Arkansas Times - December 3, 2015

PHILANTHROPY 2015

BRIGHT FUTURES

NEWS + POLITICS + ENTERTAINMENT + FOOD / DECEMBER 3, 2015 / ARKTIMES.COM

Philanthropists give Arkansans, including single parent Marshaya Rountree, a better life.

I AM THE AEA Russellville teacher’s career inspired by wife, aided by AEA UR IT’S YOTO TIME

!

THRIVE

BR I A N CH IL SO N

E

ven by the time he got to college, Brandon Cooper hadn’t considered a career in the classroom. And the Russellville native certainly hadn’t envisioned himself returning to his alma mater to work alongside some of the very teachers who helped shape him growing up, although that’s exactly what he’s been doing for the past seven years.

It took the perspective of his wife, Cari, to plant the seed of possibility about considering education as a career path.

“Well, it certainly was not my initial plan out of high school,” said Cooper, the World History and AP World History teacher at Russellville High School. “My wife deserves that credit for steering me in that direction. She saw there was a real opportunity for me to make a positive impact on young people through this and she really convinced me that I had some qualities that would result in being a successful teacher.”

Cari Cooper’s suggestion came after observing Brandon interacting with young people in other venues and seeing his empathy and manner of communicating with them. These attributes continue to be an important part of his teaching success.

“I guess it’s a parental quality, being able to connect with young people,” he said. “It’s about being patient and meeting them where they are and not being too judgmental of young people, especially teenagers. It requires a certain approach I guess.”

After graduating from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville with a degree in History Education, Cooper discovered that honing that approach for the classroom setting was an education unto itself. He said learning from peers – including his department head Paul Gray, who taught Cooper as a sophomore – helped him develop into the kind of teacher he was meant to be, both in person and through the Arkansas Education Association.

“Regardless of where you go to college, there’s not really any way to fully prepare and simulate a classroom environment. Starting out it really feels like being on an island,” he said. “There’s a great peace of mind just knowing that the AEA is there for support. Whether it’s professional development or other activities or legal services or anything along those lines, just having that representative in our building is a really comforting feeling.”

Cooper said the value of AEA programs is substantial and the many and varied resources cater to virtually any need a teacher may have.

“Access to information about current events in education is what I most take advantage of,” he said. “The AEA helps me stay informed by passing along information as it pertains to current legislation and other issues that impact our education system. The AEA does a good job of keeping me up to speed on things like that which are important, but that I may not have caught otherwise.”

“I also think there’s good value in the professional development that AEA offers. It’s very helpful to have these resources in terms of classroom management or other topics that are out there for us to use.”

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

3

COMMENT

Time for national emergency Surely, most humans want peace for their children’s future. Peace starts with us. A 2014 Gallup poll asked 66,000 people from 65 nations what was the “greatest threat to peace in the world today?” A plurality answered: the United States. Statistics confirm the U.S. has yet to become a genuinely peace-seeking society.

Violence is in the U.S. DNA, from Native American genocide and slavery to dozens of recent nondefensive military invasions. Our deregulated profitseeking media is saturated with violence and content that leads to violence against women. We’re a militaristic culture of bloodlust that teaches children that violence solves problems best, so widespread school shootings and police brutality are unsurprising. However, DNA is subject to mutation.

Despite endless war glorification, we’ve never had a “war to end all war.”

War and violence never achieved an enduring peaceful order.

Many believe World War II was the “good” war. Hitler was defeated, but lasting peace was never reached, and horrific terroristic atrocities were committed by all sides. Most problematically, WWII was followed by our establishment of a permanent war economy, nuclear arms race and vast empire, which now entails 700 to 1,000 foreign military bases.

This empire exists to control other nations’ resources, and makes Americans less safe. It entails dozens of invasions, CIA coups overthrowing democracies and installing puppet dictators, which fuel hatred, extremist radicalization and terrorism.

Although there have been no wars between major powers since, many smaller conflicts occurred and the United Nations helped resolve over 170 of them, according to Inter Press Service News. The U.N. has been unsuccessful in resolving other conflicts, especially Israel’s, that involve the interests of the five nations with Security Council veto power. Describing vitally needed U.N. reform, including abolishing the P5 veto, will require another essay.

Reforming the U.N. is only one piece of the peace puzzle. Like transforming the suicidal fossil fuel energy system, shifting away from the war economy is multifaceted. Although no major politician will admit it, the two transformations are one.

A Truthout article titled “The Military Assault on the Climate” points out: “the Pentagon is the largest institutional user of petroleum ... (energy, and) ... Any talk of climate change which does not include 4

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

the military is nothing but hot air.”

As the world’s greatest economic and military power, we’re leading the world to apocalyptic annihilation with escalation of war and terrorism, and ignorant environmental disrespect. Yet, we can change gears and lead the world toward peace and true civilization.

To inspire the mandatory change of “swords to plowshares,” a serious revolutionary leader must frame this as a national emergency akin to confronting Hitler. Vast transformation of American peacetime manufacturing for WWII was immense, and now we must reverse this.

The national emergency must entail a deeply urgent imperative for international cooperation, and massive investment in open source scientific research and development of alternative energies, conservation technology, desalinization, etc. Every-

one involved in the war economy must be guaranteed jobs in the peace economy, especially bright scientific minds.

Abel Tomlinson Fayetteville

In defense of greyhound trainer I have recently been made aware of a blog that was posted on the Arkansas Times website regarding a trainer fined for allegedly administering “lidocaine” to a greyhound at Southland Park Gaming & Racing (“Trainer fined in greyhound doping,” Nov. 18).

After reading the article, it was painfully apparent that reporter Leslie Newell Peacock not only didn’t gain a full understanding of the circumstances behind the case she referenced, but she apparently didn’t care to even try

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to obtain the full facts of the case before passing judgment and writing her blog.

For the benefits of your readers who may actually care to know the facts, the presence of lidocaine in that greyhound was due to a topical spray the trainer, Alan Harrell, had used to help the greyhound heal from what are known as “hot spots.” Hot spots are minor irritations that can occur on the surface of a dog’s skin from time to time, most often compared to eczema on humans. When the positive test came back from the lab, the kennel building was inspected immediately to identify the source of the lidocaine. The state veterinarian confirmed that its source was the topical spray product that Harrell used to treat those hot spots, and that the trainer stated he was unaware that the product contained lidocaine.

One can argue that Harrell should have known the contents of the spray.

However, this spray is often prescribed by veterinarians, and the trainer believed he was treating his dog as any veterinarian would have recommended. The judges who heard this case also felt that Harrell was acting in the best interest of the greyhound overall and there was no intent to tamper with the actual performance of the greyhound itself. The judges also received confirmation from a qualified veterinarian that the amount of lidocaine found in the dog, especially applied in this manner (topically), made zero impact on the dog’s performance. The fine ($500) was enforced due to his negligence in failing to check the ingredients of the spray, but the suspension was not enforced because of these circumstances.

Under state regulations, the judges may elect to follow or depart from the RCI Model Rules based on the circumstances of the case, and that is exactly what the three-judge panel did.

None of this information was provided in the blog. Instead, Peacock rushed to judgment and irresponsibly posted completely incorrect information that could damage the reputation of a greyhound trainer who was, in fact, conscientiously attending to his greyhound’s care in a manner that qualified veterinarians affirmed.

Unfortunately, the damage has been done. One look at the comments she generated based on her version of the facts shows how some people, especially those with an existing bias against greyhound racing, have bought into this misinformation.

Shane Bolender Director of racing operations Southland Park Gaming and Racing West Memphis

It's the return of the annual Arkansas Times

MUSICIANS SHOWCASE with performers competing for an array

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TO ENTER send a link to Facebook, ReverbNation, Bandcamp or Soundcloud to showcase@arktimes.com and include the following: Band Name Hometown Date Band Was Formed Age Range of Members (All ages welcome)

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Submission deadline: December 31, 2015 Acts must perform

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

5

WEEK THAT WAS

Quote of the Week: “What he did is domestic terrorism, and what he did is absolutely abominable, especially to us in the pro-life movement. … There’s no legitimizing, there’s no rationalizing. It was mass murder. …

And there’s no excuse for killing other people, whether it’s happening inside the Planned Parenthood headquarters, inside their clinics where many millions of babies die, or whether it’s people attacking Planned Parenthood.”

—Mike Huckabee, first getting it right and then getting it way wrong on Friday’s shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colo. The gunman, Robert Lewis Dear, killed three people and wounded nine; his motives are not yet clear.

Tech park backs off on eminent domain threat The gaffe-prone board of the Little Rock Technology Park Authority seems to be a little too trigger-happy with its eminent domain powers, or perhaps just bad at bluffing. It’s at last reached a deal to purchase the small office building at 415 Main St. owned by lawyer Richard Mays — but at a price that’s about twice as much as the park’s original appraisal of the property.

Here’s what happened. In October, an appraiser hired by the tech park valued 415 Main at between $470,000 and $530,000 — vastly lower on a persquare-foot basis than the price at which it had previously purchased a piece of Stephens-owned property adjacent. Mays didn’t like the lowball offer.

That started the tech park’s board talking about seizing the property outright through the blunt weapon of eminent domain.

This was followed by more appraisals (obtained both by the tech park and by Mays) and another offer of $670,000 from the board, then yet another of $845,000. Mays rejected both — although the latter figure came from his own appraiser — and then preemptively sued the tech park over its threat to condemn his property, questioning whether the entity really had the legal authority to use eminent domain. The board initially pushed ahead with its threat, but it looks like Mays has won 6

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

this game of chicken: Last week, the board voted to increase its offer on 415 Main to $1.037 million, on the condition that Mays dismiss his suit. Mays accepted, this time. Oh well, it’s just taxpayer money.

The slow melt of climate denialism, by the numbers Those liberal Arkansans The Daily Caller, a conservative online outlet, last week published findings that University of Arkansas faculty and staff lean more Democratic than those of any school in the South Eastern Conference, at least when it comes to political contributions. Basing its analysis on data from OpenSecrets. org, the website found that UA employees collectively have given $621,000 to Democrats and $90,400 to Republicans since 1990. Across the SEC’s 14 institutions as a whole, about $5.7 million was donated to Democrats and $3.5 million to Republicans during that time period.

The past 25 years have seen three presidential campaigns mounted by former UA faculty members: Bill and Hillary Clinton.

As world leaders meet in Paris this week for the latest round of talks on climate change, a new poll by the New York Times and CBS News shows Americans gradually coming around to the reality of global warming. Unsurprisingly, there’s a partisan split on climate issues, but even a majority of Republicans now agree that warming is indeed a real threat or will be in the future.

63 percent

55 percent

would support government regulations to limit power plant emissions (like the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan).

would be willing to pay more for electricity generated by renewable sources.

75 percent say global warming is seriously impacting the environment now or will in the future, a number that breaks down into…

90 percent of Democrats

&

58 percent of Republicans

OPINION

Whew, Pig$

A

rguing about overemphasis of college sports is about as worthwhile as arguing abortion and guns. Few are in the middle. Either you think no price is too great for gridiron (or minor sport) glory or you believe sports spending is hopelessly out of control.

I’m behind Door No. 2, but have little to offer beyond hand-wringing.

Consider: Last weekend, the University of Georgia fired Mark Richt, who’s averaged 10 wins a season over 15 years in Athens. He was due for a raise to $4 million a year, about on par with Arkansas’s Bret Bielema, who finally recorded a better than break-even regular season in his third year as Razorback head coach.

The Washington Post last week rolled out an investigative project that showed the top 48 college sports powers (these include Arkansas) had doubled their income in the last 10 years, to $4.5 billion.

And yet the majority of those schools still managed to operate at a deficit. A million-dollar athletic director, a $4 million head coach and a heavy debt load

from the unending facilities race does make it hard to balance budgets, even when your business is tax-free and MAX further advantaged BRANTLEY by the tax deducmaxbrantley@arktimes.com tions available to those who contribute to “the program.”

Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long responded on Twitter to a question on the Post article by noting that the UA department operates in the black (by about $200,000 on a $90 million budget last year). Unlike at some major universities, UA students aren’t assessed a charge to defray athletic costs. Also, the athletic department is budgeted to contribute about $2.3 million of its $97.5 million 2015-16 revenue to general UA operations, a bit more than a 2 percent return on the revenue stream athletics gets as a result of its valuable franchise at a land grant public university.

Athletic departments today have

Shrugging at homegrown terror

T

he fear of mysterious little men is a powerful urge that can consume a great nation for a spell, but it is not so consuming if they look a lot like our neighbors.

Thus when nine Islamic jihadists kill 130 people in coordinated attacks in Paris, international terrorism suddenly becomes, according to polls, the greatest concern of American voters, far bigger than jobs, inequality, taxes, education, immigration, the environment or global warming. Every candidate for president tries to outdo the others in calling for stern and often outrageous action, including scrapping the Constitution, to protect Americans from sullen young Muslims.

But when a good old boy named Bob Dear, recently migrated from the Carolinas, seizes a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs and shoots it out with police for five hours, kill-

ing three, injuring nine and terrorizing hundreds who were trapped in adjoining stores, it doesn’t register as ERNEST a concern except DUMAS momentarily for those on both sides of the old battle over abortion and women’s health clinics. Concern about guns — too many or not enough — takes a brief upward blip in the polls.

The growth of the violent Islamic state, whether ISIS, Boko Haram, al Qaeda or another ragtag Sunni clan, is a solemn issue that ought to engage presidential candidates, not because it represents an existential threat to our freedom, way of life or even our collective safety, but because the destabilized Middle East produced by the Iraqi wars and the sectarian revolutions all

even less obligation to general operations because of the impact of outside money. UA budgets $34 million in outside income from the NCAA and TV contracts, plus another $6.2 million from sale of commercial rights and another $3 million from fees for using the University of Arkansas trademarks. Of course trademark revenue goes to athletics. Ever seen anyone wearing a Go Hog Poets T-shirt?

The $95 million that rolls into the athletic department is by far the biggest of any single department at the UA. The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences gets $49.8 million. The state legislature appropriates only $127 million in general revenue to the UA. Yes. Athletics brings in a sum at the UA ever closer to what taxpayers provide.

The Washington Post article noted that complaints about the drain of women’s sports on college budgets are disingenuous. Of course. At the UA, football costs $23 million and accounts for about $27 million in ticket revenue, the only sport that doesn’t operate at a deficit.

Men’s basketball costs $7.3 million, but produces $6.4 million. Men’s baseball costs $2.8 million, but reaps $1.8 million in ticket revenue. Every other sport

is a loser.

Football wags the dog. So when LSU talks of firing Les Miles, with a record similar to that of Richt at Georgia, or a school fires a Richt, the colleges are acting more like businesses than some cosseted CEOs in the private sector. Produce or perish, and a winning record isn’t enough. In the biggest of big-time colleges, an SEC championship is expected with some frequency. Nice guys who don’t win eventually get bought out. Jeff Long has been patient with Bret Bielema, who is a likable cuss, but really: Will another 7-5 season be acceptable for a $4 million coach when 10-win coaches like Miles who’ve won national championships are on the chopping block?

Jeff Long also boasted that Razorback athletes have a cumulative 3.2 GPA. Good for them. But a 4.0 would be no job protection for a perennial 4-7 football coach.

Nor should it be at today’s rates.

I don’t suggest it’s time to de-emphasize sports. I might as well call for an end to keg parties. I can only wonder where revenues will be in 10 years and what new $200 million facility will be the must-have of 2025.

along the southern Mediterranean from Tunis to Turkey poses a grave threat of a wide conflagration that the United States will not be able to avoid, which is ISIS’ central hope. It will make the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars look like Reagan’s capture of the isle of Grenada.

Making the Middle East come out right calls for lots of brains, nerve, cunning and maybe boots and money, but promising to finish flattening Syrian or Iraqi cities controlled by ISIS or stuffing refugees back into the desert, while it gets cheers, won’t solve the problem.

But that is the subject of a thousand columns and editorials. Let’s deal now with the peril of domestic terrorism.

While it doesn’t register as a political issue, homegrown terrorism by disaffected Americans — troubled youngsters and paranoid middle-aged men driven by reactionary whims like Robert Lewis Dear — kill more Americans and cause more havoc year after year than Middle Eastern ideology, the single day of 9/11 excluded. ISIS, al Qaeda and Boko Haram principally kill Arabs — 6,600 in Nigeria and 6,000 in Iraq last year alone and many more this year. We pay little attention. But deaths associated with Islamic extremism are outnumbered by attacks from violent American extremist groups and individuals, like Robert Dear, Ted Kaczynski the

Unabomber, Timothy McVeigh, white supremacist Dylann Roof or the wacko Sovereign Citizens, the current generation of paranoid government haters who learned from terrorists in Belfast and the Middle East that with the glory of guns and explosives you can strike a mighty blow for the cause that will be heard across the land.

Troubled kids got the same message.

Sovereign Citizens, who follow a racist and anti-Semitic ideology, believe the Constitution gives them the right to revoke their citizenship and ignore the authority of government, from taxes to traffic laws. Remember the father-son team of Jerry and Joe Kane, who murdered two policemen with an assault rifle when the cops dared to pull them over in West Memphis.

Bob Dear made an iconoclastic terrorist, finally devolving like the Unabomber into a mountain hermit. Aimless and unsuccessful at everything, he circulated anti-Obama leaflets and was upset by the political fuss over tapes that were doctored to suggest that Planned Parenthood sold parts of aborted fetuses for medical research, but mainly Dear just seemed to have grievances against women, whom he had stalked and assaulted. The cautionary Sen. Ted Cruz, however, tells us that the big bearded fellow is actually CONTINUED ON PAGE 47 www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

7

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8

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

Race is not destiny

F

rom sea to shining sea, college students seem determined to make us argue about race to the exclusion of all else. So here’s something I learned in college: Virtually every ugly stereotype applied to AfricanAmericans by white racists was applied to my Irish-Catholic ancestors as well.

Their English oppressors caricatured Irish peasants as shiftless, drunken, sexually promiscuous, donkey-strong but mentally deficient.

The Celtic race was good at singing, dancing, lifting heavy objects and prizefighting. Red-haired women were thought sexually insatiable. We Celts also had an appalling odor.

Little historical imagination is required to grasp why slave owners needed to call their victims subhuman.

Yes, I said slaves. During the 17th century, many thousands of native Irish were transported to the Caribbean and North America and sold into indentured servitude. During the potato famine of the 1840s, England sent soldiers to guard ships exporting food crops from Irish farms while the native population starved or emigrated.

Feeding them, it was believed, would compromise their work ethic.

But here’s the thing: At no point was I tempted to wonder if my ancestors were, in fact, inferior. Not once, not ever. Nor did I see any point in holding it against the Rolling Stones or The Who (although my grandfather Connors pretended to). It was ancient history to me, fascinating, but of little import to my life as a first-generation college student.

My father, a donkey-strong man of fierce opinions, had a slogan he’d often repeat. It was his personal credo, a bedrock statement of Irish-American patriotism.

“You’re no better than anybody else,” he’d growl. “And NOBODY’S BETTER THAN YOU.” It’s become my personal motto as well. You see, I don’t believe it of you or your ancestors either. That they’re inferior (or superior, for that matter.)

Never have. I used to joke that being Irish, I only looked white. But hardly anybody gets it anymore, so I quit saying it.

“History … is a nightmare,” said James Joyce’s Stephen Daedalus, “from which I am trying to awake.”

I understand that it’s easier to resign from being Irish (in the political sense) than it is to resign from being black, or

Asian, or Hispanic, or whatever. But to me, the freedom to redefine yourself is the essence of being GENE American.

LYONS We used to sit around in our freshman dorm at Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey, all us first-generation college boys with immigrant ancestors, comparing notes about the crazy stories our grandparents told us about the old country. Me and Czyza, and Finelli, and Sussman, and Piskorowski, and Sugarman, and Grasso, and Maloney … . Well, you get the point.

Hardly a WASP in sight, although I’d actually dated one in high school.

So no, I won’t apologize for my “white privilege” either. Nor will I turn myself inside-out trying to prove my good faith to somebody who doubts it. I’m no better than you, and you’re no better than I am. If we can’t agree to meet in the middle, then maybe it’s best we not meet at all.

It will be seen that I’m temperamentally unqualified to be a college administrator, compelled as they are to remain solemn as impassioned 19-year-olds demand — demand, no less — an immediate end to not only “white supremacy” but to “heterosexism, cis-sexism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism, mental health stigma and classism.”

That’s from a recent list of grievances presented to the president of Amherst College. Somehow, they left out the designated hitter rule.

Writing in The Nation, Michelle Goldberg complained about “left-wing anti-liberalism: the idea … that social justice demands curbs on freedom of expression.” She met fierce resistance from Rutgers professor Brittney Cooper in (where else?) Salon, who countered that “[T]he demand to be reasonable is a disingenuous demand. Black folks have been reasoning with white people forever. Racism is unreasonable, and that means reason has limited currency in the fight against it.”

No, it doesn’t. Quite the opposite.

My view is that they’re being intellectually defrauded, all these idealistic kids who are being taught their race is destiny, and destiny is race.

Better by far that they should study entomology, urban planning, or 18th century French literature — anything CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

Illustrating the governor’s message

BY MARA LEVERITT

P

rison is political. Imprisonment who support Howard and who believe in Arkansas is out of control. Gov. his longstanding claim of innocence preAsa Hutchinson is trying to rein sented the board letters assuring that, in the politics that are letting our prison upon release, Howard would have a job, housing and car provided. rates cripple this state.

Good for him. We have guidelines Few inmates seeking parole can for this part of government. Politics hope for such support. Yet the board too often overdenied Howard. Why? ride them.

Here’s what Because one of the governor said the 13 factors Monday to the the board must state’s Legislative consider is this: Criminal Justice “Recommendations made by Oversight Task Force: “It’s my the judge, prosimpression that ecuting attorour [sentencing] ney and sheriff guidelines have of the county NO PAROLE: Tim Howard, whose murder little teeth, are from which a conviction was overturned, remains in jail. weakly being folperson was senlowed and don’t tenced, or other carry the weight they should.” interested persons.”

That’s right. And so is this. “To me” The judge in Howard’s case wrote a lethe said, “you either need to abolish the ter to the parole board opposing his parole. sentencing guidelines and say we’re not At least one other “interested person” did, going to have those, or give them some too. Let us note that “the judge, prosecuting attorney and sheriff” are elected; that real meaning and teeth. That’s the way is, they hold political positions. you correct the system at the beginning and to eliminate some of the disIn denying Howard’s parole, the board parities that we see in our sentencing.” ignored 12 of 13 factors it was required to Our prisons burst with disparities. consider. And the reason for that appears Eliminating them will take courage. clear.

Hutchinson advised the task force to Let’s see if the Arkansas Parole Board can heed the governor’s message with examine how many cases deviate from one matter currently before it. state guidelines and to look carefully at Last month that board denied the reasons those guidelines were not parole for Tim Howard, an inmate followed. “That is foundational in making who has served the time required sure we do this right,” he said.

Tim Howard is but one prisoner in a for him to be eligible for parole. The parole board’s written policy states prison system that is growing, contrary to that members must consider 13 factrends in other states and despite alarm, such as the governor’s, about how much tors in deciding whether to grant that parole. that relentless growth is costing ArkanHoward has met or surpassed 12 of sans. So far, calls to curb that growth have those 13 qualifications. His record as a not been heeded. prisoner has been perfect. His health — The governor is dead-right on this. physical and mental — is good, despite Reducing the state’s prison population more than a decade in solitary confineis “a dollar issue, as well as a human being ment on a conviction since overturned. issue.”

At present, dollars and human beings The board is supposed to consider his “participation in educational proalike are being wasted because politics grams.” Those were not offered to him trump policy. That situation will continue on death row. Nevertheless, Howard until administrative bodies like the parole studied for and obtained his GED while board start looking at and following their there. Guidelines also require the board to mandates, rather than catering to local consider an inmate’s release plan. People politicians.

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ret Bielema is the subject of some derision, the aggressiveness of which ebbs and flows based on his team’s record, for being a little casual with his yap. That gabbing ensnared him earlier this season when Kliff Kingsbury turned a flippant summer comment into press conference fodder after his Texas Tech team caught a reeling Razorback team with its guard down in Fayetteville.

As the 2015 season has unfolded to its terminus, it appears the coach has done some learning along the way just as much as his players have done some wagon circling. In the wake of a bitter 51-50 slugfest that went Mississippi State’s way due to some obtuse playcalling and failed execution at the end, Bielema owned those failings. What may have been more telling was how he spoke in the aftermath of the bounceback 28-3 whipping of hapless Missouri to close the regular season.

Bielema said that during the week he emphasized to his team that he didn’t want Mississippi State to “beat us twice.”

That’s coachspeak for letting the repercussions of one emotional loss bleed over into the next week. You saw that happen when LSU tanked its No. 2 ranking and hopes of an SEC championship in a loss to Alabama, then followed that with a listless showing against the Hogs in Baton Rouge seven nights later.

Arkansas wasn’t impressive against Missouri, to be sure, but the Razorbacks dealt capably with oddball circumstances, namely a Friday afternoon kickoff in a half-full (optimists’ view, natch) Reynolds Razorback Stadium with driving, chilly rain falling and clearly affecting the quarterbacks’ accuracy and the skill players’ ball security all day. Brandon Allen’s final bow on Senior Day was a modest 11-of-17, 102-yard one, but Alex Collins and Kody Walker got going again after a frustrating outing against the Bulldogs.

The junior tailback tandem grinded out 207 combined yards on 44 runs, scored all four touchdowns, and most importantly didn’t cede possession of the slippery rock despite a couple of close calls.

Missouri finished a 5-7, 1-7 year in a fittingly messily fashion. The Tigers boast a high-octane linebacker, Kentrell Brothers, and some other valued personnel on that side of the ball, but even a worthy effort against the Hogs

could do nothing to offset the most moribund offense in the league in quite some time.

Over eight league BEAU games, the punchWILCOX less crew rolled up a whopping 73 points, and onethird of those came in the Tigers’ lone victory against South Carolina. Drew Lock seems like he could mature and be productive, provided that Gary Pinkel’s successor is of an attacking mindset, but the freshman quarterback’s day against the Hogs was ugly. He completed 9 of 27 for 83 yards, tossed a late interception, and was hounded in the backfield all day by a defensive line that had just been baffled by Dak Prescott to the tune of 500-plus passing yards.

That’s the missing ingredient for Arkansas: consistency. A team that loses to the likes of Toledo, Texas Tech and Mississippi State in such fashion does not boast the depth needed to be an SEC contender; conversely, a team that toughs out road wins at Knoxville, Oxford and Baton Rouge clearly adapts and hits its apex when the competition is weighty.

Allen’s maturation at the end of his career is a promising harbinger regardless of whether his younger brother or Ricky Town takes over the quarterbacking duties for 2016. The receiving depth will be excellent because Drew Morgan, Dominique Reed, Jared Cornelius and Keon Hatcher all should return healthy, and if tight end Hunter Henry is gone, Jeremy Sprinkle can be an obvious asset as a senior with young blue-chips like C.J. O’Grady in wait.

Defensively, the Hogs can and will improve, too. In fact, the impending bowl game may be the showcase for that unit first and foremost. Robb Smith’s group recaptured some lost luster against Missouri, seized upon the conditions being conducive to aggression, and looked more like the 11 that finished out 2014 in suffocating fashion than the one that was taken off its rails against the Mississippi schools’ speed-based approach.

Last year’s bunch was 7-6, but a whisker away from being two or three wins better. This year’s team finishes the regular campaign a hair better at 7-5, demonstrably improved in conference play, and yet still had two or three certain victories slip away.

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THE OBSERVER NOTES ON THE PASSING SCENE

To tell a story

T

he holidays are upon us, which takes us all into the company of family for extended periods of time, of course, folks we’re around so much we’re damn near sick of ’em, folks we ain’t seen in awhile, and folks who have been scarce since Hector was a pup. The Observer’s clan tends to be of the “Sit Around the Table and Jaw” variety during gettogethers, not of the “Stare at Football or Fox News” type, thank God. We are a clan of storytellers for the most part; wanderers with big, bombastic voices, willing to shout each other down and demand our two cents, smiling our way to the point, each punch line delivered with such devastating, Rocky Balboa-like force as to make the folks picking ham out of their teeth laugh so hard they almost swallow their toothpick and choke.

The Observer has been teaching folks how to tell stories out at the college for going on 15 years now, so we’re something of an expert on the topic of fictions large and small. The art of oral storytelling, however, is its own fabulous beast, with curling tale and rainbow tongue, the great looping bird of experience, anecdote and outright falsehood, flitting and rising and falling, stirring the wind of desire until the great rush of it forms something like a point.

Unfortunately, life is never as neat as an O. Henry tale, never coming to the smart conclusion where the hero is rewarded and the villain gets his just desserts in a fall from the highest gable. Instead, life is just ordinary people trying to figure out how to put together the deluxe swing set of their own lives, even though there was no instruction booklet in the box it came in, look through it as we might. And so we need that great and looping bird, to symbolize the uncertainty of it all.

To tell a story, one must first accept the idea that there is no such thing as a true story. We all experience the world differently, and so we remember it differently than others, and in our remembering we make fictions and falsehoods real to ourselves. If you don’t believe Your Old Pal, gather up a bunch of your oldest friends or relations around the Christmas dinner table and tell them the tale of an event they all bore witness to, years and years ago.

You’ll soon find that what you thought was the solid bedrock of your memory is actually a crumbling tufa that barely qualifies as stone, shot through with holes and errors, misremembered names and places, digests and omissions, things and people you have convinced yourself were there, but which really weren’t. Such is the way of memory, fallible because we are fallible.

To tell a story, one must be bold. One must watch the audience, read their faces, see them lean slightly forward over their half-devoured plates of turkey or away in doubt, the barest hint of a grin ready to burst into full-throated laughter, their anticipation hanging there in space, waiting for you to take them to see the waterfall of your joy. This is why a good story must have a point. Why it must be more than anecdote. We desire the silver nugget of understanding and knowledge contained within it, so we can know how to live. Human beings developed this wonderful tool known as language for exactly that: to be able to pass on what isn’t codified in our DNA, to become more than dumb instinct. There is a kind of love in this: “I was hunting two valleys north in winter when I came upon a cave with an entrance shaped like the cusp of a rising moon. And in that cave, I came upon a bear. Seek not that cave, brothers and sisters. Hear me, and look upon my scar.”

To tell a story, one must have a story in the first place. Be that person, if you can. The best storytellers are those who risk and dare. We live through them and inside them, gasp at their falls, laugh at their narrow escapes, pound the table in hysterics when they get their just comeuppance from the universe but resolve to pick themselves up and quest again. To find a story, therefore, look for the ones with the muddy boots, the grins, the pale corkscrew scars. They’re the ones who have seen distant lands, where the wild spices grow, where the fiercest bears lurk in caves shaped like the crowning head of the moon. Put down your fork and listen.

There will be time enough for mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce later.

Now is the time for the ancient need to know that which can’t be learned from instinct.

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11

Arkansas Reporter

THE

IN S IDE R

World traveler, travel agent Fred Poe dies Fred Poe, the world traveler who built the state’s best known travel agency, died as he lived — on the road. He died Friday, Nov. 27, in Vancouver, en route to a trans-Canada rail journey. He was 81.

He started Frederick Poe Travel Service with his wife, Tina, in 1961.

His knowledge of the world was encyclopedic and travelers who used Poe could count on notes from Poe for every stop — not just guides to major sights, but tips on restaurants, bars, hotels and off-beat experiences. He loved exotic destinations and wrote about them often over the years for the Arkansas Times. He blogged about his travels, too. A good representation is from 2008 blog posts that spanned a sybaritic stay in Hong Kong, a stop in Istanbul and then a journey to the “Three Stans,” beginning with Afghanistan.

The Poe Travel website bio of Fred noted in 2013: “Fred recently returned from another exciting round-the-world journey during which he landed in Hawaii, Nagasaki, Vienna, Algiers, and Istanbul among other places.

He paid his respects at Catherine the Great’s birthplace in Szczecin, Poland, and ‘found his angel in Algiers,’ after injuring his foot in some ruins. He also visited a Stonehenge-like outcropping in the ancient city of Urfa in southeast Turkey, whose history dates back to Neolithic times. ‘My travels as usual have been bonkers. I can go any place I want to.’ ” His daughter, Ellison Poe, is now president of the agency he founded.

His son, Tony Poe, told the Times that his father had just arrived in Vancouver by plane to meet a friend for a journey by rail across Canada to Montreal when he was stricken, perhaps by an embolism. He was to meet another friend there for a return train trip to Vancouver.

“He was bound and determined to keep going,” Tony Poe said.

The family plans a memorial gathering from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Capital Hotel. Fred Poe left an obituary he’d written. Read it at arktimes. com/fredpoe. Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home.

12

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

The future of the private option A Q&A with Rep. Charlie Collins, co-chair of a health reform task force.

BY DAVID RAMSEY

B

y law, the Health Reform Legislative Task Force must make recommendations on the future of health care in Arkansas by the end of this year.

The task force was created by the legislature earlier this year at the request of Gov. Asa Hutchinson. It is charged with exploring options for the private option — the state’s expansion of Medicaid covering more than 200,000 Arkansans, which is set to expire at the end of 2016 — as well as for the rest of the state’s $6 billion Medicaid program. The consultant hired by the task force, the Stephen Group, found that the private option projects to save the state budget $438 million between 2017 and 2021.

The task force appears to be nearing a consensus that the private option coverage expansion should continue, albeit with some Republican friendly tweaks suggested by the Stephen Group. But it remains divided over what to do about the rest of the Medicaid program. The Stephen Group found that moving some of the high-cost populations in Medicaid (such as the aged, disabled and the blind) into managed care could save the state hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

The Times spoke with Task Force co-chair Rep. Charlie Collins (R-Fayetteville) last week to check in on the status of the task force with its deadline looming. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Give me the view from 10,000 feet: How are you feeling about where the task force is and where it’s going?

I feel wonderful about that. I think that the Stephen Group has done a great job. They’ve gotten a lot of input from

HIS VIEW: State Rep. Charlie Collins.

everybody involved and put together a very compelling set of recommendations to really move us to a great place.

The challenge now is — OK, we’ve got these strong recommendations but now we get into the difficult choices associated with them. For example, everybody sits in their chair at home and throws their shoe at the television screen and complains about the national debt. This task force is taking on those very issues.

The hybrid managed care proposal is a $500 million per year reduction. So in one fell swoop we’re knocking a significant amount off of our share of the annual federal deficit [the federal government covers 70 percent of the state’s traditional Medicaid program].

The reason nobody else in the country is doing anything is because of the Herculean difficulty involved in doing it. It’s not because people are stupid, it’s because it’s the hardest work imaginable. That’s the real reason nobody’s doing it. We’re tackling that work.

But if you’re making an argument about putting a dent in federal deficit spending via reforms to the traditional Medicaid program, what about the private option? The pri-

vate option helps the state budget.

But whatever we call the revised version of the private option, continuing the coverage expansion — which the Stephen Group recommendations would do, and which you support — means incrementally more federal deficit spending.

Breaking down all of the different pieces and how they all connect, we can do that. But I want to make sure that we separate the different discussions. There’s three buckets of recommendations. One of them is [traditional] Medicaid savings, another one is what we do on the private option, and another is what else we are doing to improve in health care, from eligibility to improving liability issues in nursing homes.

And there’s a lot of other recommendations in there.

So if you ask me what I am personally focused on, my own guiding principle, my answer to that is that I’m focused on the Arkansas taxpayer. We’re paying taxes to multiple entities, federal government, state government, local government, we’re paying them all over the place. So that’s who I’m defending.

If you talk about the way the money works, if I was in charge I would simplify it, but I’m not in charge. In fact, President Obama got a lot more votes than I did, so he has a lot more power than I do. One of the things he did back in 2010 was raise 12 federal taxes and take $600 million out of Arkansas taxpayers’ pockets. And then he reduced Medicare reimbursements to health care providers by $600 million per year.

He took $1.2 billion a year out of our system. Getting that money back to the people of Arkansas is a priority in my view, which happens when we cover these expanded populations. Because that’s the only way Obama will release it.

So ultimately you view the spending question through the lens of the state budget and state economy. And killing the private option would actually be a net loss for the state budget.

It would be a massive hit. This year it’s $300 million. Not only do we have the direct costs, which are $150 million, but we also have the uncompensated care costs at hospitals.

That’s not even getting into taking the federal money out of the state CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

LISTEN UP

THE

BIG PICTURE

Inconsequential News Quiz: Turkey jerky edition

1) A Union County woman was arrested recently after police said she followed some questionable advice from her mother. What was the advice?

A) Sex tip from Cosmopolitan magazine involving a piece of piano wire and a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce.

B) To actually use the disgusting pouch of guts inside a frozen turkey for food.

C) That she should give alcohol to her 10-month-old, who was crying because of teething pain. The child was later airlifted to a hospital with a blood alcohol content of .19, but recovered.

D) Fed her unsuspecting husband a whole box of chocolate laxatives, to “flush out” his recurrent cold.

2) When the woman in the above item had her mugshot taken, what was printed on the green T-shirt she was wearing?

A) “YOU’RE AN IDIOT.” B) “If this is upside down, put me back on my barstool.”

C) “#1 Mom.” D) “Hey, watch this …”

3) Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee went in for surgery last week, and later posted a photo to Facebook featuring something removed from his body. What was it?

A) Last shred of human decency.

B) His brain, as part of a strategy to go toe-to-toe with Donald Trump in future debates.

C) A bone chip from his knee.

D) Janet’s wedding band, which he swallowed during a weekend-long FunYuns binge in 1997.

4) Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass announced just before Thanksgiving that, based on legal advice, a certain event is no longer welcome at the courthouse. What was it?

A) Yearly ritual stoning of a virgin, an outsider and an old crone to appease He Who Lurks in the Glade of Shadows.

B) “Foot Fetishists on Parade” parade.

C) The annual Christmas nativity display.

D) Friday night “run what ya brung” lawnmower races.

5) The Arkansas Department of Correction recently updated its dress code for those visiting state prisons.

Which of the following was an actual item banned by the ADC? A) T-shirts featuring “any character, logo or element from the AMC show ‘Breaking Bad.’ “ B) “New England Patriots attire. Because we hate those cheating f***ers.”

C) “All naughty Halloween costumes, but especially ‘Sexy Cop.’ “ D) “Jeggings.”

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

Available on iTunes & arktimes.com

INSIDER, CONT.

Stodola in line for national leadership position Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola recently was elected second vice president of the National League of Cities at the city lobby’s annual meeting Nov. 4-7 in Nashville, Tenn.

The significance is that, by League custom, Stodola is in the line of succession to become president of the group in 2018, after one year in each of two vice president posts. More significant for city residents lies in the growing demands the jobs place on top league officials. In the year as first vice president, the rising president typically makes plans for a controlling theme of the year as president.

The likelihood that Stodola will eventually be spending more time away from the city on League of Cities business perhaps helps explain his recent push to create a new chief of staff job in the mayor’s office — a job for which a current events planner in the city manager’s office, Phyllis Dickerson, was the only applicant in the short internal window open for applications — and an administrative assistant. Stodola says the League duties had no influence on the staffing ideas, but that they arose from other city needs.

Future mayoral absences could also make the role of Little Rock vice mayor somewhat more important down the line. That’s a position that rotates among the Board of Directors.

Leadership in the NLC also is a position that can guide some meetings to Little Rock, though not the annual meeting, too large for our facilities currently.

Last call for Big Ideas We’re still searching for ideas for our annual Big Ideas issue. Send your specific ideas for making Arkansas a better place to Lindsey Millar at lindseymillar@arktimes.com by Monday, Dec. 7.

Corrections Last week’s story on the Diamond Pipeline Project crossing in Johnson County quoted a Clarksville alderman but misspelled her name. The alderman is Danna Schneider.

Last week’s dining review misspelled the name of the restaurant Graffiti’s in the subheadline. www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

13

ANSWERS: C, A, C, C, D

A GOOD YEAR UALR, UA-Fort Smith, Walton Arts Center, Children’s Museum the beneficiaries.

BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK

WINDGATE BUILDS THE ARTS: With a $20 million gift to UALR for a new arts building (above left) and $15.5 million to UA-Fort Smith for the Windgate Art and Design building, which opened in September.

14

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

T

FOR THE ARTS

he year 2014 was a banner year for the arts and humanities, the National Philanthropic Trust says, with giving up 9.2 percent over 2013 (The information is based on 2014 tax returns, the most recent available.) Arkansas philanthropists did their share, pledging $48.1 million toward arts and museum facilities.

The Windgate Foundation of Siloam Springs, the state’s biggest grantmaker in the arts, accounts for more than half that giving total. On Sept. 3, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith opened the $15.5 million Windgate Art and Design Building, a state-of-the-art, 58,000-square-foot facility built with Windgate dollars. In 2017, thanks to a $20 million Windgate pledge, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will open a new building that will bring its applied design, art history and studio arts classes under one roof. The 71,636-square-foot arts center will include an 80-seat lecture hall and two art galleries. When the foundation announced the gift, a reporter asked foundation Director John Brown how the arts helped the economy. “Two words,” Brown said. “Crystal Bridges.” He was, of course, referring to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, created by Walmart heiress Alice Walton. Crystal Bridges also benefited from Windgate generosity, winning a grant of $520,000 for its online education program. Windgate also made significant gifts to the Thea Foundation to support its A+ arts-engaged curriculum and the Eureka School for the Arts.

The Walton Arts Center has broken

ground on a $23 million expansion with help from individuals, foundations and corporations. The Walton Family Foundation gave $5.3 million to the new Children’s Museum in Bentonville.

Arkansas’s individual giving outmatched the national rise of 7.1 percent.

Gifts of more than $250,000 made public in 2014 added up to nearly $56 million.

Last year’s Arkansas Times philanthropy issue reported individual gifts adding up to $34.45 million. The improved stock market and economy get part of the credit; perhaps a growing culture of Arkansas philanthropy — and a willingness to announce one’s gifts — does as well.

Hendrix College got its biggest gift ever: $26 million from the estate of Mary Ann Dawkins, an executive of Coulson Oil who died in 2014. Hendrix will use the money for scholarships; the gift pushed its endowment to over $200 million.

People gave generously to the University of Arkansas, as always. The school raised $116.5 million in private gifts in its 2015 fiscal year, making it the fourth-best year in its fundraising history. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gets top billing in UA giving: He donated $10.6 million to the Student-Athlete Success Center.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences got major gifts for its Myeloma Institute for the Bart Barlogie Center for Molecular Diagnostics this year, including a $10 million donation from the Celgene Corp. and another $5.1 million from two anonymous donors. The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, which stopped making

grants last year, announced this year it would give $7.9 million to UAMS for its Reynolds Institute on Aging, and UAMS received several other gifts of $1 million for various purposes.

The Walton Family Foundation, now with $2.7 billion in assets and which gave away more money in 2014 — $360.5 million — than any other Arkansas foundation has in the bank, is ranked 28th in the country in wealth. The foundation breaks its giving down into three categories: K-12 education grants, environment and home region. Home region grants totaled more than $40 million.

Large entities, like the University of Arkansas and other worthy institutions, receive major gifts every year. But there are smaller nonprofits that may not always be on the receiving end of big gifts and whose charitable missions are deserving of attention. In this issue we profile several nonprofits deserving of financial and volunteer support: the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Pulaski County, part of the statewide nonprofit founded in Northwest Arkansas; the Arkansas chapter of the Sierra Club, which fights for clean air and water in our state; the Arkansas Support Network, which helps families caring for children with developmental disabilities and for disabled adults; Our House, which gives shelter to the working poor and their children; and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas, which provides mentors to at-risk kids. Find the donate button on their websites, a way to give that is increasing in popularity.

The right to be included For developmentally disabled people and their families, Arkansas Support Network delivers choice and empowerment.

BY BENJAMIN HARDY

with young children who had significant disabilities. They looked around at the landscape of what adults with disabilities were getting and said, ‘We want something different for our kids

like ASN have provided families with home- and community-based alternatives (which are usually much cheaper than institutional care). ASN also advocates for policies at the state level that will ensure those options are extended to all Arkansans with disabilities.

“It’s one thing for a provider to take care of the people they serve, but it’s another thing for them to step out and make the changes that need to happen,” Missy Joyce said. “They’re providing people with disabilities with opportunities to make their own decisions and have greater control of their lives.” That’s what led her to join the board of ASN four years ago, over half of which is composed of people with disabilities or their parents; this year, Joyce is the chair.

KAT WILSON

O

ne consequence of having a child with a developmental disability is that routine life changes require meticulous advance planning. So, when Missy Joyce’s son turned 3, she and her husband began to worry about kindergarten for Hunter, who has cerebral palsy, even though school was years away.

“We started talking to other parents and asking, ‘Wow, what’s it like to go to school?’ ” Joyce said. “I had a friend who had gone to training with Arkansas Support Network, and she said, ‘You really need to look at their training schedule and attend their IEP trainings.’ ” Although schools are required to meet the needs of children with disabilities under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, it’s no simple task to interpret an IEP, the “individualized education plan” that specifies a unique path for a disabled child to follow in school. This is where Arkansas Support Network steps in to educate parents: “What an IEP is, what IDEA says, what your rights are, what you can ask for — kind of all the ins and outs,” Joyce explained.

The training is part of ASN’s family support program, which also advocates for developmentally disabled kids in school, provides small cash stipends to some families, and coaches parents through the demands of raising children with special needs. The program serves 1,500 families in Northwest Arkansas and includes dedicated outreach staff for the area’s growing Latino and Marshallese populations.

Keith Vire, who has been ASN’s executive director since 1991, explained that the goal is to keep kids in their communities and out of institutions.

“Family support is a service model that says we want to encourage families to keep their children in the home instead of out-of-home placements, and that we believe parents are the experts about their children. They know what their family needs,” Vire said. “In 1988, this program was founded by five moms

ASN also delivers a range of vocational programs for disabled people: supported employment; a school-to-work transition program for high school kids; a dropin center that includes art and literacy classes, and Workbridge NWA, an intensive, 70-day job training and placement program with an associated retail store work site. In addition to donations, the nonprofit is always looking for volunteers in Northwest Arkansas to help with everything from staffing fundraising events to working with developmentally disabled adults at the drop-in center.

(For Central Arkansas residents looking for similar volunteer opportunities, Vire suggested Independent Case Management Inc. or United Cerebral Palsy of Arkansas, both in Little Rock.)

KEEPING KIDS AT HOME: Keith Vire (center, standing) says that’s the goal for families like the Joyces, Jeb, Missy, Abby and son Hunter.

when they grow up.’ ” Those five mothers obtained a grant from the Arkansas Department of Human Services to start a family support program — “the first one in the state and, sadly, pretty much still the only one.”

Over the past 25 years, ASN has grown into an organization that does far more than the family support program.

The majority of its staff of approximately 800 provides “community living services” — direct, in-home care for adults with developmental disabilities. It operates Kids Club, a nine-week summer camp for disabled children, and trains foster parents who care for special needs kids.

“I’m really proud that we’ve never turned anyone away,” Vire said. “Ever.

Regardless of the severity of the disability, regardless of the behavioral reputation they come with. We’ve served people who were dismissed from institutions because they were too difficult to serve.”

The mission statement of ASN is to “recognize and support every person’s right to be included in the life of the community.” A few decades ago, people born with developmental disabilities were very likely destined for an institutional setting, shut away from most of society. Today, though institutionalization is still commonplace, organizations

“I think once you’ve found an organization that you believe in and that helps as many people as ASN does, it’s kind of your job to be involved and help where you can,” she said.

To Vire, putting developmentally disabled people and their families in charge of their own futures is his life’s work.

“One of our founding mothers coined the phrase ‘ordinary families in extraordinary circumstances,’ ” he said. “The idea is that we’ll do whatever it takes to help families support their children.”

For more information or to donate, visit supports.org or call ASN’s main office at 479-927-4100. www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

15

Working to clear the air At the Arkansas chapter of the Sierra Club.

BRIAN CHILSON

BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK

FREE Business Checking LEARN MORE

16

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

GLEN HOOKS: Working against dirty coal and for clean air on behalf of Arkansans.

r

G

len Hooks isn’t gunning for Leslie Rutledge personally, but as director of the Sierra Club’s Arkansas chapter he is definitely getting under her skin.

That’s because the Sierra Club has succeeded in beating back Rutledge’s campaign to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating rules that put clean air and water before power plant profits.

Rutledge, who has intervened in six multistate lawsuits with other Republican attorneys general against the EPA since she took office last January, says she’s trying to protect jobs and consumer pocketbooks. The Sierra Club says she’s wasting taxpayer money and not working for taxpayers’ interests.

In 2014, the Sierra Club prevailed in a Clean Air Act suit aimed at reducing haze in national parks. The 1999 rule required states to write plans on how to reduce haze, but Arkansas’s was not accepted; the Sierra Club sued the EPA for failing to write a plan for Arkansas in the absence of an approved state plan. The rule is to protect the Caney Creek Wilderness Area and the Upper Buffalo; the plan targeted the two dirtiest coal-fired plants in Arkansas, White Bluff and Independence.

Rather than pay the $1 billion it would cost to install scrubbers at its White Bluff plant, Entergy will retire the plant by 2027. It will still operate the Independence plant. Rutledge argued in federal district court that the Sierra Club didn’t have standing in the suit, but Judge Leon Holmes ruled it did.

That case is also on appeal.

The club has also stymied Rutledge’s efforts to stop an EPA rule that requires power plants to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by 36.5 percent. The EPA’s Clean Power Plan gives the state until 2030 to reduce CO2; the rule was made final last month. Rutledge first sought to intervene while the rule was still in draft stage; she did not succeed, nor did she prevail in her second attempt in U.S. Circuit Court. She will, of course, keep fighting. A stakeholders group, meanwhile, made up of representatives from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, the Public Service Commission, elected officials and others, including Hooks, are going forward writing up the state’s clean power plan.

When the Sierra Club successfully won a battle that would close a loophole that exempted the state’s power plants from emissions rules during plant startups, shutdowns and malfunctions, Rutledge said the EPA was “choosing to

put the political interests of the Sierra Club ahead of Arkansans” and filed an appeal of the EPA rule.

Hooks would argue that it is Rutledge, not the Sierra Club, who is acting out of political interests and that Arkansans, mindful of their personal health as well as the planet’s, want cleaner industry and cleaner air. A switch to cleaner power has economic benefits, too, Hooks says, as the development of new technologies brings new jobs online.

“We were told for so many years that Arkansas was just not right for solar power, for wind power. That’s just nonsense. It’s happening in all our neighbor states,” Hooks said. Now, he said, utilities have figured out how to make money producing clean power, and the business is getting more competitive.

If Arkansas could wean itself off coal, it would go a long way toward meeting the carbon dioxide reduction rule and replacement technologies could “create thousands of jobs,” Hooks said.

The Arkansas Sierra Club runs on volunteers, Hooks said, and survives “on dues from members and grants from the national [office].” He is the chapter’s only paid employee, and has been for 13 years. In those 13 years, the chapter successfully won a suit to require the Little Rock Wastewater Utility to upgrade its system to stop overflows of raw sewage. “That was a solid local victory,” Hooks said, cutting in half the number of manhole overflows during periods of heavy rain. It’s also been involved in efforts to protect Lake Maumelle from development and the Pegasus oil pipeline.

While it wasn’t able to stop SWEPCO’s construction of the Turk coal-fired power plant in Southwest Arkansas, the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society and Audubon Arkansas got “great things” out of the 2011 settlement of the case: SWEPCO agreed to close a Texas generating unit and purchase 400 megawatts of wind energy capacity, to contribute $8 million to the Nature Conservancy, $2 million to the Arkansas Community Foundation and reimburse the plaintiff’s $2 million in legal fees. It was hard for the club’s volunteers to give up on the four-year fight against the coal plant, Hooks said, but “where we did not stop [the plant] we got something great for Arkansas.”

Sierra Club-Arkansas has two groups, the Central Arkansas Group (CAG) and the Ozark Headwaters Group, which was the predecessor to the state chapter. For more information or to donate, call 501-301-8280 or visit sierraclub.org/ arkansas.

Secretary of State Mark Martin and the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum welcome you to a ceremony honoring Pearl Harbor Survivors and the arrival of the USS Hoga Monday, December 7, 2015 2 p.m. at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum 120 Riverfront Park Drive North Little Rock, AR 72114.

For more information call, 501-371-8320.

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www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

17

sip LOCAL ARKANSAS TIMES

Top Foundations 2014 ASSETS

GRANTS

Walton Family Foundation, $2,757,142,372

Walton Family Foundation, $379,610,652 ($40,086,718 in “home region”)

FROM 2014 TAX RETURNS*

Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, $625,829,710 Arkansas Community Foundation, $232,785,338 Windgate Charitable Foundation Inc., $230,767,433

Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, $9,239,570

Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, $145,226,366

Endeavor Foundation Charitable Support, $5,687,804

Murphy Foundation, $68,441,292 Horace C. Cabe Foundation, $38,008,619 Tyson Family Foundation, $26,902,564

BEST ITALIAN 18

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

Walton Family Foundation, $40.1 million

Endeavor Foundation Charitable Support, $150,738,959

Ross Foundation, $95,497,758

pastagrillconway.com

Heifer International, $51,965,635

Arkansas Community Foundation $37,135,520

Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, $112,102,584

501.205.8751 915 Front Street in Downtown Conway

Windgate Charitable Foundation Inc., $57,836,045 (2014) $37,543,012 (2015)

Heifer International, $170,365,672

Winthrop Rockefeller Trust, $132,234,137

{

FROM 2014 TAX RETURNS

Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, $23,706,594 Schmieding Foundation, $23,171,891

Winthrop Rockefeller Trust, $4,600,651 Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, $3,201,590 Murphy Foundation, $2,429,279 Tyson Family Foundation, $2,256,000 Horace C. Cabe Foundation, $1,814,380 Schmeiding Foundation, $1,285,788 Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, $1,065,000 The Ross Foundation, $564,406

* The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation had not filed its 2014 990 tax form by our deadline and so is not included in this list.

THE UNIQUE NEIGHBORHOODS OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS Full of interesting voices and colorful portraits of 17 Little Rock and North Little Rock neighborhoods, this book gives an intimate, block-by-block, native’s view of the place more than 250,000 Arkansans call home. Created from interviews with residents and largely written by writers who actually live in the neighborhoods they’re writing about, the book features over 90 full color photos by Little Rock photographer Brian Chilson.

Payment: CHECK OR CREDIT CARD Order by Mail: ARKANSAS TIMES BOOKS 201 E. MARKHAM ST., STE. 200, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 Phone: 501-375-2985 Fax: 501-375-3623 Email: ANITRA@ARKTIMES.COM Send _______ book(s) of The Unique Neighborhoods of Central Arkansas @ $19.95 Send _______ book(s) of A History Of Arkansas @ $10.95

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St. Joseph’s Farm Stand Local produce and homemade items. All proceeds help save this historic building to serve the community.

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

19

N ia s a m r u o g n r e h t sou Beer &Dinner

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LORI LYNCH: Business partners like the scholarship program because students leave school prepared to work.

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At the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Pulaski County.

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20

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

BRIAN CHILSON

4TH

Smoked Freckle Face Pork en Sous Vide, Creamed Spinach with potatoes, benton’s bacon, tobacco onions Winter Lager, Apple Blossom Brewing Collaboration

arshaya Rountree got pregnant at 19. She says it was because she wanted to “explore life.” The Mills High School graduate had seen how tenuous life can be. When she was 9 years old, her mother was shot and killed on the way to the grocery store. Marshaya and her two sisters, ages 11 and 6, were in the car; her mother fell across Marshaya’s lap after she was shot. Each child has dealt with their mother’s death “in their own way,” Marshaya said.

So Marshaya got a job working as a housekeeper at a nursing home and did a little modeling (she is tall and beautiful). Two years after graduating from high school she decided to go back to school. “My mom gave us her all. I wanted to give [my son] something greater,” she said. “But I didn’t know how hard it would be. I dropped out.” At 20, she was made manager of the Payless Shoe Source where she worked. She thought, “If I can be manager at 20 there’s no telling what I could do.” Her son was old enough to be enrolled in a Head Start program and she returned to Pulaski Technical College, took an introductory psychology course, and “a light bulb went on”: Her coursework helped her heal from her mother’s death and set her on a path to more study in psychology. Her teachers urged her to continue her studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she is now on track to graduate with honors. And for the first time, she is not working, able to “focus on school and my son.”

Here’s how Marshaya has made it: hard work, recognition by UALR in her potential, and the Single Parent Scholarship Fund. The $900 a semester she receives from the fund helps her with her utility bills and puts gas in her car. She no longer has to choose between going to class and going to work to pay the bills.

The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Pulaski County is providing assistance to 46 students this year. The scholarship is not a handout: These students — this year including one father — must go through an interview process that Marshaya described to a group of interested people last week as “intense.”

“I got emotional. I said, ‘I don’t want a handout. I want to be self-sufficient so my son can be self-sufficient.’ ” To qualify, students must be lowincome — all of the scholarship winners in Little Rock live below the

BRIAN CHILSON

MARSHAYA ROUNTREE: Speaking at SPSF 101, an introduction to the public about the Single Parent Scholarship Fund.

federal poverty line. They must also be high achieving, maintaining a 2.5 grade point average. Because of these standards, 92 percent of scholarship recipients earn a certificate or a degree.

The SPSF doesn’t just cut a check: It requires recipients to come to the office when they need money and to show why they need what they need.

The money helps students make car

payments, or pay cell phone bills — lifting that burden from single parents struggling to take care of children and better their lives.

It offers more than money, Program Director Brittany Richards said.

SPSF pairs its recipients with mentors on campus; Marshaya said her mentors, John Faucett and Benjamin Kowal, both professors in the department of psychology, were “instru-

Providing

SCHOLARSHIPS

mental” to her success.

The nonprofit also holds events for its single parents who “are craving for more social opportunities,” and, with the assistance of sponsors like Walmart, holds workshops in budgeting, nutrition, cooking, resume writing, professional skills and dress and other classes. The scholarship fund is popular with the business community, Director Lori Lynch said,

Creating

Nurturing FAMILIES

because its graduates leave college “qualified and ready to enter the workforce.”

The Little Rock office holds SPSF 101, introductions to the public about Single Parent every Tuesday for people who want to engage with the nonprofit, either through donations or by networking. For more information or to donate, visit spsfpulaski.org or call 501-301-7773.

NEW FUTURES

You

Join us at an SPSF:101 to learn how difference in the life of a single parent

can make a and their family.

Contact Yvonne at 501-301-7773 or yvonnewb@spsfpulaski.org to learn more. www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

21

Our House: It’s more than shelter Nonprofit helps folks get back on their feet, from working poor to the formerly wealthy.

BY LINDSEY MILLAR

H

astings Bransford grew up in the wealthy Heights neighborhood in Little Rock. He has a college degree. His resume includes stints at a successful company he started and later sold, his family’s investment business, Marriott and Comcast. He drives a Lexus. Yet, when he came to Our House in April 2013, he had one thing in common with most everyone that seeks a bed at the Little Rock shelter: He was broke.

“I basically came in with the change in my pocket,” Bransford, 62, said. His last job, working for a former business partner, had ended when his former partner retired. “I started applying for jobs. There was a whole lot of difference in applying for jobs at 41 than at 22

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

61. I really didn’t know how to apply for a job. I know that sounds weird, but I had either known somebody or been recommended for a position when I had applied for other positions 20 or 30 years ago. It wasn’t a blind situation.”

No tragedy befell Bransford. He is not an addict of any kind.

“I just didn’t pay attention,” he said.

“I went through the savings fairly fast and scrambled for a few months [after losing my job]. I’d always been used to having a pretty good income. I just assumed I would be going on to the next job. I had never really thought of retirement. The age thing snuck up on me.”

Bransford came to Our House on the suggestion of a friend. He knew nothing of the shelter and expected to stay

no longer than a week. He’s been there now for 20 months, sticking with the Our House program: working full time (at least 32 hours per week) and saving 75 percent of his income.

When people come to Our House, they have 16 days to find a job, something that came as a shock to Bransford.

But through the shelter’s employment coaches, he learned how to submit a resume effectively and apply for jobs online. “Going the Internet route, which is very normal for my kids, was a whole new ball game,” he said. Thanks to Our House’s network of job contacts, he got a job stuffing inserts at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Next came a temporary stint doing voter registration. Now he is a concierge and shuttle driver at the Holi-

day Inn Airport, a job he says he loves.

Last week, he moved from the men’s dormitory to transitional housing on Our House’s campus, where he has only one roommate and is responsible for buying and preparing his meals and paying $110 in rent. It’s a significant jump from life in the dormitory, living with 40 other men and having meals provided. Bransford sees it as the next step for him.

He has a number in mind that he wants to have saved before he leaves.

“One of the things that former residents have told me is that ‘I wish I would’ve stayed longer and saved more money.’ ” Our House was founded in 1987 to address the gap in services for Cen-

services to its residents and others who are at risk of becoming homeless or who live in poverty. In addition to job training assistance, Our House provides GED instruction, computer training, re-entry assistance for former prisoners, and a wide range of lifeskills classes (from money management, to domestic violence recovery, to cooking). An $800,000 renovation of the Adult Learning Center, where those classes happen, just began, with Our House still in need of $150,000 to complete the project.

“A lot of people think that when

HASTINGS BRANSFORD: Our House helped him get back on his feet.

it comes to homeless shelters, the government’s got that,” Mjartan said.

But Mjartan says the majority of Our House’s budget comes from local, private donors — including people who attend Our House’s annual events (Tie One On, a live and silent auction benefit, is 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, at Pavilion in the Park in Little Rock) and family foundations.

Aside from money from Pulaski County’s brownfield rehabilitation fund, all of the $5 million Our House raised to build its 19,000-square-foot Children’s Center came from private

donors, Mjartan said. It opened last year and can serve 150 children a day with its child development center and after-school programs. One testament to the shelter’s impact and success: One of the Children’s Center donors was a former resident of Our House, a single mother with two children who was four years removed from homelessness. She gave over $1,000.

To donate, volunteer or otherwise get involved with Our House, visit ourhouseshelter.org or call 501-3747383.

Ryan Davis Dardanelle

he never lost

heart , even when his stopped

BRIAN CHILSON

At 32, Ryan wasn’t ready for the sudden, life-threatening illness that stopped his heart. He was prepared to fight. So, Ryan and his team of doctors at Baptist Health turned the unexpected into the extraordinary.

tral Arkansas’s working homeless and homeless families. Between 110 and 120 men, women and children call Our House’s campus on the former grounds of the old VA Hospital on East Roosevelt Road home every night. Annually, it serves more than 1,400 people, at least 75 percent of whom leave homelessness.

Ultimately, the shelter’s goal is to permanently break the cycle of homelessness, says Georgia Mjartan, Our House’s executive director since 2005.

Under her leadership, Our House has expanded dramatically, growing its budget and staff fivefold over the last decade to offer a wide and seemingly ever-expanding array of wraparound

Want to take steps to ensure you keep on amazing for years to come? From annual physicals to routine screenings, Baptist Health is always here with the preventative care you need to stay healthy and happy.

Keep on exploring. Keep on laughing.

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

23

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hat follows are major gifts (over $500,000 for the Walton Family Foundation, over $250,000 for individuals and other foundations) announced in 2015, as well as gifts from 2014 and 2015 noted on tax returns. It is not a comprehensive picture of Arkansas philanthropy, since many gifts are made anonymously or simply not announced.

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ARKANSAS TIMES

The estate of Mary Ann Dawkins of North Little Rock, who was retired from Coulson Oil, donated $26 million to Hendrix College in Conway, the college’s largest gift ever.

Dallas Cowboys owner and University of Arkansas alumnus Jerry Jones donated $10.6 million to the UA for its Student-Athlete Success Center.

Former UA Board of Trustees chairman Charles E. Scharlau is donating $5 million to support the office of the president of the university.

The Tyson family and Tyson Foods made a $5 million gift toward the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Mary and Ross Whipple of Arkadelphia gave $1.5 million to Arkansas Children’s Hospital to endow a chair devoted pediatric research.

University of Arkansas alumnae Agnes Lytton Reagan, Mary Sue Reagan and Betty Lynn Reagan designated an estate gift to the University Libraries valued at over $1.2 million.

Bob and Marilyn Bogle of Bentonville pledged $1 million to create the Bob and Marilyn Bogle Endowed Dean’s Innovation Fund in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the UA. James C. and Mary Kay East gave the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences $1 million to establish the Kent Westbrook chair in surgical oncology.

Marti and Kelly Sudduth of Bentonville gave $1 million to the Walton Arts Center for its expansion.

Former University of Arkansas Chancellor David Gearhart and his

wife, Jane, pledged a gift of $1 million to the university for its capital campaign.

Perry Wilson of Little Rock, the great-grandson of R.E. Lee Wilson of Mississippi County, announced the family will give $1 million to Arkansas State University to endow a faculty chair in agricultural business.

The family of the late Ross Pendergraft, who was the longtime CEO of Donrey Media, donated $1 million toward the construction of the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith. A theater will be named in Pendergraft’s honor.

Family and friends of Samuel M. Sicard donated $1 million for the Hall of Honor at the U.S. Marshals Museum, a gift that was matched by the First National Bank of Fort Smith.

The family of Robert M. Wood of Jonesboro gave ASU $1 million for a sales leadership center.

The estate of the late Henry and Verbeth Coe of Tuckerman gave $650,000 to help build a new booster club at ASU’s Centennial Bank Stadium and $250,000 toward an endowed professorship in engineering.

The Jane Dills Morgan Charitable Remainder Trust donated $625,000 to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, to be used at the chancellor’s discretion.

Sunny Evans of Hot Springs and her late husband, Bob, committed $500,000 to Garvan Woodland Gardens for the Treehouse Project for the Evans Children’s Adventure Garden.

Curt and Chucki Bradbury made a matching challenge gift of $500,000 to renovation of the Bradbury Gallery at ASU.

The Margaret Ann Olvey Trust gave UAMS’ Reynolds Institute on Aging $450,000.

The estate of the late Donna S. Stephens gave $250,000 to the University of Central Arkansas to establish an endowed fund for Faulkner County students.

GRANTMAKING FOUNDATIONS The Windgate Foundation of Siloam Springs made grants totaling $57.8 million in 2014 and scheduled $37.5 million in 2015, its 990 tax form reported. Those totals include gifts toward or completing grants for: The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, $20 million for a visual arts building; the UA-Fort Smith, $15.5 million for the Windgate Art and Design Building; the Degen Foundation for the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Smith, $14 million; John Brown University, $3.5 million, concluding a $5 million pledge; the First Assembly of God Church in Van Buren for Legacy Heights Level II Alzheimer’s wing, $3 million; the Eureka Springs School of the Arts, for educational programs, $600,000; the Thea Foundation, $600,000 for its A+ arts education program and other gifts; Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville for its online distance learning project, $520,000; Our House, for its capital campaign and operating needs, $400,000; and the Community Development Council of CrawfordSebastian counties, $250,000 for the foodbank renovation project.

The Walton Family Foundation of Bentonville made a total of $40.1 million in “Home Region” gifts. Recipients and amounts: The Children’s Museum of Northwest Arkansas, $5,374,080; Arkansas Public School Resource Center, $4,492,034; the City of Rogers, $2,703,401; Teach for America Delta Region, $2,250,000; the City of Bentonville, $2,053,304; the City of Fayetteville, $1,855,185; Nortwest Arkansas Council Foun-

dation, $1,699,337; the Walton Arts Center, $1,600,000; Southern Bancorp, $1,706,854; The Jones Trust, which has absorbed the Harvey and Bernice Jones Charitable Foundation and operates the Jones Center in Springdale, $1 million; Benton Bella Vista Trailblazers Association, $934,923; KIPP Delta Public Schools, $765,431; Benton County School of the Arts, $732,219; The City of Siloam Springs, $638,510; Winrock International, $634,613; Arkansas Tech University, $583,034; Exalt Education, $500,000; and the City of Springdale, $400,000.

The Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation provided grants of $2,903,143 to the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville; $2,448,162 to John Brown University; $2,130,117 to Harding University, and $1,708,148 to the Arkansas Community Foundation.

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation of Nevada made a $7.9 million grant to the Schmieding Home Caregiver Training Program at UAMS. The Winthrop Rockefeller Trust gave $4.5 million to the University of Arkansas’s Winthrop Rockefeller Institute in 2014 and pledged $4,520,000 for 2015.

The Murphy Foundation of El Dorado gave El Dorado high school graduates college scholarships totaling $680,573, $465,000 to Hendrix College, and $430,000 to El Dorado festivals and events.

The Bailey Foundation gave $2 million to UALR for scholarships.

The Tyson Foundation of Springdale gave scholarships totaling $1,470,000 and $500,000 to The Jones Trust.

The Judd Hill Foundation of Osceola gave $1 million to UAMS for a new clinic in Jonesboro.

The Starr Foundation of Fayetteville made a gift of $500,000 to the Walton Arts Center.

The Ross Foundation of Arkadelphia donated $351,684 to the Arkadelphia Promise Foundation.

CLEAN AIR. HEALTHY FORESTS. CLEAN WATER. Since 1892, the Sierra Club has worked to protect our most important natural resources.

Your Arkansas Sierra Club is committed to both preserving The Natural State’s beauty and to educating decision-makers about the best ways to do it.

You’ll find Sierra Club volunteers across Arkansas — exploring, enjoying, and protecting our state.

Our volunteers make the difference. Would you like to be part of the Sierra Club team?

To join the Sierra Club or to support our work, please go to www.sierraclub.org/arkansas. Every dollar you donate stays right here in Arkansas with your local Sierra Club chapter.

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

25

BIG AND LITTLE: Nossaman (right) and her “little,” Amaaria.

A place to belong, for big and little At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas.

BY DAVID KOON 26

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

T

here was a moment when Sherry Nossaman knew she’d made the right choice to take on her 10-year-old “little sister” Amaaria through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas. Back in October 2014, having persevered through a long vetting and rigorous background check process, Nossaman was nervously trying to plan their first outing together.

Nossaman called up Amaaria and asked if she’d like to go to the playground in Riverfront Park in Little Rock and then get something to eat.

“Her first comment was, ‘Well, that depends. Are you actually going to play on the playground with me or just watch me?’ ” Nossaman recalled with a chuckle. “I thought that was an intelligent question. It made me like her spunk from the beginning.”

A 52-year old mother to three boys and a recent grandmother, Nossaman said she felt her wish to play with children wasn’t over as her youngest neared the time when he would head off to college. With her grandchild too young to really enjoy the playground yet, a friend recommended Nossaman look into Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas.

“I knew about the program through her and how good it was for everybody involved,” she said, “so I had a feeling that once my kids were grown and gone, that would be something I would want to do. When my last child left for college, that was the perfect time for me to sign up.”

Nossaman said the training and vetting process involved helped her to become more comfortable with the idea of being a mentor to a child. During interviews, she was asked about her reasons for wanting to join the program, and answered questions about what her responses might be to a series of real-life crises that could arise while hanging out with her “little.”

“They’re kind of getting a feel for your responses to things that really could happen as you spend time with your little,” she said.

Nossaman said the training she received included a number of strict guidelines, such as having no sleepovers at the big’s house for a year, seeking parental approval for all outings, and the like. The booklet given to her by Big Brothers Big Sisters also makes helpful recommendations on activities, including going on as many free or low-cost outings as you can, to keep children from feeling like their time with their big brother or sister is an extravagance their family can’t afford.

When she signed up, Nossaman had

requested a young little sister, because she believed there would be more activities they could potentially do together.

She soon found that there’s a real need for bigs for older littles such as Amaaria.

“Everybody asks for the younger ones,” Nossaman said.

Tonya Meeks-Fitzgerald is Amaaria’s mother. A single mom raising three kids, she’s had all three of her children in Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“I had my oldest daughter in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program,” she said.

“I really did enjoy the program because at the time, she was an only child. She always hung out with me and her grandmother all the time, and I just wanted kind of an outside influence.”

“It kind of opens them up to meet new people, and there are some things that their Big Brothers and Big Sisters do that I don’t do,” she said. “I don’t hike, I don’t do other things. So it’s a way to give them things that I wouldn’t be able to give to them.”

Now 11 and paired with Nossaman for the past 14 months, Amaaria says she loves their outings. Together, they’ve climbed Pinnacle Mountain, gone swimming, played miniature golf, gone out to movies and restaurants, and visited almost every public park in Little Rock and North Little Rock.

“I just wanted somebody to hang out with,” Amaaria said. “My sister wouldn’t hang out with me, so my momma decided to get me a big sister. … It feels good to have somebody to hang out with. I don’t have to sit around in my house and just do nothing all the time.”

As a mother, Nossaman knows the big impact a little attention and time from an outside source can have on a child’s life. She said she hopes her time with Amaaria builds the girl’s selfesteem, and teaches her to work hard to realize her dreams.

“It allows that child to have some one-on-one time, and reinforces what the parents are probably telling them: that they’re special, they’re talented, they have gifts that we’re seeing come out as they get older, and if they work hard, they can improve their life and make it really outstanding,” Nossaman said. “There’s been a couple times when I’ve seen her get that little glimmer in her eye and realize: ‘Wow! I did do good!’ You could see that little spark.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas has offices in North Little Rock, Conway and Russellville. For more information on how to contribute or to be a Big Brother or Big Sister, call 501-374-6661 or visit its website, bbbsca.org.

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

27

Arts Entertainment AND

The Rep goes ‘Under the Sea’ for the holidays In ‘The Little Mermaid.’

BY JAMES SZENHER

T

his holiday season the Arkansas Repertory Theatre will be taking families on a fantastic undersea journey with Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam and others from Disney’s classic “The Little Mermaid.”

All your favorite songs will be brought to life onstage, from the instantly recognizable steel drum melody of “Under the Sea” to the wicked va-va-voom of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” to the universal longing for something new and different in “Part of That World.” And who could forget “Les Poissons,” the classic ode to seafood preparation as sung by the lunatic French chef Louis.

“I’m going to be hiding under the table for that scene, and I’m glad I’m not going to be mic’d because I’ll probably be trying not to laugh the whole time,” said Cornelius Davis, who plays Sebastian the crab.

Folks in their mid-20s to mid-30s, many of whom are now having kids themselves, were raised on these songs, which helped kick-start a Disney revival that went on through most of the ’90s. “Before the casting call I got all the songs and couldn’t stop listening to them, had them stuck in my head for days. I really love all of them,” said Shayne Kennon, who plays Prince Eric.

In an interview, many of the cast members described their roles as “bucket list” and “dreams coming true.” Katie Emerson, a Jonesboro native who plays Ariel, said, “I have 28

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

been practicing for this since 1989.”

Amy Jo Jackson, who plays Ursula the sea witch, added, “I’ve been singing ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ professionally for 15 years, and unprofessionally for much longer.”

The production adds a great deal of new material, including 10 new songs and more backstory on some of the main characters, making the two-dimensional animated characters a little more three-dimensional on stage. “We’ve been working to make them more emotional and real. People can relate more to why Sebastian is caring for Ariel, and why Ursula is the way she is, so they can connect better to those characters,” Emerson says.

The directors had a bit of a challenge in how to create the illusion of being underwater since so much of the action takes place there. They hired 2 Ring Circus, an acrobatics troupe from New York that will be performing with silks, trapeze and more. “They bring an element of vertical space to create more layers for the big underwater scenes,” director Melissa Rain said. “ ‘Under the Sea’ is basically its own show, with great choreography on the ground and acrobatics, while Cornelius sings the hell out of it. People will want to see it twice,” she added.

The cast also had high praise for costume director Rafael Colon Castanera, who designed the many flowing costumes that create the appearance of being worn underwater. “The costumes we have seen so far are

BEWITCHING: Ursula (Amy Jo Jackson) and the Little Mermaid (Katie Emerson) star in The Rep’s production of the Disney classic.

unbelievable. They actually look like how they were drawn and designed, which is something you rarely see,” Jackson said. “[Castanera] is so passionate and intelligent with the choices he makes,” Davis added.

“The play works on many levels, where adults will appreciate all the effort and artistry that goes into it, and the kids will just say, ‘Wow!’ ” Jackson said.

Other highlights include Ursula’s eel cronies Flotsam and Jetsam, who according to Anderson are played by “twins who are on the verge of being the exact same person” and a charming tap dance number with Scuttle

and his seagull pals.

To celebrate the play and the holiday season, The Rep will be decking the halls with holiday decor and selling ornaments and artwork. It’s partnering with Loblolly Creamery for a special flavor, “Under the Sea Salt” ice cream, as well as with Vino’s and Moody Brews for a craft beer called “Seas the Day Saison.”

“Mermaid” opens Friday, Dec. 4, and plays through Sunday, Jan. 3. Special events include a panel discussion at the Clinton School at noon Thursday, Dec. 3, Pay Your Age Night on Sunday, Dec. 6; Family Day on Sunday, Dec. 13; and Sign Interpreter Night on Wednesday, Dec. 16. More info at therep.org.

arktimes.com

A&E NEWS NEXT UP IN THE ARKANSAS Times Film Series, we’re screening Peter Bogdanovich’s 1971 classic “The Last Picture Show,” starring Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepard, Ellen Burstyn, Cloris Leachman and Timothy Bottoms. Shot in hypnotic black-and-white, and nominated for eight Academy Awards, the film is a coming-of-age story based on the novel by Larry McMurtry, following a small north Texas town over the course of a year in the early 1950s. Newsweek called it “not merely the best American movie of a rather dreary year [but] the most impressive work by a young American director since ‘Citizen Kane.’ ” Pauline Kael, in the New Yorker, called it “a movie for everybody,” and in the Village Voice, Jonas Mekas called it “a perfectly beautiful movie.” We’ll show the film at the Ron Robinson Theater at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 17, $5.

THE ANNUAL ARKANSAS TIMES Musicians Showcase returns, with performers competing for an array of prizes worth over $2,500. Acts must perform 30 minutes of original material with live instrumentation. All styles are welcome. To enter send a link for Facebook, Reverbnation, Bandcamp or Soundcloud to showcase@arktimes. com and include the following: Band name Hometown Date band was formed Age range of members (all ages welcome) Contact person Phone Email The submission deadline is Dec. 31, 2015. Semifinalists will compete the last week in January and throughout February at Stickyz. Weekly winners will then face off in the finals at the Rev Room in March.

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

29

THE TO-DO

LIST

BY WILL STEPHENSON

THURSDAY 12/3

THE INDIGO GIRLS AND PATTERSON HOOD

8 p.m. South on Main. Sold out.

The Oxford American magazine’s annual music issue is out on newsstands Dec. 1, and this year focuses on the state of Georgia. There are features

on the Allman Brothers, OutKast, Little Richard, the Athens music scene, swing music pioneer Fletcher Henderson, country music pioneer Fiddlin’ John Carson, Janelle Monáe, Blind Willie McTell, Killer Mike and Johnny Mercer, plus less known but seminal moments from the state’s music his-

tory, like the Cabbagetown indie rock scene of the 1990s and the Savannah metal scene of recent years. (I contributed to the issue, as did former Times associate editor David Ramsey).

There’s also a 25-song CD compilation.

On Dec. 3, the magazine will celebrate the issue’s release with an “evening of

Georgia music in the round,” featuring the Indigo Girls and Patterson Hood (who also contributed to the issue).

Hood will also perform and speak at the Clinton Presidential Center’s Great Hall at 6 p.m. Friday, as part of the center’s Frank and Kula Kumpuris Distinguished Lecture Series.

DOUBLE FEATURE: "A Christmas Story" plays at Ron Robinson at 7 p.m. Friday, $5, and "White Christmas" plays at Riverdale 10 Cinema at 7 p.m. Tuesday, $5.

FRIDAY 12/4-TUESDAY 12/8

‘A Christmas Story’ and ‘White Christmas’ Various times and venues.

One thing you may not know about 1983’s “A Christmas Story” is that it’s one of the only holiday family classics based on material that originally appeared in Playboy. The stories were by a post-war radio personality named Jean Shepherd, who adapted them into a mid-’60s bestseller I’ve never read, “In God We 30

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

Trust: All Others Pay Cash.” A kind of proto-Garrison Keillor, Shepherd was friends with Shel Silverstein and performed spoken-word narration on the Charles Mingus album “The Clown” (“He really formed my entire comedic sensibility,” Jerry Seinfeld once said of him). All of this helps explain the movie’s darkly ironic tone, which portrays Christmas as vaguely sad and usually disappointing — possibly why the film has persisted as long as it has. It screens at the Ron Robinson

Theater at 7 p.m. Friday, $5.

“White Christmas,” the 1954 musical starring Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney (George Clooney’s aunt), takes the exact opposite approach tonally, embracing un-ironic sentiment and spectacle.

The film is built from the songs of Irving Berlin — a Russian immigrant who wrote the bulk of the Great American Songbook, including “God Bless America” — most notably the title track, which Berlin wrote in

1940, while living in a hotel in La Quinta, Calif. He’d stay up all night writing songs there, and about this one — according to the apocryphal story — told his secretary, “I just wrote the best song I’ve ever written — heck, I just wrote the best song that anybody’s ever written!”

This turned out to be correct, basically: “White Christmas” is the bestselling single of all time. The film screens at Riverdale 10 Cinema at 7 p.m. Tuesday, $5.

g d . t t -

IN BRIEF

THURSDAY 12/3

SATURDAY 12/5

JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD 9 p.m. Juanita’s. $12.

Jake and Jamin Orrall grew up in Nashville, Tenn., the son of songwriter Robert Ellis Orrall, a journeyman country songwriter who has penned hits for artists from Reba McEntire to Taylor Swift. In high school they formed a band called JEFF the Brotherhood, which has

released a new album at a rate of about one per year since the early aughts. Their resume is a puzzle: They’ve worked with Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach, Jethro Tull flautist Ian Anderson, the Insane Clown Posse and Jack White’s Third Man Records. They mostly play catchy, anthemic garage punk that seems unusually well produced for the genre (you get the sense that they have one foot

in the mainstream recording industry and the other far out of it). It’s upbeat and lightweight and pretty good: “The whole album was a very stoned album,” Jake said of their new record, “Wasted on the Dream,” in a recent interview with Stereogum. “We smoked a lot of pot in the studio — constantly, basically … . A lot of times I would get, like, a little too stoned, you know?” Yeah, Jake, we know.

SUNDAY 12/6

LIKE A STORM

The cast and crew of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s production of “The Little Mermaid” will speak at the Clinton Presidential Center, noon. The Bernice Garden Tree Lighting begins at 5 p.m. Bonnie Montgomery plays at Southern Gourmasian at 6:30 p.m. Comedian Cowboy Bill Martin is at the Loony Bin at 7:30 p.m., $7 (and at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, $10). The Joint, in Argenta, presents a rare screening of “Dark Side of the Rainbow,” in which “The Wizard of Oz” and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” are played simultaneously, to mystical and conspiratorial effect, 8 p.m., free. Charlotte Taylor & Gypsy Rain play at the Afterthought at 9 p.m., $7. Marvin Berry plays at the White Water Tavern with Roger Hoover at 9:30 p.m.

8 p.m. Juanita’s. $10.

OLD-TIME RELIGION: The Blind Boys of Alabama perform at UCA's Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway, 3 p.m. Sunday, $27-$40.

SUNDAY 12/6

THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA

3 p.m. Reynolds Performance Hall, UCA. $27-$40.

The Blind Boys of Alabama started as a group of 9-year-old students at the Alabama Institute for the Blind in Talladega, Ala., in 1944. All but one of them was blind, and they performed mostly for soldiers stationed in Southern training camps during World War II. After the war ended, they began touring the gospel circuit in earnest, and recorded their first single in 1948, “I Can See Everybody’s Mother But Mine.” You can find a video of the group singing “Too Close To Heaven” in the early ’60s: an impassioned lead singer who shakes his fist down at his waist, backed by an electric guitarist and four other singers who make effortless, unusual harmonies that

are sometimes elaborate chords and sometimes just percussive waves of volume. During this era, they played at benefits for Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Since then — losing and gaining members over the years — they’ve played the White House several times, won some Grammys, collaborated with Ben Harper, Mavis Staples, Billy Preston, Solomon Burke, Lou Reed (they played the Velvet Underground’s “Jesus” with him once on David Letterman, a moment of real, televised cognitive dissonance) and a lot of others. They recorded the cover of Tom Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole” that served as the theme song for the first season of “The Wire,” and their most recent album, “I’ll Find a Way,” was produced, for whatever reason, by Bon Iver.

I’d never heard of the New Zealand band Like a Storm before this week, before noticing that they were playing at Juanita’s on Sunday and figuring I should do my diligence as a hack entertainment journalist. I’m admitting this because it helps explain something very important about the strangeness of this band, a strangeness that is informed by their New Zealand heritage, but which stands apart from it. Every week I look into a long succession of band names that, more often than not, turn out to be Americana singer-songwriters from Texas or Tulsa, or post-grunge alt-rock bands from Tallahassee or the suburbs of Atlanta, or dubstep DJs who used to play in semi-obscure emo bands. All good fun and good business, but let us admit it can lead to a degree of disillusionment about the potential for surprise or invention in the realm of live music. Then along comes Like a Storm, the Wikipedia page for which describes the group as “best known for combining heavy baritone guitar riffs and hard rock songs with didgeridoo.”

So I pulled Like a Storm up on YouTube and here’s what I found: exactly that. The video for its song “Love the Way You Hate Me” begins as you’d expect — the band wears sleeveless black shirts, leather pants, with “Edward Scissorhands” haircuts, and seems to be playing on the set of “The Matrix.” “You say I’m a freak, I say I’m free,” sings the band’s lead singer.

Standard sad-sack stuff, until about 2:13, when the lights dim, the rhythm section drops away, and the singer begins very capably playing a didgeridoo (the centuries-old wind instrument developed by indigenous Australians).

The other videos follow this formula rigidly.

See this band, in other words. See it because its members had the boldness to envision the new. They saw a staleness in their approach, perhaps, asked themselves what could be done differently, and the answer they came up with — poignantly, absurdly — was didgeridoo.

FRIDAY 12/4 The Arkansas Craft Guild’s 37th annual Christmas showcase is at the Statehouse Convention Center through Dec. 6, $7. Christian rapper TobyMac plays at Verizon Arena, 7 p.m., $19.75-$69.75. Alt-rock band Trapt (known for early aughts radio staple “Headstrong”) plays at Revolution with Bridge to Grace, First Decree and Meka Nism, 8 p.m. Jeron Marshall & The Unfair Advantage is at the Afterthought, 9 p.m., $10. DJ Manic Focus performs at Stickyz at 9 p.m., $10. Award-winning jazz group the Pat Martino Trio plays at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $20.

The first night of the three-night Holiday Hang-Out (through Dec. 6), featuring Adam Faucett & The Tall Grass, John Paul Keith, Kevin Kerby and many more, is at White Water, sold out.

SATURDAY 12/5 The Big Jingle Jubilee Holiday Parade, led by former NFL and Razorback running back Peyton Hillis, starts at Broadway and Second streets at 3 p.m., free. The Arkansas Chamber Singers perform their Holiday Soiree at the Little Rock Club, 6 p.m., $125 (includes dinner). The Conway Symphony Orchestra plays its holiday concert at the Reynold Performance Hall, 7:30 p.m., $18-$28. Red dirt country group Jason Boland & The Stragglers plays at Revolution, 9 p.m., $15. Duckstronaut, Landrest, Collin vs. Adam, Midwest Caravan and The Casual Pleasures play at Maxine’s in Hot Springs, 9 p.m., $7. Lovedrug plays at Stickyz with Open Fields and High Lonesome, 9 p.m., $10.

www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

31

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.

EVENTS

Arkansas Craft Guild’s 37th Annual Christmas Showcase. Statehouse Convention Center, Dec. 4-6, $5. 7 Statehouse Plaza.

Fantastic Friday. Literary and music event. River Valley Arts Center, every third Friday, 7 p.m., $10 suggested donation. 1001 E. B St., Russellville.

479-968-2452. www.arvartscenter.org.

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 501-2449690 or search “DYSC” on Facebook. LGBTQ/ SGL Youth and Young Adult Group, 6:30 p.m.

800 Scott St.

THURSDAY, DEC. 3

MUSIC

Bonnie Montgomery. The Southern Gourmasian, 6:30 p.m. 219 W. Capitol. 501-313-5645.

Cas Haley, Collin Hauser. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 8:30 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of.

107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707.

Charlotte Taylor & Gypsy Rain. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $7. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd.

501-663-1196.

Exous, Vore, Madman Morgan. Revolution, 9 p.m., $20 adv., $22 day of. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090.

Indigo Girls & Patterson Hood. An evening of Georgia music in the round, celebrating the release of the Oxford American’s Georgia Music Issue. South on Main, 8 p.m., sold out 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. southonmain.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.

Marvin Berry, Roger Hoover. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400.

Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 8 p.m., free. 111 W. Markham St. 501-370-7013.

Tragikly White (headliner), Smokey (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351.

Underground Sounds Presents: End of the Year Hip-Hop Show. Maxine’s, 9 p.m., $5. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. www.maxinespub.com.

COMEDY

Cowboy Bill Martin. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m., $7. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-2285555. www.loonybincomedy.com.

EVENTS

Bernice Garden Tree Lighting. Bernice Garden, 5 p.m. 1401 S. Main St. www.thebernicegarden.org.

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

FILM

“Dark Side of The Rainbow.” The Joint, 8 p.m., free. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205.

LECTURES

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture. Old State House Museum, noon. 300 W. Markham St. 501-3249685. www.oldstatehouse.com.

“The Little Mermaid” cast and crew. Clinton Presidential Center, noon. 1200 President Clinton Ave. 370-8000.

FRIDAY, DEC. 4

MUSIC

All In Fridays. Club Elevations. 7200 Colonel Glenn Road. 501-562-3317.

Ashley McBryde, Shelsey Tackett, Farewell Angelina. Another Round Pub, 9 p.m. 12111 W. Markham. 501-313-2612.

Bijoux. South on Main, 10 p.m., $15. 1304 Main 32

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

FILM

“A Christmas Story.” Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $5. 1 Pulaski Way. 501-320-5703

LECTURES

WILD BLOOD: Lovedrug plays at Stickyz with Open Fields and High Lonesome, 9 p.m.

Saturday, $10.

St. 501-244-9660. southonmain.com.

Chimp Chimp Chimp, Ben Gipson. Vino’s. 923 W. 7th St. 501-375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com.

Dirty Streets, Cartright, Andy Warr. Maxine’s, 9 p.m., $7. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs.

Holiday Hang-out: Adam Faucett & The Tall Grass, John Paul Keith, Kevin Kerby, Malcolm Holcombe, John Moreland and more. White Water Tavern, Dec. 4-6, 7 p.m., SOLD OUT. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400.

Jeron Marshall & The Unfair Advantage.

Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $10. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196.

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Manic Focus. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $10. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707.

Pat Martino Trio. Walton Arts Center, 7 and 9 p.m., $20. 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville.

479-443-5600.

Ramona & The Soul Rhythms (headliner), Richie Johnson (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351.

Route 66. Agora Conference and Special Event Center, 6:30 p.m., $5. 705 E. Siebenmorgan,

Conway.

TobyMac. Verizon Arena, 7 p.m., $19.75-$69.75.

1 Alltel Arena Way, NLR. 501-975-9001.

Trapt, Bridge to Grace, First Decree, Meka Nism. Revolution, 8 p.m., donations. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090.

COMEDY

“A Fertile Holiday.” An original production by The Main Thing. The Joint, 8 p.m., $22. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205.

Cowboy Bill Martin. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., $10. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-228-5555. 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 and Cleveland streets. 501221-7568. www.blsdance.org.

Contra Dance. Park Hill Presbyterian Church, 7:30 p.m., $5. 3520 JFK Blvd., NLR. “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.

Patterson Hood. Clinton Presidential Center, 6 p.m. 1200 President Clinton Ave. 370-8000.

SATURDAY, DEC. 5

MUSIC

Arkansas Chamber Singers Holiday Soiree. The Little Rock Club, 6 p.m., $125 (includes dinner).

400 W. Capitol, 30th foor.

Duckstronaut, Landrest, Collin vs. Adam, Midwest Caravan, Casual Pleasures. Maxine’s, 9 p.m., $7. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. www. maxinespub.com.

Holiday Hang-out: Adam Faucett & The Tall Grass, John Paul Keith, Kevin Kerby, Malcolm Holcombe, John Moreland and more. White Water Tavern, through Dec. 6, 7 p.m., SOLD OUT. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com.

Jason Boland & The Stragglers. Revolution, 9 p.m., $15. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-8230090. www.rumbarevolution.com/new.

JEFF the Brotherhood. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $12.

614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www. juanitas.com.

Jet 420 (headliner), Ben Byers (happy hour).

Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf.com.

Lovedrug, Open Fields, High Lonesome. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $10. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com.

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.

The SoNA Singers: Christmas concert. Walton Arts Center, 7:30 p.m. 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. 479-443-5600.

Sychosis, Red Devil Lies. Vino’s. 923 W. 7th St. 501-375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com.

Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 8 p.m., free. 111 W. Markham St. 501-370-7013.

‘Tis the Season with the Conway Symphony Orchestra. Reynolds Performance Hall, UCA, 7:30 p.m., $18-$28. 350 S. Donaghey, Conway.

Weakness for Blondes. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $7. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196.

COMEDY

“A Fertile Holiday.” An original production by The Main Thing. The Joint, 8 p.m., $22. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205.

Cowboy Bill Martin. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., $10. 10301 N. Rodney Parham

2600 CANTRELL RD 5 0 1 . 2 9 6.9 955 | R I V E R DA LE1 0.CO M

FEATURING DIGITAL LIGHT PROJECTION & DOLBY DIGITAL SOUND

Road. 501-228-5555. www.loonybincomedy.com.

EVENTS

3rd Annual Santa Paws Holiday Party. Curran Hall, 8 p.m., $40. 615 E. Capitol. 501-370-3290.

Arkansas Craft Guild’s 37th Annual Christmas Showcase. Statehouse Convention Center, through Dec. 6, $5. 7 Statehouse Plaza.

Big Jingle Jubilee Holiday Parade. Led by former NFL and Razorback running back Peyton Hillis. Broadway and Second streets, 3 p.m., free.

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

Holidays at the Clinton Presidential Center.

Family-friendly holiday activities. Clinton Presidential Center, 10 a.m. 1200 President Clinton Ave. 370-8000.

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. Ice skating from the Diamond Edge Figure Skating Club. Arkansas Skatium, Dec. 5-6, $10. 1311 S. Bowman Road.

SUNDAY, DEC. 6

MUSIC

The Blind Boys of Alabama. Reynolds Performance Hall, UCA, 3 p.m., $27-$40. 350 S. Donaghey, Conway.

Holiday Hang-out: Adam Faucett & The Tall Grass, John Paul Keith, Kevin Kerby, Malcolm Holcombe, John Moreland and more. White Water Tavern, 7 p.m., sold out. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com.

Irish Traditional Music Session. Hibernia Irish Tavern, 2:30 p.m. 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road.

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

Like A Storm. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $10. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com.

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Run River North. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 8 p.m., $8 adv., $10 day of. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com.

SoNA: “The Snowman: A Family Concert.”

Walton Arts Center, 2 p.m., $8. 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. 479-443-5600.

EVENTS

Arkansas Craft Guild’s 37th Annual Christmas Showcase. Statehouse Convention Center, $5.

7 Statehouse Plaza.

Artist for Recovery. A secular recovery group for people with addictions. Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, 10 a.m. 1601 S. Louisiana.

Holiday Open House. Live music, kids’ crafts and a sweet potato pie contest. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 5 p.m. 501 W. 9th St. 501-6833593. www.mosaictemplarscenter.com.

Holiday Open House and Christmas Frolic.

Games, crafts, live music and caroling. Historic Arkansas Museum, 1 p.m., free. 200 E. 3rd St. 501-324-9351. www.historicarkansas.org.

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. Ice skating from the Diamond Edge Figure Skating Club.

Arkansas Skatium, $10. 1311 S. Bowman Road.

MONDAY, DEC. 7

MUSIC

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

SHOW TIMES: FRI, DEC 4 – THURS, DEC 10

Open Mic. The Lobby Bar. Studio Theatre, 8 p.m. 320 W. 7th St. Richie Johnson. Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351.

HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 PG13 | 1:30 4:15 7:00 9:45

TUESDAY, DEC. 8

SPECTRE PG13 | 1:30 4:15 7:00 9:45

MUSIC

BRIDGE OF SPIES PG13 | 1:45 4:20 7:00 9:45

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.

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.

Night Riots. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $10. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com.

Open Turntables with Mike Poe. White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400.

Tuesday Jam Session with Carl Mouton.

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

COMEDY

Stand-Up Tuesday. Hosted by Adam Hogg.

The Joint, 8 p.m., $5. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.

TRUMBO R | 1:45 4:25 6:45 9:30

BROOKLYN PG13 | 2:00 4:25 7:00 9:30 CREED PG13 | 1:45 4:15 6:45 9:30

THE GOOD DINOSAUR PG | 2:15 4:15 7:15 9:15 THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES PG13 | 2:00 4:20 6:45 9:00 SUFFRAGETTE PG13 | 2:00 4:20 7:00 THE NIGHT BEFORE R | 2:15 7:15 9:20 VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN PG13 | 4:20 9:20

DEC, 8

WHITE CHRISTMAS 1954 7PM $5

NOW SERVING BEER & WINE • GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE

tweet LOCAL ARKANSAS TIMES

DANCE

“Latin Night.” Juanita’s, 7:30 p.m., $7. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228.

EVENTS

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.

Tales from the South: Holiday Dinner and Show. Capital Hotel, 6 p.m., $48.47. 111 W. Markham St. 501-374-7474. www.capitalhotel.com.

FILM

“House on Haunted Hill.” Vino’s, 7:30 p.m.

923 W. 7th St. 501-375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com.

“White Christmas” (1954). Riverdale 10 Cinema, 7 p.m., $7. 2600 Cantrell Road. 501-296-9955.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9

MUSIC

Construction of Light, I Was Afraid. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501375-8400.

Drageoke with Chi Chi Valdez. Sway. 412 Louisiana. 501-907-2582.

Marquis & Mood. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. southonmain.com.

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

upscale

downtown day–Saturday

Piano Bar Tues

e Bar

Martini & Win

Of Wine - 335 Selections s - 35 By The Glas rld Wo e Th s ros Ac m - Fine Spirits Fro m Every - Scotch List Fro and Region Of Scotl Bourbons - 6 Single-Barrel

COMEDY

The Joint Venture. Improv comedy group. The Joint, 8 p.m., $7. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.

POETRY

Wednesday Night Poetry. 21-and-older show.

Maxine’s, 7 p.m., free. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. 501-321-0909.

NEW GALLERY EXHIBITS

In The River Market District 501.324.2999

sonnywilliamssteakroom.com Free Valet Parking

www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

33

AFTER DARK, CONT.

MOVIE REVIEW

NEW ‘CREED’: Michael B. Jordan stands tall in the newest rollout of the “Rocky” franchise.

Fighters and fathers Michael B. Jordan learns from the best in ‘Creed.’

BY GRANT TAYLOR

W

hen he emerges from the shadows into the dining room at Adrian’s, well into the first act of “Creed,” Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) looks tired and well above fighting weight. His gut is as broad as his shoulders, and most of his loved ones are dead. We see him in the graveyard with a bottle and a rose, offerings to Paulie and Adrian, or reading them the paper in a chair he keeps hidden in a tree. Later, he dances the way a dad dances, gives an incoherent toast, suffers stoically from disease. His ever-present fedora seems smaller than I remember and crumpled, like he keeps it in his pocket. The world knows him mainly through memory, and often he reminds me of my old man who, after years of raising hell, decided to quit shouting so much and donate his guitars to the church. They have the same jaw.

Adonis “Donnie” Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), who, like any great fighter, acquires many names, came of age with my generation, at the beginning of this century. He owns a tablet and has a Wi-Fi connection fast enough for streaming but hardly any furniture. He shadow boxes to YouTube clips of “The Dancing Destroyer” fighting “The Italian Stallion,” back when Apollo Creed, his father, was the heavy and Balboa, his new trainer, the long shot. He takes a photo of Rocky’s handwritten training regimen with his cell phone, stores it in the cloud.

34

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

Rocky looks up, asks, “What cloud?”

At first, in a moment of self-loathing, I thought that Donnie suffered from the generational affliction of believing he could achieve his goal simply by wanting it enough. The single-minded pursuit of glory sounds like the “anything” our parents told us we were all capable of, truth notwithstanding. But it’s also the stuff of underdog movies, and at many points he proves to the audience that a boxer’s life and a champion’s laurels are his birthright, though he knows they are not a given. He is the son of a dead legend and his anonymous mistress, but chooses initially to fight under his mother’s surname. He fashions himself after Manny Pacquiao more than Floyd Mayweather Jr. And while Apollo was a trash-talker in the vein of Muhammad Ali, Donnie’s most macho affectation is blowing warm air into his hands.

For all this, I found it difficult to reconcile Adonis’ singular vision of himself as a fighter, his need to fight and his violent past, with the sensitive disposition he shows with his love interest, Bianca (Tessa Thompson). We know all too well that athletes who make a living from their strength and aggression can sometimes carry the violence over into their personal lives (see: Mayweather, Tyson, Ochocinco, Ray Rice — I could go on). And director Ryan Coogler’s brand of realism had me expecting some show of force against her in a moment of

crisis. But most representative of their dynamic is a scene in which Adonis speaks softly of the burden of his name as he untangles her long, lovely braids.

At first, Bianca is independent and driven, her musical success an example of productive engagement with the world, despite adversity. She motivates Adonis and serves as a spiritual guide when he first arrives in Philadelphia.

But sadly, her prominence fades as the film approaches its climax. You wonder if hand-wringing isn’t the fate of all who support the emotionally damaged, those with as many troubles as ambitions — Adrian was long-suffering, too. And driven men are reluctant to admit that the women they lean on exhibit a strength they crave but often don’t possess themselves. Especially men smothered by the shadows of their absent fathers. In any case, the film would have benefitted from more of her influence.

Almost out of obligation, Rocky channels his own old trainer, Mickey, by imparting the wisdom that “women weaken legs.” Adonis barely hears it, and anyway I’ve always enjoyed the sensation he is describing. Remember that Rocky’s old man claimed he wasn’t born with much of a brain, so he should develop his body, which he did. Adrian’s mother always told her the opposite. This was date night, in 1976, as she skated and he ran on the ice alongside her.

From the faces of the unaccompanied 10-year-olds seated behind me, it’s easy to imagine future franchise installments absent Stallone. In “Creed,” the transfer of surrogacy, of mentorship, nears its completion: from Mickey to Rocky to young Adonis, the support system endures. And that is the role that sports, and sports cinema, serve. Many of us, brutes and bums and mamas’ boys alike, crave validation, but prefer our encouragement couched in violence.

ARGENTA GALLERY, 413 Main St.: “Revelation,” 18 pastel and mixed media works by Virmarie DePoyster, opens with reception and gallery talk by the artist 6-8 p.m. Dec. 3, show through Jan. 4. 912-6567.

ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER, MacArthur Park: “New (Old) Directions in Architecture,” Architecture and Design Network presentation by Elysse Newman of the UA Fay Jones School of Architecture, reception 5:30 p.m., talk 5 p.m.

Dec. 8, lecture hall, ardenetwork@icloud.com; “Lecture and Late Night” with glass sculptors Einar and Jamex de la Torre, 6 p.m. Dec. 10, lecture hall, $10 nonmembers; “Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art,” 93 works by 72 artists from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, through Jan. 17; “Life and Light: Photographic Travels through Latin America with Bryan Clifton,” through Feb. 14. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. 372-4000.

ART GROUP GALLERY, Pleasant Ridge Town Center, 11525 Cantrell Road: Paintings by Matt Coburn, Dec. 3-7, reception 4-8 p.m. Dec. 3. 909-6270.

HEARNE FINE ART, 1001 Wright Ave.: “Treasure,” works by Mason Archie, Phoebe Beasley, John Biggers, Ludovic Booz, Bisa Butler, Robert Carter, Kevin Cole, Alfred Conteh, Chukes, Dean Mitchell, Lawrence Finney, Sam Gilliam, Samella Lewis, Betye Saar, Marjorie-Williams Smith and TAFA; “Contemporary Folk Art; Four Decades of Creativity: My Way,” works by Melverue Abraham, Willie Earl Robinson, Sylvester McKissick, Sondra Strong and Kennith Humphrey, receptions 5 p.m. Dec. 31, Kwanzaa “Kumba” Day of Creativity. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sat. 372-6822.

L&L BECK ART GALLERY, 5705 Kavanaugh Blvd.: “Religious Art,” through December, drawing for free giclee 7 p.m. Dec. 17. 660-4006.

LAMAN LIBRARY ARGENTA BRANCH, 420 Main St.: “36th Street Art Exhibition,” show and sale of work by the clients of the United Cerebral Palsy Education Center, Dec. 7-Jan. 1, reception 5-8 p.m. Dec. 18. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Mon.-Sat. 687-1061.

M2 GALLERY, Pleasant Ridge Town Center: Holiday open house, 6-9 p.m. Dec. 4, all art half off, door prizes, food and drink. 225-6271.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK: “6X6 Holiday Art Sale,” preview 6-8 p.m. Dec. 3, show noon-8 p.m. Dec. 4 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 5, Applied Design Studio, University Plaza; “BFA Senior Exhibition,” work by Kristen Andrews, Marian Basinger, Benjamin Deaton, Chloe Deaton, Jordan “Mitch” Gathings, David Noah, Madeline Qualls, Emily Shiell and Dylan Yarbrough, Gallery II (Maners/Pappas), through Dec. 10; “Marianela de la Hoz: Speculum-Speculari,” through Dec. 8.

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., 2-5 p.m. Sun. 569-8977.

BENTONVILLE CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, One Museum Way: Film “Barking Water” and discussion with filmmaker Sterlin Harjo, 7-8 p.m. Dec. 9; “Picturing the Americas: Landscape Painting from Tierra del Fuego to the Arctic,” through Jan. 18, “Alfred H. Maurer: Art on the Edge,” through Jan. 4; American masterworks spanning four centuries in the permanent collection. 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.

The Arkansas Times & the Root Cafe proudly present Little Rock’s

F O U R T H A N N UA L

BEARD-GROWING CONTEST

HAIR TO THE THRONE S H AV E-I N C AT E G O R I E S

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More Info: Phone: 414-0423 Email: theroot@therootcafe.com

ARKANSAS FAMILY CAREGIVERS DESERVE OUR SUPPORT. More than 450,000 Arkansans care for older parents or loved ones, helping them live independently and safely at home — where they want to be. But these caregivers often lack the resources and support they need to provide that care. That’s why our state needs to support family caregivers and provide services for seniors at home and in their communities.

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100 RIVER MARKET

WE’RE SHOWING

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Learn more about how AARP is fighting to support family caregivers and their loved ones.

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www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

35

Dining

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.

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

WHAT’S COOKIN’

Arbela Middle Eastern Grill

LOST FORTY WILL CELEBRATE ITS first anniversary on Monday, Dec. 21, with the release of a new Doppelbock beer, a German menu takeover by chef Scott McGehee, and a concert by Adam Faucett and the Tall Grass. The beer and food will be available starting at 4 p.m. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. The event is open to all ages with a $5 suggested donation to the Lost Forty Project Foundation, a nonprofit to preserve and maintain the Lost Forty acreage in Calhoun County and raise awareness about the work of the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission.

323 Center St., Suite 130 374-2633 facebook.com/Arbelamiddleeasterngrill

QUICK BITE In a hurry for lunch? After a hitch in getting the phone connected, Arbela is ready to go for all your take-out needs.

HOURS 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

OTHER INFO All major credit cards, no alcohol.

DON’T FORGET TO VOTE IN OUR annual Readers Choice restaurant poll.

Voting in round one is open through Dec. 16. Go to arktimes.com/restaurants16.

DINING CAPSULES WE NEED ANOTHER GYRO: Arbela’s hits the spot.

AMERICAN

1515 CAFE This bustling, business-suit filled breakfast and lunch spot, just across from the state Capitol, features old-fashioned, buffetstyle home cookin’ for a song. Inexpensive lunch entrées, too. 1515 W. 7th St. No alcohol. $-$$. 501-376-1434. L Wed.-Fri., D Mon-Sat. 4 SQUARE CAFE AND GIFTS Vegetarian salads, soups, wraps and paninis and a broad selection of smoothies in an Arkansas products gift shop. 405 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-244-2622. D Mon.-Sat., L Sun. ANOTHER ROUND PUB Tasty pub grub. 12111 W. Markham. Full bar, CC. $-$$. 501-313-2612.

D Mon.-Thu., LD Fri.-Sun. APPLE SPICE JUNCTION A chain sandwich and salad spot with sit-down lunch space and a vibrant box lunch catering business. With a wide range of options and quick service. Order online via applespice.com. 2000 S. University Ave. No alcohol, all CC. $$. 501-663-7008. L Mon.-Fri. (10 a.m.-3 p.m.).

CAPITOL BISTRO Serving breakfast and lunch items, including quiche, sandwiches, coffees and the like. 1401 W. Capitol Ave. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-371-9575. BL Mon.-Fri. CATCH BAR AND GRILL Fish, shrimp, chicken and burgers, live music, drinks, flat screens TVs, pool tables and V.I.P room. 1407 John Barrow Road. Full bar. 501-224-1615.

CATERING TO YOU Painstakingly prepared entrees and great appetizers in this gourmetto-go location, attached to a gift shop. Caters everything from family dinners to weddings and large corporate events. 8121 Cantrell Road.

No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-614-9030. Serving meals to go: LD Mon.-Sat. CIAO BACI The focus is on fine dining in this casually elegant Hillcrest bungalow, though excellent tapas are out of this world. The treeshaded, light-strung deck is a popular destination. 605 N. Beechwood St. Full bar, all CC. $$$.

501-603-0238. D Mon.-Sat. CRAZEE’S COOL CAFE Good burgers, daily 36

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

Middle Eastern grill hits the spot Arbela is cheap, fast and tasty.

T

he restaurant business is a tough one, especially in downtown Little Rock. Competition is fierce, parking can be a hassle, and despite the growing crowds that come to the area in the evenings, Fourth and Center, where Alexis Jones’ upscale Southern eatery Natchez was once located, just isn’t where most people in the city head at supper time. While we lamented losing Natchez, a restaurant that really seemed to be coming into its own during its last year, we were excited to see that a new restaurant, Arbela Middle Eastern Grill, had opened up in the Tower Building.

Arbela seems to know the needs of the neighborhood, opening only for a long lunch during weekdays. On our first visit, employees who toil in the Tower Building flooded in, hungry for an inexpensive lunch. It’s a business model that we think will work well for Arbela, because cheap and quick are always good selling points for a downtown eat-

ery. But of course the real question is: Does it taste good? And the answer is an emphatic yes.

It was a cold and rainy afternoon when we stopped into Arbela, where orders are taken at the counter. We needed to warm up, so we started with a bowl of lentil soup ($2.99). We were pleased with the hearty, rich flavor and portion size. This soup would make a fine lunch in and of itself, but as a nice, filling starter, it was unbeatable.

We followed up with a Gyro Combo ($5.99 for the sandwich plus $2.99 for hummus, a salad and a drink), and were pleased with the quality of the food. The gyro meat was done just how we like it: shaved from a rotating column of seasoned beef and lamb, and then crisped nicely on the stovetop to give everything a great texture. The meat is piled high on soft, warm pita bread, and the onions, lettuce, tomato and homemade tzatziki sauce were all fresh and added a light

balance to the savory meat. If you’re a fan of gyros (and we certainly are), the version at Arbela is sure to please.

What made us even happier were the sides. A small serving of hummus was silky smooth and had a rich, tangy flavor that was perfectly complemented by a splash of olive oil. There are several places in town that make hummus we adore, and we’re happy to say Arbela can compete with any of them. The fresh side salad stood out: Fresh greens and large chunks of ripe tomato form the base of the dish, with diced cucumber, black olives, red onion and feta cheese all coming together to turn this small salad into something far more substantial than we expected. All this, plus a soda, was under $10 — a hard-to-beat deal.

Salads are also available in larger portions and can be topped with gyro meat, falafel or grilled chicken. We weren’t able to try the chicken on our first visit, but we hung around long enough to watch it being cooked. We can’t wait to get back to try it. We also saw several of the large salads being made, and were once again impressed with the freshness of the vegetables and the portion size.

On a return trip, we decided to try a vegetarian option and went for the falafel sandwich. This sandwich comes on a thinner flatbread than the gyro, a bit of variety that impressed us. The falafel itself was amazing. Moist and tender in the middle, delightfully crunchy on the outside, these well-seasoned chickpea patties were as good as any we’ve ever tasted. We’ve eaten so many dry, flavorless falafels over the years — enough that we’re always scared to order them. But Arbela does them right, serving them hot and fresh.

Sometimes we eat at restaurants that are doing innovative things, and we love to highlight those places. But there’s

Book your holiday luncheon parties now! We can accommodate just about any size lunch gathering in one of our private party rooms.

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

DINING CAPSULES, CONT.

Lunch, Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Dinner, Mon.-Sat., from 5:00 p.m.

2400 Cantrell Rd. | 501-375-5351 | @CajunsLR | cajunswharf.com

something to be said for a restaurant that can do a limited menu of classics and do it well. There’s nothing out of the ordinary at Arbela Middle Eastern Grill, but for fans of gyros, chicken shawarma or falafel, you’ll find a lot to be happy about. We were impressed with the speed and efficiency of the kitchen, which was running on all cylinders

despite being only two weeks in business. Everyone was friendly and willing to answer questions about the menu, and the brightly lit restaurant space was a welcome change from Natchez’ darker, moodier atmosphere. This suite in the Tower Building is the perfect spot for a lunch joint, and we’ve scored a good one with Arbela.

Complimentary shuttle service from area hotels.

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DINING CAPSULES, CONT. plate specials and bar food amid pool tables and TVs. 7626 Cantrell Road. Full bar, all CC. $-$$. 501-221-9696. LD Mon.-Sat. CUPCAKE FACTORY About a dozen cupcake varieties daily, plus pies, whole or by-the-slice, cake balls, brownies and other dessert bars.

18104 Kanis Road. No alcohol, all CC. 501-8219913. L Mon.-Fri. CUPCAKES ON KAVANAUGH Gourmet cupcakes and coffee, indoor seating. 5625 Kavanaugh Blvd. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$.

501-664-2253. LD Mon.-Sat. DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE Chain specializes in steak and upscale pub food. Try the crab cake.

17707 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, CC. $$-$$$.

501-448-2631. LD Mon.-Sat., BR Sun. DEMPSEY BAKERY Bakery with sit-down area, serving coffee and specializing in gluten-, nutand soy-free baked goods. 323 Cross St. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-375-2257. Serving BL Tue.-Sat. EJ’S EATS AND DRINKS The friendly neighborhood hoagie shop downtown serves at a handful of tables and by delivery. The sandwiches are generous, the soup homemade and the salads cold. Vegetarians can craft any number of acceptable meals from the flexible menu. The housemade potato chips are da bomb. 523 Center St. Full bar, all CC. $-$$.

501-666-3700. LD Mon.-Fri., BR Sun. LE POPS Delicious, homemade iced lollies (or popsicles, for those who aren’t afraid of the trademark.) 5501 Kavanaugh Blvd. Ste. J. No alcohol, CC. $. 501-313-9558. LD daily.

LOBLOLLY CREAMERY Small batch artisan ice cream and sweet treats company that operates a soda fountain inside The Green Corner Store.

1423 Main St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-3969609. LD Mon.-Sat., L Sun. LOCA LUNA Grilled meats, seafood and pasta dishes that never stray far from country roots, whether Italian, Spanish or Arkie.

“Gourmet plate lunches” are good, as is Sunday brunch. 3519 Old Cantrell Road. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-4666. BR Sun., LD Mon.-Fri., D Sat. LOST FORTY BREWING Brewery and brewpub from the folks behind Big Orange, Local Lime and ZAZA. 501 Byrd St. Beer and wine, all CC. $$. 501-319-7335. LD Wed.-Sun. LOVE FISH MARKET Part fish market, part restaurant. Offering fresh fish to prepare at home or fried catfish and a variety of sides.

1401 John Barrow Road. No alcohol, CC. $-$$.

501-224-0202. LD Mon.-Sat. LULAV A MODERN EATERY Bistro-style menu of American favorites broken down by expensive to affordable plates, and strong wine list, also group-priced to your liking. Great filet.

Don’t miss the chicken and waffles. 220 W. 6th St. Full bar, CC. $$$. 501-374-5100. LD Mon.-Fri., D Sat. THE MAIN CHEESE A restaurant devoted to grilled cheese. 14524 Cantrell Road. Beer and wine. $-$$. 501-367-8082. LD Mon.-Sat. THE OYSTER BAR Gumbo, red beans and rice (all you can eat on Mondays), peel-andeat shrimp, oysters on the half shell, addictive po’ boys. Killer jukebox. 3003 W. Markham St. Beer and wine, all CC. $-$$. 501-666-7100. LD Mon.-Sat. OZARK COUNTRY RESTAURANT A longstanding favorite with many Little Rock residents, the eatery specializes in big country breakfasts and pancakes plus sandwiches and several meat-and-two options for lunch and dinner. Try the pancakes and don’t leave without some sort of smoked meat. 202 Keightley Drive.

No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-663-7319. BL daily.

WHICH WICH AT CHENAL Sandwiches in three sizes, plus cookies and milkshakes, online or faxed (501-312-9435) ordering available.

Also at 2607 McCain Blvd., 501-771-9424, fax 501-771-4329. 12800 Chenal Parkway, Suite 10.

No alcohol. 312-9424.

WING LOVERS The name says it all. 4411 W. 12th St. $-$$. 501-663-3166. LD Mon.-Sat. WING SHACK 6323 Colonel Glenn Road. No alcohol. 501-562-0010.

WINGSTOP It’s all about wings. The joint features 10 flavors of chicken flappers for almost any palate, including mild, hot, Cajun and atomic, as well as specialty flavors like lemon pepper, teriyaki, Garlic parmesan and Hawaiian. 11321 West Markham St. Beer, all CC. $-$$. 501-224-9464. LD daily.

ASIAN

A.W. LIN’S ASIAN CUISINE Excellent panAsian with wonderful service. 17717 Chenal Parkway H101. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-8215398. LD daily.

SHOGUN JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE The chefs will dazzle you, as will the variety of tasty stir-fry combinations and the sushi bar. Usually crowded at night. 2815 Cantrell Road. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-666-7070. D daily.

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THE EVERYDAY SOMMELIER CAN HELP YOU CURATE THE PERFECT GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. “Bespoke Gift Baskets, Client Gifts, Holiday and Event Planning are just a few of our specialties. Fast turn around, attention to detail, and encyclopedic knowledge of the beverage industry are hallmarks of the experience that we create daily for our guests. My co-workers are an amazing group of service professionals —their only goal is to provide outstanding service to our clients. Call, text, email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or stop by soon to discover more. We want to become your Everyday Sommelier, I look forward to introducing myself to you very soon.”

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BEST LIQUOR STORE

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

37

DINING CAPSULES, CONT. CO. Authentic Chinese noodles, buns and dumplings. With vegetarian options. 215 Center St. No alcohol, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-3721739. LD Mon.-Fri. TOKYO HOUSE Defying stereotypes, this Japanese buffet serves up a broad range of fresh, slightly exotic fare — grilled calamari, octopus salad, dozens of varieties of fresh sushi — as well as more standard shrimp and steak options. 11 Shackleford Drive. Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-219-4286. LD daily.

BARBECUE

CHIP’S BARBECUE Tasty, if a little pricey, barbecue piled high on sandwiches generously doused with the original tangy sauce or one of five other sauces. Better known for the incredible family recipe pies and cheesecakes, which come tall and wide. 9801 W. Markham St. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-225-4346. LD Mon.-Sat.

CATFISH

SWEET SOUL Southern classics by the proprietors of the late, great Haystack Cafe in Ferndale: Chicken fried steak (just about perfect), catfish, collards, cornbread, blackeyed peas and fried chicken. 400 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, all CC. 501-374-7685.

L Mon.-Fri.

EUROPEAN / ETHNIC

MYLO COFFEE CO. Bakery with a vast assortment of hand-made pastries, house roasted coffee and an ice cream counter. Soups and sandwiches, too. 2715 Kavanaugh Blvd. Beer, CC. $-$$. 501-7471880. BLD Tue.-Sun. ROSALIA’S BAKERY Brazilian bakery owned by the folks over at Bossa Nova, next door. Sweet and savory treats, including yucca cheese balls, empanadas and macarons. Many gluten-free options. 2701 Kavanaugh Blvd. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-319-7035. BLD Mon.-Sat. (closes 6 p.m.), BL Sun. SILVEK’S EUROPEAN BAKERY Fine pastries, chocolate creations, breads and cakes done in the classical European style.

Drop by for a whole cake or a slice or any of the dozens of single serving treats in the big case. 1900 Polk St. No alcohol, all CC.

$$. 501-661-9699. BLD daily.

ITALIAN

GRADY’S PIZZA AND SUBS Pizza features a pleasing blend of cheeses rather than straight mozzarella. The grinder is a classic, the chef’s salad huge and tasty. 6801 W. 12th St., Suite C. Beer and wine, all CC. $-$$. 501-663-1918.

LD daily.

IRIANA’S PIZZA Unbelievably generous handtossed New York style pizza with unmatched zest. Good salads, too; grinders are great, particularly the Italian sausage. 201 E. Markham St. Beer and wine, all CC. $-$$. 501-374-3656.

LD Mon.-Sat. U.S. PIZZA Crispy thin-crust pizzas, frosty beers and heaping salads drowned in creamy dressing. 2710 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-2198. LD daily. 5524 Kavanaugh Blvd. Beer and wine, all CC. $$.

501-664-7071. LD daily. 9300 North Rodney Parham Road. Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$.

501-224-6300. LD daily. 3307 Fair Park Blvd.

Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-565-6580.

LD daily. 650 Edgewood Drive. Maumelle.

Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-851-0880.

LD daily. 3324 Pike Avenue. NLR. Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-758-5997. LD daily.

4001 McCain Park Drive. NLR. Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-753-2900. LD daily.

LATINO

BAJA GRILL Food truck turned brick-and-mortar taco joint that serves a unique Mexi-Cali style menu full of tacos, burritos and quesadillas.

5923 Kavanaugh Blvd. CC. $-$$. 501-722-8920.

LD Mon.-Sat. EL CHICO Hearty, standard Mexican served in huge portions. 8409 Interstate 30. Full bar, all CC. $-$$. 501-562-3762. LD daily.

LA HERRADURA Traditional Mexican fare.

8414 Geyer Springs Road. Full bar, all CC. $-$$.

501-565-6063. LD Tue.-Sun. LAS MARGARITAS Sparse offerings at this taco truck. No chicken, for instance. Try the veggie quesadilla. 7308 Baseline Road. No alcohol, No CC. $. LD Tue.-Thu. TAQUERIA SAMANTHA II Stand-out taco truck fare, with meat options standard and exotic.

7521 Geyer Springs Road. No alcohol, No CC. $. 501-744-0680. BLD daily.

THE FUTURE OF THE PRIVATE OPTION, CONT.

economy.

That’s correct and, also, John Stephen [managing partner of the Stephen Group ] doesn’t include — because he’s biased against the private option — his numbers do not include 2015. They do not include 2016, where the benefits are dramatically higher [in 2015 and 2016, the federal government pays the full cost of the private option, while in future years the state of Arkansas will have to chip in a small percentage of the costs].

In other words, if you just include 2015 and 2016, the benefits to the Arkansas taxpayer double compared to the $438 million in savings he’s got in that report.

When the task force was picking a consultant, you and the task force co-chair, Sen. Jim Hendren (R-Gravette), expressed concerns about the choice of the Stephen Group. It seems like that has flipped and you’re happy with their work?

The referee is important in things like this because they bring a certain mindset to the table. I thought the other consulting group was stronger overall in terms of the creativity they would bring for innovative solutions. And also I thought they were not biased against the private option. I believe Stephen is — not was, but is — biased against the private option. It’s like having Arkansas play LSU, but the referee was chosen by LSU. But even with that kind of refereeing — now people have seen the financials of the private option. Stephen, as they’ve done all their work, they’ve been honest, they’ve done a very good job. I wouldn’t undo my initial reasons for being concerned about them. However, I would also say that Stephen has lis-

tened to everybody, they’ve been very open-minded, they’ve gone with the facts on all these things. So they’ve played the role of the referee very well.

That doesn’t change the fact that in my view they still have the bias. We already talked about a great example: They’ve understated the benefits of the private option by almost half, in my view, by ignoring 2015 and 2016, the prime benefit years.

Knowing how it worked out now, did it have political value — a biased referee who is nevertheless stating that the state budget would benefit from continuing this policy? Does it swing the politics to have these recommendations come from the group hand-picked by private option opponents like Rep. David Meeks (R-Conway), Sen. Terry Rice (R-Waldron), Rep. Joe Farrer (R-Austin), et al?

That’s for you to assess yourself. All I know is that I made sure we were loud and in the paper, absolutely crystal clear how hard we fought for a different referee because of my concern that this referee is biased against the private option.

And whatever numbers this referee puts together reflect that bias — and that has not changed. Nonetheless, this referee has done a fantastic job of the work, of being interactive, of being honest, showing all sides, and crunching the data — notwithstanding the fact that their bias shows in how they calculated those numbers with regard to the private option. You can conclude whether or not that turns out at the end of the day to be quite fortuitous.

Specifically on the private option, what’s the biggest thing that needs

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

to change from the policy we have now to whatever version of the private option goes into effect in 2017 and beyond?

There’s three things. The first is more encouragement of work. These are mostly able-bodied folks. We’ve got to help them move from dependency to being able to be more independent, so there’s got to be a focus on more work.

Number two: more personal responsibility. People on other health care plans have to pay co-pays, they have to know when to see a primary care physician instead of the emergency room. We need more personal responsibility like that for the population in this program too. And the third thing — these are all related to each other — is healthy behaviors. It’s not right to expect the people of Arkansas to pay for somebody who is not going to do any of the things that we know will help improve their health, and instead of that are going to do things that abuse their health.

Now the question is not what direction we want to head. The question is how far can we get on those three metrics. The Stephen Group was very helpful and productive in designing 19 specific recommendations that we can request the federal government give us, and we ought to be able to get them substantially approved.

Then to get even further down the road, for example requiring work or something like that — we know that this administration will not do it. …

But you’d like to try if you get President Rubio.

Right. So the idea is these two buckets of improvements. We go and fight like crazy to get as much as we possibly can — at an absolute minimum, we should be able to get all of the substance that’s in the in-the-box recommendations. Then we come back again with the new administration, whether it’s a Republican or a Democrat, we fight to get more of those out-of-the-box things.

There are real substantive changes that the Stephen Group is proposing to the private option, but it still uses Obamacare money to fund a coverage expansion. It keeps that in place. Is there a political appetite to approve that in the legislature?

The answer is time will tell. I never want to speak for how anyone else is going to vote or feel about things other than me. Certainly from the discussions I’ve had, and if you watch the task force meetings, the heated discussions have focused more on managed care, but that doesn’t mean that the other issue’s gone away.

We’re working on the most unique,

most advanced, most innovative solution to dealing with Obamacare — which is a better solution to dealing with Obamacare than Texas Obamacare or Mississippi Obamacare or Louisana Obamacare or Florida Obamacare. All those Obamacares are worse Obamacares than the unique approach we have in Arkansas, in my view. We were No. 1 out of 50 states in dealing with that bad policy that came down from Washington.

I don’t think anybody is ready to jump up and down and say “yes, yes, yes” until the feds come back and say what they’re going to allow. I think this process will continue through until we actually see the waiver approvals that come back from the feds.

From the very beginning I’ve fought for as much of this as we can possibly get. So to me, this is merely a continuation of what I’ve always fought for.

The reason I’m open to doing a deal is because of the money being taken out of Arkansas, all part of that law that the Democrats in D.C. passed. I’ve got to play on the field of battle that exists.

I can’t exist in a fantasy where I can rewrite federal laws.

As you say, the most heated division on the task force hasn’t been about the private option, it’s been about whether to use managed care for high-cost populations in the traditional Medicaid program — a much bigger slice of the Medicaid spending pie. If we’re talking about almost $2 billion in projected savings over five years, stakeholders are worried about taking the hit.

The way it’s designed should be such that providers, patients and taxpayers all win. That’s easy for me to say. You can make all those arguments, but you and I both know that there are some people that would say, “Oh yeah but over here this person doesn’t feel very good about the changes.” That element of uncertainty makes people question change.

The reason this is so controversial, I’ll go right back to where we were at the beginning of the discussion: the Herculean difficulty associated with bending the cost curve. There is very little way to have a conversation with any human being that suggests that the world is going to change around you and a big part of the goal is so that not as much money is flowing into this space. There’s no way for a person to feel excited about that.

Support for health care reporting made possible by the Arkansas Public Policy Panel. For more information, visit arktimes.com/specialprojects.

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DECEMBER 3, 2015

39

Tis the Season W

e’re finally in December and it’s time to kick your holiday shopping into high gear! Check out this

2015 Holiday Gift Guide

week’s holiday gift guide, which is full of wonderful ideas from local merchants. From the handy to the handmade,

Apothecary87 beard conditioning oil Crown Shavingg rd Co. beard balm

you’re sure to find something for everyone on your list.

Dapper Dudes

Arkansas Originals

Works by local artists make unique gifts.

Find these and other pieces at the Arkansas Craft Guild Annual Showcase Dec. 4-6 at the Statehouse Convention Center.

If the beard made it past No-Shave November, Barakat Bespoke is a must shop for the men in your life. Santa perhaps?

They carry a full range of essentials for the bearded men on your lists. The best part is the products are all-natural and alcohol free.

Proraso beard oil

Prospector Co. Burroughs beard oil

Brooklyn Grooming Williamsburg classic beard balm

“RAKU TALLY” Raku pottery by Trent Tally, Elkins, Ar. “SUE” Redware pottery canister set by Sue Skinner of SJ Pottery, Salesville, Ar.

“MYNATT” Copper ruby crackle iridescent glass lamp by Ron & Paula Mynatt, Springdale, Ar. 40 40

DECEMBER 3, 2015 DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIM TIMES M ES S ARKANSAS TIMES

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Proraso moustache wax

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Share a Coke Sha

Take home a piece of the Clinton Center’s newest temporary exhibit, Coca-Cola: An newe American Original, with these hardback Amer Assouline books from the Clinton Museum Store.

Assou

Kiss the Past Hello

Coca-Cola Slipcase Set of 3

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Move Over Ovver Cheese Cheese…

Wine has found a new love with BRIX ® Chocolate for Wine. Available at Krebs Brothers, it comes in different varieties – each with a suggested wine pairing. Billed as “wine’s favorite chocolate”, you can’t go wrong with this sweet gift for the wine lovers on your list.

Stylish Stuffers

Shop Mr. Wicks for the perfect stocking stuffers to add stylish elements to the wardrobes of the men in your life.

Johnstons of Elgin cashmere scarves St. Croix and Lorenzo Uomo socks Martin Dengman alligator belts ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT www.arktimes.com www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015 DECEMBER 3, 2015

41 41

2015 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DE Some me Good Eatin’ n’ Home me cooking and The South uth go hand-in-hand.

This his cookbook is full of all Arkansas recipes.

Brandy’s Dandy

Germain-Robin is a grape brandy distilled in Mendocino County, California, based on unusually high-quality wine grapes. Try theirir selections and many other spirits at O’Looney’s Wine & Liquor

Germain~Robin Alambic Brandy Germain~Robin Craft Method Brandy Germain~Robin Coast Road Reserve Germain~Robin Heirloom Apple Brandy dy 5RQ 0\QDWW

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DECEMBER 3, 2015 DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES ARKANSAS TIMES

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304 MAIN ST. (INSIDE GALAXY FURNITURE) • 375-DESK (3375) YOUR STOP FOR ARKANSAS MADE GIFTS

Arkansas Made

The Green Corner Store is your source for Arkansas Made goodies like toffee from Lambrecht Gourmet, jams and jellies, honey , teas and coffee, organic culinary herbs and spices, baking, soup and casserole mixes plus much more. Stop in for a full range of products from War Eagle Mill, Pink House Alchemy, Onyx Coffee Lab, Izard Chocolate and more.

Jewelry • Apparel • Personal Care Food • Books • Pottery and More 1423 Main Street, Suite D · Little Rock (501) 374-1111 · thegreencornerstore.com

Sweet Feet

Not your ordinary stocking stuffer, a gift of Arkansocks means those on your list can show their love of Little Rock all day long. Found at Shoppes on Woodlawn, the socks feature a twist on the classic ‘LR’ design and are available in three colors.

Clothing & Accessories for Kids/Adults Candles, Gifts, Home Decor & Much More!

Under New Ownership

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DECEMBER 3, 2015 DECEMBER 3, 2015

43 43

2015 HOLIDA HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

A Good Read

Books always make great gifts and “Path to Peace” by Angie Ransome-Jones is especially poignant this time of year. It’s a guide to managing life after losing a loved one.

Art Extravaganza

With 50+ artists featuring a variety of work including jewelry, paintings, drawings, pottery, ornaments, sculpture, photograph and more, Gallery 26 is a must for great handmade gifts by local artists.

“Narcosis Tiki” Handblown glass by James Hayes

Buy it! Find the featured items at the following locations: Get more information at the ARKANSAS CRAFT GUILD’S CHRISTMAS SHOWCASE online at facebook.com/ ChristmasShowcase BARAKAT BESPOKE 417 President Clinton Ave., 224.9670 barakatbespoke.com CLINTON MUSEUM STORE 610 President Clinton Ave. and inside the Clinton Presidential Center, 748.0400 clintonmuseumstore.com

MR. WICKS 5924 R St. • 664.3062 KREBS BROTHERS RESTAURANT STORE 4310 Landers Rd., NLR 687.1331 • krebsbrothers.com “WELL BUTTER MY BUTT & CALL ME A BISCUIT” cookbook can be found online at loripleggeauthor.weebly.com

SHOPPES ON WOODLAWN 4523 Woodlawn Dr., 666.3600 shoppesonwoodlawn.com GALLERY 26 2601 Kavanaugh Blvd. #1, 664.8996 gallery26.com

O’LOONEY’S WINE & LIQUOR Rahling Road @ Chenal Pkwy., 821.4669 olooneys.com

KNIFE SALE

BUY 1 GET 1

HALF OFF

Sale begins on November 23rd & runs through December 24.

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DECEMBER 3, 2015 DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES ARKANSAS TIMES

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What’s That Smell?

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Delicious pie, ice cream and biscuit recipes. Also recipes for wild game, frog legs and bear.

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Path to Peace

Aromatique’s candle with cross

A GUIDE TO MANAGING LIFE AFTER LOSING A LOVED ONE

BY AUTHOR ANGIE JONES

For the Home

Gifts don’t have to come in small packages! From wabi-sabi designs in South Main Creative, a handsome antique dresser with burled wood drawer fronts and a hand-painted distressed finish is a great piece for those looking for gifts for the home.

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Prepare for the holidays

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DECEMBER 3, 2015 DECEMBER 3, 2015

45 45

DECEMBER 11

11th Ever Nog-Off

Gourmet. Your Way. All Day.

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LONGEVITY

A friendly eggnog competition, a new exhibit by Ray Parker & live music.

THE 2ND FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH 5-8 PM

A museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage

NEW ARTWORKS BY EMILY WOOD, MELISSA GILL, JOLI LIVAUDAIS AND SANDRA SELL

200 E. Third St. 501-324-9351 HistoricArkansas.org

GRAND OPENING

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♦ Fine Art ♦ Cocktails & Wine ♦ Hors d’oeuvres ♦ Pyramid Place • 2nd & Center St • (501) 801-0211

These venues will be open late. There’s plenty of parking and a FREE TROLLEY to each of the locations.

Don’t miss it – lots of fun!

Free parking at 3rd & Cumberland Free street parking all over downtown and behind the River Market (Paid parking available for modest fee.)

46

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

FREE TROLLEY RIDES!

LYONS, CONT.

DUMAS, CONT. a hardcore leftist woman.

The prototypical domestic terrorist remains McVeigh, who uttered America’s greatest protest against taxes and big government by setting off a truck bomb at the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, killing 168 people, including 19 children, injuring more than 600 and damaging 300 buildings. McVeigh developed the impulse and the rationalization for terrorism in the first Iraqi war, Desert Storm.

He said he felt joy in decapitating an Iraqi soldier soon after arriving and shock when he was ordered to shoot surrendering Iraqis. He won medals for his soldiering but reprimands for wearing a KKK “White Power” T-shirt at the base. Vegetating in his cell before his execution in 2001, McVeigh wrote a manifesto explaining how he could kill hundreds of innocent children and

adults without remorse in the cause of unshackling people from a tyrannical government. He compared the Oklahoma City bombing to President Clinton’s then-current missile attacks on suspected Iraq weapons facilities, which killed many innocents. Clinton uses missiles and bombs, he used a truck, he said. One wins praise, the other the death penalty. “When considering morality and mens rea [criminal intent],” McVeigh wrote, “I ask: Who are the true barbarians? ... Whether you wish to admit it or not, when you approve, morally, of the bombing of foreign targets by the U.S. military, you are approving acts morally equivalent to the bombing in Oklahoma City.”

McVeigh’s is still the irresistible logic that guides terrorism everywhere, and it cannot be defeated without understanding it.

that fascinates them — than waste their college years pondering the exact color of their navels and compiling lists of fruitless demands.

End xenophobia? Wonderful. Tell it to ISIS. However, how it seems to work on many campuses these days is that a tenured commissar like Cooper gets to make both ends of the argument: yours and hers. Needless to say, you’re

wrong by definition.

Anyway, here’s what I’d tell her students if they asked me: Yes, race can still be an obstacle.

However, most Americans want to be fair. People will meet you more than halfway if you let them. As President Obama has shown, bigots no longer have the power to define your life.

Unless, that is, you give it to them.

ARKANSAS TIMES MARKETPLACE Presents

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORK The City of Maumelle will be accepting applications for the position of Director of Public Works to oversee all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the Department of Public Works, Street, Sanitation and Animal Service.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: Supervision of Department supervisors to ensure proper operation within the department. Assist street maintenance supervisor with reviews of construction plans and conduct pre-construction meetings, required inspections, and final construction inspections to the City. Ensure Maumelle Transfer Station has State and Federal required forms and bonds prior to street dedication. Maintain responsibility of Building Maintenance supervisor of proper operation of traffic signals on Maumelle Blvd., oversee construction and keep records of cost, employee, materials and equipment, design and construct all signage for City of Maumelle, perform traffic studies, and inspection of sidewalks, and handicap ramps in the construction phase to ensure compliance with ADA requirements. Responsible for funds, property and equipment and supervisory of employees in accordance with the City’s policies and applicable laws include interviewing, hiring, training, planning assigning and directing work. Complete other duties and tasks as needed or assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have an Associate’s degree or equivalent

from an accredited college or technical school; and seven (7) years related experience and/ or training or equivalent combination of education and experience, and four (5) years of managerial experience-governmental accounting experience is preferred.

STARTING SALARY: Commensurate with education and experience that exceed the minimum qualifications may be considered for a higher starting salary.

The application process will begin immediately. Applications must be received, post marked, email or fax dated no later than Friday, January 15, 2016.

NOTE: Online applications and Resumes will not be accepted by themselves. A City of Maumelle Employment Application must be completed.

Please go to the City of Maumelle web page (www.maumelle.org) and click on the Human Resources Department to print an application. Completed applications should be mailed to: City of Maumelle – Human Resources Department – 550 Edgewood Drive, Suite 555 – Maumelle, Arkansas 72113. For questions, you may contact the Human Resources office at (501) 851-2784, ext. 242 between the hours of 7AM and 5PM Monday-Friday .

EOE – MINORITY, WOMEN, AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. This ad is available from the Title VI Coordinator in large print, on audio, and in Braille at (501) 851-2785, ext. 233 or at vernon@maumelle.org.

ARKANSAS TIMES

MARKETPLACE

Directed by Matthew Mentgen

A Devilishly Clever Comedy

December 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 2015 Fridays & Saturdays // 7:30 pm // and Sundays // 2:30 $16 Adults, $12 Students & Seniors

The Weekend Theater // 501.374.3761 // www.weekendtheater.org

1001 W. 7th St., LR, AR 72201 On the corner of 7th and Chester, across from Vino's.

December 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20. 2015 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday 2:30 pm Sunday The Foreigner is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

Originally produced by the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

$16 Adults; $12 Students & Seniors

DIRECTED BY MATTHEW MENTGEN For more information contact us at 501.374.3761 or www.weekendtheater.org

❤ ADOPTION ❤

Affectionate, Financially Secure Family Joyfully Awaits First Miracle Baby.

Excited Graparents too.

Expenses paid.

1-800-816-8424

ASPEN COLORADO WINTER VACATION RENTAL 1001 W. 7th St., LR, AR 72201 On the corner of 7th and Chester, across from Vino’s.

Support for TWT is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the DAH, and the NEA.

Fantastic 2 bedroom 2 bath condo. New remodel.

Top of the line everything. Heart of downtown.

100 feet to gondola, walk to everything.

Best location in town available Jan 23- March7. $2500 week including tax.

501.772.8780

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION, CALL LUIS AT 501.375.2985

www.arktimes.com

DECEMBER 3, 2015

47

ARKTIMES.COM/RESTAURANTS16

SINCE 1981, ARKANSAS TIMES has asked readers to vote for their favorite restaurants.

Our annual Readers Choice Restaurant Awards are the first, and most renowned restaurant awards in the state.

and around the state in the 35 categories. You may only submit your votes once, but you can return to your ballot as often as you need during the voting period. Only online votes will be accepted.

We’re introducing new rules for the survey this year:

After Dec. 16, we will determine the top four vote getters for each category. Those four and last year’s winners will then advance to a final round of voting that will run Jan. 12 through Jan. 30.

From Nov. 19 through Dec. 16, vote online at arktimes.com/ restaurants16 for your favorite restaurants in Central Arkansas 48

DECEMBER 3, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

The winners will be announced in the March 17 issue of the Arkansas Times, and the awards party will be held on March 15 at the Pulaski Technical Culinary and Hospitality Institute.

We’re excited about this new voting system and look forward to your participation and the final results.