Whataburger coming to Maumelle

Maumelle City Council report; CAC's Bryant signs to play college basketball, Education news and notes plus headlines and sports

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Feb 09, 2023

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Last week, it was 65, and the week before that it was 34.

The total number of dead Arkansans is now at 12,904.

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The Headlines

Upcoming meetings: The North Little Rock City Council will meet next Monday night.
Upcoming events: Valentine’s Day is Tuesday and plan accordingly. There’s still time to order flowers and we recommend Frances Flower Shop in Little Rock. They’ve been excellent over the years for those times flowers are needed. Plus, they deliver! Click here to order.
ICYMI: Commercial Real Estate Council elects new board, officers

Maumelle: City Council Report

CHAD GARDNER

Council approves 2020 audit; Previously approved wedding venue and event center moves forward with modifications; Annexation request for 46 acres along White Oak Crossing and Short Marche Road

To begin this week’s meeting, the council had a presentation from our auditing firm regarding our 2020 financial audit. This audit was accepted and brings the city back into compliance with timely reporting of our financial audits. Municipalities have a year and a half to finalize their audits after the end of the fiscal year. While the 2020 audit was overdue, our finance department has worked tirelessly to improve processes that makes our reporting functions more automated. The 2021 audit is already underway with much of the work completed so I expect that report to be given soon. Following that, the 2022 audit will begin and be completed later this year.

In new business, the council appointed two individuals to serve on the Maumelle Planning Commission. Hall Ramsey currently serves, and he applied for a new term and was approved. Tracy Gill put forward his name to serve on the commission and he was appointed to his first term on the Planning Commission. Thanks to Mr. Ramsey for his years of service so far and his willingness to continue in this role. I look forward to Mr. Gill joining the commission and lending his knowledge and experience to help Maumelle.

Next in new business, the council unanimously approved a conditional use permit and development plan for an event center that is going to be located on the site of the old water treatment plant. This site is directly behind the clubhouse of Maumelle Country Club. This project had been previously approved by a unanimous vote of the council back in early 2022. It came back for another approval since the ownership structure changed which required a new conditional use permit in the name of the new entity that will own the center. Additionally, they were requesting to change the design of the building and move it further back on the property. The size of the building also increased by 4,000 sq ft, but this is mostly due to a basement that will be constructed for storage. The overall footprint of the building is not much bigger than what was previously approved in 2022.

An annexation request for land to be incorporated into the city was submitted by Ascent Development. This land totals roughly 46 acres and is to the north of White Oak Crossing and to the west of Short Marche Road. Most of this land will be zoned as floodway and open space in White Oak Bayou. By annexing this land into the city, we’ll be protecting that acreage and the trees from being harvested so it can remain natural. There is a very small portion of the acreage on the north-east corner that touches Short Marche which will be zoned residential.

For the last item of new business, the council approved a preliminary development plan for Cypress Bend, a new neighborhood located along White Oak Crossing. This development will consist of smaller homes with a lower price point that can serve as starter homes for young families or those who want a smaller home. In Maumelle, this is a needed housing option since we have very few new neighborhoods that offer homes in this size or price range. To have a growing, vibrant city, we need to offer housing options that appeal to a variety of current and future residents. This option will help fill the need for smaller homes. The land in front of this neighborhood, directly along White Oak Crossing, will be commercial and allow for future business development in our city.

Note, Maumelle city offices and city services will be closed on Monday, Feb. 20 for President’s Day. Due to this, the next council meeting will be held the following Tuesday, Feb. 21.

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Thanks, Chad 501-529-1336, chad4maumelle@gmail.com

Whataburger coming to Maumelle

Whataburger, the Texas fast food chain, has applied for a plumbing permit to open a location in Maumelle.

The permit’s location is at 13401 Crystal Hill Road and is near the Hampton Inn on Maumelle Boulevard.

The plumbing permit was applied for on Feb. 2 and there’s no timeline available yet on construction. However, theArkansas Times reported a groundbreaking is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 20.

This would be the second Whataburger location in central Arkansas, with a restaurant under construction on Chenal Parkway in west Little Rock and near the Costco.

Whataburger is iconic in Texas and has amped up its expansion into a rather crowded cheeseburger market in Arkansas. There’s long been a restaurant in Texarkana and in the past decade, a total of four locations had opened in northwest Arkansas.

The company lists three more locations in Arkansas on its website in Fort Smith, El Dorado and Magnolia, but the Little Rock location, since it isn’t open, isn’t listed. Neither is the location coming to Maumelle, since, you know, ground hasn’t been broken.

There’s also plans for a location in Benton but ground hasn’t been broken on that location either.

A plumbing permit was also submitted nearby on Jan. 23 for a restaurant, called "The Riverside" and is located at 11925 Crystal Hill Road. Details on it have to be released.

Maumelle students selected for all-region band

A number of Pulaski County Special School District students were recently selected to the Senior High All-Region Band.

Maumelle students honored include:

Ainsley Atchinson, Flute, 1st Band, 1st Chair
Blake Bennett, Tenor Saxophone, 2nd Band, 2nd Chair
Daniel Csege, Trombone, 1st Band, 2nd Chair
Christian Ford, Clarinet, 1st Band, 17th Chair
Eric Frank, Percussion, 1st Band, 2nd Chair
Josh Fredenbrugh, Trumpet, 1st Band, 3rd Chair
Evan Gassaway, Alto Saxophone, 1st Band, 1st Chair
Sam Gassaway, Bass Trombone, 1st Band, 1st Chair
Ruanda Gomez-Tello, Clarinet, 1st Band, 12th Chair
Lauren Juhl, Clarinet, 2nd Band, 17th Chair
Brandon Martin, Euphonium, 1st Band, 3rd Chair
Braeden Morris, Clarinet, 1st Band, 3rd Chair
Myron Nix, Trombone, 1st Band, 7th Chair
Josh Page, Percussion, 1st Band,8th Chair
Andrew Pittman, Trumpet, 1st Band, 2nd Chair
Reece Rodtnick, Percussion, 2nd Band, 6th Chair
Cambria Tedrow, Alto Saxophone, 1st Band, 6th Chair
Tessa Turner, Clarinet, 2nd Band, 25th Chair

The following students have qualified for All-State: Ainsley Atchinson, Keaton Brasfield, Parker Brasfield, David Clark, Daniel Csege, Eric Frank, Kennedy Fraser, Josh Fredenburgh, Tyler Frost, Evan Gassaway, Sam Gassaway, Ruanda Gomez-Tello, Abigail Henson, Ronan Kordsmeier, Brandon Martin, Faith Maynard, Madelyn McTight, Braeden Morris, Myron Nix, Josh Page, Andrew Pittman, Annabelle Ridlon, Kenzie Stephens, Meredith Stoops, Kate Taylor, and Cambria Tedrow.

Education news and notes

Mississippi State University's fall 2022 graduates

Nearly 1,500 students are on the fall 2022 Graduation List at Mississippi State University.

North of the River graduates include:

Emmanuel Ejeh of Maumelle, receiving a Master of Science from MSU's College of Education.
Kannon Moore of North Little Rock, receiving a Bachelor of Science from MSU's College of Education.

Fall 2022 President's List: Mississippi State University congratulates 4,174 students who were named to the fall 2022 President's List. Students on the President's List achieved a 3.80 or better grade-point average, based on a 4.0 scale, while completing at least 12 semester hours of coursework with no incomplete grades or grades lower than a C.

Kannon Moore, of North Little Rock
Rachel Green, of North Little Rock
Addie Coleman, of Sherwood
Rachel Kerley, of Maumelle
Claire Green, of North Little Rock

Mississippi State University is in Starkville.

Toney named to Avila University Fall 2022 Dean's List

Monte Toney of North Little Rock earned dean's list distinction for the Fall 2022 semester, one of more than 330 undergraduate students to be recognized.

The dean's list comprises undergraduate students who meet requirements in the Colleges of Arts and Science and Professional Schools.

All full-time admitted undergraduate students are eligible for the dean's list. To be included on the dean's list, students must have successfully completed at least 12 credit hours with at least a 3.5-grade point average for the semester.

Avila University, a Catholic University founded and inspired by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, is in Kansas City.

UA Little Rock honors Fall 2022 graduates

Sports

CAC’s Bryant signs with Washington and Lee

At Central Arkansas Christian, senior girls basketball player Riley Bryant signed on Feb. 3 to play at Washington and Lee in Virginia.

CAC Athletics @CACAthletics

🏀It’s official — @CACLadyMustangs Senior @rileybryant35 is headed to Washington and Lee University to play basketball, and the whole secondary campus got to celebrate her signing day today!🏀@rileybryant35

A 5-foot-11 guard and forward, Bryant is currently CAC’s leading scorer and also has a 4.1 grade point average. She’s the daughter of Larry and Kathy Bryant.

All-Star rosters announced

The rosters for this year’s Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star games were recently announced for football, volleyball, cheer and dance.

North of the River students named as All-Stars include:

Amaya Kindle, North Little Rock, East All-Star Cheer
Robert Burgess, North Little Rock High School, East All-Star football

The rosters are made up of eligible players as selected by the coaches. The remaining rosters that have not been announced will be released once those decisions are made at the conclusion of each season.

The 2023 All-Star games will be on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway on June 23 and June 24.

To view the All-Star rosters, click here. The tabs at the bottom are for volleyball, football, cheer and dance.

Basketball: CAC looking at perfect conference record

After some ice storm delays, high school basketball North of the River is back on track.

Maumelle Charter and Central Arkansas Christian wrap up their regular seasons this week with Maumelle Charter traveling to Atkins and Perryville today and Friday, while CAC hosts Baptist Prep tonight.

Friday ... vs. Jonesboro ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 17 ... at Bryant ... 6 p.m.
Feb. 21 … vs. Little Rock Central 6 p.m.
Feb. 24 ... at Cabot ... 6 p.m.

For the roster, click here.

The week that was: North Little Rock beat Little Rock Southwest on Tuesday night.

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