Arkansas Times - July 3, 2014

NEWS + POLITICS + ENTERTAINMENT + FOOD / JULY 3, 2014 / ARKTIMES.COM

Jerry O’Neil Requested salary be paid in gold and silver.

Dan Clevenger ‘Kind of agrees’ with racism.

THE WORST POLITICIANS IN AMERICA

John McGee Stole an SUV, crashed it in a neighbor’s yard.

Scott DesJarlais Pro-life Repub pressured a mistress into having an abortion.

Jase Bolger Tried to rig the election in Michigan’s 76th House District.

Jim Gooch Believes global warming is a hoax.

John Ludlow Said Boston Marathon bombing was probably work of ‘a damn A-rab’

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Brett Hulsey Flipped off a 9-year-old boy.

Paul Broun Compared Obama to Hitler.

Ron Calderon Took $88,000 in bribes from an undercover FBI agent.

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COMMENT

Reaganomics and climate change At long last the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finally decided what it wants to do about the carbon issue! The EPA has successfully regulated emissions of mercury and sulfur dioxide, but never before has it regulated carbon dioxide, and we’ve known about its greenhouse effects for over 30 years. Coal-fired power plants are the greatest polluters, and Arkansas has several of them.

The EPA and Obama administration hope to reduce carbon emissions nationwide to 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. What’s taken them, or previous administrations, so long? Maybe it was necessary to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that the Clean Air Act gave the EPA the authority to regulate carbon emissions, but they did that in 2007. So maybe it was necessary to wait for the recent climate change reports to conclude that we have only a 15-year window before it’s too late to prevent the global average temperature from rising beyond 2 degrees centigrade.

My explanation for our procrastination and unwillingness to act has been the success of the Lewis Powell Memorandum of 1971 and the Reagan Revolution of the 1980s. Powell laid out the mapwork that was needed to re-educate the voters so that they would vote against their own best interests. In the affable Ronald Reagan, the plutocracy (the upper 1 percent or upper .1 percent) found a spokesman who could change the public’s opinion about them: Instead of their being “robber barons,” they would become “job creators.” The result has not only been devastating for our middle class and our national infrastructure but also for our environment.

Reagan persuaded a large number of voters that the restoration of the plutocracy and a New Gilded Age would solve all our problems. All we had to do was “return to normalcy” — return to the Gilded Age that existed between the end of Reconstruction in 1877 and the beginning of the Progressive Era in 1901. Get rid of those pesky union workers who expect fair wages and benefits and safe working conditions; get rid of those costly safety regulations on products like food, toys and automobiles; get rid of those progressive income tax rates in which the wealthy pay a higher percentage than those with lower incomes; and get rid of those absurd environmental regulations that cut into profits for ridiculous reasons like clean air, clean water and better health.

Reagan reminded voters that it was the inventors and industrialists who had made America great. Every American could become a millionaire like railroad builder Cornelius Vanderbilt, financier J.P. Mor4

JULY 3, 2014

ARKANSAS TIMES

gan, steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, and oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller. (In the mid1800s, English essayist Thomas Carlyle called people like them the “captains of industry.”) All we had to do was get our constitutional government out of the way.

Let developers once again have unlimited access to natural resources and labor with no regulations. Let’s return to laissez-faire economics where the government gives support to Big Business, keeps its hands off the economy’s ups and downs, and lets the buyers beware.

It’s important to remember that the corporate welfare system of the Gilded Age

led to such a wide income gap between the plutocracy and everyone else and created such unpleasant working conditions that many victims were considering alternatives to capitalism: socialism or communism. As the 20th century began, President Theodore Roosevelt became the leader of the Progressive Era. His goal was to reform the abuses of capitalism to save the system from itself. A lifetime hunter, he became a champion of the environment; and a Republican, he offered the working class and consumers a “Square Deal.”

The disillusionment of World War I’s failure to “make the world safe for democ-

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racy” brought a halt to our progressivism.

During the “Roaring Twenties,” Americans elected to return to the plutocracy of the Gilded Age. Laissez-faire was restored as “trickle-down” economics and the income inequality gap between the haves and havenots widened again. The Great Depression that resulted brought a return to progressivism and a renaming of the “captains of industry” to the “robber barons.” Capitalism had virtually collapsed, and another Roosevelt had to save it again.

Progressivism lasted for nearly 40 years.

The breaking point for the “robber barons” was probably Earth Day 1970 that led to the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and creation of the EPA. The fact that these occurred while a Republican — Richard Nixon — was president was more than they could take. It was corporate lawyer and lobbyist Lewis Powell, a lifelong corporate Democrat, who provided the guide rules as to how the plutocracy could regain control .

Months before Nixon appointed him to the U.S. Supreme Court, Powell’s 1971 memo outlined several steps the plutocrats needed to influence government policy — and they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Right-wing “think tanks,” lobbying organizations, and radio and TV propaganda networks emerged to change voters’ perceptions of government and corporations: the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, Fox “News,” Americans for Prosperity, Club for Growth, et al. Corporations even created the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to write laws for their extremist lawmakers to present as their own to promote the interests of the plutocracy.

So, for more than 30 years, we’ve been stuck with Reaganomics (A.K.A. laissez-faire and trickle down). The income inequality gap has returned to Gilded Age and Roaring Twenties levels. The middle class is in rapid decline, and the burning of fossil fuels is heating up the planet. The plutocracy, through its “think tanks” and politicians and pundits, has succeeded in convincing many voters than none of this is actually happening and, even if it were, nothing can be done about it.

Plutocratic Reaganomics and climate change denial go hand in hand — and that’s the problem. Voters who bought into the first in 1980, and continue to do so, are stuck with accepting the other no matter what the scientific evidence indicates. The EPA and Mr. Obama want to do the right thing at great political risk. Big money, their politicians and their voters will continue to do everything possible to stop them — regardless of the consequences for planet Earth.

David Offutt El Dorado

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JULY 3, 2014

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EDITORIAL

EYE ON ARKANSAS

Obama all the time

BRIAN CHILSON

During his prepared remarks in a press conference in Little Rock on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton managed to say President Obama’s name 14 times in four minutes. That’s his campaign in a nutshell: Obama and Obamacare are destroying America.

Asked in the press conference about a proposed increase of the state’s minimum wage, Cotton declined to answer, instead pivoting to Obamacare bashing.

Asked whether he supported Arkansas’s private option, which has been billed as a conservative response to Obamacare by many state Republicans, Cotton declined to take a position, instead using his response to — you guessed it — bash Obamacare.

Oaklawn wins The Arkansas General Assembly appeared poised, at our print deadline, to pass legislation in a special session that will prohibit the Arkansas lottery from offering video-monitor games until at least March 2015, a sunset provision that will allow the legislature to consider the issue more fully during the next regular session. Many opponents of the lottery expansion cited morals. But the true force behind this legislation is Oaklawn, the Hot Springs racino that doesn’t want any competition. As the vote tallies come in, we’ll be on hypocrite watch, ready with a list of all of those legislators who voted to dramatically expand Oaklawn’s gambling options in 2013. Follow along at arktimes.com/hypocrite.

Cheers for Hillary, jeers for Rhoda Future president Hillary Clinton visited Little Rock last week to sign copies of her new book at Walmart. She was greeted by hundreds of admirers who waited in line for hours.

A few days earlier, Johnny Rhoda, the 2nd District Republican chairman, resigned his party position after his widely quoted remark that Hillary Clinton would “probably get shot at the state line” if she ran for president.

Rhoda, a church pastor and insurance agent, said later that he didn’t mean the remark in a threatening way and that it had been quoted “out of context” and “blown out of proportion.” David Catanese, the reporter who took down the quote, scoffed at Rhoda’s characterization that the remark was out of context.

The official response from state Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb? “[A]lthough [Rhoda] feels he was taken out of context, he knows that his statements have created an unnecessary distraction from the important issues before the State today.” Talk of shooting a presidential candidate equals “unnecessary distraction”? They really do have that commandment never to speak ill of a fellow Republican, don’t they?

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ARKANSAS TIMES

FIESTA: Children perform a traditonal dance at the LULAC Fun and Family Fiesta this past Saturday at the Clinton Presidential Center.

The legislature punts

I

wrote this before the Arkansas legislature convened Monday for a three-day session to do something about school employee insurance, provide money for prisons and halt, at least temporarily, an expansion by the Arkansas Lottery into video games like keno.

School insurance was the driving force behind the special session. The session need not have begun, however, to pronounce the certain valedictory on the pre-agreed agenda. The legislature intended to apply a patch, and not much of one.

The legislature’s “fix” for already overpriced school insurance was to limit yet another huge rate increase by these means: 1) tap school districts for almost $5 million that they’d rather spend on something else; 2) throw spouses off the plan; 3) throw 4,000 part-time workers off the plan; 4) stop coverage of most bariatric surgery.

These steps are supposed to hold a premium increase for school employees to 3 percent on popular coverage. But premiums aren’t the whole story. Increases in deductibles and co-pays mean medical attention will cost still more for school employees who require it. (One barebones policy mentioned in pre-session discussions reportedly has a $13,000 limit on out-of-pocket medical costs. That’s self-insurance.)

The legislature wants to produce something for nothing. It won’t put an additional dime into school employee insurance. What’s worse, some legislators are talking about future privatizing of school employee coverage (though not that of other state employees, including legislators). It will take a magic feat to give school employees the same or better coverage at lower rates after insurance companies take a 15 percent rake of the money.

Here’s all you need to know about the lack of fairness.

Consider two state employees.

You are a part-time state legislator: You qualify for health insurance. Next year, you will still qualify for health insurance. The coverage for you and your family in 2014, on the Cadillac, no-deductible gold plan costs $423.60 a

month. The state contributes, between direct contributions and support from reserves, $928.51 a month to cover the rest.

You are a part-time school cafeteria worker. You qualify for health insurance this year. Next year, you won’t. This year, that Cadillac gold MAX plan costs you $1,132.96 a month.

BRANTLEY The state and school districts conmaxbrantley@arktimes.com tribute $708.64 to cover the rest.

Sound fair to you? Of course it isn’t. Teachers are unhappy that legislative proposals don’t close the gap. Yes, some richer school districts contribute additional amounts to help employees. But many don’t. To say school districts could pay more is to misunderstand the vast disparity in district wealth and to ignore the requirement for spending sufficient to deliver equal and adequate education.

School districts are creatures of the state, as much as public agencies. The first 25 mills of school property tax are considered a state millage and thus it is state money, along with additional state foundation funding, tapped for employees.

In the name of economy, the legislature is favoring themselves and other state employees over another class of state workers, teachers.

There is a touch of fairness in one terrible legislative “fix.”

The legislature intends to prevent spouses of either state insurance plan from receiving coverage if they have insurance at their own jobs, no matter if it’s skimpy coverage or much more costly (such as the school employees’ insurance).

A merged system would mean more participants and broader sharing of catastrophic costs. No legislator seems interested in the impact of a merger on overall expenses or what the impact would be of equalization of state contributions to public and school employees.

The Republican majority will do anything for teachers except spend money on them.

OPINION

Hobby Lobby ruling politically crafted

T

here are legal decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court that have big political dimensions and then there are just big political decisions. The narrow decision allowing certain corporations to deny birth-control coverage for their women employees as required by federal law is one of the latter.

You can find a few other instances where the court ignored its constitutional precedents and issued an order that gave one of the political parties an electionyear boost. The big one was Bush v. Gore in 2000 when the Republican majority stopped a vote recount in Florida and ordered that George W. Bush be certified as president with no better constitutional grounding than that the country just needed to move on rather than see what the recount showed.

In the Hobby Lobby case, the justices ruled 5-4, as everyone knew they would, that the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, could not require closely held corpo-

rations to insure contraceptive medicine for their female workers if the company’s religious beliefs were ERNEST that those forms DUMAS of birth control were sinful. The law requires employerbased insurance to cover preventive care, including contraceptive medicine, without cost to the patient.

The decision was exactly the opposite of what the Republican majority had held some years earlier for individuals. The justices had ruled that individuals did not enjoy the religious protection that they handed to corporations on Monday. A person, the court said then, could not use his or her religious beliefs to get around a law that was generally applicable to people.

What the court set out to do in the Hobby Lobby case, and did, was to strike

SCOTUS’s digital revolution

I

n any number of high-profile cases considered by the U.S. Supreme Court in the term finished up this week, the typical split — five conservatives and four liberals with the occasional wander across the divide by Justice Anthony Kennedy — predominated. Justices split and often issued biting opinions in cases involving corporations’ mandatory coverage of contraceptives, caps on overall contributions to federal political candidates, town councils’ kicking off meetings with sectarian prayers, and the mandatory payment of union fees by public sector employees. In other cases where unanimity showed itself superficially — such as on the Massachusetts law mandating a 35-foot buffer zone around abortion clinics — deep divisions appeared just below the surface. There was one highprofile issue, however, on which there was a thorough unanimity that surprised many Supreme Court watchers: digital privacy.

Two companion cases — one from California and another federal case — centered on whether information gathered by police from searches of suspects’ cell phones at the time of arrest could be admitted as evidence. In a unanimous decision last week, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, found that searches

of cell phones may only take place after a warrant is obtained. In an era where the Supreme Court is JAY prone to narrow BARTH decisions that require tealeaf reading by lower courts, the logic of Roberts’ ruling was quite clear.

It almost certainly covers searches of any other devices held by individuals and likely sets the stage for pro-data privacy rulings in cases involving governmental searches of data held by phone companies. In short, Riley v. California appears to have brought about a digital revolution in the legal arena.

What caught court observers off guard was that the sweeping decision comes from a court where a majority has issued a series of opinions providing broad power to collect evidence even in circumstances where police procedures and motives were suspect. Some have required the overturn of important pro-criminal rights decisions of the Warren Court era. Moreover, for a court majority prone toward originalist decisions that typically limit the rights of the disempowered, Roberts showed an awareness that the language

a blow against Obamacare and the president, the Republicans’ big issues for the 2014 elections. The justices had failed the party two years ago when the chief justice caved on them and they could not strike down the whole insurance reform.

It allowed the president to get re-elected and more than 8 million Americans to get insurance for the first time.

Chastened, the chief was back in the fold for this one.

The whole political apparatus was ready for the anticipated decision.

Instantly, the House speaker, John Boehner, cheered the court for handing a defeat to the president, who he said had “repeatedly crossed constitutional lines,” although the court did not exactly say the president or the health care law had crossed constitutional lines but an act of Congress.

All five Republicans in the Arkansas delegation, like those from sea to shining sea, had statements ready praising the court for delivering a blow against Obama and the health care law. Attack ads against Democrats for being associated with a president who is against religious freedom will hit the tube in days.

Sen. Mark Pryor, bashed by his opponent, Rep. Tom Cotton, for joining with

the hated Obama in this infamous deed against the devout, issued his own statement attacking Cotton for wanting to throw 220,000 Arkansans off the insurance rolls and for wanting women to pay more for their insurance than men.

The decision carries a payload for Democrats, too, potentially an even better one. It is that the decision reflects the Republican Party’s animus against women. When polls asked people if employers who had insurance plans for their workers should be able to deny birth-control coverage for women based on the employer’s, not the workers’, religious beliefs, they overwhelmingly said no. Among women, it was even more lopsided.

The opinions in the contraception case will pose a dilemma for scholars tracing the development of First Amendment rights. How do you make sense of the conservative majority’s conflicting opinions on the religion clause?

Let’s go back to 1989 and the court’s opinions in Employment Division v.

Smith, in which two Native Americans in Oregon who were drug counselors were fired for ingesting peyote, a cactus used by Indians and some other peoples

of the Fourth Amendment isn’t readily applicable to cases involving 21st century technology. In response to the Obama Justice Department argument that phones are the same as wallets and address books, Roberts scoffed: “That is like saying a ride on horseback is materially indistinguishable from a flight to the moon.”

On a court that has showed itself a bit out of touch technologically at times in recent years — in the oral arguments on these cases, Roberts and Justice Antonin Scalia seemed shocked that individuals would carry more than one cell phone — Roberts appeared downright hip in chronicling the centrality of cell phones in society.

Citing polling data on how most Americans are constantly tied to their phones, Roberts wrote that devices are “such a pervasive and insistent part of daily life that the proverbial visitor from Mars might conclude they were an important feature of human anatomy.” More importantly, noting an awareness of what is directly and indirectly available from a quick search of them, Roberts wrote that cell phones contain “a digital record of nearly every aspect of their lives — from the mundane to the intimate.”

It makes some sense that the issue of data privacy brought together a polarized Supreme Court for it is that rare issue that

also unites a polarized mass American public. Traditional liberals and libertarians alike are deeply concerned about governmental snooping of individuals’ electronic lives, leaving only big government conservatives comfortable with government activism in this area. Indeed, advocacy groups like the ACLU, which have had tough sledding on issues ranging from abortion rights to immigration reform since the Republican tidal wave of 2010, have found digital privacy as one area of success in state legislatures around the country in the last several years through building coalitions with tea party GOPers.

Such legislation even got some traction in the 2013 Arkansas legislature, where a series of bills by Democratic Attorney General nominee Nate Steel limiting police use of license plate readers and prohibiting employers and higher education institutions from gaining the social media usernames and passwords of employees and students passed easily.

In ruling after ruling announced this session, the court majority was clear in the immediate result but unclear on a case’s meaning as a precedent for future cases.

Riley v. California lacks such opaqueness.

As most novel legal questions in American life are technology-related, it was a crucial one for the court to get right.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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2014

e’ve got summer interns at the America by Googling their name in quotes, Fortress of Employment right followed by the area code, in parentheses now, eager young folks who, for — (501) for example — of where they live.

5) When reporting in a small town, talk some reason or another, want to be reporters. None of them are old enough to drink, as to the woman at the laundromat. They’ve far as we know, which is too bad, as drinking got nothing but time, and they seem to know and reporting have been married longer everything. Some of the most insightful than steak and taters. We’ll not say that too quotes The Observer has ever published loud, lest the mother of one of our young were collected while socks and boxer shorts charges overhears and insists they make a spun in a nearby dryer. course correction as to their career.

6) The story is not about you, stupid.

In addition to the young and barely paid Shut up and listen. running around, we’ve also got a couple 7) At the end of the answer to a of promising new folks just starting their particularly hard question, count to five, sentence as scribblers, among them Will medium-slow, before you ask the next one.

Stephenson, whose recent story on the If it’s a REALLY hard question, count to Jacksonville power line vandal we really eight. Sometimes the whole truth gets stuck admired. The Observer is nearly the behind a person’s teeth, and it takes a little oldest of old hands on the AT Ranch, and silence to coax it out. we’ve seen folks come and go through the 8) Record the interview, or take good bunkhouse. It always warms our shriveled notes. Sometimes a sentence that doesn’t seem important enough to bother writing heart to see new faces around.

The Observer has been a reporter for down turns out to be the key to a person’s a long time. We’ve reported in the snow. whole life when you step back and look at We’ve reported in the driving rain. We’ve them in full. reported in churches so silent we could 9) Even if the guy’s name is Dave hear the echo of our breathing, and we’ve Johnson, get him to spell it. There aren’t reported on street corners where sirens many D’havf Geonsaans floating around wailed. We’ve reported under conditions out there, but if you’re a reporter, you will that required a dust mask and a towel eventually find one. wrapped around the head, and in hollows so 10) When they offer, accept the glass far back in the mountains they have sunlight of water. Water’s close enough to free for delivered parcel post. We’ve yet to do any gubmint work, and besides: It’s not really about the water. underwater reporting, but give us time.

11) Don’t take that smartphone in your Over the years, we’ve managed to accumulate some advice that we wish we’d pocket as an excuse to avoid stopping for directions. You can get a lot of good stuff known back when we started. Nothing too high-handed, you understand. Nothing while asking for directions.

12) When reporting on something that in the ass-backward syntax of Yoda, or that’s ever going to wind up on one of seems unfathomably big, the trick is to focus those gatdamn inspirational posters at on something very small. Few people want the dentist’s office, featuring photos shot to read long, War College dissertations on through Vaseline of people fly-fishing and troop movements. Lots of people, on the breaking marathon tape over the word other hand, want to read about a soldier “PERSISTENCE.” No, this is just nuts-and praying in a foxhole — how he survived, -bolts stuff. why he stayed, how he found the thread of Even if you’re smart enough to have his life again once the war was over. chosen a profession other than Reporter, 13) Buy your photographer breakfast you might find something here of use. every once in awhile, and keep your ass 1) They can cuss you, but they can’t eat out of the shot. you.

14) Even crazy people are right 2) Follow the money. sometimes. Resist the urge to hang up when 3) Follow the condescension. they start talking about conspiracies.

15) Write the correction, get drunk and 4) About 85 percent of the time, you can find a phone number for any person in move on, penitent.

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Arkansas Reporter

THE

IN S IDE R

Dissension at the Supreme Court The Arkansas Supreme Court has hired Stacy Pectol as clerk, succeeding longtime clerk Les Steen, who retired Friday. Pectol has been a law clerk to Associate Justice Donald Corbin.

There is a backstory. Pectol was not among the applicants for the job, which had a deadline of April 4 for application.

The position, which manages a staff of 11 and has overseen the transition from paper to digital record-keeping, drew 10 applicants. Among them was April Golden, an appellate review attorney on the Supreme Court staff with experience in the clerk’s office who’d been viewed as the leading candidate. A graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s William H. Bowen Law School, she’d been on the staff of either the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court for 10 years.

Golden was the choice of Chief Justice Jim Hannah and at least two other justices. Hannah announced her hiring on May 28. But a bloc of opposition to her emerged from Justices Jo Hart, Karen Baker and Courtney Goodson. The court’s female contingent has emerged increasingly as allies on various matters. They objected to Golden and made those objections known, leading finally to a contentious split vote among the seven court members. In the face of the division, Golden declined the position.

The Arkansas Times has not learned how a non-applicant came to be the choice over those who did apply. The justices are not accustomed to giving interviews about their internal decisions. But there have been enough expressions of unhappiness about the situation that leaks have occurred.

Feelings ran high about the opposition that developed on this job and it was not the first unpleasantness to emerge in conference. Hart’s blunt talk comes up frequently as a reported source of discord.

Political antennae are sensitive on the court, with Baker taking an increasingly aggressive role and Goodson planning a run for chief justice in 2016 on Hannah’s expected retirement. This isn’t the only source of sensitivity.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel CONTINUED ON PAGE 11 10

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ARKANSAS TIMES

WHITE BLUFF: Ranks 42d in the U.S. as a polluting power plant.

Arkansas begins to grapple with climate change New proposed EPA rule could dramatically impact state.

BY BENJAMIN HARDY

L

ast month, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed rule that will require a 30 percent reduction nationally in carbon emissions produced by power plants, phased in over the coming decades. The feds will tailor reduction targets to individual states, but it’s up to the states themselves to come up with plans that address those targets. On June 25, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) held a public meeting to solicit preliminary input from stakeholders, including utility companies, environmental groups and consumer advocates.

The EPA provides four “building blocks” as suggestions for states to design their carbon-cutting plan, said Stuart Spencer, a legal policy adviser for ADEQ. The state can do all, some or none of these things, just as long as it meets EPA’s requirements. (If

Arkansas fails to come up with a feasible plan at all, the federal authorities will step in and give us one.) The four suggestions: 1) Make existing coal plants more efficient; 2) increase the use of existing natural gas plants; 3) increase power supplied by renewables and nuclear; 4) increase end-use efficiency (for example, by making homes and buildings more efficient).

Note that one option is conspicuously absent from the above list: retiring coalfired plants altogether. Glen Hooks, director of the Arkansas Sierra Club, said that should be on the table as well. “About 85 percent of the CO2 emissions generated by the state’s power plants come from five coal-burning facilities,” he said. “That really is the meat of this discussion.”

Arkansas is in an unusual position, in terms of coal. The state’s carbon emissions aren’t the highest in the nation, nor are its per-capita emissions. But, according to

the PSC, the state’s reliance on coal for its energy means the rate of emissions per megawatt hour has increased significantly in recent years. Arkansas has allowed new investment in coal-fired plants at a time when most of the rest of the nation, including other Southern states, has moved in the opposite direction. The carbon intensity of Arkansas’s power sector emissions increased a dramatic 37 percent from 2005 to 2013, the fourth highest rise in the nation for this period. (During the same period, our power consumption rose by only 1 percent. The rest was exported to other states.)

It’s exactly this measure that the EPA rule targets: The rate of carbon released per megawatt hour (MWh). So, Arkansas has some major changes to make. To comply with the rule, our rate of CO2 produced per MWh must decline 44 percent by 2030.

Unsurprisingly, power companies and most business interests aren’t thrilled. They say implementing the EPA rule will raise rates for consumers. There is truth to this.

Coal power is cheap, and both households and businesses will probably see costs rise if the state does indeed prod utilities into using less and less of it. A representative from the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce said that it was “just an economic fact” that the state’s remaining manufacturing jobs would be threatened by higher rates.

Talk of hurting business through costlier energy doesn’t take into account the economic activity that would result from weaning the state away from coal. A representative from the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association (a business group) enumerated the benefits: increased job opportunities in energy efficiency, investment in new renewable plants, a better market for the state’s rich reserves of natural gas and the possibility of creating a market for carbon credits in a multistate partnership.

Then there are the economic costs exacted by a continued reliance on coal.

Burning dirtier fuels in Arkansas makes for unhealthier Arkansans. Dr. William Mason of the Arkansas Department of Health said there was “unequivocal scientific evidence” that the particulate matter released by coalfired plants causes an increase in asthma and other respiratory disorders among children and the elderly.

Though poorer local air quality is a big deal, it pales in comparison to a larger economic and public safety threat over the long run: potentially devastating climate CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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ASK THE TIMES

Q: Has the Ron Robinson Theater stopped showing films?

A:

There are now two full-time staff members, with a Few cultural institutions open with the kind new manager, Trey Woodruff (formerly of Verizon Arena of goodwill and high expectations that the and the Argenta Community Theater), set to start in Ron Robinson Theater had leading into its early July, replacing Angela Stoffer. Roberts declined to official unveiling in January. Touted as the state’s new comment on the personnel change, but Stoffer remains premiere cinema venue, with 315 seats, a state-of-theoperations director for the film festival, the offices of art digital projector and Dolby 7.1 surround sound — which are located in the Ron Robinson Theater. not to mention its promising affiliation with the Little The exact nature of the relationship between the Rock Film Festival — the theater looked like nothing theater and the film festival hasn’t been entirely clear less than the future of local film culture. “I’d like to see from the beginning, but according to CALS spokesit going as much as we can,” Central Arkansas Library woman Susan Gele, the LRFF doesn’t make programSystem Director Bobby Roberts told the Arkansas Times ming decisions. “They have space in the theater, and we before its opening. “If it’s sitting there, it’s not doing us were a sponsor for the festival,” Gele said. “They can any good or the public any good.” help us with some of the film questions we have and Today, though, it seems to be just sitting there. The make suggestions once-crowded about programcalendars on its ming, but they Facebook page do not plan our and website have programming for been emptied, and us. It’s always been the theater has like that.” remained largely The difficulties dormant on the facing the theater, film front since the Roberts said, are festival ended in to be expected for mid-May. So what any new institution happened? of its size: “When “We didn’t get we started up the off to as good a Children’s Library, I start as we should thought, ‘This won’t have, but we’re A LOOK BACK: The Ron Robinson Theater in December, still under construction. be hard,’ ” Roberts learning a lot as we said. “But it turned go on,” Roberts out to be a slippery deal to get it going in the direction told the Times last week. “We want to get back in the we wanted. I think this thing, Ron Robinson, is the same film business.” way. I think it’s going to fall into place, but the piece we According to Roberts, the bumpy rollout can be haven’t gotten where we want yet is the films, which partly attributed to the fact that the theater opened ironically is the piece I thought we’d get together first. several months earlier than initially planned. “Part of It’s just going to take much more time than I thought.” that was to dedicate the theater to Ron Robinson,” he As for the turnout, back when the theater was regusaid, “and Ron had been ill. We wanted to make sure larly screening films? “It was inconsistent,” Roberts said. he was feeling good when we got the thing up and run“We’d have some films where there’d be a huge turnning. The day we dedicated it, they were still painting out, and then the next one would be really low. So we part of the building. So we started up, did a few things decided that until we get the internal policies right, get and then shut back down and restarted in March.” the documents written that tell you how to book films He said that the Little Rock Film Festival staff was and get a few bugs out of the building (which is going given specific days on which they could program films, to be true in any building), let’s just not book anything.” but because the festival was approaching, itself a mas“We have about 80 percent of it running like we sive logistical endeavor, “that was hard for them to do.” want,” Roberts said, referring to forthcoming plans to The theater was understaffed as well, Roberts said: “I host Ballet Arkansas (in August), live music and lectures. don’t think we had enough staff there to start out with, “The film part of it will be our next initiative.” because I didn’t really understand how complicated it —Will Stephenson was.”

Tune in to the Times’ “Week In Review” podcast each Friday.

Available on iTunes & arktimes.com

INSIDER, CONT. of sensitivity.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel remarked recently about outcomeoriented decision-making by the court.

It ruffled feathers. Attendees at the recent bar association convention in Hot Springs took note of the three female justices sitting shoulder to shoulder in the front row at McDaniel’s speech.

One attendee described them as glaring at the attorney general. Maybe they were just listening intently.

Unoccupied office closes

Monday was the final day of work for members of the staff of Lt. Gov. Mark Darr, who have been paid for light to nonexistent duty since Feb. 1, when Darr resigned office in an expense account scandal.

The office had four employees and a payroll of $300,000 counting overhead. Amber Pool landed a job on the House staff in early June, taking a cut from her $57,000 pay as communications director to $41,000.

That left chief of staff Bruce Campbell ($75,132), Josh Curtis ($51,564) and Raeanne Gardner ($33,660).

The Times called the office Monday and reached Curtis, who is also a Republican justice of the peace in Saline County. He said the three remaining staffers had new jobs and indicated some or all might be in state government. But he declined to identify the jobs. He said he guessed the Times would find out eventually what his new public job would be. He said he had not used office time to seek the new job.

Curtis insisted the staff had work to do since Darr left office, though the Times’ periodic checks of work product have produced no documents generated in the office and just a tiny handful of emails. He said people came into the office all the time.

On Tuesday, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that Bruce Campbell had been hired as political director for the Asa Hutchinson for Governor campaign. After the Times pressed the secretary of state’s office, a spokesperson revealed that Curtis had been hired as a legislative liaison for $49,000 a year. It was an open position and was not advertised.

Somebody in a position to know indicates Gardner is headed to private employment.

www.arktimes.com

JULY 3, 2014

11

ARKANSAS BEGINS TO GRAPPLE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, CONT. Continued from page 10 change. A recent report co-authored by Henry Paulson, secretary of the Treasury under former President George W. Bush, highlighted the multibillion-dollar economic danger posed by a destabilizing climate. Droughts and floods are predicted to increase in severity, destroying crops and damaging property; rising sea levels could displace millions. Paulson is a fiscally conservative Republican, but he sees the scientific writing on the wall.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my work in finance, govern-

ment and conservation,” he wrote in a New York Times op-ed in June, “it is to act before problems become too big to manage. For too many years, we failed to rein in the excesses building up in the nation’s financial markets. When the credit bubble burst in 2008, the damage was devastating. Millions suffered. Many still do. We’re making the same mistake today with climate change. The warning signs are clear and growing more urgent as the risks go unchecked.”

Still, in the short term, costs to consumers matter. There are at least two distinct government interests at play, as rep-

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resented by the two state agency heads who hosted the meeting. ADEQ Director Teresa Marks is charged with enforcing environmental law. The chair of the PSC, Colette Honorable, is supposed to ensure that utilities keep consumer rates affordable and the power grid reliable and safe. After the meeting, Honorable acknowledged that those two mandates aren’t always identical, but said the agencies were committed to working more closely than ever before.

“At the end of the day, Teresa’s focus may be apart from ours, but this is a great opportunity to collaborate and cooperate,” she said.

Wednesday’s meeting was only the first step in a long process. EPA won’t issue its final guidelines until next June at the earliest, and states have at least another year after that to submit their compliance plans.

That’s all assuming the rule even survives; legal challenges are inevitable, said Chuck Barlow, Entergy’s vice president for environmental policy. One of many disadvantages to taking major action on climate (or anything else) via an executive agency rather than legislation is that it creates a readymade argument for legal challenge — that the EPA, and the Obama administration, has overstepped its bounds.

“Our questions about the rule — our uncertainties — run to pages and pages,” he said. “We’re very concerned about legal defensibility of the rule.”

When asked if Entergy itself might challenge EPA over the rule’s legality, Barlow replied, “I don’t know that there’s going to be a legal challenge from us ... but there will be from somebody.” However, he also said that the electric giant will be taking steps to shape the new regulation and comply with its mandates even as it contemplates fighting it in court.

“You can’t bank on winning a legal challenge,” he explained. That’s something proponents of regulating carbon have said all along: If tough emissions standards cut into the bottom line, power companies will adapt.

DUMAS, CONT. Continued from page 7 around the world for medicinal and religious purposes because its hallucinogenic qualities promote meditation. They had consumed it as part of religious ceremonies of the Native American Church and claimed that Oregon laws making it an illegal drug violated their church’s doctrine.

That makes no difference, the Supreme Court’s 6-3 majority said. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that an individual’s religious beliefs could not excuse him from complying with an otherwise valid law. Allowing people to excuse themselves from laws that somehow affect some religious belief, he wrote, “would open the prospect of constitutionally required exemptions from civic obligations of almost every conceivable kind,” and he mentioned compulsory military service, payment of taxes, vaccinations and child neglect.

But Oregon’s law was not an important Democratic law, like Obamacare.

Scalia and his Republican colleagues went the other way on this one by standing behind an act passed in the first days of the Clinton administration that was a thinly veiled effort to overrule Scalia’s holding in the peyote case, which Congress of course cannot do. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act said a government could deny a person’s religious exceptions to a law only by meeting a stern test. So Scalia and his colleagues said the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was a perfectly acceptable statute and that exemption from a law should be given to a corporation if so few people owned it that you could discern a common religious belief and it applied that belief consistently.

Hobby Lobby’s owners, one magazine reported, profit from investing in businesses that reap huge profits from expensive contraceptives. But what higher religion is there than profits?

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JULY 3, 2014

ARKANSAS TIMES

HATEMONGERS

SLEAZEBALLS

BLOWHARDS USERS AND BOOZERS

HORN DOGS K

AMERICA’S WORST POLITICIANS. ing George III was “a Tyrant ... unfit to be the ruler of a free people,” Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence exactly 238 years ago this week.

Jefferson had it right.

Ever since then, Americans have been calling out their leaders. “Tyrant” was just the start. We’ve moved on to crook (Nixon), liar (Clinton) and moron

(Dubya).

Whether or not you agree with the peanut gallery, there’s no denying that such written assaults on public honchos are as American as baseball, apple pie and the iPhone.

So on this Independence Day, those closest to American politics — 50 writers and editors of the alternative press from across the land — have combined their collective genius. They’ve named 53 of the nation’s worst elected leaders from 23 of the largest states and the District of Columbia, then separated them into five categories: hatemongers, sleazeballs, blowhards, users and boozers, and horn dogs. (The full version is available at arktimes.com/worstpols.)

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ARKANSAS TIMES

And there’s more than just the usual stodgy Washington losers. Try Colorado sheriff Terry Maketa, who allegedly had sex with not one, not two, but three underlings and then lied about it. Or check out Idaho Senate GOP leader John McGee, who stole and crashed an SUV, admitted to drinking too much, and went to jail. Upon returning to the statehouse, he was accused of groping a female staffer.

Want a little old-school corruption? Florida’s governor, Rick Scott, who will be up for re-election soon, founded a health care empire that was whacked with the largest Medicare fraud fine in U.S. history: $1.7 billion for stealing from the feds. There’s also Washington, D.C., council member Michael Brown, who once accepted $200,000 to stay out of an election and was later indicted after grabbing at a cash-stuffed duffel bag offered by an undercover FBI agent.

Of course, there are big names here, too. South Carolina’s “Luv Guv” Mark Sanford made the list. So did Texas’ Green Eggs and Ham filibusterer Ted Cruz and Minnesota loon Michele Bachmann. Even pol wannabe Donald Trump snuck in a side door.

So before you head out for the fireworks or swig some American brew, consider this hall of shame. — Chuck Strouse

SLEAZEBALL

Florida Gov. Rick Scott He looks like Voldemort, speaks in the highpitched timbre of a Wes Anderson movie villain, and wants to drug-test as many human beings as possible.

More disastrous for Florida residents, he’s recklessly rejected federal stimulus packages and dismantled regulatory agencies. He’s Rick Scott, and he’s America’s least popular governor for damn good reason.

Backed by a wave of Tea Party support — and bankrolled by $70 million of his own cash — he won a shocking gubernatorial victory in 2010. The win was all the more remarkable considering Scott’s background. His fortune came from founding a health care empire, later called Columbia/HCA, which paid the single largest Medicare fraud fine in U.S. history: $1.7 billion for stealing from the feds.

Scott showed that his wanton disregard for regulation didn’t end with his golden parachute from his felonious firm. In the governor’s office, he quickly stripped millions of dollars from the state health care agency and laid off environmental regulators. He also signed new laws requiring all welfare recipients and every state employee to undergo random drug testing. How did he get around the slightly sticky wicket that a firm he owned makes millions by administering such tests? He signed the company over to his wife. (The courts have since thrown out the drug-testing laws for violating the Fourth Amendment.)

He’s made other shady moves. Scott rejected $2.4 billion in federal aid to build a high-speed train in Central Florida and lied about the state having to eat cost overruns for the project. During the 2012 presidential election, he tried to suppress black votes with blatantly race-based bans on Sunday early voting (which black congregations dominate). He also tried to kill a prescription-drug database that has decimated oxycodone abuse, while his underfunded health care agency has allowed steroid clinics — like the Biogenesis clinic at the heart of last year’s Major League Baseball scandal — to proliferate.

And through it all, Scott has largely flouted Florida’s “Sunshine laws” by hiding his correspondence from the public and has resisted reporters’ attempts to hold him accountable — all while grinning like a demented right-wing Skeletor for TV cameras at scripted events. Is

it any wonder his opinion polls have struggled to top 30 percent since he was elected? — Tim Elfrink, Miami New Times HORN DOG

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee No one should be robbed of the joy of discovering an artist’s early, lesser-known work. So if you don’t know the pre-2012 past of Republican Scott DesJarlais — whom Esquire’s indubitable political blogger Charles P. Pierce dubbed a “baldheaded bag of douche from Tennessee” — allow us to loop you in.

In 2010, when the then-unknown Dr. DesJarlais was challenging incumbent Democratic Congressman Lincoln Davis in Tennessee’s Fourth District, things got ugly. That was because some papers from DesJarlais’ divorce nearly 10 years earlier made their way into the public eye. The good doctor’s ex-wife claimed his behavior had become “violent and threatening.” She accused him of dry-firing a gun outside her bedroom and putting a gun in his mouth for three hours. DesJarlais cast the revelations as the desperate “gutter campaign”

of a losing candidate.

But that gutter proved to be a veritable Mariana Trench. Two years later, DesJarlais, who by then had become an incumbent, found himself in trouble again when more information surfaced from the same bitter divorce. This time it was revealed that the “pro-life, pro-family values” Republican had pressured a mistress — who was also a patient of his — to get an abortion. He would later explain that, actually, he had pushed for her to get an abortion as part of a ruse to expose the fact that her pregnancy was a lie.

Brilliant! There was more: dalliances with six women — two patients, three co-workers, and a drug rep — and a confession that he had supported his ex-wife’s decision to get two abortions before they were married. By the grace of Tennessee voters, he was re-elected.

By the grace of God, that will be corrected this fall. — Steven Hale, Nashville Scene

BRIAN CHILSON

SOUTH

HATEMONGER

Arkansas State Sen. Jason Rapert Jason Rapert is the Elmer Gantry of the Arkansas Legislature — a Brush Arbor Baptist preacher, bluegrass fiddler and proprietor of a putative African missionary effort that specializes in countries where homosexuality is a crime.

The Republican from Bigelow’s outrage at the “radical homosexual lobby” and “elitist judges” over the march of marriage equality knows no bounds. On his passion meter, that subject is up there with his views on President Obama (he wants him impeached), fracking (it’s seriously good) and abortion (uh-uh). On that last issue, Rapert tried to

pass a six-week abortion limit but settled for 12; it was immediately invalidated by a Republican federal judge who, unlike Rapert, still believes Roe v. Wade guides federal law.

The judge did keep in place a mandatory ultrasound for women, which will mean an invasive vaginal probe in some cases. Rapert believes the United States, its laws and its people should be governed by God’s commandments. And it’s Rapert’s interpretation of the commandments, not those of different religious persuasions, that count. — Max Brantley, Arkansas Times CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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JULY 3, 2014

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BLOWHARD

Why legislate when you can embarrass?

Since arriving in Washington in 2007, the right-as-you-can-go Republican doctor has perfected a special kind of crazy — and President Barack Obama, who Broun claims upholds the “Soviet Constitution,” has been a frequent target.

Over the course of five terms, Broun has compared Obama to Adolf Hitler, expressed doubts over the commander-in-chief’s citizenship, and pondered his impeachment.

While discussing the potential pitfalls of the Affordable Care Act, he referred to the Civil War as the “War of Yankee Aggression.” Broun, who is a medical doctor, also proclaimed that global warming was “one of the greatest hoaxes perpetrated by the scientific community” and that evolution was a lie “from the pit of Hell” — comments that no doubt spurred more than 4,000 Athens voters to write in “Charles Darwin” as an alternative to Broun.

A clean energy bill in 2010 would bring death to not only jobs, he said, but also probably people. Keep in mind that citizens might be hard-pressed to remember Broun’s proposing any important legislation — except for

HORN DOG

U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, South Carolina Until June 2009, Mark Sanford was little more than a buffoon in C Street slacks and a sensible libertarian sports jacket from the clearance rack at Kohl’s. During his first term as governor of South Carolina and most of his second, there were laughs aplenty. He took two piglets into the statehouse to protest earmarks. One was named Pork, the other Barrel — natch — and one, if not both, promptly shat on the floor during Sanford’s important presser.

Then there was the time when the state legislature overrode, or nearly overrode, all of his vetoes.

We’re not sure if that was in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 or 2009 because it seemed to happen every year. And then there was Sanford’s general weirdness. When he was a child, his well-to-do

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ARKANSAS TIMES

GAGE SKIDMORE

U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, Georgia

he even hung out at her home during the Super Bowl when she wasn’t there.

And get this, he flew airplanes at their two sons.

Yes, you read that correctly — he flew airplanes at his children, whatever that means, according to the divorce settlement. But despite all of that — the cheating, the lying, the stalking and the childhood terrorizing — Sanford ran for his old U.S. House seat and won. Now he can take his mistress out to eat in D.C. without meeting the disapproving eyes of his constituents back home in Charleston.

— Chris Haire, Charleston City Paper HORN DOG

maybe an amendment to the Military Honor and Decency Act, which banned the sale or rental of sexually explicit materials at military facilities.

But it’s not just verbal gaffes and a dearth of ideas. Twice Broun has landed on the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s list of most corrupt members, most recently for failing to disclose the source of loans to his campaign. (Broun disputed the allegation and sent a local newspaper a copy of a letter claiming the Office of Congressional Ethics found no wrongdoing.)

Come next year, however, we say goodbye to Broun. He lost a U.S. Senate bid in a crowded GOP primary May 20. — Thomas Wheatley, Creative Loafing

family slept in the same room during the summer to conserve electricity, and when his father died, guess who made the coffin — Mark. During his gubernatorial years, Sanford liked to dig holes with a hydraulic excavator back at his country farm in order to relax — unfortunately, a child fell into one of those holes and died.

But then came some real creepiness. It began when Sanford apparently told his staff he was taking off to hike the Appalachian Trail, but instead he flew to Argentina on the taxpayer’s dime to be with his mistress.

Upon his return home, the Luv Guv gave a strangely honest but extremely uncomfortable confession on live television. Much to everyone’s surprise, the Bible-beating members of the South Carolina Statehouse didn’t demand his immediate resignation — and this was even after they had read his erotic poetry. Shortly after Sanford’s affair became public, his wife, Jenny, divorced him and wrote a tell-all book (the governor once gave her a piece of paper for her birthday featuring a drawing of half of a bicycle, and the next year he gave her a drawing with the other half, along with a $25 used bike). Jenny also filed a complaint with the court after Mark repeatedly trespassed on her property;

Kentucky State Rep. Jim Gooch While serving in the Kentucky General Assembly for the past two decades, Jim Gooch has made a name for himself as the state’s No. 1 climate-change denier.

Gooch — as chair of the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee — once held a hearing to get to the bottom of this so-called global warming kerfuffle; the hearing featured only two witnesses who were climate-change deniers but not scientists. He explained he didn’t want any scientists to testify because “you can only hear that the sky is falling so many times.”

Gooch has accused the scientific community of engaging in a massive cover-up and fraud to perpetuate the “hoax” of global warming and has even suggested that Kentucky secede from the union to avoid EPA rules. He also sponsored a bill this year to openly discriminate against utility companies that seek to switch from coal to natural gas. Gooch happens to own a company that primarily sells mining equipment to coal companies.

This year, he also made a name for himself as being quite the ladies’ man. He interrupted and blocked a vote to recognize the courage of two legislative staffers who stepped forward to accuse a legislator of rampant sexual harassment. Following that spectacle, the same staffers accused Gooch of inappropriate behavior, including throwing a pair of pink panties onto their table at a conference and saying, “I’m looking for the lady who lost these.” Gooch excused himself by saying that a woman had slipped the panties into his pocket moments earlier and that “actually they weren’t pink; I think they may have been beige.” — Joe Sonka, LEO Weekly

WEST

HATEMONGER

In 2010, Arizona’s governor, Jan Brewer, affixed her signature to the infamous, immigrant-bashing legislation called Senate Bill 1070 and rode a wave of xenophobia to electoral triumph, a book deal, conservative accolades and liberal opprobrium. She did this despite massive goofs such as claiming that headless bodies were routinely found in the Arizona desert, blanking for several seconds during a TV debate with her gubernatorial rivals, and claiming her dad died fighting the Nazis when he actually worked in a munitions depot during World War II and died 10 years after the war ended.

But who cares about that when there are “Messcans” to whoop on? Wahoo! Brewer spent millions in donations on appeals to a U.S. district court’s injunction against most of 1070. Then, in 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court overthrew a large part of the statute

SLEAZEBALL

California State Sen. Ron Calderon In 2011, L.A. Weekly dubbed brothers Ron and Charles Calderon, then a California state senator and the assembly majority leader, respectively, the “worst legislators in California” for authoring “sponsored” laws they didn’t write — then taking serious money from the special interest groups that actually wrote them.

The Calderons insisted they weren’t selling laws. After all, of the avalanche of about 1,000 new bills introduced annually in the state, the San Jose Mercury-News found that 39 percent are ghostwritten by groups seeking to benefit — environmentalists, manufacturers, municipalities. They’re successful, too: From 2007 to 2008, sponsored bills composed 60 percent of those the governor signed into law. The Sacramento press corps largely treats “sponsored” bills as non-news. After all, almost all legislators do it.

But few legislators, we hope, do it like Ron Calderon. In February, he and a third brother, former

as unconstitutional. Still, it had its intended effect. More than 200,000 Hispanics fled the state because of 1070 and other antiimmigrant laws, according to one estimate.

They took their purchasing power with them to other states, making Arizona’s recession even worse.

Brewer still plays the race card, even as a lame duck with zero political prospects. For instance, she stubbornly refuses to relent on her executive order denying driver’s licenses to so-called DREAMers who qualify for deferred action under a federal plan.

Recently, the governor has tried softening her image by pushing through a Medicaid expansion and overhauling Arizona’s inept Child Protective Services. Nevertheless, her political gravestone is destined to read, “Signed SB 1070.” — Stephen Lemons, Phoenix New Times

assemblyman Tom Calderon, were indicted for corruption. Ron allegedly took $28,000 in bribes to preserve a flawed state law that was being milked for millions of dollars by a corrupt hospital executive.

He was also charged with selling laws after taking $88,000 in bribes from a “film executive” who — whoops — was an undercover FBI agent. (Ron has been suspended from the legislature.)

And what of the other Calderon brother, Charles?

In mid-May, the Los Angeles Times editorial board endorsed him for a judgeship. It didn’t mention his history of taking gobs of cash from those whose custom laws he’d enabled or the fact that he’d paid his son $40,000 in campaign funds for doing basically nothing. Voters weren’t about to side with the Times and cheer on Charles. Recently they elected his opponent with 66 percent of the vote. — Jill Stewart, L.A. Weekly BLOWHARD

U.S. Rep. Ted Cruz, Texas Stupid is as stupid does, but the problem with Republican Ted Cruz is that the freshman senator from Texas isn’t stupid. Since taking Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat in 2012, he has spent his time railing against pretty much every other politician from either side of the aisle. This approach has earned him the loathing of members of his own party, but it has gotten him tons of attention and made him

SOCIAL EYE MEDIA

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer

a household name.

These are not the moves of a stupid man.

It’s a clever strategy.

Cruz has made himself a Tea Party poster child and become a national political star with clear presidential intentions thanks to his remarkable talent for spouting off against most of the legislation anyone proposes (of the almost 500 votes he has cast since being elected to the Senate, more than half have been nays.)

The height of the Cruz show came when he staged a nonfilibuster filibuster to take another stand against the Affordable Care Act, even though the stunt was basically political grandstanding.

Cruz stood there reading “Green Eggs and Ham” while the rest of Congress tried to make a deal to get the government running again.

It would be comforting to write Cruz and his antics off as the doings of a not-so-bright politician, but if he were as one-dimensional and guileless as he pretends to be, he’d be on his way out, a oneterm senator. As it is, he looks to be setting himself up for a 2016 run at the White House. — Dianna Wray, Houston Press CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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USER AND BOOZER

Former Idaho Sen. and GOP Majority Caucus Chairman John McGee John McGee began winning elections before he was 20 years old and didn’t stop until he became chairman of the Idaho Republican Majority Caucus — he had become the 21st century face of what many people considered the future of the Idaho GOP. But today, at 41, McGee has had his face plastered on more mug shots than campaign posters and is considered a political pariah.

Following his June 2011 drunk driving arrest, McGee admitted to imbibing a bit too much at a Father’s Day golf tournament. He was also charged with stealing an SUV that night (complete with a utility trailer) and crashing it in a neighbor’s front yard, prompting a bathrobe-clad woman to rush to her bedroom window. Police said McGee emerged from the wreckage, mumbled something about the woman being an angel, made some passing remarks about driving the stolen vehicle to Jackpot, Nev., and promptly passed out.

McGee, who by then was an Idaho state senator, saw that his political career was hanging in the balance. So he underwent a series of mea culpa TV interviews in which he spoke in hushed tones about how eager he was to “move forward.”

But after he retained his Republican leadership and returned to the Idaho statehouse politically unscathed, it turned out that some of McGee’s moves were more than forward; they were inappropriate. A female staffer said he had sexually harassed her on several occasions at the state capitol. According to the staffer, McGee exposed himself, asked for sex and groped the subordinate. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, but after 44 days behind bars, he was released “for good behavior.” He hasn’t been heard from, at least publicly, since. — George Prentice, Boise Weekly HORN DOG

El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa, Colorado Terry Maketa chases bad guys — when this bad boy isn’t chasing skirts, that is. After the married politician was accused of having sexual relationships with several women on his staff — including one he elevated to oversee the sheriff’s office budget and another who was promoted despite the fact that her major credential was being a nude model — the county commissioners unanimously passed a vote of

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no confidence. But the term-limited Maketa decided the sheriff’s office ethics policies didn’t apply to him. He wanted to override the nominations of worthy deputies in order to award the office’s One Hundred Club prize — essentially an employee-of-the-year honor, complete with gold watch — to himself.

And he doesn’t plan to write any resignation letter, maybe because he’s too busy writing messages like this one, sent to one of his female colleagues: “I think often about touching kissing and licking every inch of your amazing body.”

When three of his commanders filed a complaint against Maketa in May that included reports of sexual harassment and accused him of running a hostile workplace, they were put on administrative leave. And Maketa initially denied the allegations: “I have never had an inappropriate sexual relationship with the three individuals you named,” he told the Colorado Springs Gazette, which broke the story. “If you publish anything to the contrary, I am fully prepared to take legal action.” But a week later, Maketa took another kind of action entirely, releasing a video apologizing to employees and admitting he’d “engaged in inappropriate behavior in the past.” — Patricia Calhoun, Westword BLOWHARD

Montana State Rep. Jerry O’Neil In fall 2012, Montana Rep. Jerry O’Neil, a Republican from Columbia Falls, drew national media attention when he requested that the state pay his legislative wage in gold and silver. But his letter to Montana Legislative Services was largely laughed off.

The response was in keeping with public reaction to much of O’Neil’s 12-year legislative record.

During the 2013 legislative session alone, he introduced bills to eliminate the minimum wage for high school dropouts, limit the federal government’s ability to regulate firearm restrictions, and allow criminals to opt out of jail time by submitting themselves to corporal punishment. Of the last proposal, O’Neil famously told the Associated Press in January 2013: “Ten years in prison or you could take 20 lashes, perhaps two lashes a year?”

Professionally, O’Neil calls himself an “inde-

pendent paralegal.” He has been at odds with the Montana State Bar and the state supreme court’s Commission on Unauthorized Practice since 2001, when a district judge wrote a letter stating O’Neil was engaged in the “unauthorized practice of law.”

All of this adds up to a long and predominantly unsuccessful career of comical yet troubling policy attempts. But O’Neil is determined to keep trying. He’s campaigning for his seventh term in the Montana Legislature. — Alex Sakariassen, Missoula Independent BLOWHARD

Clackamas County Chairman John Ludlow, Oregon Portland, Ore., may be known in the national consciousness as a frivolous paradise of banjos, naked bike rides and fair-trade coffee. But its suburban commuter communities have nourished a resentful Republican movement that’s dead serious about stopping what they call “Portland creep.”

The face of this antiPortland movement is John Ludlow, a brawny real estate broker with a shaved head that suggests Lex Luthor as a high school sports coach. His bid for Clackamas County chair was funded by a timber magnate and propelled by a populist revolt against light rail. Once elected, he set about trying to break contracts the county had signed years earlier to extend rail lines south from Portland.

But it’s his demeanor in Clackamas — a largely rural county of 380,000 that’s becoming more Stepford all the time — that’s been the most embarrassing. In a planning meeting last summer, he yelled, “Do you want a piece of me?” at a fellow commissioner.

You can’t say voters weren’t warned. When he ran for county chair in 2012, lawn signs went up that declared, “John Ludlow is a bully.” Ludlow had previously been removed from the planning commissioner in Wilsonville, where he served as mayor, for what one city councilor called “rude, combative, argumentative, and disrespectful” behavior toward the public. Ludlow sued, and in 2003 a judge restored him to his position, ruling his objectionable ways were actually protected speech.

A personnel complaint filed by the county’s lobbyist in April claims that, when news broke about the Boston Marathon bombing, Ludlow declared it was likely the work of “a damn A-rab.”

Speculating about suspects in a local shooting, he allegedly said, “I bet they were Mexicans.”

And when a former county board member, Ann Lininger, won appointment to an open state leg-

islative seat this year, Ludlow said she succeeded because “she does a good job of sticking out her perky titties in people’s faces.”

Ludlow apologized for his statements while denying making the comments about the state legislator’s breasts. An investigator cleared Ludlow of violating any county rules — but added that, when it came to the “perky titties” comment, Ludlow’s denial was probably a lie. — Aaron Mesh, Willamette Week HORN DOG

Aaron Reardon was the golden boy, the rising star of the Democratic Party in Washington state. Brash and cocky as a rooster, sure, but someday, most political observers agreed, he would sit in the governor’s mansion.

When he was sworn into office in 2004, Reardon was the youngest county executive in the nation. His fall from grace began a couple of years ago when a very tan bodybuilder named Tamara — also a county social worker — came forward to reveal her long affair with Reardon, a married man with two young children. There were junkets, most of them put on the county’s credit card, and even an intimacy kit containing condoms and lubricants purchased during one of their trysts at a boutique hotel in Washington, D.C. In Chicago, he skipped out on the Democratic Leadership Council conference by faking a headache and then hailed a taxi to have dinner and drinks with Tamara. Reardon weathered scandal after scandal — the out-of-control drunkard of a planning director he hired who groped a building-industry lobbyist on a golf course, allegations of using county resources for his campaign, a Washington State Patrol investigation into his travel.

Then came the final straw, which smacked of Nixonian politics: One of his staffers concocted a phony name and made public-records requests of county employees who had spoken to police about Reardon’s involvement with Tamara. His staff was also tied to web pages that attacked Reardon’s political opponents.

Reardon resigned last year and called for an independent investigation into “false and scurrilous accusations.” He is said to be living in exile somewhere in Arizona. — Ellis E. Conklin, Seattle Weekly

CHANDLER WEST/SUN-TIMES MEDIA

Former Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, Washington

NORTH

BLOWHARD

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Even toward the end of his 22-year mayoral reign, when he started selling off pieces of the city to hide its escalating financial woes, Richard M. Daley had broad support in Chicago. Sure, he was a tyrannical, thinskinned jerk who doled out jobs and contracts to his friends, but he was the people’s tyrannical, thin-skinned jerk who doled out jobs and contracts to his friends. His successor, Rahm Emanuel, is simply a jerk.

At least that’s how he’s seen by lots of Chicagoans after his first three years in office. In a recent poll commissioned by the Chicago Sun-Times, Emanuel had the support of a meager 29 percent of city voters.

The mayor and his allies stress he’s made “tough choices” to get the city back on track, starting with restoring fiscal discipline. It’s certainly true he’s shuttered mental health clinics, raised water fees, privatized city jobs, laid off teachers and closed schools — four dozen of them at once. At the same time, he’s poured millions of additional dollars into nonunionized, privately run charter schools.

But it’s not only what he’s done; it’s also

how he’s done it. Emanuel is widely seen as an outsider who uses Chicago as a backdrop for his broader political ambitions. Though he appears regularly in city neighborhoods for news conferences, his daily meeting schedule is filled with millionaire corporate leaders and investors, earning him the nickname “Mayor 1%” (and inspiring a book of that name by journalist Kari Lydersen).

He jets regularly to Washington to maintain his national image — yet he also has a knack for avoiding the spotlight at home when it’s especially hot, such as the time he was on a ski vacation when the school-closings list was released.

Still, Emanuel remains a formidable politician. He already has more than $7 million in his campaign coffers and is prepared to raise millions more before he’s up for election next February. Rahm may not be loved, but he’s unlikely to go down unless some high-profile candidate runs against him, and so far, that special someone hasn’t jumped into the race. — Mick Dumke, Chicago Reader CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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BLOWHARD

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Minnesota natives include Prince and Michele Bachmann, explanation enough why the state’s official bird is the loon.

Both His Royal Badness and the Tea Party’s homecoming queen have shown themselves to be geniuses at bizarre selfpromotion. Alas, only Prince is a genius at his job. The congresswoman, on the other hand, is retiring in 2014 one step ahead of looming congressional censure, if not outright criminal charges.

Negro Leaguer Satchel Paige once pronounced that “it ain’t bragging if you can do it.” Bachmann, however, still preens in self-congratulation despite her utter political failure. A defrocked demagogue, she still pretends her Tea Party is a reactionary revolution, not a moribund refuge for the Republicans’ traditional bloc of bat-shit crazy far-right-wingers.

Bachmann’s gift for gaffes became horridly apparent in 2012, when she lasted one presidential primary. Visiting Waterloo, Iowa, the candidate grandiosely lauded the town because it birthed that embodiment of red-blooded patriotism, John Wayne. Unfortunately, Waterloo’s most famous native son is actually mass murderer John Wayne Gacy.

The stench still hovers from her sixth-place Iowa finish. Her pathetic showing is remarkable considering the amount of cheating allegedly perpetrated by the Bachmann campaign. Purported election law violations have been or will be investigated by the House Ethics Committee, the Federal Election Commission, Iowa’s Senate Ethics Committee and the FBI. Additionally, one of her Iowa operatives stands accused of making illegal payoffs to political consultants, and Bachmann has been sued for stealing Hawkeye State email lists.

Prospects for Bachmann’s next gig range from hosting her own Fox News blabfest to sitting in a defendant’s chair. She has said God told her to run for national office. And thank the Lord, Congress shortly won’t have Michele Bachmann to kick around anymore. — Neal Karlen HATEMONGER

Marionville Mayor Dan Clevenger, Missouri On April 13, former KKK member Frazier Glenn Cross fatally shot three people outside a Jewish community center and a Jewish retirement home in a Kansas City suburb. After his arrest, a handcuffed Cross yelled, “Heil Hitler!” from the back of

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a police car. Why anyone, much less a public figure, would subsequently speak in support of a racist homicidal maniac is beyond comprehension, but Marionville Mayor Dan Clevenger did just that.

He told a local ABC affiliate reporter that, though he believed Cross should be executed, he also “kind of agreed” with, well, you know, racism. “There are some things that are going on in this country that are destroying us. We’ve got a false economy, and it’s — some of those corporations are run by Jews, because the names are there,” he said. “The people that run the Federal Reserve — they’re Jewish.” The reporter also discovered a letter to a local newspaper written by Clevenger in 2004 calling Cross a “friend” and warning readers that the “Jew-run medical industry ... made a few Jews rich by killin’ us off.”

After the story aired, residents of the southwest Missouri town demanded Clevenger resign. He initially refused but then relented after citizens aired their grievances at a packed and raucous city meeting. Afterward, Clevenger told reporters he was hurt by the town’s rejection. — Chad Garrison, Riverfront Times SLEAZEBALL

Michigan Speaker of the House Jase Bolger It’s puzzling how Jase Bolger has remained speaker of Michigan’s Republican-led house. He previously led the state GOP’s quest to eliminate (nonexistent) voter fraud and, more recently, supported the politically sheisty move to reallocate Michigan’s electoral votes based on who wins the popular vote — in districts he helped gerrymander to the benefit of his party.

But Bolger’s most egregious move came during the 2012 election cycle: He hatched a scheme to rig the election in Michigan’s 76th House District. Bolger conspired with state Rep. Roy Schmidt, a Republican from Grand Rapids, to have Schmidt register as a Democrat in the race at the very last second. Schmidt had his son find a phony candidate and agreed to pay to have this person file for the race but never actually campaign.

Their guinea pig initially agreed to go along with the plan but later backed out. Nonetheless, a Republican prosecutor who investigated the case

determined the episode wasn’t illegal but was obviously unethical. The prosecutor, William Forsyth, wrote he was embarrassed by Bolger’s plan, a move he said was “clearly intended to undermine the election and to perpetrate a fraud on the electorate.” — Ryan Felton, Detroit Metro Times BLOWHARD

Wisconsin State Rep. Brett Hulsey You have to hand it to the two-term Democratic state representative from Madison. Brett Hulsey knows how to grab headlines. But in his quest for publicity, he has also made himself irrelevant. Not a great tradeoff.

The former county board supervisor and environmental consultant almost immediately pissed off his Democratic colleagues in the state assembly by constantly grandstanding during the chaotic time after Gov. Scott Walker proposed ending collective bargaining rights for most public workers. Once he even jumped up to the podium at a news conference to give an impromptu Democratic response to a speech Walker had just made. His colleagues were not amused.

Then things got weird. News surfaced in July 2012 that Hulsey had pleaded no contest to a disorderly conduct charge for flipping off a 9-year-old boy while both were swimming at a local beach. A little less than a year later, Hulsey’s legislative aide asked to be reassigned, saying she felt threatened by her boss’ plan to use a box cutter to show her how to defend herself.

Hulsey soon after told a reporter that he was going through a particularly difficult time and was receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from childhood abuse.

Knowing his chances to retain his seat were slim to none, Hulsey didn’t seek re-election. But he didn’t go away, either. He threw his hat into the ring for Wisconsin governor, challenging frontrunner Mary Burke in the Democratic primary.

In the lead-up to the state Republican Party convention, Hulsey thought it would be a good idea to show up dressed as a Confederate soldier and to distribute KKK-style hoods to delegates there. He said he wanted to call attention to the GOP’s alleged racist policies.

News of his plans drew worldwide attention, none of it good, and he called off the stunt. But it pretty much burned any remaining relationships with colleagues who might have still admired his smart analysis and progressive stance on issues. — Judith Davidoff, Isthmus

BLOWHARD

DARROW MONTGOMERY/WASHINGTON CITY PAPER

Pennsylvania State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe

EAST

SLEAZEBALL

Former Washington, D.C., Councilman Michael Brown With Clinton-era Commerce Secretary Ron Brown as his father, Michael Brown could have been anything he wanted — a business mogul, a top lawyer, maybe a Cabinet secretary himself. Instead, he became one of the most crooked council members in District of Columbia history.

Brown saw a chance to outdo his father’s legacy by winning elected office. He threw his hat into a 2006 race, only to hear from a city Medicaid contractor who offered him $200,000 to drop out and endorse the contractor’s favored candidate. Brown took the cash, then received hundreds of thousands of dollars more in illicit help from the contractor, and finally won a council seat in 2008.

On the council, the sharp-dressing Brown made his name as a crusader for the poor. But he had his own financial woes, including a home in D.C.’s tony Chevy Chase neighbor-

hood weighed down by nearly $2 million in mortgage and IRS liens. When another group of would-be city contractors offered Brown bribes to help get government business, he jumped at the chance.

The eager contractors, though, were actually undercover FBI agents. The bribes would turn out to be the end of Brown’s white-collar crime spree. Videos released after his indictment on bribery charges in June 2012 showed the councilman eagerly grabbing at duffel bags and mugs filled with cash.

Though Brown’s legacy won’t outshine his father’s, he has introduced a phrase to the District’s corruption lexicon. Before helping the agents, Brown told them he would need his “piece of the piece” — in other words, another stack of bills. — Will Sommer, Washington City Paper

State Representative Daryl Metcalfe likes to walk softly and carry a big flamethrower. Whether it’s gay rights, immigration reform — which he has called “illegal alien invasion” — or requiring voter ID cards, you can count on the eightterm Republican from western Pennsylvania to unleash a double dose of inflammatory rhetoric.

As chairman of the powerful House State Government Committee, Metcalfe authored a controversial voter ID law and then drew fire when he went on a Pittsburgh radio station to complain about people who were too “lazy” to apply for the ID card. Then, when newbie state Rep. Brian Sims, the first openly gay lawmaker in Harrisburg, tried to speak on the house floor last June in support of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, Metcalfe relied on his direct connection to the Divine to deny Sims the right to speak. Metcalfe said Sims’ intended remarks were “in open rebellion against God’s law.”

The far-right conservative took the limelight in Harrisburg in 2001 when he introduced a resolution asking the federal government to fund and deploy a national defense missile system. No one could figure out why state lawmakers should be debating the issue, but the measure passed anyway.

His latest crusade, launched in May, was to call on Gov. Tom Corbett to appeal a federal court decision that struck down the ban on same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania. He is consistent, at least, and he sees himself as being ahead of the curve. As Metcalfe, 51, told Talking Points Memo: “I was a Tea Partier before it was cool.” — Lil Swanson, Philadelphia City Paper SLEAZEBALL

Massachusetts State House Speaker Robert DeLeo Robert DeLeo has bobbed and weaved around investigations that have come dangerously close to his circle.

But he has somehow avoided the same criminal fate of the three consecutive house patriarchs before him.

Nevertheless, with occaCONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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sional reluctant aid from POTUS prospect Gov. Deval Patrick, the speaker has reacted more to headlines than the commonwealth’s needs.

From facilitating ineffective three-strikes legislation in response to the high-profile murder of a single cop, to perpetually playing politics with casinos and medical marijuana, to his despicably stubborn stance on increasing the minimum wage, DeLeo demonstrates that in true-blue Massachusetts, Democrats generally make the best villains. — Chris Faraone, Dig Boston HATEMONGER

Ohio State Rep. John Becker

Becker advocated the impeachment of a federal judge in Ohio who had overturned part of the state’s same-sex marriage ban. He also penned an open letter in the wake of gay marriage approval in Massachusetts advocating a constitutional amendment prohibiting the practice. (His next best solution was expelling Massachusetts from the union and removing a star from the flag.)

He has admitted to being a bit of a Don Quixote with his opinions, though we’re pretty sure Becker has never read Cervantes’ masterpiece. Otherwise, he would have read passages like “When equity could and should be upheld, do not apply the rigor of the law on the accused; the reputation of a rigorous judge is no better than a compassionate one” and then promptly proposed a bill to ban “Man of La Mancha.” — Vince Grzegorek, Cleveland Scene

GAGE SKIDMORE

“This is just a personal view. I’m not a medical doctor.” So says Becker, who, after less than a year in Columbus has introduced

a dozen bills, all of them bat-shittier than the last. His personal, nonmedical opinion, if you were wondering, pertained to HB 351, a bill that would have banned health care providers from covering abortions. And not just abortions in the sense we all know, but a hazy, very unscientific view of abortions that would include “drugs or devices used to prevent the implantation of a fertilized ovum.”

And he’s after IUDs, which are proven to be, as Slate pointed out, among the most costeffective and, ya know, effective forms of birth control.

BIG BLOWHARD

Donald Trump, New York Though the Donald isn’t technically a politician (he has never held office), he routinely threatens to run for president and perpetually inserts himself into the national political debate.

From stoking conspiracy theories by offering a $5 million bounty for President Obama’s birth certificate to calling the 2012 election “a sham and a travesty,” Trump is the ultimate political troll.

The reality TV star and real estate magnate recently toyed with the idea of running as the GOP candidate for governor of New York

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before removing himself from the race. And he has donated millions to candidates from both parties over the years. While his political ambitions may be as absurd as his comb-over, Trump is a master at exploiting the media to generate semiserious discussion of fringy ideas that would normally be dismissed out of hand.

At various times, Trump has suggested repealing campaign contribution limits, imposing a 25 percent tariff on all Chinese goods, and building a “triple-layered fence” and flying Predator drones along the Mexican border.

Trump’s sideshow routine has become tiresome for some reporters (BuzzFeed’s McKay Coppins compared the experience of covering the Donald’s short-lived 2014 gubernatorial campaign to “donning a network-branded parka during a snowstorm and shouting into the camera about a predictable phenomenon”), but many major news outlets still find the act irresistible for the ratings and page views. And that begs the question: Who’s dumber, Donald Trump or the journalists who keep feeding the troll? — Keegan Hamilton

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MATT WHITE

AND

Jim Mize will have another

A night with the legendary Arkansas singer-songwriter.

BY WILL STEPHENSON

J

im Mize leans forward over the table, slips off his glasses and rubs his eyes. It’s a Friday afternoon at the Doubletree Hotel bar and the 57-year-old songwriter is explaining his decision to drop out of high school to join the Army during the latter years of the Vietnam War. “I think everybody does this from time to time, especially when you see a freeway,” he says, signaling the waitress for another vodka tonic.

“You’re kind of daydreaming, and you go, ‘I wonder where they’re going? I wonder where they’re going?’ And then you realize there’s a whole frickin’ damn world out there. And here you are just in little old Arkansas thinking that’s all there is.”

He laughs. It’s raspy and ecstatic, a smoker’s laugh that makes everyone in earshot start grinning, and I can’t help 24

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ARKANSAS TIMES

but think he’s laughing because he was born in Conway and still lives in Conway today. (“We’re in the country,” he says of his house, which is surrounded by a swamp. “Matter of fact I seen a bobcat just the other day.”) Over the years he’s lived all over the state, in Little Rock, Marianna and Pine Bluff — Arkansas has been the major setting of his life. But Mize, whose third, self-titled album was released June 24, knows better than most that that’s not “all there is,” and the Army was his first attempt to prove it.

“It actually wasn’t that bad,” he says of his time in the service, shrugging. “I even got to go home on leave because I shot the best out of the whole company.” He puffs out his chest with mock pride and nods, taking a big swig of the drink that’s just shown up. “Southern boys are like that

though, we know how to shoot.”

Underage and restless, he was stationed mostly in Germany and Fort Campbell, a base straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee border, and it was here, he says, that he first started taking music seriously, so far as it goes. “There’s bars, pawnshops and massage parlors all the way from Fort Campbell on down to Nashville,” he says, mapping the route with his hands. “Plenty of places to play. They didn’t pay much, but it was something to do.” He’d play country and blues covers, every now and then interjecting something original just to see if anyone noticed. “It’s a hell of a mixture of people,” he says of these early shows.

“From college kids to derelicts, you got all kinds. On a Friday or Saturday night, though, they all blend in. They just want to hear some noise up there.”

Rather than try music professionally after the Army, Mize came home and got a sensible job as an insurance claims adjustor, surveying the aftermaths of various natural disasters. He’s held onto the position for 33 years now, touring bars, making occasional albums and opening for bigger acts in his spare time. When he mentions the name of a town he’s visited, it’s often difficult to tell whether he was there playing music or interviewing the survivors of a tornado or hurricane. The distinction isn’t all that important to him; it’s about collecting experiences.

These days, though, touring appeals to him less and less (“I’m 57,” he says more than once, “I’ve got to be comfortable.”).

He has other priorities, other interests.

He says he’d like to “break into” the New Orleans music market, for instance, find a high-paying gig, but a few minutes later brings up a Mark Twain-inspired dream he’s always had to float down to the city on the Mississippi in a tugboat. He seems a lot more animated discussing the latter prospect.

A few days before we meet, he was on vacation with his grandkids in Fort Walton, Fla. “What a hell of a week,” he says, lifting his glass and shaking his head. He says there were “shark alerts” and that they were clearing beaches nearby, which reminded him of the last time he was in Florida, on the job. “I was down there working a hurricane,” he says, “and they had a helicopter flying over the beaches.

You had that aerial view and could look down and see it all.” He narrows his eyes and smiles. “Let me tell you, man, those sharks are not that damn far.” ♦♦♦ Mize doesn’t like being called the “best songwriter in Arkansas,” but it keeps happening. To be honest, the whole thing embarrasses him. “It’s almost insulting,” he says, taken aback. “Who the hell knows who’s the best songwriter in any state?” But as with any cult figure, his fans tend to feel a nagging sense of responsibility toward him, like it’s their fault he isn’t better known.

They become evangelical.

Also, and this may have even more to do with it, he writes some of the best songs in Arkansas. Either because of his long-standing affiliation with Fat Possum Records, his early interactions with Junior KimCONTINUED ON PAGE 33

ROCK CANDY

7th & thayer, Lr

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A&E NEWS THE ARKANSAS MOTION PICTURE INSTITUTE will host a preview screening of the new documentary “I’ll Be Me ... Glen Campbell” on July 10 at the Ron Robinson Theater, followed by a discussion with the filmmakers (including director James Keach) and members of the Campbell family. Ad-

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Natural Child w/ Adam Faucett

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ReseRve YouR own Chill-it iCe tRaileR

1-800-631-6560

Check out additional shows at whitewatertavern.com

vance tickets are $25 and available at arkansasmpi.org. The film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Nashville Film Festival, focuses on Campbell’s battle with Alzheimer’s and his 151show “Goodbye Tour,” including interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Bill Clinton, Paul McCartney, Steve Martin and others.

Campbell, born in Pike County, was

Yellow Fever, Malaria, Tuberculosis, Cholera, Flu and Hookworm

diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2011 and his condition has worsened in recent months. He is now in an assisted

A Fascinating History of Arkansas’s 200 Year Battle Against Disease and Pestilence

living facility in Nashville. His eldest daughter, Debby, criticized the move in an interview with Country Weekly, saying, “I think my dad deserves better than this ... I want to take my dad home and take care of him. I feel like he should be surrounded by loved ones at home.” Campbell’s wife, Kim, responded in an interview with Rolling Stone (titled “Glen Campbell’s Family Argues Over Ailing Icon’s Medical Care”), saying, “It is crushingly sad to see him afflicted with Alzheimer’s, but indulging those feelings does not help him. I am his wife and no one wants him home more than me but I must do what is in his best interest.”

BILLBOARD REPORTS that as of last week, Justin Moore’s “Lettin’ The Night Roll” has climbed to the No. 1 spot on the Country Airplay charts, the fourth No. 1 hit for the singer, who was born in Poyen and now lives in Benton (after a decade in the Nashville trenches). “I love the simplistic nature of where I grew up,” as Moore told Taste of Country recently. For anyone not keeping up, Moore was also named Best New Artist at this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards, a big step for the enthusiastic National Rifle Association booster.

Health THE

PUBLIC’S

STory of a narraTIvE HI nSaS aS SE E In arka HEaLTH and dI Art, M.D.

by Sam Tagg

tes, M.D. Joseph H. Ba Preface by

This is a great Arkansas history showing that tells how public attitudes toward medicine, politics and race have shaped the public health battle against deadly and debilitating disease in the state.

From the illnesses that plagued the states earliest residents to the creation of what became the Arkansas Department of Health, Sam Taggart’s “The Public’s Health: A Narrative History of Health and Disease in Arkansas” tells the fascinating medical history of Arkansas. Published by the Arkansas Times.

$1995

Payment: Check Or Credit Card Order By Mail: Arkansas Times Books P.O. Box 34010, Little Rock, AR 72203 Phone: 501-375-2985 Fax: 501-375-3623 Email:jack@arktimes.com 96 PP. Soft Cover • Shipping And Handling: $3 www.arktimes.com

JULY 3, 2014

25

THE TO-DO

LIST

BY DAVID KOON, LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK, DAVID RAMSEY AND WILL STEPHENSON

THURSDAY 7/3

BOMBAY HARAMBEE, SWAMPBIRD

8 p.m. White Water Tavern.

White Water will host a Hendrix College garage pop reunion of sorts Thursday, booking cold-as-ice post-

punk four-piece Bombay Harambee; mellow, emotive hick-rockers Swampbird, and their excellentlynamed friends in Fayetteville’s May the Peace of the Sea Be With You, all of whom, according to B.H. frontman Alexander Jones, “often played

late into the night” back in their Conway college years. Also on the bill is spacey Fayetteville noise-pop group monsterheart, fresh from its monthlong tour with Peace of the Sea. Bombay Harambee, which you may remember from this year’s Arkansas Times

Musicians Showcase (or just because you go out sometimes — they’ve been playing twice a week lately), will be playing all new material from their forthcoming new release, which will be available as soon as they get around to recording it. WS

FRIDAY 7/4

POPS ON THE RIVER

Noon. First Security Amphitheater. Free.

JUVE THE GREAT: Juvenile will be at Club Elevations 9 p.m. Thursday.

THURSDAY 7/3

JUVENILE

9 p.m. Club Elevations. $15.

With 1998’s “400 Degreez,” and especially its two back-to-back singles “Ha” and “Back That Azz Up” — both produced by the legendary Mannie Fresh — Juvenile served the dual purpose of instantly legitimizing Cash Money Records and elevating himself to the forefront of the Southern hip-hop cultural coup. Previously a regional icon best known for his work with the Hot Boys (alongside Lil Wayne, still a year from his

solo debut), he became a celebrity, but he also sort of peaked. There are great songs on all of his other records, all of which kept selling (for a while), but he never had the voice or the presence of a Wayne or a Mystikal (or even a Soulja Slim). He was an adventurous rapper who greatly benefited from the “Genius of the System” approach that thrived at Cash Money (and No Limit) for a few years: He needed Mannie Fresh and he needed the regional context — it was a beautiful formula. “Ha,” in particular, stands

permanently and incontrovertibly in the Third Coast canon. The beat is pure futurism, and Juvenile grumbles his verses entirely in the second person, without any real sense of rhythm (the beat’s too hyperactive for that anyway). It’s one of the great roads-nottaken in pop music, too druggy and pointillist and space-age to have inspired imitators.

Also check out “Slow Motion,” “Who Can I Run To,” “Mardi Gras,” and see the guy who once dubbed himself Juve the Great at Elevations Thursday night. WS

Pop music in the air, the pop of fireworks in the sky, mom and pop on the riverbank: Independence Day is Friday and that means it’s time to pull out the blankets, find a grassy place to plop down and enjoy the annual Pops on the River family event with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. The event kicks off at noon at the River Market and culminates with patriotic strains at the amphitheater and fireworks shot from the Main Street Bridge. Early-day events include children’s activities in the Kids Pavilion, a “classic” car show, food trucks, stuff to buy and entertainment. At 5:30 p.m. the final five in the Air National Guard Band of the Southwest’s “Oh Say! Can You Sing” contest will compete. This year’s celebration also includes a “Salute to the Troops” program sponsored by St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center (Coast Guard rep needed, according to Facebook page). Philip Mann will conduct the symphony at the First Security Amphitheater. Fireworks start at 9:30 p.m. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette sponsors the event, now in its 31st year. LNP

SATURDAY 7/5

MARTY STUART

7 p.m. Ozark Folk Center State Park. $30.

So here is Marty Stuart at 14 years old, playing mandolin alongside Lester Flatt on an episode of “Hee Haw” in 1974. He wears a maroon button-up, sings with a chipper, upbeat twang, and Flatt will 26

JULY 3, 2014

ARKANSAS TIMES

be dead by the end of the decade. Stuart gets a job with Johnny Cash’s backing band, marries Cash’s daughter, Cindy, and starts making hit records. “This One’s Gonna Hurt You” one of them is called. By then he wears denim jackets and lets his hair grow out. In 1997 he marries Connie Smith, the enigmatic

country icon who started playing guitar as a teenager after injuring her leg in a serious lawnmower accident. Listen to Smith’s “Haunted Heart” (never released, available on YouTube), and wear headphones when you do. Since 2008, Stuart has hosted “The Marty Stuart Show” on RFD-TV, alongside Smith

and Stuart’s band, the Fabulous Superlatives. I last saw him on a billboard advertising his concert at a casino — I drove by too fast to catch the date, but his tour dates are dotted with them. No slot machines at the Ozark Folk Center State Park, but that’s probably for the best. WS

IN BRIEF

THURSDAY 7/3 Oaklawn will host Spa Blast, featuring live music, a petting zoo, a rock climbing wall and more, 4 p.m., free. There

SATURDAY 7/5

ARKANSAS SPECTACULAR GOSPEL CONCERT

7 p.m. First Security Amphitheater. $10-$25.

This writer is a long-time heathen, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t have my soul moved by great gospel music.

At the first blues festival I ever attended, way down in Mississippi an age ago, they had a gospel tent. I wound up spend-

will be an Old Fashioned Ice Cream

ing more time in there than I did at the main stages, just for the vibe. Here’s my testimony: Music fueled by wine, whiskey, heartbreak and big-legged women is always going to be first in my heart, but I will say that when folks believe they’re singing to God, my friend, they really tend to belt it out. Here, promoter Michael B. White presents a slate of great gospel singers, including Beverly Crawford, Le’Andria Johnson, Earnest

Pugh, Tim Rogers and the Fellas, and Tasha Page-Lockhart. Gates open at 5 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket, dinner in a basket and a church fan.

Spread out on the grass, and prepare to be rocked in service of Big G. Sounds like a great Saturday night to me. Tickets are available online at eventbrite.com or in the real world at Ugly Mike’s Records, Lindsey’s BBQ, Uncle T’s Food Mart or Mackey Insurance in Conway. DK

Social at Crest Park, 6 p.m., as part of Hillcrest’s First Thursday Shop ’N’ Sip. Chef, TV personality and author of “Modern Pioneering” Georgia Pellegrini will give a free presentation at South on Main at 6 p.m. (reservations required). Comedian Chris Killian will be at the Loony Bin through Saturday, July 5, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., $7-$10.

Atlanta rapper and Bad Boy Records cast-off Yung Joc (“It’s Goin’ Down”) will be at Club Trois at 9 p.m.

FRIDAY 7/4 In addition to Pops on the River, there will be Fourth of July festivities at Ozark Folk Center State Park (featuring live music, craft workshops and more, 10 a.m., $12), the Little Rock Marriott (with barbecue, magic and music by Tragikly White, 6 p.m., $50), the Historic Arkansas Museum (frontier-themed, 2 p.m., free), the Afterthought (music by Lucious Spiller at 9 p.m., $7) and Pinnacle SHOTGUN WILLIE: Willie Nelson will be at the Walmart AMP with Alison Krauss and Jason Isbell 7 p.m. Monday, $39-$99.

Mountain State Park (water balloon volleyball, tug-of-war, relay races and more, 10 a.m.). Revolution will host the

MONDAY 7/7

WILLIE NELSON, ALISON KRAUSS

7 p.m. Walmart AMP. $39-$99.

All of a sudden Willie Nelson is 81 years old. I mean, you knew he was getting up there, and he’s settled into an “Old Willie” persona for decades, but still! There was something, well, ageless about him. It just seemed like that easygoing outlaw style would glide along forever. Like maybe smoking weed at

Sizzlin’ Summer Jam, featuring Mike

the White House (as Willie claimed to have done in 1980) has a way of freezing a body’s time. There is something triumphant in an octogenarian who still can’t wait to get on the road again. But this show can’t go on forever, and not to get too morbid, but if you have not yet seen Willie Nelson, YOU NEED TO SEE WILLIE NELSON. Like Dolly Parton’s boobs, Willie’s weed has made folks view his late career through an unfortunately cartoonish lens, but make no

mistake, he is an all-timer, a one-ofa-kind original responsible for some of the best American music of the last 50 years. Great bonus in getting to see opener Jason Isbell, formerly of DriveBy Truckers, who put out an excellent solo country album last year. Plus coheadliner Alison Krauss, the amazing country-bluegrass wunderkind. Maybe we can’t say wunderkind anymore, she’s past 40 now! Shoot. Like Willie said: Funny how time slips away. DR

Walker, Tricia Reed and Darril “Harp” Edwards, 8 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of.

Nashville indie rock group Fly Golden Eagle will be at Stickyz, 9 p.m., $7.

The Big Damn Horns will be at The Joint, 9 p.m., $7, and at White Water Tavern, Velvet Kente will present “The Afrobeatdown,” featuring DJ sets by Joshua Asante and DJ Prophet and live African Dance by Kazi and Ikesha, 10 p.m., $7.

SATURDAY 7/5 The Arkansas Travelers will kick off

TUESDAY 7/8

‘THE GOONIES’

7 p.m. Riverdale 10 Cinema. $7.

There were those who loved to hate on the old Riverdale 10 down on Cantrell Road — most of it centered around the weird fried-stuff menu they put into effect before the joint closed in December 2013 (nothing like fish grease on cloth seats to make you want to go to the movies). That said, it was a fave of mine, just because it was close, ran first-run movies,

their series against the Midland Rock-

was always cold in the summertime and was often sparsely attended. That last bit proved to be its undoing, but it was also a godsend for those who didn’t like to fight the crowd for a blockbuster at Rave.

Recently, the theater was taken over by Matt Smith of Market Street Theater, who has resurrected it as a kind of art house/first-run hybrid thing. Seems like a good place for it, given the proximity to the Commune of Hillcrest. Another

thing I’m excited about is R10’s showings of classic movies. There’s nothing in the world like seeing a film you love on the big screen. Up this week: Steven Spielberg and Richard Donner’s 1985 ode to childhood adventure “The Goonies.” I caught it on Netflix the other day, and it’s a film that’s aged surprisingly well. Bring the kids. Buy ’em some popcorn and show them the movie that stirred children’s hearts long before “Toy Story.” DK

Hounds at Dickey-Stephens Park, 7:10 p.m. (6:10 p.m. Sunday, July 6, and 7:10 p.m. Monday, July 7), $6-$12. Valley Ray will play a release show for their new EP at Vino’s with Northeast Northwest and Stranger Strange, 9 p.m., $6.

E Side Shawty, the local rapper lately known for his single, “Street Love,” featuring Lil Boosie, will be at Lulav at 9 p.m. That Arkansas Weather will be at the Afterthought at 9 p.m., $7. www.arktimes.com

JULY 3, 2014

27

AFTER DARK All events are in the Greater Little Rock area unless otherwise noted. To place an event in the Arkansas Times calendar, please email the listing and all pertinent information, including date, time, location, price and contact information, to calendar@arktimes.com.

free. 111 Markham St. 501-374-7474. www.capitalhotel.com/CBG. The Afrobeatdown. Presented by Velvet Kente, featuring DJ sets by Joshua Asante and DJ Prophet and live African Dance by Kazi and Ikesha. White Water Tavern, 10 p.m., $7. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com.

William Staggers Trio. Oaklawn Park. 2705 Central Ave., Hot Springs. 501-623-4411. www. oaklawn.com.

THURSDAY, JULY 3

MUSIC

Bombay Harambee, Swampbird, May the Peace of the Sea Be With You, monsterheart.

White Water Tavern, 8 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com.

Goodfoot. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $5. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www. afterthoughtbar.com.

Indie Music Night. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $10. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www. juanitas.com.

“Inferno.” DJs play pop, electro, house and more, plus drink specials and $1 cover before 11 p.m.

Sway, 9 p.m. 412 Louisiana. 501-907-2582.

Jim Dickerson. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7 p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-324-2999. www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com.

Juvenile. Club Elevations, 9 p.m., $15. 7200 Colonel Glenn Road. 501-562-3317.

Karaoke. The Joint, 9 p.m. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.

Karaoke and line dancing lessons. W.T. Bubba’s Country Tavern, 9 p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-244-2528.

Krush Thursdays with DJ Kavaleer. Club Climax, free before 11 p.m. 824 W. Capitol. 501-554-3437.

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Michael Eubanks. Newk’s Express Cafe, 6:30 p.m. 4317 Warden Road, NLR. 501-753-8559. newks.com.

Open Jam. Thirst n’ Howl, 8 p.m. 14710 Cantrell Road. 501-379-8189. www.thirst-n-howl.com.

Open jam with The Port Arthur Band. Parrot Beach Cafe, 9 p.m. 9611 MacArthur Drive, NLR. 771-2994.

Randall Shreve and The Sideshow. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $6. 107 Commerce St. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com.

RockUsaurus. Senor Tequila, 7-9 p.m. 10300 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-224-5505. www. senor-tequila.com.

Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 7:30 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-374-7474. www.capitalhotel.com/CBG. Yung Joc. Club Trois, 9 p.m., $20 adv. 4314 Asher Ave. 870-370-4324.

COMEDY

Chris Killian. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m., $7-$10.

10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-228-5555. www.loonybincomedy.com.

EVENTS

Geocaching. Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 8:30 a.m. 602 President Clinton Ave. 501-907-0636. www.centralarkansasnaturecenter.com.

Hillcrest Shop & Sip. Shops and restaurants offer discounts, later hours, and live music. Hillcrest, 5 p.m. 501-666-3600. www.hillcrestmerchants.com.

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social. Crest Park, 6 p.m. Kavanaugh Boulevard between Palm and Beechwood streets.

Spa Blast. Featuring live music, a petting zoo, a 28

JULY 3, 2014

ARKANSAS TIMES

COMEDY

Chris Killian. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m., 10 p.m., $7-$10. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501228-5555. www.loonybincomedy.com.

DANCE

Ballroom Dancing. Free lessons begin at 7 p.m.

Bess Chisum Stephens Community Center, 8-11 p.m., $7-$13. 12th & Cleveland Streets. 501-2217568. www.blsdance.org.

“Salsa Night.” Begins with a one-hour salsa lesson. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $8. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.littlerocksalsa.com.

NEW JOC CITY: Yung Joc will be at Club Trois Thursday night, 9 p.m., $20, adv. rock climbing wall and more. Oaklawn Park, 4 p.m., Free. 2705 Central Ave., Hot Springs. 501623-4411. www.oaklawn.com.

LECTURES

Georgia Pellegrini. A presentation by the chef, TV personality and author of “Modern Pioneering.”

Reservations required. South on Main, 6 p.m., Free. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. www.facebook.com/SouthonMainLR.

SPORTS

Arkansas Travelers vs. Frisco. Dickey-Stephens Park, 7:10 p.m., $6-$12. Dickey-Stephens Park, 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501-664-1555. www. travs.com.

FRIDAY, JULY 4

MUSIC

4th of July Party. Featuring Lucious Spiller.

Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $7. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbar.com.

The Big Damn Horns. The Joint, 9 p.m., $7. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointin-

littlerock.com.

Club Nights at 1620 Savoy. Dance night, with DJs, drink specials and bar menu. 1620 Savoy, 10 p.m. 1620 Market St. 501-221-1620. www.1620savoy.com.

Fly Golden Eagle. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $7. 107 Commerce St. 501-3727707. www.stickyz.com.

Jesse Dean and Left Of Center. George’s Majestic Lounge, 6 p.m. 519 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. 479-442-4226.

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

One Love Presents Sizzlin’ Summer Jam. Featuring Mike Walker, Tricia Reed and Darril “Harp” Edwards. Revolution, 8 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-8230090. revroom.com.

Peace of the Sea, monsterheart, Brothel Sprouts, Fiscal Spliff. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. 21 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 479-444-6100.

Pops on the River. A performance by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. First Security Amphitheater, 8:30 p.m. 400 President Clinton Ave. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 9 p.m.,

EVENTS

4th of July Extravaganza. With BBQ, magic and music by Tragikly White Little Rock Marriott, 6 p.m., $50. 3 Statehouse Plaza. 501-906-4000. www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/litpb-littlerock-marriott.

Fourth of July Friday. Featuring live music, craft workshops, food and more. Ozark Folk Center State Park, 10 a.m., $12. 1032 Park Ave., Mountain View.

Frontier 4th of July. Historic Arkansas Museum, 2 p.m., Free. 200 E. Third St. 501-324-9351. www. historicarkansas.org.

Fun on the Fourth. With water balloon volleyball, tug-of-war, relay races and more. Pinnacle Mountain State Park, 10 a.m. 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road. 501-868-5806.

Geocaching. Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 8:30 a.m. 602 President Clinton Ave. 501-907-0636. www.centralarkansasnaturecenter.com.

LGBTQ/SGL weekly meeting. Diverse Youth for Social Change is a group for LGBTQ/SGL and straight ally youth and young adults age 14 to 23. For more information, call 244-9690 or search “DYSC” on Facebook. LGBTQ/SGL Youth and Young Adult Group, 6:30 p.m. 800 Scott St.

SPORTS

Arkansas Travelers vs. Frisco. Dickey-Stephens Park, 5:30 p.m., $6-$12. Dickey-Stephens Park, 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501-664-1555. www. travs.com.

SATURDAY, JULY 5

MUSIC

The Arkansas Spectacular Gospel Concert.

Featuring Beverly Crawford, Le’Andria Johnson, Earnest Pugh, Tim Rogers and The Fellas and more. First Security Amphitheater, 7 p.m., $10$25. 400 President Clinton Ave. As Shadows Collapse, Chemical Discipline, Antartichrist, Day After Mourning. George’s Majestic Lounge, 8:30 p.m., $5. 519 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. 479-442-4226.

Club Nights at 1620 Savoy. See July 4.

E Side Shawty. The Italian Kitchen at Lulav, 9

PARTY AT OUR PLACE!

COMEDY

Chris Killian. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., $7-$10. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-2285555. www.loonybincomedy.com.

DANCE

Little Rock West Coast Dance Club. Dance lessons. Singles welcome. Ernie Biggs, 7 p.m., $2. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-247-5240. www. arstreetswing.com.

EVENTS

Argenta Farmers Market. Argenta Farmers Market, 7 a.m. 6th and Main St., NLR. 501-8317881. www.argentaartsdistrict.org/argenta-farmers-market/.

Big Rock Mini Golf Grand Opening. Proceeds benefit Centers for Youth & Families. 11411 Baseline Road, 10 a.m., $8-$17. 11411 Baseline Road.

Falun Gong meditation. Allsopp Park, 9 a.m., free. Cantrell & Cedar Hill Roads.

Geocaching. Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 8:30 a.m. 602 President Clinton

SPORTS

Arkansas Travelers vs. Midland. DickeyStephens Park, 7:10 p.m., $6-$12. 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501-664-1555. www.travs. com.

SUNDAY, JULY 6

MUSIC

I Was Afraid, Sad Armour, Nouns, Head Cold, Oh Cathy. Greenwood Studio, 8 p.m., $5. 2225 Prince St., Conway. 501-499-0101.

Irish Traditional Music Session. Hibernia Irish Tavern, first and third Sunday of every month, 2:30 p.m. 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501246-4340. www.hiberniairishtavern.com.

Karaoke with DJ Sara. Hardrider Bar & Grill, 7 p.m., free. 6613 John Harden Drive, Cabot.

501-982-1939.

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Saracen Sunday. Saracen Landing, 4 p.m., $5.

200 Lake Saracen Drive, Pine Bluff.

Successful Sunday. The Italian Kitchen at Lulav, 8 p.m., $5-$10. 220 A W. 6th St. 501-374-5100. www.lulaveatery.com.

Publication: Arkansas Times

Trim: 2.125x5.5 Bleed: none Live: 1.875x5.25

All American Food & Great Place to Watch Your Favorite Event

Closing Date: 6/13/14 QC: CS

Ave. 501-907-0636. www.centralarkansasnaturecenter.com.

Hillcrest Farmers Market. Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. 2200 Kavanaugh Blvd.

Historic Neighborhoods Tour. Bike tour of historic neighborhoods includes bike, guide, helmets and maps. Bobby’s Bike Hike, 9 a.m., $8-$28. 400 President Clinton Ave. 501-6137001.

Homespun Day. Featuring Arkansas artisans, homemade ice cream, demonstrations and traditional crafts. Plantation Agriculture Museum, 10 a.m., Free. 4815 Hwy. 161 S., Scott. 961-1409. www.arkansasstateparks.com/plantationagriculturemuseum.

Little Rock Farmers’ Market. River Market Pavilions, 7 a.m. 400 President Clinton Ave. 3752552. www.rivermarket.info.

Pork & Bourbon Tour. Bike tour includes bicycle, guide, helmets and maps. Bobby’s Bike Hike, 11:30 a.m., $35-$45. 400 President Clinton Ave. 501-613-7001.

Rockin’ Mondays! $2 Off all Rock Town products after 6pm

ROCK TOWN WHISKEY NOW ON TAP!

SPORTS

Arkansas Travelers vs. Midland. DickeyStephens Park, 6:10 p.m. 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501-664-1555. www.travs.com.

MONDAY, JULY 7

MUSIC

Jared and The Mill. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $8 adv., $10 day of. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

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EVENTS

Bernice Garden Farmer’s Market. Bernice Garden, 10 a.m. 1401 S. Main St. www.thebernicegarden.org.

Geocaching. Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 8:30 a.m. 602 President Clinton Ave. 501-907-0636. www.centralarkansasnaturecenter.com.

“Live from the Back Room.” Spoken word event.

Vino’s, 7 p.m. 923 W. 7th St. 501-375-8466. www. vinosbrewpub.com.

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Hikes, Captain Nowhere, Bombay Harambee.

The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. 21 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 479-444-6100.

Jam Rock Saturday. Twelve Modern Lounge, first Saturday of every month, 9 p.m. 1900 W. Third St. 501-301-1200.

Karaoke at Khalil’s. Khalil’s Pub, 7 p.m. 110 S. Shackleford Road. 501-224-0224. www.khalilspub.com.

Karaoke. Casa Mexicana, 7 p.m. 6929 JFK Blvd., NLR. 501-835-7876.

Karaoke with Kevin & Cara. All ages, on the restaurant side. Revolution, 9 p.m.-12:45 a.m., free. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. revroom.com.

K.I.S.S. Saturdays. Featuring DJ Silky Slim. Dress code enforced. Sway, 10 p.m. 412 Louisiana.

501-492-9802.

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Marty Stuart. Ozark Folk Center State Park, 7 p.m., $30. 1032 Park Ave., Mountain View.

Music On Main. Music festival featuring Lucious Spiller and the Bill Jones Bluez Band. Downtown Pine Bluff, 7 p.m., $5. Main St., Pine Bluff.

New Era Saturdays. 21-and-older. Twelve Modern Lounge, first Saturday of every month, 9 p.m., $5 cover until 11 p.m. 1900 W. Third St. 501-301-1200.

Pickin’ Porch. Bring your instrument. All ages welcome. Faulkner County Library, 9:30 a.m. 1900 Tyler St., Conway. 501-327-7482. www.fcl.org.

Singer/Songwriters Showcase. Parrot Beach Cafe, 2-7 p.m., free. 9611 MacArthur Drive, NLR. 771-2994.

Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 9 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-374-7474. www.capitalhotel.com/CBG. That Arkansas Weather. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $7. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-6631196. www.afterthoughtbar.com.

Valley Ray, Northeast Northwest, Stranger Strange. Vino’s, 9 p.m., $6. 923 W. 7th St. 501375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com.

William Staggers Trio. Oaklawn Park. 2705 Central Ave., Hot Springs. 501-623-4411. www. oaklawn.com.

The Great

Transformers: Age of Extinction (Digital) PG 13| 1:00 4:00 7:00 9:45

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JULY 3, 2014

29

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JULY 3, 2014

ARKANSAS TIMES

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AFTER DARK, CONT. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Monday Night Jazz. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 8 p.m., $5. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbar.com.

Richie Johnson. Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf.com.

Willie Nelson and Family, Alison Krauss and Union Station. Arkansas Music Pavilion, 7 p.m., $39-$99. 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville.

479-443-5600. www.arkansasmusicpavilion.com.

SPORTS

American Taekwondo Association World Championships. Statehouse Convention Center, July 7-13, $10. 7 Statehouse Plaza.

Arkansas Travelers vs. Midland. Dickey-Stephens Park, 7:10 p.m., $6-$12. 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501-664-1555. www.travs.com.

KIDS

Summer Art Camp. Emergent Arts, July 7-10.

341-A Whittington Avenue, Hot Springs.

Youth Day Camp. Ozark Folk Center State Park, July 7-11, $60. 1032 Park Ave., Mountain View.

870-269-3851.

TUESDAY, JULY 8

MUSIC

Analog Apostles. Bear’s Den Pizza, 9 p.m., Free.

235 Farris Road, Conway. 501-328-5556. www. bearsdenpizza.com.

Brian and Nick. Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf. com.

The Bunny The Bear, I Omega. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $10 adv., $15 day of. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com.

Dangerous Idiots. White Water Tavern, 9 p.m.

2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com.

Everyone is Dirty, Witchsister, High Lonesome.

The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. 21 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 479-444-6100.

Irish Traditional Music Sessions. Hibernia Irish Tavern, second and Fourth Tuesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road.

501-246-4340. www.hiberniairishtavern.com.

Jeff Ling. Khalil’s Pub, 6 p.m. 110 S. Shackleford Road. 501-224-0224. www.khalilspub.com.

Jim Dickerson. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7

p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-324-2999. www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com.

Karaoke Tuesday. Prost, 8 p.m., free. 322 President Clinton Blvd. 501-244-9550.

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Music Jam. Hosted by Elliott Griffen and Joseph Fuller. The Joint, 8-11 p.m., free. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.

Silo. Reno’s Argenta Cafe, 9 p.m. 312 N. Main St., NLR. 501-376-2900. www.renosargentacafe.com.

Tuesday Jam Session with Carl Mouton.

Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 8 p.m., free. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbar.com.

COMEDY

Stand-Up Tuesday. Hosted by Adam Hogg. The Joint, 8 p.m., $5. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.

DANCE

“Latin Night.” Revolution, 7:30 p.m., $5 regular, $7 under 21. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501823-0090. www.littlerocksalsa.com.

EVENTS

Geocaching. Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 8:30 a.m. 602 President Clinton Ave. 501-907-0636. www.centralarkansasnaturecenter.com.

Little Rock Farmers’ Market. River Market Pavilions, 7 a.m. 400 President Clinton Ave. 3752552. www.rivermarket.info.

Little Rock Green Drinks. Informal networking session for people who work in the environmental field. Ciao Baci, 5:30-7 p.m. 605 N. Beechwood St. 501-603-0238. www.greendrinks. org.

Ozark Storytellers Monthly Story Swap. Ozark Folk Center State Park, 6:30 p.m. 1032 Park Ave., Mountain View.

Trivia Bowl. Flying Saucer, 8:30 p.m. 323 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-8032. www.beerknurd.com/ stores/littlerock.

FILM

“The Goonies.” Riverdale 10 Cinema, 7 p.m., $9.

2600 Cantrell Road. 501-296-9955.

SPORTS

American Taekwondo Association World

,000 0 $ 3 EEL H W

OF

Championships. Statehouse Convention Center, through July 13, $10. 7 Statehouse Plaza.

KIDS

Summer Art Camp. Emergent Arts, through July 10. 341-A Whittington Avenue, Hot Springs.

Youth Day Camp. Ozark Folk Center State Park, through July 11, $60. 1032 Park Ave., Mountain View. 870-269-3851.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9

MUSIC

Acoustic Open Mic. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 8 p.m., free. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbar.com.

Glow God, Doctor Nod. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. 21 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 479-444-6100.

Jim Dickerson. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7 p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-324-2999. www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com.

John Corabi. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com.

Karaoke at Khalil’s. Khalil’s Pub, 7 p.m. 110 S. Shackleford Road. 501-224-0224. www.khalilspub.com.

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Open Mic Nite with Deuce. Thirst n’ Howl, 7:30 p.m., free. 14710 Cantrell Road. 501-379-8189. www.thirst-n-howl.com.

Swampbird. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., Free. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. www.facebook.com/ SouthonMainLR. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 7:30 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-374-7474. www.capitalhotel.com/CBG. Woody Pines, Joe Sundell. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $7. 107 Commerce St. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com.

COMEDY

The Joint Venture. Improv comedy group. The Joint, 8 p.m., $7. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.

Mark Poolos. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m., $7-$10.

10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-228-5555. www.loonybincomedy.com.

DANCE

Little Rock Bop Club. Beginning dance lessons

for ages 10 and older. Singles welcome. Bess Chisum Stephens Community Center, 7 p.m., $4 for members, $7 for guests. 12th & Cleveland streets. 501-350-4712. www.littlerockbopclub.

EVENTS

Geocaching. Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, 8:30 a.m. 602 President Clinton Ave. 501-907-0636. www.centralarkansasnaturecenter.com.

FILM

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Movies in the Park Riverfront Park, 8:30 p.m., Free. 400 President Clinton Avenue.

POETRY

Rocktown Slam. A local slam poetry competition.

Arkansas Arts Center, 7 p.m., $5-$10. 501 E. 9th St. 501-372-4000. www.arkarts.com.

Wednesday Night Poetry. 21-and-older show.

Maxine’s, 7 p.m., free. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. 501-321-0909. maxineslive.com/shows. html.

SPORTS

American Taekwondo Association World Championships. Statehouse Convention Center, through July 13, $10. 7 Statehouse Plaza.

KIDS

Summer Art Camp. Emergent Arts, through July 10. 341-A Whittington Avenue, Hot Springs.

Youth Day Camp. Ozark Folk Center State Park, through July 11, $60. 1032 Park Ave., Mountain View. 870-269-3851.

THIS WEEK IN THEATER

“Always a Bridesmaid.” Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, through July 13: Tue.-Sat., 6 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., $25-$35. 6323 Col. Glenn Road.

501-562-3131. murrysdinnerplayhouse.com.

GALLERIES, MUSEUMS

NEW EXHIBITS, EVENTS

ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER, MacArthur Park: “Inspiration to Illumination: Recent Work by Museum School Photography Instructors,” July 8-Oct. 26, Museum School Gallery; 56th annual “Delta Exhibition,” works by 65 artists from Arkansas and surrounding states, through CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

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31

ART NOTES

35 more Arkansas artists to watch In the Delta Exhibition.

BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK

S

Little Rock —though his portraiture straddles the line between realism and expressionism; Angela Davis Johnson of Little Rock — an honorable mention winner; Katherine Strause of Little Rock). Narrative Little Rock artist David Bailin won this year’s Grand Award with his large format charcoal, pastel and paint on paper. Tire sculptor Jeff

everal weeks ago I wrote an article about five narrative Arkansas painters to pay attention to. Then I went to the 56th annual Delta Exhibition at the Arkansas Arts Center, which opened last Friday, and found there were a lot more artists I should have been paying closer attention to myself.

This year’s Delta, 65 works of art made by Arkansas and regional artists, is quite a fine exhibit, and with the exception of a wonderful Elgin marble knockoff combined with Dan Flavin lights, a skillfully funny Delacroix knockoff on velvet peopled by coneheads and other outsidethe-state, outside-the-box artists, the show didn’t really need to include Arkansas’s geographical halo to make an outstanding exhibit.

A word about the non-Arkansan artists: Younok Chong (“Cow 3”) of Oxford, Miss.; Trent Lawson (“Victory Leading the Coneheads”) of Oklahoma City; Rod Moorhead (“Lord Elgin’s Octave”), and Jed Jackson (“In France”) of Memphis (but born in Fayetteville) are among the standouts (you may remember Moorhead’s Grand Award winner in 2012, “Nine Zen Nuns”).

Moorhead’s piece, in which five blue florescent tubes mimic a Doric column and three more make up a roof line, has a gallery all to itself, one darkened to show off the lights.

‘SLIPPAGE’: David Bailin’s Grand Prize winner.

But let’s focus here on the 35 Arkansas artists whose works are in the Delta, since they made Sharp of Bryant won a Delta Award for such a fine showing. Here’s a rough sort: his fearsome owl. Louis Watts of BenThere are realists in graphite (Jerome Mazyck of Sherwood; Moises Menentonville is a neatnik minimalist and Robdez of El Dorado, Sheila Cantrell of ert Reep of Little Rock (honorable mention) is a neatnik collagist. Katherine Batesville); realists in oils and acrylics Rutter of Little Rock is a fantasy artist (Debi Lynn Fendley of Arkadelphia; Robin Tucker of Little Rock, a Delta whose work at first glance appears storybook sweet — think Arthur Rackham Award winner; Daniel Cassity of Hot — but whose animal/people are a bit disSprings; Margaret Harrell of Mountain View); the painterly expressionturbing on closer examination. Darrell Berry of Little Rock and Delta regular ists (Jason Sacran of Magazine; John Dennis McCann of Maumelle are in the Lasater IV of Siloam Springs; Taimur Cleary of Little Rock; Glenn Beasley of hard-edged, bright-light school. There are the photographers: Hubert Weldon Sherwood; Steven Rockwell of North 32

JULY 3, 2014

ARKANSAS TIMES

of Little Rock, whose digital image has been manipulated to be weirdly painterly; Ted Grimmett of Little Rock, who offers a night-time cityscape, and Fayetteville shooter Phoebe Lickwar, who captures an Ozark barn in archival pigment. Carole Smith (Mountain View) and Jessica Westhafer (Fayetteville) are painters whose work references

nature as it approaches abstraction; Little Rock artist Stephen Murphree’s painting is pure abstraction, with texture and a nod to Clifford Still’s jags.

Cindy Arsaga (Fayetteville) and Charles Steiner (Fort Smith, honorable mention) are (very different) collage artists.

Catherine Slater (Little Rock, honorable mention) does the lone figurative pastel; Deborah Kuster (Conway), whose woven triptych includes dog hair, is the lone fabric artist; Jessica Camp (Conway) is the lone installation artist (beeswax shapes hung on strings, an

honorable mention winner); and Neal Harrington (Russellville) the lone linoleum cut printmaker. Ceramicist Ian Park (Little Rock, honorable mention) poses grandmother figurines atop small cakes; mosaic artist Kandy Jones (North Little Rock, honorable mention) has made a mask of polymer clay cones (the ones that look like candy).

That’s a lot of names, but after starting a list of five several weeks ago, I thought it best to keep naming. Many of these artists are well into their careers (Bailin, Strause, McCann, Reep, Harrell); others I’m just getting to know and glad of it. John Lasater’s dark but detailed “Price of Moderation,” a house whose framing is partially visible, was a favorite, thanks to its odd dark strokes in blue-greens and browns. Daniel Cassity’s “The Wizard’s Wand,” a composition of rubber toys, a wooden snake and a wooden tool, is deft and funny. Margaret Harrell’s vultures on a chainlink fence, framed in dripping blood red (“The Clean Up Crew”) is amazing and juicy. Sacran’s sketchy self-portraits are done in a fine hand. Glenn Beasley’s woman farmer, a hat shielding her face and shading her torso, in “Good Harvest” is a hard-working mystery in a field of green and brown. Taimur Cleary’s horizontal painting of a simple white building is another favorite. Debi Lynn Fendley’s near photorealist painting of a man looking at Evan Penny’s hyperrealistic silicone sculpture of himself as an old man at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a beautifully done pun.

And of course, Bailin’s work, “Slippage”: It’s a scene of an ordinary neighborhood, houses rendered in soft charcoals, the street between them invaded by light, splotches of primary color and a bowled-over businessman, just like life.

With such talent in Arkansas, it’s no longer necessary to borrow from the art pool of surrounding states — though you can’t argue against a showcase for Lord Elgin’s update or a Delacroix on velvet. Maybe it’s time for an Arts Center exhibition of all-Arkansas work, along with a regional show of Southern artists.

The show runs through Sept. 28.

JIM MIZE WILL HAVE ANOTHER, CONT. Continued from page 24 brough, T-Model Ford and CeDell Davis or his penchant for unhinged slide guitar, his music has often been labeled blues, but it really isn’t that. In conversation, he talks reverently about Creedence Clearwater Revival, early Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young’s albums with Crazy Horse, and this is his lineage — electric, regionally inflected redneck rock with glimpses of a kind of vulnerability that is frightening and adult.

There is a recklessness to his music that comes through most obviously in his guitar playing, which seems punishing and personal. “As long as I’ve been playing, I should be Chet frickin’ Atkins,” he says, tapping the side of his empty glass and gesturing to our waitress. “But I’m not.

What I do play is my signature style, and I don’t care. It’s not fancy, but it’s effective.”

As a listener, you feel as though he gives away a lot of himself on his records, from “No Tell Motel” (2001) through “Release It to the Sky” (2007) and the new release, simply and a little ominously titled “Jim Mize.” He has one of those ragged, potentially polarizing voices, a voice that never attempts to throw off its Southern accent and that colors outside the lines of good taste and musical notation. He hovers very generally around the themes of lust, emotional responsibility, regret and death.

That the essential seriousness of his music isn’t always conducive to public, collective appreciation became immediately clear in May, when he played an outdoor stage at Riverfest. His set was sparsely attended, and all around us, young children ate funnel cakes and surfed slabs of cardboard down the hills along the Arkansas River. He closed with “Let’s Go Running,” one of his best-known songs. “Your

mother’s dead, still wears flowers around her head,” he sang, as the mostly middleaged crowd fanned itself and swatted mosquitoes in the heat. “Expecting your inheritance, all she left you were her debts.”

Afterward he walked off stage without a word and the sound system abruptly switched to Earth, Wind & Fire, a tonal contrast that was almost disorienting.

On the subject of love and relationships, Mize is consistently attuned to the difficulty and strangeness of the whole endeavor. Midway through our conversation at the Doubletree, his wife, Dana, joins us, and I tell her we’ve been talking about why his songs are so sad. “Not because of me!” she says quickly, and Mize laughs.

“Maybe a long time ago I used to think, ‘Is that about me? Or is that an old girlfriend?’ ” she says. “Now I understand that’s just part of the songwriting process.” Mize smirks guiltily, and says, “It’s combinations, baby.”

His songs often grow out of a single scene, whether observed or remembered.

“Drunk Moon Falling,” his most recent single, came from an overheard conversation at a bar in Austin, and he explains “Promises We Keep,” one of the more devastating songs on his second record, in the form of a still-life tableau: “This is my vision of it,” he says. “It’s dark, you got your honey over here sleeping, only the hall lights are on. And you got this radio playing some song where you can’t quite make it out, but you hear it. And you’re sitting there just looking at her.” He leans back. “And she wants it all.”

He offers that the new record was influenced most profoundly by the loss of his son, Zach, a fellow Army veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and died last year. “Coming back from Afghanistan, man, he was wound up tight,”

he says. “They don’t take care of them very good when they come back. They won’t recognize that you might have your arms and legs and all this, but you might have left some of your heart and soul and mind somewhere else.”

The album is dedicated to his son, and his presence is deeply felt. “There’s a bridge to the other side, pupils growing wider in my eyes,” Mize sings on “Need Me Some Jesus,” the song he says he wrote most specifically for his son. “Him and I had a good relationship,” he says. “We wrote songs a lot together. They said he was a good shot too, you know, Southern boys.”

“Empty Rooms,” the last song on the record, is a dirge, a haunted tour of a house where a family once lived but doesn’t anymore. There are “whispers” and “crayon drawings on the walls.” “I was like the wasp,” Mize sings, “beating against the screen.” I ask about this line and he says it’s just a sound he remembers from his childhood. “The whole house is silent,” he says, holding up his hands to frame the scene, “but you hear that chk-chk-chk, the wasp trying to escape.” ♦♦♦ Later on in the night we’re at the White Water Tavern, Mize’s favorite venue, and the vodka tonics are still coming quickly and easily. Mize has come to see John Paul Keith, the Memphis singer-songwriter with whom he shares a record label (Big Legal Mess, a Fat Possum imprint) and who played lead guitar on much of the new album.

Before the set, he and Dana sit on the picnic tables out back, smoking cigarettes and reconnecting with a series of

old friends. Mize talks excitedly about tornados, music and strange characters from his North Little Rock days. Someone who’s never heard his records asks what they sound like and he hesitates, looks a little stricken, then says “Americana,” and leaves it at that.

When Keith takes the stage, Mize watches from the bar with one arm around his wife. About an hour into the set, Keith unexpectedly calls him up out of the audience and backs off from the mic. Cheered on by the crowd, Mize steps in front of the band and they do a quick, sloppy rendition of “Drunk Moon Falling.” Mize grips his drink in his right hand while he sings and the band stumbles over the chords, an effect that’s somehow entirely appropriate to the spirit of the song. “Dreaming can be so damn hard,” he sings, his voice straining to match the struggling rhythm section. When they finish, Keith tells the crowd to buy Mize’s new album and asks him the release date, but Mize has already left the stage and disappeared.

The song is a brief, shambolic mess, but it’s a glorious moment, and this is what Mize aims for in his music: brief, messy, glorious moments.

Earlier in the evening, he and his wife remembered the time they’d gone to see Bruce Springsteen in Boston two years before. His wife said she’d imagined it would be more intimate than it was, but Mize had obviously been blown away.

“You remember that one lady who was peeing in her chair?” he said, almost shouting. “That’s when you’re damn good, that’s when you know you’ve made it.”

“I don’t know, maybe she had too much to drink,” his wife said, but Mize just shook his head and beamed. “I like to think it was Bruce.”

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AFTER DARK, CONT. Sept. 28, “Susan Paulsen: Wilmot,” photographs, through Sept. 28; “Woodworking Instructors Exhibition,” Museum School Gallery, through July 6; “Young Arkansas Artists,” artwork by Arkansas students K-12, through July 27. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sun. 372-4000.

GREG THOMPSON FINE ART, 429 Main St.: “Summer Show,” works by artists from Arkansas and the South, including Glennray Tutor, Kendall Stallings, Sheila Cotton, Robyn Horn, Ed Rice, Joseph Piccillo, William Dunlap, Guy Bell, Sammy Peters and others, through Aug. 9. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sat. 664-2787.

LAMAN LIBRARY ARGENTA BRANCH, 420 Main St., NLR: “Quiltmakers in Contemporary America,” 15 quilts, July 5-Aug. 16. 687-1061.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK, 2801 S. University Ave.: Julia Baugh, ceramics, Gallery II, July 7-21; “Subtractive Sculpture: Marble, Alabaster & Limestone,” Gallery I, July 3-Aug. 1; artist receptions 5-7 p.m. July 10. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. 569-8977.

HOT SPRINGS ALISON PARSONS GALLERY, 802 Central Ave.: “Big Bang,” ceramic sculpture created with fireworks by Lori Arnold, through July, Gallery Walk reception 5-9 p.m. July 4. 501-655-0604.

ARTISTS WORKSHOP GALLERY, 610 A Central Ave.: Paintings by Jim Reimer, jewelry and watercolors by Bonnie Ricci, through July, Gallery Walk reception 5-9 p.m. July 4.

50-623-6401.

BLUE MOON GALLERY, 718 Central Ave.: Work

by Kay Aclin, Diana Ashley, Janice Higdon, Wendeline Matson, David Rackley, Tom Richard and others, open 5-9 p.m. July 4 for Gallery Walk. 501-318-2787.

GALLERY CENTRAL, 800 Central Ave.: Dennis McCann, paintings, open 5-9 p.m. July 4 for Gallery Walk. 318-4278.

JUSTUS FINE ART, 827 Central Ave.: “Summer Show,” landscapes by Dolores Justus, abstracts

by Donnie Copeland, summer themed work by Rebecca Thompson and Emily Wood, opens with Gallery Walk reception 5-9 p.m. July 4, show through July 30. 501-321-2335.

RUSSELLVILLE RIVER VALLEY ARTS CENTER, 1001 E. B St.: Paintings paired with floral vignettes, sponsored by the Hoe and Hope Garden Club, July 7-31, reception 1-3 p.m. July 13. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Mon.-Thu., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri. 479-968-2452.

CALL FOR ARTISTS

The Palette Art League is accepting entries for its 6th annual Art Expo to be held July 7-11. All work must by two-dimensional and not entered in a previous Expo show. For more information, go to paletteartleague.org or call 870-656-2057.

Deadline to apply to Artist INC Live Argenta, a professional development program for artists, is July 7. The program will be held Mondays Sept. 15, 22, 29, Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27 and Nov. 3.

Read more and find a link to register at www. argentaartsdistrict.org.

The Arkansas Arts Council is accepting nominations for the 2015 Governor’s Arts Awards to be made in February 2015. Deadline for nominations is Aug. 1. Nominees will be accepted in seven categories: arts community development, arts in education, corporate sponsorship of the arts, individual artist, folklife, patron and lifetime achievement. Nomination forms are available at arkansasarts.org or by contacting Cheri Leffew at 324-9767 or cheri@arkansasheritage.org.

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ARKANSAS TIMES

ArtsFest is now taking applications for booths for the “Art in the Park” event set for Oct. 4 in Conway’s Simon Park. Prizes will be awarded to non-student and student artists. For more information, contact kathrynoneal@gmail.com.

CONTINUING GALLERY EXHIBITS

BUTLER CENTER GALLERIES, Arkansas Studies Institute, 401 President Clinton Ave.: “State Youth Art Show 2014: An Exhibition by the Arkansas Art Educators,” through Aug. 30; “Drawn In: New Art from WWII Camps at Rohwer and Jerome,” through Aug. 23; “Detachment: Work by Robert Reep,” through July 24. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 320-5790.

LAMAN LIBRARY, 2801 Orange St.: “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow: Living with the Atomic Bomb,” objects, film, graphics about American culture of 1940s, ’50s and ’60s and the bomb, through Aug. 11. 758-1720.

CONTINUING MUSEUM EXHIBITS

CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL CENTER, 1200 President Clinton Ave.: “Chihuly,” studio glass, through Jan. 5, 2015; permanent exhibits on the Clinton administration. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. $7 adults; $5 college students, seniors, retired military; $3 ages 6-17. 370-8000.

HISTORIC ARKANSAS MUSEUM, 200 E. 3rd St.: “So What! It’s the Least I Can Do …,” paintings by Ray Wittenberg, through Sept.

7, “Co-Opt,” work by UALR student artists Taimur Cleary, Jennifer Perren and Mesilla Smith, through July 6; “Arkansas Made,” ongoing. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-5 p.m.

Sun. 324-9351.

MacARTHUR MUSEUM OF ARKANSAS M I L I TA R Y H I S T O R Y , M a c A r t h u r Park: “American Posters of World War I”; permanent exhibits. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-4 p.m. Sun. 376-4602.

MOSAIC TEMPLARS CULTURAL CENTER, 501 W. 9th St.: “Arkansas’ African American Legislators,” permanent exhibits on black entrepreneurship in Arkansas. 683-3593.

MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY, 500 President Clinton Ave.: “Wiggle Worms,” science program for pre-K children 10 a.m.-10:30 a.m. every Tue., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., 1-5 p.m.

Sun., $10 ages 13 and older, $8 ages 1-12, free to members and children under 1. 396-7050.

OLD STATE HOUSE MUSEUM, 300 W. Markham: “Lights! Camera! Arkansas!”, the state’s ties to Hollywood, including costumes, scripts, film footage, photographs and more, through March 1, 2015. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. 324-9685.

GALLERIES AROUND ARKANSAS BENTONVILLE CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, One Museum Way: “Global Citizen: The Architecture of Moshe Safdie,” drawings, sketches, videos, photographs and scale models, through Sept. 1; “Anglo-American Portraiture in an Age of Revolution,” five paintings, including works from the Musee de Louvre, the High Museum of Art, and the Terra Foundation, through Sept. 15; “The William S. Paley Collection: A Taste for Modernism,” works

by Paul Gaugin, Andre Derain, Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso and others, through July 7; permanent collection of American masterworks spanning four centuries. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon., Thu.; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wed., Fri.; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun., closed Tue. 479-418-5700.

MOVIE REVIEW

Sprint, shoot, kill, hoot

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Little more than mindless action in ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction.’

BY SAM EIFLING

“T

ransformers: Age of Extinction” is not the title of a movie so much as the tag of a natural disaster we knew was coming, sort of like the schedule of names (Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, etc., in 2014) we prepare for hurricane season. The next cacophonous, disorienting, exhausting installment in this series will be the fifth, a development that children of the ’80s should have embraced with a fervor. Instead, what is there to say about these things other than to reach for aspirin?

Director Michael Bay has distilled his formula down to a lightly scripted series of flash grenade explosions set to the occasional dialogue of digital monster robots and their human buddies. It’s a 165-minute gantlet. Then you’re left to stagger back into the world, and if anyone asked you what the movie was about, you’d stammer a moment. What did happen?

Something something alien ships that destroy things, a steel dinosaur head in the arctic, and then we’re in Texas, right? Mark Wahlberg is a down-on-his-luck inventor single father who buys a beat-up truck that his teenaged daughter (Nicola Peltz) thinks is dumb. Then we learn it’s Optimus Prime and a bunch of U.S. black ops types, steered

by Kelsey Grammer, show up to confiscate the Transformer because they’re on a nationwide Autobot hunt. There’s a big car chase when the daughter’s heretofore secret Irish professional rally car driver boyfriend (Jack Reynor) shows up just in the nick of time, and now the humans are on the lam.

Meanwhile a power-driven billionaire inventor (Stanley Tucci) runs a defense contractor in Chicago where they’re melting down Autobot corpses for its constituent metal, an endlessly pliable substance they call Transformium. The scientists are using it to build their own Transformers, but because they’re also downloading the know-how from leftover Decepticon parts, they keep winding up with less control over the machines’ design (and, subsequently, behavior) than they were expecting.

Then, the aliens want to take Optimus Prime prisoner. They’re working with the CIA. Chicago got the worst of it in the previous “Transformers” and the city doesn’t escape this film unscathed. Later everyone

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‘TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION’: Mark Wahlberg stars.

goes to China for some reason and there are Dinobots, who, to give the movie props wherein they are due, are fairly awesome.

In fact, the visuals throughout are more or less mind-bending. In all, this is a highly ogleable bit of moviemaking. Were but there an Academy Award for mayhem.

But on the whole, this is a disheartening slog of a movie. Used to be my parents would sniff that the cartoons I watched as a tyke were little more than toy commercials.

Of course, when kids get the toys, a good cartoon vaults them toward scripting their own impromptu versions of stories. Movies like the “Transformers” franchise, done right, help kids propel their toys, these characters, through adventures and perils of their own imaginations.

These Transformers don’t get enough personality, don’t display enough thoughts, to evince much in the way of inner lives.

They mostly just sprint, shoot, kill, hoot.

What to make of Bay, other than to see an oversized child swinging action figures with both hands? He does the voices, makes up one-liners and smashes the figures together, clackity-smackity, again and again and again, as he trills laser sounds at himself. This is a lot of pew-pew-pew! you can just imagine for yourself. www.arktimes.com

JULY 3, 2014

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Dining WHAT’S COOKIN’ LITTLE ROCK RESTAURATEUR JERRY BARAKAT says he’ll open a new Japanese restaurant, Kemuri, at 2601 Kavanaugh Blvd., between July 20 and Aug. 1. The space was previously occupied

by Ferneau and Rocket 21.

Barakat said the restaurant will be modeled on the upscale Las Vegas sushi restaurant Nobu and will specialize in Japanese cuisine, sushi and fresh seafood. Barakat said he’ll be bringing in sushi chefs from his West Little Rock restaurant Oceans at Arthur’s.

“We’ll have fresh fish, fresh seafood, Asian dishes — mainly Japanese dishes — and gourmet smoked meats,” he said. “People are going to love it.”

Barakat said he’s waiting for approval of his liquor license for Kemuri, which he hopes will be issued by the middle of July.

Lassis Inn

518 E. 27th St. 372-8714 QUICK BITE When Arkies think “fried fish” they think catfish fillets. And while Lassis Inn’s fillets are as good as or better than any around, give the catfish steaks a shot. They are incredibly moist, meaty and firm. And be adventuresome; don’t automatically pass on the buffalo.

HOURS 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

BRIAN CHILSON

OTHER INFO Beer and wine, credit cards accepted.

DINING CAPSULES

LITTLE ROCK/ NORTH LITTLE ROCK

AMERICAN

ACADIA A jewel of a restaurant in Hillcrest.

Unbelievable fixed-price, three-course dinners on Mondays and Tuesday, but food is certainly worth full price. 3000 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, CC. $$-$$$. 501-603-9630. D Mon.-Sat. BIG ORANGE: BURGERS SALADS SHAKES Gourmet burgers manufactured according to exacting specs (humanely raised beef!) and properly fried Kennebec potatoes are the big draws, but you can get a veggie burger as well as fried chicken, curried falafel and blackened tilapia sandwiches, plus creative meal-sized salads. Shakes and floats are indulgences for all ages. 17809 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-821-1515. LD daily. 207 N. University Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-379-8715. LD daily.

BLACK ANGUS CAFE Charcoal-grilled burgers, hamburger steaks and steaks proper are the big draws at this local institution. 10907 N. Rodney Parham. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-228-7800.

LD Mon.-Sat. BOBBY’S CAFE Delicious, humungo burgers and tasty homemade desserts at this Levy diner.

12230 MacArthur Drive. NLR. No alcohol, No CC. $. 501-851-7888. BL Tue.-Fri., D Fri. BOSCOS RESTAURANT & BREWERY CO. This River Market brewery does food well, too. Along with the tried and true, like sandwiches, burgers, steaks and big salads, they have entrees like black bean and goat cheese tamales, open hearth pizza ovens and muffalettas. 500 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-907-1881. LD daily.

BOSTON’S Ribs and gourmet pizza star at this restaurant/sports bar located at the Holiday Inn by the airport. TVs in separate sports bar area.

3201 Bankhead Dr. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-2352000. LD daily.

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JULY 3, 2014

ARKANSAS TIMES

FIRST-RATE CATFISH: At Lassis Inn.

Hooked on Lassis Home of catfish we crave.

I

f fried fish isn’t your thing, then Lassis Inn won’t be, either. This landmark restaurant hard off Interstate 30 just south of Roosevelt Road has a laser-sharp focus on fried fish, and it’s arguably the best in town. Catfish fillets, catfish steaks and bone-in buffalo fish are the three options, and folks looking for a main-course alternative needn’t bother — unless maybe they’re hungry for a 40-ounce, rib-sticking bottle of beer.

Lassis Inn’s 13 straight-back wooden four-seat booths feature tiny tables with mustard, ketchup, Louisiana hot sauce and a roll of paper towels competing for space with platters of fish. Fish is served with a stack of white bread — the catfish fillets and buffalo coming in small, medium, large and extra-large portions; there is no medium option for the catfish steaks.

Prices range from $6 for the small catfish steaks to $20.25 for the extralarge catfish fillets. (For reference’s sake, the medium catfish fillets [$11] featured five decent-sized pieces of fish.) Two smallish, tasty hushpuppies

come with the fish. You can get both slaw and fries for an extra $2.50, but don’t bother. Both are pedestrian at best. Same goes for the fried okra ($1.99 small; $3.99 large).

Catfish fillets are the norm at fish places, and in this day of readily available farm-raised fish, almost everybody can produce decent catfish. Lassis Inn’s fillets are as good as anybody’s — crisp, mild with a light, black pepper-flecked batter — but the other two fish options are what truly set this place apart.

We’ve never had moister, more succulent, flakier catfish steaks than these.

They were almost breathtakingly good.

Four people can easily try the entire menu, and we did, sharing everything.

We all started with the buffalo. Elihue Washington Jr., the owner and head cook — he batters and fries all the fish when ordered, never before — came by before we ordered and warned us that we might find the buffalo a bit gamey for our tastes. But we didn’t. It certainly is more strongly flavored than catfish, but what it really reminded us of was catfish back in the day when everyone

couldn’t get farm-raised fish and some tasted a bit “muddy.” There’s a single bone that runs through the buffalo, but it’s not hard to avoid. Nor were the small bones in the catfish steaks.

Lemon pound cake was the sole dessert option, and we tried a piece. Washington’s sister used to make it, he told us, but now his sister-in-law does. It had a nice tang, and we enjoyed the sugary icing. The cake itself was a bit dry, but we’re not sure when it was made.

We liked the atmosphere at the Lassis Inn, even more after we pumped a couple of bucks into the fabulous jukebox, which exclusively features rhythmand-blues with plenty of classics from B.B. King, Bobby Blue Bland, Aretha Franklin, Johnnie Taylor and James Brown, plus some newer stuff.

It wasn’t crowded inside nor very hot outside, but the three window air conditioning units were still working hard to keep up. We split a 40-ounce Bud and got a kick out of the frozen plastic glasses that accompanied it. Twelveand 22-ounce options are available for the slightly less thirsty.

One quirk of the Lassis Inn is its “no dancing” sign. We confirmed with our waitress that dancing isn’t allowed, but we didn’t ask why. But an Arkansas Times-produced video featuring Washington that our editor later pointed us to confirmed what we’d heard: that once upon a time some overly jubilant dancing types regularly took out their boogie-woogie-fueled enthusiasm on the toilets in the Lassis Inn bathrooms. And it was usually the women’s bathroom that suffered the damage.

Information in our restaurant capsules reflects the opinions of the newspaper staff and its reviewers. The newspaper accepts no advertising or other considerations in exchange for reviews, which are conducted anonymously. We invite the opinions of readers who think we are in error.

BOUDREAUX’S GRILL & BAR A homey, seatyourself Cajun joint in Maumelle that serves up all sorts of variations of shrimp and catfish. With particularly tasty red beans and rice, jambalaya and bread pudding. 9811 Maumelle Blvd.

NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-753-6860. L Sat., D Mon.-Sat. BOULEVARD BREAD CO. Fresh bread, fresh pastries, wide selection of cheeses, meats, side dishes; all superb. Good coffee, too. 1920 N. Grant St. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-663-5951.

BLD Mon.-Sat. 400 President Clinton Ave. Beer, Wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-374-1232. BL Mon.-Sat. 4301 W. Markham St. No alcohol, All CC. $$.

501-526-6661. BL Mon.-Fri. 1417 Main St. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-375-5100. BL Mon.-Sat.; 4301 W. Markham St. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-526-6661. BL Mon.-Fri. BREWSTERS 2 CAFE & LOUNGE Down-home done right. Check out the yams, mac-andcheese, greens, purple-hull peas, cornbread, wings, catfish and all the rest. 2725 S. Arch St. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-301-7728. LD Mon.-Sat. BROWN SUGAR BAKESHOP Fabulous cupcakes, brownies and cakes offered five days a week until they’re sold out. 419 E. 3rd St. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-372-4009. LD Tue.-Sat. (close at 5:30 p.m.).

BUTCHER SHOP The cook-your-own-steak option has been downplayed, and several menu additions complement the calling card: large, fabulous cuts of prime beef, cooked to perfection. 10825 Hermitage Road. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-312-2748. D daily.

CAJUN’S WHARF The venerable seafood restaurant serves up great gumbo and oysters Bienville, and options such as fine steaks for the non-seafood eater. In the citified bar, you’ll find nightly entertainment, too. 2400 Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-375-5351.

D Mon.-Sat. CAPERS It’s never been better, with as good a wine list as any in the area, and a menu that covers a lot of ground — seafood, steaks, pasta — and does it all well. 14502 Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-868-7600. LD Mon.-Sat. COMMUNITY BAKERY This sunny downtown bakery is the place to linger over a latte, bagels and the New York Times. But a lunchtime dash for sandwiches is OK, too, though it’s often packed. 1200 S. Main St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$.

501-375-7105. BLD daily. 270 S. Shackleford.

No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-224-1656. BLD Mon.-Sat. BL Sun. COPPER GRILL Comfort food, burgers and more sophisticated fare at this River Marketarea hotspot. 300 E. Third St. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-375-3333. LD Mon.-Sat. DAVE’S PLACE A popular downtown soupand-sandwich stop at lunch draws a large and diverse crowd for the Friday night dinner, which varies in theme, home cooking being the most popular. Owner Dave Williams does all the cooking and his son, Dave also, plays saxophone and fronts the band that plays most Friday nights. 201 Center St. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-372-3283. L Mon.-Fri., D Fri. DAVID FAMILY KITCHEN Call it soul food or call it down-home country cooking. Just be sure to call us for breakfast or lunch when

BELLY UP

B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner $ Inexpensive (under $8/person) $$ Moderate ($8-$20/person) $$$ Expensive (over $20/person) CC Accepts credit cards

Check out the Times’ food blog, Eat Arkansas arktimes.com

you go. Neckbones, ribs, sturdy cornbread, salmon croquettes, mustard greens and the like. Desserts are exceptionally good. 2301 Broadway. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-3710141. BL Mon.-Fri., L Sun. DELICIOUS TEMPTATIONS Decadent breakfast and light lunch items that can be ordered in full or half orders to please any appetite or palate, with a great variety of salads and soups as well. Don’t miss the bourbon pecan pie — it’s a winner. 11220 N. Rodney Parham Road. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-225-6893. BL daily.

DIZZY’S GYPSY BISTRO Interesting bistro fare, served in massive portions at this River Market favorite. 200 River Market Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-375-3500. LD Tue.-Sat.

THE FADED ROSE The Cajun-inspired menu seldom disappoints. Steaks and soaked salads are legendary. 1619 Rebsamen Park Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-9734. LD daily.

FLYING SAUCER A popular River Market hangout thanks to its almost 200 beers (including 75 on tap) and more than decent bar food. It’s now non-smoking, so families are welcome. 323 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-372-8032. LD daily.

FRANKE’S CAFETERIA Plate lunch spot strong on salads and vegetables, and perfect fried chicken on Sundays. Arkansas’ oldest continually operating restaurant. 11121 N. Rodney Parham Road. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-2254487. LD daily. 400 W. Capitol Ave. No alcohol,

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All CC. $$. 501-372-1919. L Mon.-Fri. FRONTIER DINER The traditional all-American roadside diner, complete with a nice selection of man-friendly breakfasts and lunch specials.

The half-pound burger is a two-hander for the average working Joe. 10424 Interstate 30. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-565-6414. BL Mon.-Sat. GADWALL’S GRILL There’s mouth-watering burgers and specialty sandwiches, plus zesty pizzas with cracker-thin crust and plenty of toppings. 12 North Hills Shopping Center. NLR. Beer, Wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-834-1840. LD daily.

B Fri.-Sun. IZZY’S It’s bright, clean and casual, with snappy team service of all his standbys — sandwiches and fries, lots of fresh salads, pasta about a dozen ways, hand-rolled tamales and brick oven pizzas. 5601 Ranch Drive. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-868-4311. LD Mon.-Sat. LITTLEFIELD’S CAFE The owners of the Starlite Diner have moved their cafe to the Kroger Shopping Center on JFK, where they are still serving breakfast all day, as well as plate lunches, burgers and sandwiches. 6929 John F. Kennedy Blvd. NLR. No alcohol. 501-771-2036.

BLD Mon.-Sat., BL Sun. MARKHAM STREET GRILL AND PUB The menu has something for everyone, including mahi-mahi and wings. Try the burgers, which are juicy, big and fine. 11321 W. Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-224-2010. LD daily.

MCBRIDE’S CAFE AND BAKERY Owners Chet and Vicki McBride have been serving up delicious breakfast and lunch specials based on their family recipes for two decades in this popular eatery at Baptist Health’s Little Rock campus. The desserts and barbecue sandwiches are not to be missed. 9501 Lile Drive. No alcohol, All CC. $. 501-340-3833. BL Mon.-Fri. MOOYAH BURGERS Kid-friendly, fast-casual restaurant with beef, veggie and turkey burgers, a burger bar and shakes. 10825 Kanis Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-313-4905. LD daily.; 14810 Cantrell Road, Suite 190. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-868-1091 10825 Kanis Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-313-4905. LD daily.

OLD MILL BREAD AND FLOUR CO. CAFE The popular take-out bakery has an eat-in restaurant and friendly operators. It’s self-service, simple and good with sandwiches built with a changing lineup of the bakery’s 40 different breads, along with soups, salads and cookies.

12111 W. Markham St. #366. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-228-4677. BL Mon.-Sat. BR Sun. RED DOOR Fresh seafood, steaks, chops and sandwiches from restaurateur Mark Abernathy.

Smart wine list. 3701 Old Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-666-8482. BL Tue.-Fri. D daily. BR Sat. RENO’S ARGENTA CAFE Sandwiches, gyros and gourmet pizzas by day and music and drinks by night in downtown Argenta. 312 N. Main St. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-3762900. LD Mon.-Sat. RIVERFRONT STEAKHOUSE Steaks are the draw here — nice cuts heavily salted and peppered, cooked quickly and accurately to your specifications, finished with butter and served sizzling hot. 2 Riverfront Place. NLR. Full CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 www.arktimes.com

JULY 3, 2014

37

DINING CAPSULES, CONT.

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hearsay ➥ We’ve got some updated information on DOMESTIC DOMESTIC, the new home wares store open in the Heights.

It is a modern day general store featuring goods exclusively built in the USA whose mission is: “We sell what inspires. We sell what intrigues. And most importantly, we sell what we believe in. To celebrate its grand opening, there will be in-store drawings continuing throughout the week beginning June 30. There will also be a photo contest via social media concluding July 4th weekend. Participants will capture the American lifestyle and tweet pics to @domesticdomestic for a chance to win a pair of iconic lawn chairs. ➥ Mark your calendar – VESTA’S annual bootcamp is coming, scheduled for July 15-18. The store announced that more than 50 styles of Old Gringo boots are on their way, and to celebrate, there will be a Beer & Boots Girls Night Out at Vesta’s starting at 6 p.m.

July 16. A pair of Old Gringo boots, along with other door prizes, will be given away. ➥ Join the crew at CANTRELL GALLERY for a new exhibit of photography, “The Places in Arkansas That Keep Calling Me Back” by Paul Caldwell. The exhibit will continue through Aug. 14. Caldwell has been working in the photographic arts since he was 15 and has been a professional photographer for the past 10 years. He produces his prints on either paper or canvas. All of his photography is available framed by the artist, and he is well versed in selective framing options. Caldwell lives in Little Rock, but he has traveled throughout and photographed much of the great state of Arkansas. ➥ To make room for stuff for the fall, B. BARNETT has marked down all spring/summer clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories 50 percent. ➥ Make your next trip to the ocean fun with new beach bags from TULIPS. They have an array of bold colors and patterns to choose from, but if you prefer something a little more understated, they also have cute burlap bags with large white prints of shells and starfish.

38

JULY 3, 2014

ARKANSAS TIMES

bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-375-7825. D Mon.-Sat. ROBERT’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL If you’re looking for a burger, you won’t find it here.

This establishment specializes in fried chicken dinners, served with their own special trimmings. 7212 Geyer Springs Road. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-568-2566. LD Tue.-Sat., D Mon., Sun. ROCKET TWENTY ONE The former Hillcrest fine-dining restaurant, now in a new location by the Riverfront Wyndham hotel. 2 Riverfront Drive. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$$-$$$$. 501-6039208. L Mon.-Fri., D Tue.-Sat. RUDY’S OYSTER BAR Good boiled shrimp and oysters on the half shell. Quesadillas and chili cheese dip are tasty and ultra-hearty. 2695 Pike Ave. NLR. Full bar, All CC. 501-771-0808.

LD Mon.-Sat. SHARKS FISH & CHICKEN This Southwest Little Rock restaurant specializes in seafood, frog legs and catfish, all served with the traditional fixings. 8824 Geyer Springs Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-565-0300. LD daily.

SO RESTAURANT BAR Call it a French brasserie with a sleek but not fussy American finish.

The wine selection is broad and choice. Free valet parking. Use it and save yourself a headache. 3610 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-1464. LD Mon.-Sat., D Sun. STICKYZ ROCK ‘N’ ROLL CHICKEN SHACK Fingers any way you can imagine, plus sandwiches and burgers, and a fun setting for music and happy hour gatherings. 107 Commerce St. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-372-7707. LD daily.

TOWN PUMP A dependable burger, good wings, great fries, other bar food, plate lunches, full bar. 1321 Rebsamen Park Road. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-663-9802. LD daily.

TRIO’S Fresh, creative and satisfying lunches; even better at night, when the chefs take flight. Best array of fresh desserts in town. 8201 Cantrell Road Suite 100. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$.

501-221-3330. LD Mon.-Sat., BR Sun. WILLY D’S DUELING PIANO BAR Willy D’s serves up a decent dinner of pastas and salads as a lead-in to its nightly sing-along piano show.

Go when you’re in a good mood. 322 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-244-9550.

D Tue.-Sat. W.T. BUBBA’S COUNTRY TAVERN Sloppy Joe’s, a fried bologna sandwich, a nacho bar and burgers and such feature on the menu of this bubba-themed River Market bar. 500 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$.

501-244-2528. LD daily.

YANCEY’S CAFETERIA Soul food served with a Southern attitude. 1523 Martin Luther King Ave. No alcohol, No CC. $. 501-372-9292. LD Tue.-Sat. YOUR MAMA’S GOOD FOOD Offering simple and satisfying cafeteria food, with burgers and more hot off the grill, plate lunches and pies.

215 Center St. No alcohol, All CC. $. 501-3721811. L Mon.-Fri. ZACK’S PLACE Expertly prepared home cooking and huge, smoky burgers. 1400 S. University Ave. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-6646444. LD Mon.-Sat.

ASIAN

CHI’S CHINESE CUISINE This Chinese mainstay still offers a broad menu that spans the Chinese provinces and offers a few twists on the usual local offerings. 5110 W. Markham St. Beer, All CC. $-$$. 501-604-7777. LD Mon.-Sat. CRAZY HIBACHI GRILL The folks that own Chi’s and Sekisui offer their best in a three-inone: tapanaki cooking, sushi bar and sit-down dining with a Mongolian grill. 2907 Lakewood Village. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-812-

9888. LD daily.

FANTASTIC CHINA The food is delicious, the presentation beautiful, the menu distinctive, the service perfect, the decor bright. 1900 N. Grant St. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-663-8999. LD daily.

LILLY’S DIMSUM THEN SOME Innovative dishes inspired by Asian cuisine, utilizing local and fresh ingredients. 11121 N. Rodney Parham Road. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-716-2700.

LD Tue.-Sun. MT. FUJI JAPANESE RESTAURANT The dean of Little Rock sushi bars offers a fabulous lunch special and great Monday night deals. 10301 Rodney Parham Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$.

501-227-6498. LD daily. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-227-6498.

OSAKA JAPANESE RESTAURANT Veteran operator of several local Asian buffets has brought fine-dining Japanese dishes and a well-stocked sushi bar to way-out-west Little Rock, near Chenal off Highway 10. 5501 Ranch Dr. $$-$$$. 501-868-3688. L Tue.-Sat., D Tue.-Sun. SKY MODERN JAPANESE Excellent, ambitious menu filled with sushi and other Japanese fare and Continental-style dishes. 11525 Cantrell Road, Suite 917. Full bar, All CC. $$$-$$$$. 501-224-4300. LD daily.

SUSHI CAFE Impressive, upscale sushi menu with other delectable house specialties like tuna tataki, fried soft shell crab, Kobe beef and, believe it or not, the Tokyo cowboy burger.

5823 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$.

501-663-9888. L Mon.-Sat. D daily.

BARBECUE

CHATZ CAFE ‘Cue and catfish joint that does heavy catering business. Try the slow-smoked, meaty ribs. 8801 Colonel Glenn Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-562-4949. LD Mon.-Sat. CORKY’S RIBS & BBQ The pulled pork is extremely tender and juicy, and the sauce is sweet and tangy without a hint of heat. Maybe the best dry ribs in the area. 12005 Westhaven Drive. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-954-7427.

LD daily. 2947 Lakewood Village Drive. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-753-3737. LD daily, B Sat.-Sun. WHITE PIG INN Go for the sliced rather than chopped meats at this working-class barbecue cafe. Side orders — from fries to potato salad to beans and slaw — are superb, as are the fried pies. 5231 E. Broadway. NLR. Beer, All CC. $-$$.

501-945-5551. LD Mon.-Fri., L Sat. WHOLE HOG CAFE The pulled pork shoulder is a classic, the back ribs are worthy of their many blue ribbons, and there’s a six-pack of sauces for all tastes. A real find is the beef brisket, cooked the way Texans like it. 516 Cantrell Road. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-664-5025. LD Mon.-Sat. 12111 W. Markham. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-907-6124. LD daily. 150 E. Oak St. Conway. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-513-0600.

LD Mon.-Sat., L Sun. 5107 Warden Road. NLR. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-753-9227.

EUROPEAN / ETHNIC

ALADDIN KABAB Persian and Mexican cuisines sound like an odd pairing, but they work fairly well together here. Particularly if you’re ordering something that features charred meat, like a kabab or gyros. 9112 N Rodney Parham Road.

No alcohol, All CC. 501-219-8787. LD daily.

CAFE BOSSA NOVA A South American approach to sandwiches, salads and desserts, all quite good, as well as an array of refreshing South American teas and coffees. 2701 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$.

501-614-6682. LD Tue.-Sat., BR Sun. DUGAN’S PUB Serves up Irish fare like fish and chips and corned beef and cabbage alongside classic bar food. The chicken fingers and burgers stand out. Irish breakfast all day. 401 E. 3rd St. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-244-0542.

LD daily.

GEORGIA’S GYROS Good gyros, Greek salads and fragrant grilled pita bread highlight a large Mediterranean food selection, plus burgers and the like. 2933 Lakewood Village Drive. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-753-5090. LD Mon.-Sat. HIBERNIA IRISH TAVERN This traditional Irish pub has its own traditional Irish cook from, where else, Ireland. Broad beverage menu, Irish and Southern food favorites and a crowd that likes to sing. 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road.

Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-246-4340. D Mon.-Sat., L Sun. LAYLA’S GYROS AND PIZZERIA Delicious Mediterranean fare — gyros, falafel, shawarma, kabobs, hummus and babaganush — that has a devoted following. All meat is slaughtered according to Islamic dietary law. 9501 N Rodney Parham Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$.

501-227-7272. LD daily (close 5 p.m. on Sun.).

TAJ MAHAL The third Indian restaurant in a onemile span of West Little Rock, Taj Mahal offers upscale versions of traditional dishes and an extensive menu. Dishes range on the spicy side.

1520 Market Street. Beer, All CC. $$$. 501-8814796. LD daily.

TAZIKI’S GREEK FARE Fast casual chain that offers gyros, grilled meats and veggies, hummus and pimento cheese. 8200 Cantrell Road. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-227-8291. LD daily. 12800 Chenal Parkway. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-225-1829. LD daily.

THE TERRACE MEDITERRANEAN KITCHEN A broad selection of Mediterranean delights that include a very affordable collection of starters, salads, sandwiches, burgers, chicken and fish at lunch and a more upscale dining experience with top-notch table service at dinner. 2200 Rodney Parham Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-217-9393. LD Mon.-Fri., D Sat. YA YA’S EURO BISTRO The first eatery to open in the Promenade at Chenal is a date-night affair, translating comfort food into beautiful cuisine.

Best bet is lunch, where you can explore the menu through soup, salad or half a sandwich.

17711 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$.

501-821-1144. LD daily, BR Sun.

ITALIAN

BRAVO! CUCINA ITALIANA This upscale Italian chain offers delicious and sometimes inventive dishes. 17815 Chenal Pkwy. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-821-2485. LD daily. BR Sun. BRUNO’S LITTLE ITALY Traditional Italian antipastos, appetizers, entrees and desserts.

Extensive, delicious menu from Little Rock standby. 310 Main St. Full bar, CC. $$-$$$.

501-372-7866. D Tue.-Sat. GRAFFITI’S The casually chic and ever-popular Italian-flavored bistro avoids the rut with daily specials and careful menu tinkering. 7811 Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-2249079. D Mon.-Sat. JIM’S RAZORBACK PIZZA Great pizza served up in a family-friendly, sports-themed environment. Special Saturday and Sunday brunch served from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Flat-screen TVs throughout and even a cage for shooting basketballs and playing ping-pong. 16101 Cantrell Road. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-8683250. LD daily.

OLD CHICAGO PASTA & PIZZA This national chain offers lots of pizzas, pastas and beer. 4305 Warden Road. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$.

DINING CAPSULES, CONT. 501-812-6262. LD daily. 1010 Main St. Conway.

Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-329-6262. LD daily.

PIZZA CAFE Thin, crunchy pizza with just a dab of tomato sauce but plenty of chunks of stuff, topped with gooey cheese. Draft beer is appealing on the open-air deck — frosty and generous. 1517 Rebsamen Park Road. Beer, Wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-664-6133. LD daily 14710 Cantrell Road. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$-$$$.

501-868-2600. LD daily.

PIZZA D’ACTION Some of the best pizza in town, a marriage of thin, crispy crust with a hefty ingredient load. Also, good appetizers and salads, pasta, sandwiches and killer plate lunches. 2919 W. Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-666-5403. LD daily.

THE PIZZA JOINT Cracker-thin crusts with a tempting variety of traditional or nontraditional toppings. Just off Cantrell Road. 6100 Stones Road. Beer, Wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-868-9108.

D daily.

RISTORANTE CAPEO Authentic cooking from the boot of Italy is the draw at this cozy, brick-walled restaurant on a reviving North Little Rock’s Main Street. Familiar pasta dishes will comfort most diners, but let the chef, who works in an open kitchen, entertain you with some more exotic stuff, too, like crispy veal sweetbreads. They make their own mozzarella fresh daily. 425 Main St. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-376-3463. D Mon.-Sat. SHOTGUN DAN’S PIZZA Hearty pizza and sandwiches with a decent salad bar. Multiple locations, at 4020 E. Broadway, NLR, 945-0606; 4203 E. Kiehl Ave., Sherwood, 835-0606, and 10923 W. Markham St. Beer, CC. $-$$. 501-2249519. LD Mon.-Sat., D Sun. VINO’S Great rock ‘n’ roll club also is a fantastic pizzeria with huge calzones and always improving home-brewed beers. 923 W. 7th St. Beer, Wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-375-8466. LD daily.

ZAZA Here’s where you get wood-fired pizza with gorgeous blistered crusts and a light topping of choice and tempting ingredients, great gelato in a multitude of flavors, call-yourown ingredient salads and other treats. 5600 Kavanaugh Blvd. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$-$$$.

501-661-9292. LD daily. 1050 Ellis Ave. Conway.

Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-336-9292. LD daily.

ARKANSAS TIMES MARKETPLACE

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LATINO

CANTINA LAREDO This is gourmet Mexican food, a step up from what you’d expect from a real cantina, from the modern minimal decor to the well-prepared entrees. We can vouch for the enchilada Veracruz and the carne asada y huevos, both with tasty sauces and high quality ingredients perfectly cooked. 207 N. University.

Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-280-0407. LD daily, BR Sun. CHUY’S Good Tex-Mex. We’re especially fond of the enchiladas, and always appreciate restaurants that make their own tortillas. 16001 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-821-2489.

LD daily.

JUANITA’S Menu includes a variety of combination entree choices — enchiladas, tacos, flautas, shrimp burritos and such — plus creative salads and other dishes. And of course the “Blue Mesa” cheese dip. 614 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-372-1228. LD Tue.-Sat. LA SALSA MEXICAN & PERUVIAN CUISINE Mexican and Peruvian dishes, beer and margaritas. 3824 John F. Kennedy Blvd. NLR. Full bar, All CC. 501-753-1101. LD daily.

LOCAL LIME Tasty gourmet Mex from the folks who brought you Big Orange and ZaZa. 17815 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$.

501-448-2226. LD daily.

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