The Sun's a desperate star
The Total Solar Eclipse is almost here; The Travs return to North Little Rock for Opening Night on Friday; Fidelity accepting fund applications plus headlines
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Pandemic deaths jump
The state Department of Health, in its March 23 weekly report, showed 18 new Covid deaths. and added five deaths to the 2023 count The virus has killed 13,712 Arkansans since the pandemic began 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
The Headlines
Meetings: The North Little Rock School Board will have a special call meeting at 5:30 p.m. tonight. The North Little Rock City Council meeting has been pushed back to Tuesday, April 9 on account of the total solar eclipse on Monday.
Events: Total Solar Eclipse weekend and the Travs are back. So a pretty good weekend as these things go.
Eye on the Sky
Today: Sunny, with a high near 65, with a low around 39.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 68, with a low around 45. East wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71, with a low around 57.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 76, with a low around 52.
Monday: (Total Eclipse Day) Mostly sunny, with a high near 78 but a 50 percent chance of showers that night.
Cloudy, with a chance of tears
After much hype, buildup and wildly set high expectations of a million plus tourists, the total solar eclipse on Monday is almost here.
And so’s the chance for lousy weather, or, maybe not. The weather forecast is more elastic than Stretch Armstrong.
On one hand, the more pessimistic one, the National Weather Service office in North Little Rock, is calling for rain and clouds on Monday. On the other hand, the more optimistic one, the forecast is for the bad weather to be here Monday evening.
Which means it would miss the eclipse.
So belly up to the bar, arch your back and remember, the sun’s a desperate star, that burns like every single one before.
Readers’ plans
ArkansasNewsroom.com called for what readers had planned for the eclipse and they seem to be split in three categories:
Nothing!
Go the thing the chamber is doing.
Entertaining out-of-state travelers who wanted to take in the show.
Monday’s timeline
Start of partial eclipse: 12:34 p.m.
Start of total eclipse: 1:51 p.m.
Maximum eclipse: 1:52 p.m.
End of total eclipse: 1:54 p.m.
End of partial eclipse: 3:12 p.m.
Cool stuff to do
Ya gotta eat that day, right?
And if you’re planning a lunch, boy does Cypress Social have a deal going. They’re selling picnic box lunches and box charcuteries in advance of the total solar eclipse that could be picked on Monday before the show.
Lunch starts at a reasonable $12 and it is Cypress Social, so you know it will be good.
Click here for more or to order. You can also call 501-916-2670 to order by phone. All orders must be placed by 4 p.m. on Friday and pickup is between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Monday. They’ll also include some eclipse glasses.
This is opening weekend for the Arkansas Travs and they’ll be having Total Eclipse of the Park on Monday. For Saturday’s and Sunday’s games, the first 1,000 through the gate at Dickey-Stephens Park will get travs-themed eclipse glasses.
Then on Monday, the park will be open for the eclipse and admission is free. The concession stands will be open, assuming you didn’t get your lunch from Cypress Social, and for more, click here.
Eclipse rundown
Blackout on the Boulevard is here
As Monday’s total solar eclipse is almost here, plans are set for area activities and watch parties both North of the River and across the state as most of Arkansas will experience at least a partial eclipse.
Among those is the city of Maumelle and the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce joining forces for a four-day dubbed “Blackout on the Boulevard” that will start Friday, April 5 and conclude on Monday, April 8, or shortly after the totality moves past and on to northeast Arkansas.
All four days will be held at Lake Willastein and will feature live music, other entertainment, and, of course, a total solar eclipse.
There will also be carnival rides and food trucks. Hot air balloon rides will also be available and a beer garden for adults.
For more, go to www.maumellechamber.com.
North Little Rock will have a three-day Moon Block Party at Argenta Plaza starting on Saturday, and there will be viewing parties, with some admission costs, at Burns Park and also on the USS Razorback, the World War II submarine floating in the Arkansas River.
The Boys are back
The Arkansas Travelers will have Opening Night this Friday at North Little Rock’s Dickey-Stephens Park.
The Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, the Travs and the Texas League will again be on the six-day game schedule, with Monday’s being off or for travel, this season.
There’s a couple of notable exceptions and opening weekend is one of them as the Travs will play a three-game homestand against Springfield.
Cole Young is the Mariners No. 1 prospect and will start the season on Friday in North Little Rock.
A former first-round pick, Young, above, plays shortstop and will turn 21 this season.
So, he’s young and there’s a good chance he’ll be around for most of the season.
Harry Ford, a catcher, is the No. 2 prospect and he’ll also start the season with the Travs.
To check out the other top prospects, click here.
Upcoming games
Opponent – Springfield Cardinals
Friday, 7:05 p.m.
Opening Night
Fireworks Friday - Classic Rock, Presented By Baptist Health
Magnet Schedule Giveaway, Presented By Jacksonville Parks & Recreation | First 1,000 Fans (one item per person)
Saturday, 6:05 p.m.
Total Eclipse of the Park & Jersey Auction
Game Highlight: Kids Run the Bases, Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same base paths the Travs run after the game!
Eclipse Glasses Giveaway, Presented By Snapple Elements | First 1,000 Fans (one item per person)
Magnet Schedule Giveaway, Presented By Jacksonville Parks & Recreation | First 1,000 Fans (one item per person)
Sunday, 1:35 p.m.
Total Eclipse of the Park & Jersey Auction
Game Highlight: Kids Run the Bases, Kids 13 and under are invited to run the same base paths the Travs run after the game!
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
Ticket Offer: Family Sunday: Get $2 General Admission tickets by presenting a physical or digital church bulletin (only available at DSP Box Office)
Eclipse Glasses Giveaway, Presented By Snapple Elements | First 1,000 Fans (one item per person)
Magnet Schedule Giveaway, Presented By Jacksonville Parks & Recreation | First 1,000 Fans (one item per person)
Fidelity accepting fund applications
Fidelity Communications began accepting spring 2024 applications on Monday, April 1, for the company’s Charitable Giving Fund, which annually awards $250,000 in grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Applications will be accepted through April 30.
Charitable Giving Fund grants will be made available across communities served by Fidelity and the other Cable One family of brands (Sparklight, Hargray and ValuNet Fiber) and will concentrate support in the following priority areas:
Education and Digital Literacy
Hunger Relief and Food Insecurity
Community Development
Last year, the company awarded grants to more than 50 nonprofits, including organizations devoted to the above priority areas as well as teen suicide prevention, homelessness resources, poverty disruption, child advocacy and more.
“We are honored to support nonprofit organizations helping those most in need in the communities we serve,” said Julie Laulis, Cable One President and CEO. “Being a strong local partner is central to our values and we are proud to help make a positive difference where we live and work.”
The Charitable Giving Fund is an extension of the company’s existing corporate social responsibility efforts, which include:
Supporting national organizations dedicated to advancing education and diversity, including the Emma Bowen Foundation and the National Diversity Council.
Supporting the mission of Special Olympics, which provides year-round sports training and athletic competition, as well as health, arts, leadership, and advocacy programs for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Planting trees through the Arbor Day Foundation on behalf of customers who switch to paperless billing. Since 2015, the company has planted 140,000 trees in its markets and national forests within the company’s footprint.
Supporting the mission of Keep America Beautiful in cleaning up and beautifying communities across the U.S.
Fighting hunger in local communities through volunteerism and donations, as well as supporting organizations such as Feed My Starving Children. Since 2018, Cable One has donated more than 51 tons of food and nearly $500,000 to address food insecurity.
For more information about the Fidelity Charitable Giving Fund, visit www.fidelitycommunications.com/charitablegiving.
Camp Healing Hearts set for May 17
Methodist Family Health’s Kaleidoscope Grief Center is currently accepting applications to attend its free overnight grief camp, Camp Healing Hearts.
It will be held at Camp Aldersgate in Little Rock and will start at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 17 and conclude the next day.
The camp is available to any Arkansas family who has experienced a death in the last three to six months.
Grief can be a terrible thing and the camp is designed to help those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It is for children from 5 to 18 and an adult caregiver is also required to attend with the child.
There’s 100 spaces available and to apply for the free camp, go to MethodistFamily.org/Camp-Healing-Hearts and complete the form online.
Application deadline is Sunday, May 5.
For more information, call Dao Ward at 501-537-3991 or toll-free at 800-756-3709.