Winter storm watch
Maumelle Planning Commission to meet tonight; Election Calendar; AAA sets tournament sites 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!The Headlines
MEETINGS: The Maumelle Planning Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. tonight. For more on that, keep scrolling. The North Little Rock City Council will meet next Monday night at City Hall. Both meetings are open to the public and will be livestreamed on YouTube.
EVENTS: The Harlem Globetrotters are scheduled to be at North Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena this Saturday after hitting Jonesboro on Friday night, The key word there being scheduled as it is extremely likely the North Little Rock stop won’t happen because of the forecasted weather. But, if it does, the hoops will start at 3 p.m. and the Globetrotters are celebrating 100 years of basketball this tour. To buy tickets, click here. Tickets start at $33 and all seats are in the lower bowl. Also, Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday, so garbage and recycling will also run one-day delayed this week.
Maumelle Planning Commission to meet tonight
The Planning Commission for Maumelle will meet at 6:40 p.m. tonight at City Hall.
The agenda, in items, is a light one, as there’s only two new items of business.
For the agenda, click here.
But those items carry some weight with a side of controversy as one relates to an amendment to re-align Millwood Circle South, to connect with Odom Boulevard at Lake Valley Drive, then have Millwood Circle North “connect at a T. Also, to downgrade a section of Odom from Arterial to Collector.” A rendering of what has been proposed is pictured below.
The other item is a revised preliminary plat for the development plan at COuntry Club of Arkansas-15. The revised play will include “re-alignments of roadways, preliminary development plan and landscape plan for entire development.”
The meeting is open to the public and will also be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube Page.
Upcoming meeting dates
Today
Feb. 26
March 26
April 23
May 28
June 25
July 23
Aug. 27
Sept. 24
Oct. 22
Nov. 19
Dec. 17
Winter storm watch
The National Weather Service has declared a winter storm watch for most of Arkansas starting on Friday afternoon and continuing into Saturday night.
As for now, there’s still time to clean out the Kroger of all its bread, milk and eggs as you still have today and Friday morning to get some shopping in.
The NWS office in North Little Rock described the watch as, “a high impact winter weather event is expected … with heavy mixed precipitation possible. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches are expected over the central to northern portions of the state, with local amounts in excess of 8 to 10 inches possible. A mixture of snow and sleet accumulations between 1 to 3 inches is expected across the southern third of the state. Freezing rain accumulations of a quarter inch to half inch are possible over far southern Arkansas.”
But, wait, there’s more.
“In addition to the wintry precipitation, dangerous wind chill values of -5 to -10 degrees below zero are possible across north Arkansas on Saturday night into Sunday morning.”
So, deep arctic freeze conditions with heavy snow.
Just look at the impact map of the forecast, pictured below.
Here in the buckle of the Bible Belt, things could become icy, then dicey, as the NWS said.
“Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice,” the forecast said, “Travel could be nearly impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact travel on Friday evening.”
Or, just in time for the commute home.
As for now, the normal precautions are taking place as North Little Rock will have a warming center for those in need at the North Little Rock Community Center, 2700 N. Willow St. The city also put out a call for meals and hygiene products from civic groups and faith-based organizations. Call 501-553-2456 if you can help.
As of now, school is still scheduled but basketball games on Friday night are unlikely.
Eye on the Sky
Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 49, with a low around 29. A slight chance of rain after midnight, mixing with snow after 3 a.m. and the chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Friday: A chance of rain, snow, and sleet before 9 a.m, then a chance of snow and sleet. Cloudy, with a high near 36 and a low around. Gusty. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
Saturday: Snow before noon, then snow, possibly mixed with sleet. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 15 with a low around 11. Gusty, again. The chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of snow before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24 and a low around 6.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 30, with a low around 6.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.
Keep track of the forecast, which will change, by clicking here.
Election Calendar
Feb. 2: Last day to register to vote.
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
AAA sets tournament sites
As expected, the AAA set tournament sites for the rest of 2026 last week at a meeting in North Little Rock.
In addition, the AAA’s Weekend of Champions, better known as the state championship games in the spring sports, have moved from Conway and the University of Central Arkansas to Hot Springs.
Finals will be played at Hot Springs Lakeside High School and the city’s Majestic Park.
This move is good through 2028.
The Weekend of Champions will be held May 21-23.
Basketball
6A - Bryant
5A - Farmington
4A - Morrilton
3A - Osceola
2A - Poyen
1A - Lafayette County
Regionals
4A-1 - Prairie Grove
4A-2 - Stuttgart
4A-3 - Heber Springs
4A-4 - Nashville
3A-1 - Paris
3A-2 - Manila
3A-3 - Jessieville
3A-4 - Drew Central
2A-1 - Mountainburg
2A-2 - Sloan-Hendrix
2A-3 - White County Central
2A-4 - Hampton
1A-1 - Lead Hill
1A-2 - Hillcrest
1A-3 - Bradford
1A-4 - Emerson
Baseball
6A - Fayetteville
5A - Greene County Tech
4A - Nashville
3A - Bergman
2A - Palestine-Wheatley
1A - Scranton (University of the Ozarks)
Regionals
4A-1 - Gentry
4A-2 - Brookland
4A-3 - Pulaski Academy
4A-4 - Crossett
3A-1 - (No Bid)
3A-2 - Valley Springs
3A-3 - Perryville
3A-4 - Bismarck
2A-1 - Cotter
2A-2 - Riverside
2A-3 - Carlisle
2A-4 - Murfreesboro
1A-1 - Mulberry
1A-2 - Marked Tree
1A-3 - Midland
1A-4 - Columbia Christian
Soccer
6A - Hendrix College (girls), Conway (boys)
5A - Searcy
4A - Green Forest
3A - Conway Christian
Softball
6A - Springdale
5A - Greene County Tech
4A - Nashville
3A - Bergman
2A - Palestine-Wheatley
1A - Scranton (University of the Ozarks)
Regionals
4A-1 - Gentry
4A-2 - Brookland
4A-3 - Clinton
4A-4 - Crossett
3A-1 - (No Bid)
3A-2 - Valley Springs
3A-3 - Perryville
3A-4 - Bismarck
2A-1 - Cotter
2A-2 - Riverside
2A-3 - Carlisle
2A-4 - Murfreesboro
1A-1 - Mulberry
1A-2 - Marked Tree
1A-3 - Midland
1A-4 - Columbia Christian
Track & Field
6A - Jonesboro
5A - Van Buren
4A - Clarksville
3A - Ashdown
2A - Quitman
1A - Mineral Springs
Decathlon/Heptathlon - Springdale
Meet of Champions - Russellville
Sports
Basketball schedules
Maumelle Charter
Boys
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... Pangburn ... 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Harding Academy ... 8 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... vs ... Episcopal ... 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... vs ... Lisa Academy North ... 8 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Rose Bud ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... St. Joseph ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... Pangburn ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Harding Academy ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... vs ... Episcopal ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Rose Bud ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... St. Joseph ... 7 p.m.
Maumelle
Boys
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... Vilonia ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Catholic ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... at ... Beebe ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... at ... Parkview ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Jacksonville ... 7 p.m.
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, Jan. 23 ... at ... Vilonia ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Mount St. Mary Academy ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... vs ... Beebe ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... at ... Parkview ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Jacksonville ... 6 p.m.
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, Jan. 27 ... at ... Heber Springs ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... at ... Lisa Academy West ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... at ... Morrilton ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... at ... Robinson ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 20 ... vs ... Heber Springs ... 7 p.m.
Girls
Friday, Jan. 23 ... at ... White County Central ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Quitman ... 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 29 ... at ... South Side ... 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 2 ... vs ... Mt. Vernon-Enola ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... vs ... Bigelow ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Conway Christian ... 5 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ... vs ... Robinson ... 5 p.m.
North Little Rock
Boys
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Bryant ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... at ... Cabot ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... at ... Central ... 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Conway ... 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Little Rock Southwest ... 7 p.m.
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
Tuesday, Jan. 27 ... at ... Bryant ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ... at ... Cabot ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 ... at ... Central ... 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 6 ... at ... Conway ... 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 ... vs ... Little Rock Southwest ... 6 p.m.
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



