbourne.

Also back, for a sixth season, is Paige Pipkin, who played at Chester County High School in West Tennessee for her mom, Lee (Nunamaker) Pipkin, a long-time high school coach and former Union University player, who lost to Joe Foley's Arkansas Tech team in the 1993 NAIA National Championship game.

UTM is led by Kevin McMillan, who played collegiately at Wake Forest, and spent his entire career in West Tennessee as high school and now college coach.

Little Rock is 3-8 but has played a brutal schedule with losses to Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss, but have beaten Texas A&M.

Little Rock is 4-9 and the last game was a rough, 77-75, loss at Arkansas State. Keep an eye on guard D.J. Smith, a North Little Rock product, who was a pre-season all-conference pick by Lindy's College Basketball.

UTM (8-5) is coached by Ryan Ridder and the player to watch for the Skyhawks is Parker Stewart, the Lindy's pick as preseason Conference Player of the Year.

Basketball: Maumelle, CAC, North Little Rock play this week in tournaments across the state

A handful of teams are in action this week at tournaments around the state.

Centrral Arkansas Christian is in Jessieville this week for the Larry Ray Memorial. The Lady Mustangs face Caddo Hills and other teams in the field are: Jessieville, Mount Ida, Perryville, Cutter Morning Star, Bismarck and Danville.

Winner of the CAC game will face the winner of Jessieville-Mount Ida on Thursday.

Wednesday ... vs. White Hall at the Commercial Bank SouthEast Arkansas Holiday tournament... 3:20 p.m.
Thursday … at the Commercial Bank SouthEast Arkansas Holiday tournament... TBD
Friday … at the Commercial Bank SouthEast Arkansas Holiday tournament... TBD
Jan. 3 ... vs. eStem ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 10 ... vs. Parkview ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 13 ... at Jacksonville ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 20 ... at Mount St. Mary ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 24 ... at Little Rock Christian ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 27 ... vs. Vilonia ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 31 ... at eStem ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 2 ... vs. Sylvan Hills ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 7 ... at Parkview ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 10 ... vs. Jacksonville ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 17 ... vs. Mount St. Mary ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 21 ... vs. Little Rock Christian ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 24 ... at Beebe ... 6 p.m.

For the roster, click here.

The week that was: Maumelle did not play but will be in Monticello this week for a tournament.

Maumelle Lady Hornets Basketball @MHSLadyHornets

The Lady Hornets travel to Monticello over the holiday break to participate in a strong tournament in South Arkansas!

North Little Rock boys

Record so far: (9-2)

Upcoming games

Wednesday... Destiny Christian at the Coke Classic at Fort Smith … 2:30 p.m.
Thursday ... Coke Classic at Fort Smith
Friday ... Coke Classic at Fort Smith
Jan. 3 ... at Central ... 7 p.m.
Jan. 6 ... at Conway ... 7 p.m.
Jan. 10 ... vs. Little Rock Southwest ... 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 13 ... at Jonesboro ... 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 24 ... vs. Bryant ... 7 p.m.
Jan. 27 ... vs. Cabot ... 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 31 ... vs. Central ... 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 3 ... vs. Conway ... 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 7 ... at Little Rock Southwest ... 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 10 ... vs. Jonesboro ... 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 17 ... at Bryant ... 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 24 ... at Cabot ... 7:30 p.m.

For the roster, click here.

The week that was: North Little Rock will be in fort Smith this week for the Coke Classic.

FSPS Athletics & Activities @fsps_aa

IT'S ALMOST HERE! The infamous Coke Classic will be held on December 28-30th at Northside Arena! These events will be Digital Ticket events and tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/3hpiBqK. See Bracket for game times and tourney teams!

North Little Rock girls

Record so far: 13-1

Upcoming games

Today … Texas tournament … TBD
Friday … Texas tournament … TBD
Saturday … Texas tournament … TBD
Jan. 3 ... at Central ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 6 ... at Conway ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 10 ... vs. Little Rock Southwest ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 13 ... at Jonesboro ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 24 ... vs. Bryant ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 27 ... vs. Cabot ... 6 p.m.
Jan. 31 ... vs. Central ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 3 ... vs. Conway ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 7 ... at Little Rock Southwest ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 10 ... vs. Jonesboro ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 17 ... at Bryant ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 24 ... at Cabot ... 6 p.m.

For the roster, click here.

The week that was: North Little Rock did not play and are in Texas this week for a tournament. The ‘Cats won two games on Wednesday and play again on Thursday

Paid subscriptions make this newsletter possible

Subscribe if you like, pay if you can

Arkansas Newsroom

Discussion about this post