Town Hall meetings continue on sales tax extension
Maumelle Charter High School earns AP School Honor Roll Platinum designation; States of the City; Sparklight brings multi-gig internet to Maumelle plus sports and headlines
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MEETINGS: A special call meeting of the North Little Rock School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the district’s administration building. The Maumelle City Council will meet next Tuesday night at City Hall. Pushed back until Tuesday due to the Presidents Day holiday on Monday. Both meetings will be livestreamed on YouTube and the public is welcome at both. There’s several upcoming meetings for the sales tax extension in Maumelle and for more, keep scrolling.
EVENTS: Valentine’s Day is this Saturday and while you should have already ordered those flowers, there’s still time! probably order those flowers now. There’s no time like the present. As always Frances Flower Shop is our preferred florist at ArkansasNewsrooom.com HQ, mostly because they deliver most anywhere in Pulaski County. That’s also a non-sponsored recommendation. We just like ‘em. Click the graphic below for more. Next Monday is Presidents Day and the various government offices will be closed for the holiday. Trash and recycling will also run-one day delayed next week as well.
States of the City
Or should that be the state of the cities? Anyway, the North Little Rock State of the City can be viewed by clicking the thumbnail below.
The Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce and the city of Maumelle will be having an event at the Maumelle Country Club on Monday, Feb. 23 and the State of the City will be delivered by Mayor Caleb Norris.
The event is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. and last until 7 p.m.
Presenting sponsors are: Alessi Keyes Construction, First Service Bank, Holloway Engineering, Surveying & Civil Design, Maumelle Country Club, MidArk Insurance Group- Waylon Biggs Agency and The City of Maumelle.
For more, click the flyer below or here to register.
Maumelle Charter High School earns AP School Honor Roll Platinum designation
Maumelle Charter High School has been named to the College Board’s 2025 Advanced Placement School Honor Roll, earning a Platinum distinction.
The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools that expand student access to Advanced Placement coursework while maintaining strong performance. Schools qualify annually based on criteria tied to college readiness, participation, and exam results.
According to the College Board, 100% of Maumelle Charter seniors took at least one AP exam during high school. Fifty-nine percent earned a score of 3 or higher on at least one exam, and 22% completed five or more AP exams.
“Our AP pass rate has quadrupled over the past four years,” said MCHS Principal Katie Johnson. “Fifty-nine percent of students in grades 9–12 earned college credit through AP exams. We also had 56 AP Scholars, and eight students earned AP Capstone diplomas. This success reflects the hard work of our students, teachers, and staff.”
Maumelle Charter High School offers 20 AP courses taught by 17 AP-certified teachers, along with 13 Pre-AP courses and AP Capstone Diploma certification.
Maumelle Charter High School is a public charter school serving grades 8–12 as part of the Academics Plus Public Charter Schools system, which includes four campuses serving nearly 2,000 students statewide. The school consistently ranks in the top 30% of Arkansas high schools and maintains a graduation rate above the state average.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program allows high school students to take college-level courses and earn college credit or advanced placement based on exam performance.
Town Hall meetings continue on sales tax extension
On Tuesday night, the second of several town halls and information sessions on the proposed ½ cent sales extension in the city of Maumelle.
This meeting covered Questions 1, 4 and 5.
Question 1 is, of course, the one that will retire the current bond debt that would then allow for new bonds to be issued.
If Question 1 fails, then the current debt of a little more than $3 million would still be on the books and the 1/2 cent sales tax would be collected until it was paid off.
If Question 1 passes, then the current 1/2 cent sales tax would continue and the amount of bond debt that would be financed would depend on how many of the remaining questions pass and if all do, that would be $34.26 million but potentially less if some questions don’t pass.
Questions 4 and 5 are both related to public safety with the first being for a public safety training facility while the second would be for improvements to the city’s fire station.
The facility would be $5.19 million, while the improvements is the single largest bond issue proposed at $8.45 million.
The meeting was livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel and can be viewed by clicking the link below.
Early voting begins next Tuesday, Feb. 17, and Election Day will be held Tuesday, March 3.
Proposed bond issue
Total: $34.26 million
Question 1: Refunding 2018 bonds - $3.05M
Question 2: Street improvements - $3.86M
Question 3: Center on the Lake/Indoor pool - $5.39M
Question 4: Public Safety Training facility - $5.19M
Question 5: Fire station improvements - $8.45M
Question 6: Lake Valencia improvements - $3.22M
Question 7: Field turf for Parks & Rec - $5.1M
How much money?
The city’s ½ cent sales tax brings in approximately $1.8 million annually and if the all seven questions were to pass, it would take about 20 years to pay off.
Upcoming meetings
Today, 8:15 a.m. at Cheers in Maumelle, Coffee with the Mayor
Tuesday, Feb. 10: 6 p.m. at Maumelle Charter Middle School | Public Meeting to discuss Bond Questions 1, 4 and 5
Thursday, Feb. 12: 8:30 a.m. Coffee Talk with the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce. Click here to register for this chamber eventPre-registration is required and click here to do that.
Tuesday, Feb. 24: 6 p.m. at Maumelle Charter Middle Schooln | Public Meeting to discuss Bond Questions 1, 2 and 3
Civic Group discussions are also planned for the Maumelle Rotary Club, Maumelle Industrial Roundtable, Maumelle Fraternal Order of Police, Maumelle Fire Fighters Association, Maumelle Community Partners and the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce Board
The first coffee will be at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5 and be at Cheers in Maumelle while the second will be at the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce and start at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 12.
Election Calendar
Early Voting Dates: Feb. 17 through March 2
Early Voting Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday – Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m to -5 p.m. on Monday March 2.
March 3: Preferential Primary Election/Annual School Election/Nonpartisan Judicial General Election
If a runoff is needed in the primary, it will be March 31
Early Voting Locations
Pulaski County Regional Building, 501 West Markham, Little Rock
Sue Cowan Williams Library, 1800 S. Chester St.
Dee Brown Library, 6325 Baseline Road, Little Rock
Thompson Library, 38 Rahling Circle, Little Rock
William F Laman Public Library, 2801 Orange St., NorthLittle Rock
Jacksonville Community Center, 5 Municipal Drive, Jacksonville
Jess Odom Community Center, 1100 Edgewood Drive, Maumelle
First Christian Church of Sherwood, 2803 E. Kiehl Ave., Sherwood
McMath Library, 2100 John Barrow Road, Little Rock
Hillary Clinton Children’s Library, 4800 W. 10th St., Little Rock
John Gould Fletcher Library, 823 N. Buchanan St., Little Rock
Terry Library, 2015 Napa Valley Drive, Little Rock
Casino Night is Feb. 19
The Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce’s Casino Night has been rescheduled and will now be next Thursday, Feb. 19, and will start at 6 p.m. It will still be at the Maumelle Event Center and to register click here. Also check out the flyer below for more information.
Sparklight brings multi-gig internet to Maumelle, north Pulaski County
Fiber-fueled internet provider Sparklight is bringing enhanced speeds, capacity and reliability to Maumelle and North Little Rock with the launch of its new Multi-Gig internet service.
As streaming, gaming, remote work and smart home technology place greater demands on home networks, reliable high-capacity internet is essential. Sparklight’s Multi-Gig internet is built to keep entire households connected seamlessly, delivering ultra-fast internet speeds up to 2 Gig along with low latency to enhance real-time applications.
“Sparklight’s Multi-Gig internet is built to support everything today’s households do online,” said Kenny Walker, Sparklight Senior Regional Director, South Central. “As a longstanding part of the Maumelle area, we’re elevating our network’s performance so customers can work, learn, stream and connect without limits.”
Customers can further enhance their in-home experience with Sparklight’s intelligent Wi-Fi powered by eero, a whole-home mesh Wi-Fi solution designed to deliver fast, reliable wireless coverage with fewer dead zones. Easy setup and intuitive controls through the eero app allow customers to manage their network with confidence, including device monitoring, network diagnostics, secure guest access and parental controls.
Sparklight’s ongoing infrastructure investment in the Maumelle area underscores its long-term commitment to strengthening the network residents and businesses rely on every day. Over the past three years, Sparklight has invested more than $1 billion in network upgrades across the communities it serves. These enhancements expand network capacity, add additional redundancy and ensure readiness for the next generation of technology — from immersive entertainment to advanced telehealth and evolving smart home innovations.
For more, visit http://www.sparklight.com/internet/2-gig. and www.sparklight.com/wifi.
Sparklight to award $30,000 for STEM education
Sparklight®, a leading fiber-fueled internet provider, is launching its 2026 “Dream Bigger” contest, awarding $30,000 to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for K–12 students. Twelve winning schools or organizations will receive $2,500 each.
Through the annual contest, Sparklight aims to help educators bring hands-on STEM experiences into classrooms and learning environments, equipping K–12 students with skills that spark curiosity, problem-solving and new ideas.
K–12 schools and organizations located in communities Sparklight serves are eligible to enter. Applicants are asked to submit a photo and a written summary explaining how the award will be used to support a STEM project — such as classroom equipment, robotics or science competitions, curriculum development or other materials — and how the project will benefit students.
Entries for the 2026 contest will be accepted from Feb. 17 through March 10 at sparklight.com/contest. Finalists will be selected by Sparklight, and the 12 winners will be chosen through public voting from March 12 through March 18 at sparklight.com/contest.
Smart Driver class set
An AARP Smart Driver Class will be held at Maumelle Center on the Lake on March 10 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
It is open to AARP members & non-member, $20 for members, $25 for non-members, cash or check only. Some insurance companies will give a discount with completion of the class – check with your insurance agent. To register, call or text Ellie Wilson 501-247-5935.
Boozman meets with Special Olympics athletes
In Washington, D.C., U.S. Sen. John Boozman recently met with Special Olympics Arkansas athletes Daniella Davis and Jordan Jackson, both of Forrest City. Their mentor Julie Brown, also of Forrest and Special Olympics Arkansas CEO Terri Weir, of Maumelle. They were joined in Washington by Cassandra Ryan from Special Olympics for Special Olympics Capitol Hill Day.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet with these athletes, mentors and leaders from Special Olympics Arkansas,” Boozman said. “They embody the important mission to promote athletic achievement, build confidence and create bonds that produce life-long memories. We are incredibly proud of Daniella and Jordan and wish them well in competition and beyond.”
Sports
Basketball scoreboard
Compiled by Collin Scott
Maumelle Charter
Boys
Tuesday, Jan. 6: Episcopal 73 Maumelle 50
Friday, Jan. 9: Maumelle 65 Lisa Academy North 55
Tuesday, Jan. 13 : Rose Bud 72 Maumelle 39
Girls
Tuesday, Jan. 6: Episcopal 58 Maumelle 21
Tuesday, Jan. 13: Rose Bud 56 Maumelle 33
Maumelle
Boys
Friday, Jan. 2: Maumelle 75 Morrilton 85
Tuesday, Jan. 6: Maumelle 66 Jacksonville 46
Tuesday, Jan. 13: Sylvan Hills 66 Maumelle 65
Girls
Friday, Jan. 2: Maumelle 42 Morrilton 37
Tuesday, Jan. 6: Maumelle 51 Jacksonville 35
Tuesday, Jan. 13: Sylvan Hills 42 Maumelle 39
Basketball schedules
Maumelle Charter
Boys
District tournament
Girls
District tournament
Maumelle
Boys
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Sylvan Hills ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 ... vs ... Greenbrier ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... at ... Little Rock Christian Academy ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Vilonia ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 27 ... vs ... Catholic ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Sylvan Hills ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17 ... vs ... Greenbrier ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... at ... Little Rock Christian Academy ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Vilonia ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 27 ... vs ... Mount St. Mary Academy ... 6 p.m.
CAC
Boys
Tuesday, Feb. 10: Morrilton 60, CAC 47 | The Mustangs fell short to Morrilton with the final score of 60-47, making their record 12-7. There are few things that need to be cleaned up on both defense and offense. They are still set up to finish strong as they look forward to making the playoffs.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Robinson ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... vs ... Heber Springs ... 7 p.m.
District tournament
Girls
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Robinson ... 5 p.m.
District tournament
North Little Rock
Boys
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Jonesboro ... 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Bryant ... 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 26 ... vs ... Cabot ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Jonesboro ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 24 ... vs ... Bryant ... 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 26 ... vs ... Cabot ... 6 p.m.
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