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VOLUME 45, NUMBER 4

ARKANSAS TIMES (ISSN 0164-6273) is published each week by Arkansas Times Limited Partnership, 201 East Markham Street, Suite 200, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72201, phone (501) 375-2985. Periodical postage paid at Little Rock, Arkansas, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ARKANSAS TIMES, 201 EAST MARKHAM STREET, SUITE 200, Little Rock, AR, 72201. Subscription prices are $150 for one year. For subscriber service call (501) 375-2985. Current singlecopy price is 75¢, free in Pulaski County. Single issues are available by mail at $2.50 each, postage paid. Payment must accompany all single-copy orders. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents without the written consent of the publishers is prohibited. Manuscripts and artwork will not be returned or acknowledged unless sufficient return postage and a self-addressed stamped envelope are included. All materials are handled with due care; however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for care and safe return of unsolicited materials. All letters sent to ARKANSAS TIMES will be treated as intended for publication and are subject to ARKANSAS TIMES’ unrestricted right to edit or to comment editorially.

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WEEK THAT WAS

BRIAN CHILSON

Tweet of the week “The Democrats are engaged in a campaign of delay and character a s sa s si nat ion a g a i n st Judg e Kavanaugh. It’s time to vote this week.” — U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (@ TomCottonAr) on Sept. 24, the day after the New Yorker published a story in which Deborah Ramirez, a college classmate of Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, accused Kavanaugh of exposing himself without her consent during college. Kavanaugh denied the allegation. Christine Blasey Ford, who earlier said Kavanaugh groped her and attempted to remove her clothing during a high school party, was scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Term limits ballot hopes look grim A special master has concluded that petitions to put a term limits amendment on the November ballot were insufficient because 14,810 signatures shouldn’t be counted, mostly for discrepancies in complying with a law that applies to paid canvassers. Circuit Judge Mark Hewett, appointed as special master to review facts in a case brought by corporate interests to remove the amendment from the ballot, noted a range of issues affected some of the petitions, 4

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

including whether paid canvassers had begun gathering signatures before they had been properly registered. He also found discrepancies found in canvassers’ permanent addresses out of state and residences in Arkansas. Questionable signatures caused some pages of signatures to be wholly excluded because of problems with as many as 20 percent of signatures on a page. The Arkansas Supreme Court will receive Hewett’s findings and make a ruling. The law su it wa s f i le d by Arkansans for Common Sense Term Limits, headed by Randy Zook, head of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce. They oppose shorter term limits. The current term limits allow 16 years of service in a single house of the legislature (up to 22 in some rare cases in the Senate). The limits were extended from six years in the House and eight in the Senate by a vote in 2014 described to voters as “term limits.” A national term limits organization immediately began an effort to repeal the law change with this amendment, which capped service at 10 years.

Ethics charges filed against Supreme Court justices The Arkansas Judicial and Disability Commission has announced the filing of formal charges of ethics violations against six members of the Arkansas Supreme Court for their handling of a case involving Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen. A three-member investigative panel, acting on a review by Special Counsel Brent Standridge, found that the Supreme Court had improperly ruled on an extraordinary complaint against Griffen without giving him proper notice. A political firestorm followed Griffen’s actions and legislators began talking immediately about reprisals. The complaint named Chief Justice Dan Kemp and Justices Robin Wynne, Rhonda Wood, Josephine Hart, Karen Baker and Courtney Goodson. Justice Shawn Womack was named in Griffen’s complaint. The absence of a reference to him in last week’s release means the complaint against him is still pending. Kemp responded to the complaint that the Commission didn’t have jurisdiction over the Supreme Court and also contended Griffen had

received proper notice. The justices have been given notice of the charges and have 30 days to respond. They can request a hearing before the full Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission. It would be a public trial of the charge that the court members acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” in manners that violated various standards of behavior. Charges had been filed earlier against Griffen on a complaint filed by the Supreme Court for his participation in a demonstration against the death penalty April 14, 2017, the day he ruled in a property rights case by a drug distributor seeking to reclaim drugs it said the state had obtained dishonestly to carry out executions. Griffen’s ruling in favor of the drug company had the effect of bringing executions to a halt. The Supreme Court stayed his order, removed him from the case and banned him from all death penalty-related cases. He sued over that action and also filed this ethics complaint. Judges are presumed to be impartial, the complaint against the Supreme Court said. A personal opinion of a judge, even if strongly expressed, is not enough to overcome this presumption, the panel said.

All outrage

OPINION

Suddenly the Republican legislative cause of the day is not thousands losing Medicaid because of an inept state government. No, it is changing out the o many provocations, so • Smarmy French Arkansas statuary in the U.S. Capitol — little space. Among them: Hill. The millionaire two people whom 1 in 1,000 Arkansans MAX • Smarmy Kenneth Starr. banker and Republican BRANTLEY couldn’t name. The sudden urgency is maxbrantley@arktimes.com The Arkansas Democrat- congressman tried to motivated by an attempt to score politiGazette gave lavish attention to the block Democrats from cal points against Clarke Tucker, greatformer Whitewater persecutor’s new a “rally” at which Vice President Mike great-great-grandson of James Clarke, a book on his Javert-like pursuit of Bill Pence was the headliner. Some rally. former senator and governor who was and Hillary Clinton. He trashes the Maybe 200 or so turned out. The puny very bad on the race question. Clintons and takes gratuitous swipes turnout somehow wasn’t mentioned in When Sens. Jim Hendren (R-Sulat Henry Woods, Jim Guy Tucker, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette coverage. phur Springs) and Bart Hester (R-Cave Susan McDougal and Webb Hubbell. Contrast Pence’s magnetism with the Springs) say this is only about removing Missing from reporter Frank Lockwood’s big and enthusiastic crowd for U.S. Rep. a white supremacist, it is questionable account: Starr’s vile pursuit of the Vince John Lewis (D-Ga.), when he came to based on timing alone. But then consider Foster murder conspiracy; his harassment help Hill’s Democratic opponent, Clarke they are also supporters of school choice of innocent people; his failure to turn up Tucker. laws that are spurring the resegregation anything against Bill and Hillary Clinton Hill’s weak spine also showed in of Arkansas schools and of voter ID laws until Monica Lewinsky walked in. No refusing to provide press services to the specially intended to suppress the turnmention at all of Starr’s shameful han- Arkansas Times or admission to his cam- out of black voters, not to mention social dling of rape in the athletic department at paign events. He also refused to appear and legal policies with a disproportionBaylor when he was president. No men- jointly with Tucker before a business ate impact on black people. Sure. Boot tion of the pervy writing of his trusted group last week unless he was allowed James Clarke. If these legislators are aide, Brett Kavanaugh, now enmeshed to speak last. really serious about making a statement in a sex scandal of his own. • Smarmy Arkansas legislators. against racial inequality, put a statue of

BS Bob

isingenuous is a handy word for political discussions. Look it up or, better still, for a perfect definition, read last Sunday’s op-ed article in the statewide newspaper written supposedly by state Rep. Bob Ballinger (R-Berryville), a Northwest Arkansas Republican who is hoping for elevation to the Senate in November. He reassures you that God-fearing Republicans like him have finally got a handle on the recent flood of corruption in state government that he says was brought on by Democrats. You must be bothered by all the convictions and sentences of legislators, a judge and their consorting consultants and lobbyists in the past couple of years, but now you can feel safe because government is finally in the hands of people like him. “With the help of God,” Ballinger wrote, “I am personally resolved to go beyond merely being an honest man.” Bob is going to personally clamp down on the crooks. He is going to be “proactive,” even if it means not being civil to a few people, presumably Democrats. Except … except nearly all the guys heading off to prison are Ballinger’s close friends and collaborators — Republicans — and Ballinger profited from the very schemes that put a bunch of them

behind bars. But, see, Ballinger is a lawyer and his payments were not bribes and kickbacks, but conERNEST sulting and legal fees. DUMAS Ballinger’s treatise in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on behalf of his party was really about that. Arkansas is a solidly Republican state, but there is concern that if many people put all the clues together and conclude that it actually is a Republican crime wave, a few more legislative and executive seats could tip to Democrats. The torrent of national scandals —the nearly weekly collapse somewhere of Republican congressmen, governors, White House officials, cabinet members or other executive officials for assorted crimes, expense cheating, ethical lapses or sexual peccadilloes — has raised fears of a Democratic tide in the midterm elections. It must not happen in Arkansas. Whatever the appearances, all of the corruption, Ballinger explained, is actually the work of Democrats. Democrats wrested power in Arkansas from the liberal Republicans in 1874 and, except for the four-year liberal governorship of Winthrop Rockefeller, they ran everything until six years ago. It culminated in the 12-year-rule of Bill Clinton when, according to Ballinger, “corruption permeated the entire system.” The evidence of the corruption is … what? No legislator, judge or official

John Walker in his place. And speaking of statues: If cleaning up the state’s image by removing offensive statutes is really the Republicans’ aim, they could begin closer to home by removing monuments to the defense of slavery from the state Capitol lawn. Slavery is a fraught topic for Hendren, facing a lawsuit for using men sentenced in the name of “rehabilitation” to work for his plastics business without pay. P.S. on last week’s column expressing skepticism about savings from Governor Hutchinson’s coming plan to reduce the number of state agencies: A state employee writes anonymously that there’s another angle at work. It’s to capture millions in surpluses held by cash fund agencies that aren’t supported by legislative line-item appropriations. They are primarily regulatory agencies — everything from tow trucks to insurance — that operate on fees from those they regulate. Tapping that money would help achieve the governor’s goal of a fat tax cut for the wealthy.

of state government was charged with away from the prying eyes of state audior convicted of any crime in Clinton’s tors. Ballinger and his legislative friends tenure. — Jon Woods, Micah Neal, Cecile BledThe only conclusion, Ballinger seems soe, Justin Harris, Charlie Collins, Bart to reason, is that Clinton’s secret crook- Hester, Randy Alexander, Jim Dotson, edness set a bad example for all these Jana Della Rosa, Debra Hobbs (Repubcrooked Republicans who came to licans every one) funneled $700,000 of power in Arkansas in the electoral rev- your tax dollars to a tiny Bible school olution during the presidency of Barack called Ecclesia College, in violation Obama, although Ballinger did not iden- of the state Constitution’s prohibition tify even one of the crooks as a Republi- against supporting a religious institucan. In fact, the word “Republican” does tion. Ecclesia’s pitch was that it turned not appear in his article. out reliable Republican voters. The government crime spree may Woods and others connected to the be said to have begun with the guilty scheme, including the college’s presiplea of Republican Circuit Judge Mike dent, are going to prison for bribery and Maggio, who slashed $4.2 million from fraud. Neal confessed instantly and gets a jury verdict against a nursing home to stay home. Ballinger represented the magnate in 2013 after taking bribes in college and its crooked president, perthe form of campaign gifts that were fun- haps owing to his own legal troubles. neled through sham political commit- Banks started foreclosure proceedings tees set up by a former Republican state on Ballinger’s home five times in seven chairman and Republican leader of the years. Ballinger is a sponsor of Issue 1, Senate. Ted Suhl, who flew Gov. Mike the constitutional amendment that will Huckabee to political events around the end people’s constitutional right to full country, would soon go to prison for redress for their injuries and give legisusing a church to bribe a state official lators power over judicial proceedings. and former legislator to send millions of Look up his campaign donor list. Medicaid dollars to his behavioral facilSpace does not permit a recitation ity, The Lord’s Ranch. About that time, of the 15 or so other legislators and colLt. Gov. Mark Darr (yes, GOP) had to laborating lobbyists and consultants resign over ethical slips. — a couple are cooperative Democrats The cascade of scandals hastened — who have been convicted, charged or with the audit and subsequent investiga- implicated in schemes to siphon your tion of the regional planning agency in tax dollars for personal advantage or Ballinger’s area, where legislators fun- for collaborating companies or “nonneled state tax money to favored groups profits.” Follow Arkansas Blog on Twitter: @ArkansasBlog

arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

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Casual corruption

o date, I’d remained relatively unemotional about the overlapping corruption scandals that have permeated the Arkansas legislature and have slowly been brought to light by prosecutors. I was fascinated that folks smart enough to have political success were hubristic enough to think that they could get away with such shenanigans while also leaving such a trail of evidence of their guilt behind. I spent hours studying the connections across the interconnected transgressions, was captivated by the personalities of those involved (especially lobbyist Rusty Cranford), and was astounded by the lack of governmental oversight that allowed such an array of offenses to occur. And I was thoroughly curious about the effect of the scandals on the upcoming state elections as well as the votes on ballot measures where legislative power is at issue. But, being a good political scientist, I was very much in analytical mode about the events and their impact. Then, Sunday morning’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette arrived on my front stoop. A story on the front page recounted a series of loans among members of the General Assembly. Among them was a loan of $16,000 in the fall of 2016 by Rep. Joe Jett (R-Success) to incoming Speaker of the House Jeremy Gillam (R-Judsonia) to cover financial shortfalls facing Gillam’s berry farm and payments by other legislators to colleagues to cover overdue tax payments. Jett, a Democrat when the loan was made but about to switch parties the following month, was named chairman of the potent Revenue and Taxation Committee in early 2017 by Gillam. Because there was no explicit quid pro quo between Jett and Gillam, what was reported in Michael Wickline’s excellent piece in Sunday’s newspaper was not criminal. But it was corruption. Moreover, Jett’s response to the story showed just how casual that corruption among those presently in elective office in the state is. Later Sunday morning, Jett responded to the Wickline article on Twitter, writing: “I’m saddened and disheartened by this newspaper taking a story of friendship and goodwill to a place where it cast

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doubts on peoples good and honorable intentions. The fact remains, just because a person is a legislator does not preclude him of the obligation of being a friend.” I understand, and get, the fact that those who serve together in the state legislature become brothers and sisters in service. Because few others fully understand their experiences, they are bonded to their colleagues and become good friends. Despite this, when one is in public office, he or she is a public servant first and foremost. That role should trump all others, particularly in interactions with a colleague making decisions about whether or not you gain a position of power or whether or not legislation one cares about becomes law. This obliviousness by Jett and others who casually discussed their actions in the article moved me to my boiling point regarding the degree to which a culture of corruption has come to thoroughly permeate state government. I realized just how emotionally engaged I was in the shamefulness of the behavior by those who have been entrusted by the people of Arkansas when the findings of the special master examining the sufficiency of the petition signatures on Issue 3 — the proposed term limits amendment — were announced Monday. Circuit Judge Mark Hewett, the special master in the case, found that nearly 15,000 of the signatures counted by the secretary of state should not have been counted because of discrepancies in compliance with rigid state laws covering the work of paid canvassers. This would leave the measure several thousand signatures short of making the November ballot if the Supreme Court affirms Hewett’s findings. While I truly detest term limits as a lazy and ham-handed solution to the need for incumbents to be voted out of office and, out of principle, I probably could not have conjured the will to vote for Issue 3. But, when the announcement of the Hewett findings were announced, I still felt deflated by the probability that those who have been direct and indirect parties to the culture of corruption might not pay a price for their violations. In the words of a man whom I rarely quote, it’s time to drain the swamp.

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It says, I suppose, much about the Auburn offense Arkansas’s team character that after have an offensive a couple of the worst football weeks play of 15 yards or BEAU WILCOX the state’s flagship program has ever greater, and had you experienced, the Razorbacks actually advised Morris of that development in competed at Auburn. They had some the pregame colloquy, you might’ve nice, if limited, moments on offense, gotten the already-embattled coach and John Chavis’ defense played an to beam widely. inspired three quarters of football, Trouble is, even with quarterback wearing down only a bit in the final Ty Storey gamely showing heart against minutes from sheer exhaustion. a heavy rush and with Rakeem Boyd Arkansas, accordingly and shock- emerging as the team’s clear top runingly, dominated a lot of statistical cat- ning back, Arkansas has no sense of egories, namely quarterback sacks (!), how to earn dividends off its modest rushing yardage (!!) and time of pos- investments. The chorus around the session. Hell, teams that practically state is that the Hogs simply don’t have dominate the ledger in that way don’t the talent, but dumb penalties, poor ball often lose. security and inconsistent blocking are And maddeningly, they do not typi- not indications thereof. Instead, it’s a cally lose in a lopsided fashion. But this product of an innovator trying to innoteam has a nagging tendency to buck vate rather than adapt, and it gets this trends in the wrong direction. kind of net result when the stat sheet Just as they took the first trip to Col- tells otherwise. orado ever and lost control of a certain That is not to mock either Morris win, and then let North Texas waltz or offensive coordinator Joe Craddock into Fayetteville and lay an unprec- for stubbornly square-pegging it when edented beating on them, these Hogs there’s only round holes to be found. managed to outplay Auburn in most Some of what we saw on Saturday night areas and still lose by 31 points, 34-3 at Jordan-Hare Stadium was, in fact, in the end. Yes, this all constitutes Good Football™ that often becomes improvement and cause for hope, even something far greater as a season proif it does mean that the Tigers have gresses if a team can simply get out of now pasted the Hogs by a combined 116 its own way. Considering the debacle points the past three seasons amid ran- against North Texas was so extreme, it dom, ill-spent cries for Auburn coach was almost unfathomable that ArkanGus Malzahn to “come back home” and sas sustained any drives and got any take over a program he left twice — stops, and they did a little of both. as both walk-on player and assistant Third downs, ultimately, were the coach — to land here permanently and team’s undoing, and that’s why Boyd salvage a shipwreck. or Maleek Williams has to take over Malzahn has no interest in that and the very docile running game and start never has. He played the Hogs for a eating up yardage early in a series. Stomassive pay raise and thankfully his rey was left to scramble a lot when moribund offense remains Auburn’s the Tigers brought pressure on those problem, although with a shored-up pivotal downs, and as a result, after defense and competent decision mak- converting two on a single, fruitless ing at quarterback, he’s still got a Top (Connor Limpert whiffed a 40-yard 10-caliber team. But make no mistake, field goal try) drive early, the Hogs on Saturday, Sept. 22, his Tigers looked only cashed in a single third down the thoroughly demure at best in most remainder of the game in 14 tries. Comareas, save one. bined with the awful field position the And that one facet of the game is punting unit created all night, Auburn where it was decided, almost entirely. was able to make a slugfest look like a Arkansas’s special teams were again cakewalk and give the Hogs a loss in a horror show of shanked or return- their SEC opener for the eighth conable kicks, hideous punt protection and secutive year. coverage, and ineffective field position Keep in mind, that last ignominichess matches. Though the Tigers had ous bit of data encompasses now four three rushing touchdowns and a cou- total head coaches. Arkansas needs the ple of Anders Carlson field goals, they momentum of a positive league start hardly moved the ball with consistency, for once at some point, and Morris and and Chad Morris owes Chavis a debt of Chavis, though the effort was notable, gratitude for that. Only three times did couldn’t stall that awful skein.

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THE OBSERVER NOTES ON THE PASSING SCENE

Tribal

he Observer, Junior and our with a wide grin of horrid teeth. Wearing young nephew from down in the weddings-and-funerals suit every Lower Arkansas got down to 13-year-old boy is obliged to have in the Hot Springs for SpaCon over the week- back of his closet, he emerged as a truly end, the multiday geekfest that’s one unsettling nightmare. How he saw to of the bigger pop culture conventions walk with that thing on his head is a mysin the state. tery for the ages, but it was pretty damn The Observer grew up way out in impressive for the work of a mere lad. the weeds and sticker bushes of Saline The Observer has never been to a County, pre-internet, pre-pop-culture, big comic book convention, but this one pre-cable and MTV, so we managed was a beaut: several hundred people to miss the explosion of stuff like that, milling about, row on row of geeky venwhere people can get just as into their dor booths set up in a convention cenfavorite TV show or movie or comic ter ballroom, plus laser tag and video book as some folks we knew back then games and autograph opportunities with got into Chevy or the Dallas Cowboys, sorta-celebrities like the no-longer-kid bass fishing or attempting to wow the who played Eddie Munster. The vast unseen Almighty by whipping up the majority of those in attendance were best Mexican cornbread casserole for representing some pop culture passion, the church social. either through T-shirts or full-blown It’s a shame we missed the “con” costumes. An 8-foot robot was walkgame, really, because The Observer ing around. Another dude — clad in a would have probably made a damn fine buckskin loincloth, a crown of metallic geek, with our head for trivia and quick thorns, and a head-to-toe white spandex on the draw with a glue gun. Comic unitard that even covered his face and books were around back in the Stone head — dragged a huge red cross around Age of our childhood, of course, but we the convention center the entire time we never quite took to them, always too were there, with Junior soon dubbing impatient to have our fictional pleasures him Creepy Christ Superstar. Then, of doled out to us one colorful spoonful a course, there was Nephew, who spent month. Novels were always more our the whole time walking the floor stiffspeed. Junior’s as well, try as we might armed and silent for maximum weirdto push him toward one cultural beach- ness, giving only a slow thumbs-up head or another when he was a kid. As anytime someone approached him and any parent can tell you, trying to push a asked to take a photo with him. Dozwillful child toward an interest you think ens did, from adults to kids, old dudes he or she should have is like trying to to fetching young ladies. At 13, The shove the Battleship Missouri uphill on Observer would have killed The Batrollers made of Vienna sausages. man for that sort of attention. Our nephew is way into all that noise, At Nephew’s age, The Observer was however, and so Uncle Observer and an awkward boy, never quite comfortCousin Junior were happy to ferry him able in this skin we’re in. Too heavy, to SpaCon. He made himself an outfit too awkward, too weird, kind of an for the occasion: some obscure mon- outcast for our odd pursuits and our ster we’d never heard of but which he thoughts of more than who the Razorassured us haunts the dreams of The backs were playing this week. But here Youths these days — a few sheets of was Nephew and a couple hundred fleshy tan foam rubber, haphazardly other kids just like him who had found and deliberately hacked up, then glued each other and the place they belonged, back together over a form. With the unashamed in their love of the nerdy, mask on, his head was transformed into colorful, altogether wonderful things an eyeless, flesh-colored meatball criss- they happen to love, and to hell with crossed with faux wounds and adorned those who would judge them for it.

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GET YOUR TICKETS NOW CentralArkansasTickets.com arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Arkansas Reporter Banking for all THE

With a new effort to reach the unbanked, Southern Bancorp CEO Darrin Williams’ Big Idea comes to life BY REBEKAH HALL

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

BRIAN CHILSON

or many low-income with surprise overdraft fees, high ners that they already Arkansans and their monthly maintenance costs and min- have an established families, paying for basic imum opening deposits. The same relationship with,” needs — including rent, 2015 FDIC national survey shows that Stephanie Matthews, utilities and food — can mean jump- the majority of unbanked households director of Bank On ing through costly hoops. Alternative think that banks have no interest in Arkansas+, said. financial services such as payday lend- serving them, and a significant porOur House Execers, pawn shops and check cashing tion do not trust banks. The problem utive Director Ben services charge steep fees that add then lies in restructuring the relation- Goodwin said that up quickly. The Bank On Arkansas+ ships between unbanked and under- helping the nonprofinitiative hopes to combat this. banked individuals and families and it’s clients make wise The unbanked are defined as indi- the financial institutions that seek to financial decisions is viduals and families with no checking serve them. That’s where Bank On a key step in providor savings account. According to an steps up. ing a pathway out of FROM BIG IDEA TO REALITY: Darrin FDIC national survey, 9.7 percent of The Bank On model is housed at homelessness and into independence Williams, CEO of Southern Bancorp, Arkansas households were unbanked a national nonprofit organization and self-sufficiency. As a community helped make a new program to help in 2015. But even some households — the Cities for Financial Empow- partner, Goodwin said, Our House unbanked people a reality. with bank accounts are still vulner- erment Fund — and is employed by looks forward to the progress Bank able to financial predators. That’s why 74 coalitions with 24,800 branches On products can help their clients the Bank On movement also targets nationwide. Bank On has national make. “underbanked” individuals, meaning account standards that each par“We’re happy to play that role and mons Bank. people who have a checking or savings ticipating financial institution must excited about playing that role. … We After Big Ideas 2017 was published, account but still used an alternative meet, including minimum opening want to provide good information to the AFN used the opportunity to gain financial services provider in the past deposit fees of $25 or less, free mobile our clients and help them make the support for the initiative, according to 12 months. The average unbanked and online banking and free depos- wisest decisions about where to put Matthews. “The AFN was like, ‘Let’s individual spends $1,000 a year on its. Bank On accounts also cannot their money,” Goodwin said. “We see leverage this article and see who we alternative financial services, accord- be overdrafted, meaning customers our role as providing information and can get to the table, and who may be ing to Bank On Arkansas+. won’t be charged surprise insuffi- sharing opportunities that we’re able interested in exploring this idea,’ ” In the Arkansas Times’ Big Ideas cient fund fees. to find in the community, helping our she said. for Arkansas 2017 issue, Southern Community partners — ranging clients understand those opportuniAround 70 stakeholders showed up Bancorp Inc. CEO Darrin Williams from community action agencies to ties, and to feel like they’re able to to a meeting held by the AFN at the wrote about the need to create a state- nonprofits of all types, such as the exercise their best judgments in mak- Federal Reserve office in Little Rock wide coalition to bring safe banking Arkansas Foodbank, the Mexican Con- ing those decisions. Bank On is just in August 2017, and from there, the to the unbanked and underbanked. sulate, Our House and the Women’s one of those opportunities.” AFN began exploring what a Bank On Now, it’s coming to life. The Arkan- Foundation of Arkansas — refer their Arkansas will be the first statewide coalition would look like for Arkansas. sas Asset Funders Network, a regional clients to participating financial insti- Bank On coalition, and six financial Williams said the participation of chapter of a nationwide network of tutions, where they can sign up for institutions in the state have nation- financial institutions is key to the sucgrantmakers investing in the eco- safe accounts certified by Bank On ally certified Bank On accounts: Bank cess of the Bank On Arkansas+ initianomic well-being of low- and mid- and designed specifically for their of America, Diamond Lakes Federal tive. “That’s why it’s so important for dle-income individuals and families, needs. Credit Union, Iberia Bank, South- us to complete the network and try took advantage of the attention Wil“We know from the Bank On model ern Bancorp, U.S. Bank and Wells to fill in the places where we don’t liams’ idea received and seeded the that the best way to encourage those Fargo. Four additional institutions have financial institutions — because Bank On Arkansas+ coalition. who need to be served by financial are in the account certification pro- it’s just not convenient for someone Many individuals avoid banks institutions is to have that message cess: Citizens Bank, First Community who lives in an area that doesn’t have because of negative experiences come from trusted community part- Bank, First Security Bank and Sim- a bank,” he said. “So that’s why, for

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me, it wasn’t enough for this to be a Little Rock thing, or a North Little Rock thing. It really needed to be a statewide effort.” Williams said many Arkansans lack physical access to a financial institution. He compared Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood to its 12th Street corridor, a low-income area that is predominately African-American. In the 2.82 square miles of the Heights, there is a population of 5,367 residents and 14 financial institutions. In stark contrast, in the 13 square miles of the 12th Street corridor, there is a population of 25,925 residents and a single financial institution. Williams said the Bank On Arkansas+ initiative will help the unbanked and underbanked develop financial stability, starting with the ability to save money. “The beginning of improving your financial health really starts with a relationship with a traditional financial institution,” he said. “It is very difficult to save money outside of a traditional bank. It’s not safe. You shouldn’t be burying your money in a coffee can in your backyard, so what banks like Southern do is provide financial literacy and education programs.” Financial education will also play a role in Bank On Arkansas+, and the initiative will work with “Plus Partners,” such as Credit Counseling of Arkansas, Central Arkansas Development Council and Economics Arkansas to provide services such as financial coaching, budgeting and helping clients navigate their credit scores. “These partners allow us to address financial stability comprehensively … [It] doesn’t stop at connecting individuals to checking accounts,” Matthews wrote in an email. Williams said he hopes the Bank On Arkansas+ initiative will help build a better financial future for the unbanked and underbanked of the state. “We believe this certified Bank On account is the beginning of helping to improve the financial health of Arkansans,” he said. “When the FDIC does a study down the road, we hope that Arkansas won’t have one in four people underbanked. … We cannot be above national averages on unbanked or underbanked people. That’s what we’re looking for to be successful.”

THE

Inconsequential News Quiz:

BIG Soothe Your Burning PICTURE

Hole edition

Play at home, while loading your baked potato!

1) Something weird happened recently in the tiny Baxter County town of Midway 3) Recently, police say, a man successfully that is, as of this writing, still unexplained. robbed an Arvest Bank branch inside What was the mysterious event? the Walmart Supercenter on South A) A flying saucer landed, and after townsfolk showed the Shackleford Road in Little Rock with a aliens who emerged a video of Donald Trump, the little very odd “weapon.” What, according to green men replied: “That idiot from ‘The Apprentice’? That’s investigators, did the man brandish while funny and all, but seriously, take us to your leader.” robbing the bank? B) A bigoted local baker refused to bake a wedding cake A) His penis. for the cross-species nuptials of the Fouke Monster and Sasquatch.

C) A geyser of flame erupted from a basketball-sized hole

in the ground, with the hole reportedly shooting a column of fire 8-to-9 feet in the air for over 45 minutes.

B) U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s penis.

C) A loaded baked potato. D) A fire extinguisher.

D) An old-timey Freak Show came to town, exhibiting

such rare oddities as The Evangelical Christian Who Minds Her Own Business, the Bi-Incurious Homophobe, and The Republican State Senator Who Refused A Bribe.

2) Local gadfly and blogger Russ Racop recently dug up an interesting fact about Little Rock School District Superintendent Mike Poore. What has Racop uncovered this time? A) Poore is so cheap he chews old gum retrieved from under desks.

B) If you say Poore’s name three times into a mirror at

midnight, unelected billionaires appear and take over your school district.

C) Perhaps not surprising, given that Poore is the state-

appointed leader of Little Rock’s state-controlled school system, Poore is not registered to vote in Pulaski County.

D) He lost his hair in a tragic dodgeball accident.

4) After police were called to the bank robbery mentioned in the item above, investigators say the alleged thief took a novel approach to ditching the loot as squad cars screamed into the parking lot. What, according to investigators, did the man allegedly do with the money as the cops closed in? A) Quickly used it to buy three stolen TVs, four stolen

handbags and a large quantity of meth from other criminals lurking in the parking lot.

B) He told police he was a state legislator innocently taking his kickback for a walk.

C) He ran into the Walmart and purchased 1,100 cans of

chicken noodle soup, confident that they will be worth more than gold bullion once Trump’s idiotic tariffs crash the global economy.

D) He tried to swallow the cash.

5) The New York Times recently published an article about Arkansas’s new Medicaid work requirement that forces certain recipients to work at least 80 hours a month and log those hours on a state website in order to keep their health care. Which of the following are real facts reported in the article? A) Only 1,200 people — about 2 percent of the total number of Arkansas Medicaid recipients required to submit work hours to retain their health care coverage — reported they had completed the required 80 hours of work in August.

B) The state of Arkansas estimates that only 20 to 30 percent of Medicaid recipients actually opened an email sent to inform them of the new work requirements.

C) A professor of health policy at New York’s Baruch College who recently interviewed 18 Arkansas Medicaid beneficiaries found that 12 of them had never heard of the work requirement they will have to satisfy in order to keep their health care.

D) To the sure glee of heartless Republicans, all of the above. ANSWERS: C, C, D, D, D

LISTEN UP

arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

LOVE STORY: Little Rock’s Ben Dickey and Alia Shawkat star as Blaze Folely and Sybil Rosen, whose memoir “Living in the Woods in a Tree” inspired the film “Blaze.”

IFC FILMS

‘Blaze’ makes a name for a Malvern songwriting legend — and now it’s all different for the Little Rock musician who portrays him onscreen. BY STEPHEN KOCH

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

That’s Little Rock native Ben Dickey describing kind of music. We had an idea we would work on what it feels like to go from obscure indie musician something, someday, that would cover those folks — to lauded indie actor. Blaze Foley, Guy Clark, Townes [Van Zandt], the list And while his music remains respected in hip cir- goes on and on, you know.” But Dickey had his own cles mostly centered around Little Rock and Philly, it’s thoughts on casting at the time: “I just always said to Dickey’s unexpected recent turn as an actor that won [Hawke], ‘It would be cool if you could play Townes.’ ” a special jury award for achievement in acting from The speculation ended on New Year’s Eve 2015. “I Sundance. Rolling Stone called it “astonishing.” The think he’d been marinating on it for a while, but it Austin American-Statesman called it “a tour de force of looked like it struck him like a lightning bolt on New oversized charm and verve.” It’s all for Dickey’s work in Year’s Eve — at 4 in the morning, [Hawke] got, like, “Blaze,” a movie about Blaze Foley, the Malvern-born possessed. He’s like, ‘I’m going to fucking make a Blaze songwriter who made a name for himself in the Austin, Foley biopic and you’re going to play Blaze.’ And I was Texas, music scene of the 1970s and 1980s — talked just kind of like, ‘Ha ha, OK, dude.’ ” about for his drunken, duct-tape-wrapped behavior But Hawke’s fever dream persisted: “The next as much as for his stinging yet heartfelt songs. “Blaze” morning, he woke me up at 9. We went to bed at 4, hits theaters in Arkansas Sept. 28. and here he wants to go for a walk at 9. We’re still Helming his fourth feature, director Ethan Hawke drunk. So we went for a walk, and he pitched this idea. has said “Blaze” is not a Blaze Foley biopic in the way He was deadly serious about it, and very convincing “Ray” is about Ray Charles, but in the way “Raging about it. He was like, ‘I saw it. I saw it all, I saw it all Bull” is about Jake LaMotta. That is, you don’t need last night. I realized you’d be perfect.’ He didn’t know to know who LaMotta is to enjoy, or even understand, beyond Blaze, other than that he had died tragically, the movie. And that’s a good thing for “Blaze” the film, and that he was a great songwriter. That’s how the because few know Blaze the songwriter, born Michael idea was born.” David Fuller in Malvern in 1949. That March, Louis Black, longtime editor of the AusSpeaking by phone from Caddo Parish, La. — at a tin Chronicle alternative newsweekly, hipped them to friend’s farm not far from the Arkansas line where he’s Sybil Rosen’s 2008 memoir about her life with Foley, lived with his girlfriend, Beth, since 2014 — Dickey “Living in the Woods in a Tree.” “He put that book in tried to sort it all out: “I just keep counting my lucky Ethan’s hands,” Dickey said, “and that’s when it went damn stars.” from, ‘I want to do this two years down the line,’ to ‘I Having friends helps. “Ethan Hawke is one of my want to do this straightaway.’ ” good friends. We became friends about 15 years ago. Another Hawke project where Dickey was set to His wife, Ryan, and my partner, Beth, are best friends play a minor role and contribute music had recently and go way back,” he said. fallen through. “[Hawke] said, ‘Listen, I can make this “We’re both Southern people, we both love music, movie like, now, if you want to do it, like for real … I we both love food, we both love movies, so we became have the money to do it. And that’s when it became friends. Over the last eight or nine years, he’s been sort super crazy real.” of encouraging me to consider acting, or at least doing Most of “Blaze” was filmed in Louisiana. And something with movies. I love storytelling, but I never most of the music in “Blaze” was filmed live. Both had it in me — I never had a wild desire.” Hawke and Dickey emphasize they respect their subAt Sundance in January, Hawke described the ori- ject enough to strive to nail the details, especially the gins of “Blaze” simply: “I’ve been a big fan of [Dickey’s] musical ones. And people have noticed. In addition music for a long time, and believed in him, and I’ve to the acting accolades Dickey has received, Rolling also been a fan of Blaze Foley.” Stone called the film “the best music biopic of the Dickey said he and Hawke went “pretty deep about year.” Variety called it “the ultimate hipster movie,” 12 years ago over Blaze and Townes Van Zandt, that explaining it was a compliment. At Rotten Tomatoes,

it currently boasts a 100 percent “fresh” critics’ rating. Dickey is in nearly every scene in “Blaze,” which runs more than two hours. And while Dickey had doubts about his skills onscreen, he said, “The way that I looked at it was, the one thing I know I can do is do justice to Blaze’s music. I have no idea what I can do with the acting bit. But it’s a pretty great opportunity.” It’s true — but director Hawke brings more to “Blaze” than just star power and investors. While most may know Hawke as an actor from “The Purge,” the “Before Sunrise” trilogy or his star-making turn in 1989’s “Dead Poets’ Society,” the Tony and multiple Academy Award nominee has directed feature films, a documentary and off-Broadway plays, and is tuned in to music. His documentary directorial debut was 2014’s “Seymour: A Introduction,” based on classical composer Seymour Bernstein. Hawke, himself a native of Austin, Texas, took a convincingly tragic turn as trumpeter Chet Baker in 2015’s “Born To Be Blue,” was a guitarist in 1994’s “Reality Bites,” and played a rock musician in 2018’s “Juliet, Naked.” “I trust Ethan, and I trust the production group that we were all working with,” Dickey said. “But I didn’t really know what I was in for until it started, and it was really wild.” *** The string of events that led to Dickey the musician getting into Blaze Foley’s music is as circuitous as that which got Dickey the actor to playing Blaze Foley. “I turned my father on to John Prine about 2002,” he said, and chided his music-loving father for his lack of knowledge. “He couldn’t believe he’d gone his whole life without knowing who John Prine was. This was right up his alley.” Prine’s subsequent album, 2005’s Grammy-winning “Fair & Square,” had a version of Foley’s “Clay Pigeons” on it. “And my dad is like, dude, this song is incredible!” The younger Dickey, in turn, had barely heard of Blaze Foley at this point: “I heard of his name and that he’d died tragically.” Dickey’s dad, meanwhile, became a full-fledged Foley fan. The elder Dickey eventually sent Ben a wonderfully dad-like Blaze Foley care package: a burned CD, pages of related articles printed from an internet browser. It

arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

A BONDING EXPERIENCE: Dickey (as Blaze) with director Ethan Hawke on set (below), and Rosen (Shawkat) and Folely (Dickey) celebrate their wedding in a scene from “Blaze.”

IFC FILMS

was right before Ben and his girlfriend went on a road trip to see the Hawkes in Nova Scotia, where Ethan owns an island: “We sort of became obsessed on that trip. I went down the rabbit hole pretty deep 10 years before we started working on this movie.” But most in Arkansas have known Ben Dickey from a completely different rabbit hole — his own music. His band, Shake Ray Turbine, was a big part of Little Rock’s glorious punkish DIY scene of the mid-to-late 1990s. At the turn of the century, the band relocated to Philadelphia and changed its name to the Unfixers. After a stint in Philly’s Blood Feathers, he released a single on Little Rock’s Max Recordings as Amen Booze Rooster. Dickey then released his solo debut, “Sexy Birds & Salt Water Classics,” on Little Rock’s Max Recordings label in 2016. “I grew up in Little Rock, moved to Philadelphia when I was 20, I lived in Philadelphia the better part of 17 years, for a year and a half in Arizona, and a year in New York,” he said. “But I’ve always been an Arkansan. You can’t get it out of you.”

in November 2011. Foley compatriot Gurf Morlix per- thing I knew I could do was — I’m in a really unique formed afterward. To add another Arkansas connec- position to — do his music right,” Dickey said. The tion onto the “Blaze” fire, the screening was spon- “Blaze” soundtrack, which also features an original sored by Little Rock lawyer Brad Hendricks, who composition of Dickey’s, was released Sept. 21. once was roommates with Blaze Foley. This Foley Austin, Texas, native Charlie Sexton plays Townes guy got around.) Van Zandt in “Blaze.” In the mid-1980s, Sexton rose to And while “Blaze” is a love letter to many different Top 20 fame as a guitar-slinging teenager with the twin camps, to tell the story of Blaze Foley is also to tell a punch of MTV and his chiseled cheekbones. Thirty story of self-destruction and addiction. “I say it all years later, Sexton is a perfect Hollywood-handsome the time — Blaze torpedoed his own fleet. He was his version of long and lean Townes Van Zandt, who was own biggest enemy,” Dickey said. “Blaze was probably both mentor and peer to Foley. bipolar. He was probably ... a number of things, but Like Dickey, Sexton is another musician turned certainly an addict.” newbie actor — and, like Foley, Sexton is earning raves In the film, as in life, Dickey said his character dealt for “Blaze.” (Sexton’s previous credit was in Richard with his mental issues “by drinking, by doing drugs Linklater’s acclaimed “Boyhood” in 2014. Linklater and running. And that was the name of the game for cameos as a sleazy record exec in “Blaze.”) And the Blaze.” Self-medication for mental issues causing a association with Sexton turned into yet another great dual downward spiral is well-known in behavioral opportunity for Dickey, this time musical. health. “I never met anyone who knew him in life who “Ethan met Charlie when they made that movie ‘Boysaid, ‘He was always nice to me!’ ” Dickey said. “It’s hood.’ They played roommates, so they got to be pretty always ‘He was my best, closest friend — and then, he close,” Dickey said. “I told [Sexton] I was going to try was a total horror.’ ” and make a record, and he said, ‘I’d love to produce it if *** Dickey’s performance, though lauded by critics, you’re into it.’ ” Producing wasn’t some lark for Sexton, “Blaze” “is a huge love letter to Austin; it’s a huge took him to a dark place, he said. “I’ve never done it who’s produced albums for the likes of Lucinda Willove letter to songwriters; and [to] people falling in before, but the only way it made sense to do it was to liams, Jimmie Vaughan and Edie Brickell in addition love — that’s what it is,” Dickey said. immerse myself. The excitement of being up at 4 in the to his time playing in the supergroup Arc Angels and Indeed, the film poster depicts Foley cradling the morning, and in makeup, and on the set, and in trying being Bob Dylan’s off and on touring guitarist. loves of his life — an acoustic guitar and a can of Pearl to be in this world is really cool. Even if the scenes are A soft release was given to a Dickey EP this sumBeer in one arm, his partner Sybil in the other. “Based dark, the mission is clear. … But when it’s over, it’s like, mer so as not to detract from publicity for the movie. on a true Texas love story,” it reads. the super crazy fun musical summer camp is over, and Tellingly titled “It’s All Different,” the EP was culled Alia Shawkat (Maeby Funke from TV’s “Arrested your friends are all gone. It took me months to stop from the Sexton sessions. “I’m trying to get a band Development”) plays Sybil Rosen. Rosen was Foley’s sitting in a cold, sorry pool of where I had been to get together,” Dickey said, for a tour supporting the release partner and soulmate; her memoir provided the basis me close to that place,” he said. of a full album in January. Called “A Glimmer On the for “Blaze.” Rosen co-wrote the script with Hawke, “I love Blaze. And I love his songs,” Dickey said. Outskirts,” it will be released on his new label, Dual and she portrays her own mother in “Blaze.” Dickey “And there are many people in my life who live like Tone. Like so many things in Dickey’s life, it’s been now says Rosen is “one of my best friends. It’s funny — Blaze, and write beautiful songs like that.” put on hold for the movie. “It’s a whole new world to all the people I’ve met through the project, I’ve really me,” Dickey said. “I have a management team now, bonded with.” *** and IFC is putting out our movie, so I have to coordi(Rosen participated in a Little Rock screening of Dickey may have been apprehensive about his act- nate all this stuff with them — it’s really odd; it goes the documentary “Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah” ing but had full confidence in his playing. “The one against my better instincts, really.”

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

And although Little Rock missed out on the fanfare, the press and festival tour for “Blaze” has been extensive. From Kathie Lee and Hoda to NPR, Dickey said he’s participated in around 50 radio and TV segments on the film, and “77 Q&As” to date. But who’s counting? He’s also had to turn down “some interesting things” to focus on promotion of “Blaze” as it caught fire. The work has paid off. Dickey cites the “more palpable” feeling that “Blaze” was connecting with audiences following an “overwhelming” film festival in Switzerland: “There were 8,000 people at this outdoor screening, under a lightning storm. Everyone was moved. It’s very different, going from a screening with 200 people to 8,000.” A subsequent tour of Texas with the film, where audience members actually knew or were related to the onscreen characters at every date, was equally powerful, Dickey said. “I’m working off of the vision of other people right now.” Coming from the background of an indie musician, Dickey agrees, “that’s weird. But they’re all good people, so we’ll see what happens.” Chances are, yep, we will see what happens. Dickey has another movie already in the can — a Western by Vincent D’Onofrio about Billy the Kid called “The Kid.” Dickey notes the character he plays, Jim East, was “a real dude — Pat Garrett’s deputy; Ethan plays Pat Garrett. Chris Pratt plays a villain for the first time.” And he has a couple of other movie projects in the works through Hawke’s production company. Dickey said D’Onofrio “really helped me see the landscape in a really different way [regarding acting]. It simplified everything, and made me feel like I have these tools for preparation, and tools for executing, and tools for not overthinking or anything like that. He gave me some principles to work with.” And Dickey is reading more scripts and doing online auditions from Caddo Parish, because of course he is. “Again, sometimes, I go ‘This makes sense;’ and then sometimes I think, ‘What in the world …?’ ”

Blaze Foley was born in Marfa, Texas. But Foley’s noted obsession with duct tape began Michael David Fuller was born in Malvern, Arkan- innocently enough; he taped some to the tips of sas, on Dec. 18, 1949. his boots to mock the widespread American trend Fuller liked country star Red Foley’s name, so of “going country” in wake of the success of the much he nearly chose Blue Foley as a stage name movie “Urban Cowboy” (a 1980 film directed by before he came up with Blaze. Foley’s songs have Paris [Logan County] native James Bridges). Soon, been recorded by Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett and he was putting the tape on everything, even creatJohn Prine, among others, and the songwriter him- ing an all-duct tape suit. self has been the subject of songs by Lucinda WilAs Fuller became Foley — though he was also liams, Townes Van Zandt and beyond. Years after nicknamed Deputy Dawg after the early 1960s carthe Hot Spring County native’s murder, Blaze Fol- toon lawman hound — he continued on the fringes ey’s songs and persona continue to be inspiring to of the Texas singer-songwriter scene through the other artists. 1980s. He couch-surfed all around south Austin, But before he was Blaze, Michael Fuller got his proud to not have a day job to distract from his craft. musical start in Arkansas singing gospel with his To Austinites, a Dumpster emblazoned with the family, the Singing Fuller Family, when he replaced BFI corporate logo stood for “Blaze Foley Inside.” his older brother. Foley’s mother, Louise, the daughSome recording opportunities that did arise ter of a Pentecostal preacher, led the group. His for Foley ended remarkably badly — with producfather, Edwin, played by Kris Kristofferson in the ers’ assets being seized by the DEA here and promovie, sometimes drove a truck — and sometimes ducers attempting a record-label tax dodge there. traded the Singing Fuller Family’s earnings for Things finally were looking on the up when Willie liquor, according to Michael. (Another musician Nelson and Merle Haggard recorded Foley’s song making her acting debut in “Blaze,” Hurray For “If I Could Only Fly.” The song was offered to the the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra, plays Michael’s sis- country stars by the same lawyer that had brought ter, Marsha Fuller. Segarra also sings a duet with the duo “Pancho & Lefty,” and all thought a similar star Ben Dickey.) chart-topper was at hand. But even after Haggard Stricken with polio as a baby, and growing up in said it was the best country music song he had heard a dysfunctional family, the younger Fuller immersed in 15 years, Willie and Merle’s “If I Could Only Fly” himself in music and spent hours in his room with duet was yanked as a radio single in 1987. his record player and guitar. Foley recorded a country demo and a live set When the Fuller family moved to Texas, Michael as 1988 ended. That summer, he had befriended continued to hone his craft there, and later in Chi- an older man named Concho January. They were cago and Georgia. While establishing himself in neighbors; Foley slept on a couch located on the Atlanta politician Newt Gingrich became a Foley back porch of a house down the street. Foley spent fan. Gingrich apparently liked hanging out with several firsts of the month defending his friend’s hippies during this period, and called Foley “his veteran and welfare checks from January’s son, Bob Dylan.” (Years later, Foley would write such Carey, known as J.J. biting anti-Reagan songs as “Oval Room.”) J.J. was his father’s official caretaker, but often Foley moved to Austin, Texas, in the 1970s, and spent the checks on himself. On the morning of became part of the outsider songwriter movement Feb. 1, 1989, Foley and the son of his friend argued there whose figurehead was Townes Van Zandt. Van again as usual. But this time, J.J. returned with a .22 Zandt would reach national acclaim when Willie rifle and shot Foley dead. All had been drinking. (A Nelson and Merle Haggard took his song “Pancho & jury later aquitted J.J. on grounds of self defense.) Lefty” to No. 1 in 1983. Fuller and Van Zandt became Foley’s casket was covered in duct tape. volatile friends in south Austin, with their shared At 39, the life of Blaze Foley had ended. Foley’s love of composing songs sometimes colliding with legend, of course, had already long since started. their shared love of alcohol. Which is the way Michael Fuller wanted it. arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Many listeners have only heard of Blaze writing so ripe for interpretation. In 2003, Foley/Michael Fuller through others’ ver- Lyle Lovett released a version of the Foley sions of his songs, or even from the Mal- song “Election Day.” In 2005, John Prine vern native being mentioned as a subject in issued his notable version of Foley’s “Clay the songs of others — although hopes are Pigeons.” “Blaze” co-star Alia Shawkat’s this will change with the release of “Blaze.” “Arrested Development” castmate Michael The best-known Foley tribute songs are Cera also recorded a version of “Clay Pigeons” Townes Van Zandt’s “Blaze’s Blues” from in 2014. The Avett Brothers often perform 1994, and “Drunken Angel” by Lucinda Wil- the song live. liams from her Grammy-winning 1998 album Following an aborted duet single release “Car Wheels On A Gravel Road.” Before of the song with Willie Nelson in 1987, Merle recording an entire album of Foley songs Haggard issued a solo version of “If I Could in 2011, guitarist Gurf Morlix recorded a trib- Only Fly” in 2000 — and even made it the title ute song in 2009 called “Music You Might of the album (his 50th!), which became a lateHave Made.” More unlikely acolytes Kings career comeback album for Haggard, called of Leon recorded a tribute song called “Rev- “his masterpiece” by the British Guardian erend” in 2016. newspaper. Little Rock native Jim Dickinson It’s Foley’s compositions that are his cut a version of the song for his 2002 release, musical legacy, of course, but that’s espe- “Free Beer Tomorrow”; Rogers native Joe cially so with so few official Foley record- Nichols recorded a version in 2007 and Nanci ings available — and with his incisive song- Griffith recorded it in 2009. DRUNKEN ANGEL: Folely was immortalized in song by Lucinda Williams.

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centralarkansastickets.com 16

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

COME TO THE R&B COOK OFF Dance to the music while you eat

BY LINDSEY MILLAR AND REBEKAH HALL

BRIAN CHILSON

plenty of pork on Oct. 7 in Argenta.

t’s fall, y’all. That means it’s time @ THE CORNER is “a special blend of spices for our dry says they’re still mulling what sides to for Arkansas Times’ meatiest “At a predominantly male event, I rub finished off with a sweet and spicy serve. event of the year. The Arkan- think it’s important for us to be there,” homemade sauce,” Satterfield said. He sas Times Whole Hog Roast? said Leila King, who co-owns the popu- calls the combo they’ll use for R&B “a FOUR QUARTER BAR Nope. After five years of celebrating all lar downtown breakfast and lunch spot Sweet Cajun medley.” Look for sides of Look for Conan Robinson, the longdelightful ways one can cook an entire @ the corner with her sister, Helen smoked rice and baked beans. time purveyor of the best late-night grub pig, we’ve moved on to other porcine Grace King, and her sister-in-law and available in Central Arkansas, to use wonders, a much jazzier name and a new the restaurant’s chef, Kamiya Merrick. BIG AL AND THE BUTT RUBBERS his signature Four Quarter rub on his location. So come one, come all to the “From skinning the meat, carrying it, This group of Central Arkansas pig parts. And after R&B winds down, first R&B Cook Off from 1 p.m. until 5 smoking it — it’s us.” @ the Corner gets friends has been competing in cook- remember Four Quarter for your afterp.m. Sunday, Oct. 7. The R&B here holds its meat from Brown Chicken Brown offs since 2002, according to team cap- party needs. a double meaning: pork ribs and butts, Sow in Mountain Home. To do the tain Todd Stephens. Their process: which you’ll eat, and rhythm and blues, smoking, the trio will use their custom They inject their Boston butts with a KERMIT’S EX which you’ll shimmy to while you eat. rig. It’s outfitted with a smoker, fryer special blend of butter and seasoning, Michael Rieser’s team got together The former, along with a variety of sides, and prep station. No final decision on use a sweet rub and lots of it and, dur- for the Arkansas Times Whole Hog will come from more than 15 teams made sides yet; King said cheese grits, collard ing smoking, they mop the meat with Roast in 2015 and won. They’ve kept up of barbecue cook-off veterans and greens and mac and cheese were all in a special liquid rub and, Stephens says, competing around the region since then. chefs and cooks from local restaurants. the running. “other hush hush stuff.” “Famous” Bos- This year, they’re coming straight from a The latter will be delivered courtesy of ton baked beans and coleslaw will be cooking competition at the King Biscuit Lagniappe, the soulful local cover act led 107 LIQUOR available as sides. Blues Festival. “As far as brines, rubs by Genine Perez. Advance tickets, availJohn Crow, owner of 107 Liquor and and sauces, we use our own creations able via centralarkansastickets.com, are longtime Argenta Downtown Council FIRST RESPONDERS DONUTS and mixtures of things we like,” Rieser $15; at the door, the price rises to $20. board member and volunteer, says his AND DELI said, but that’s as far as he’d go. “We Because the Argenta Plaza grounds, team will follow the “low and slow” Former @ the Corner cook Chris can’t give away all the secrets.” where past AT Whole Hog Roasts and wisdom in their efforts to perfect pork. Busick is a Hog Roast vet. This time Craft Beer Festivals have been held, are In the spirit of a team repping a liquor he’s repping his soon-to-open donuts MARTIN BORCHERT BOOTY now under construction, we’re having store, they’ll mix some Fire Whiskey and deli spot on Main Street (details on BACKERS a street party. Fourth Street, between into something, too. Their sides will be page 34). “I like to smoke with hickory, The grand champion of the Average Main and Maple streets, will be blocked beans and coleslaw. and I also have a sauce recipe from the Joe division at the 2017 BuzzBQ, Martin off. That’s in front of Flyway Brewing, old Minute Man [restaurant] days that Borchert Booty Backers believe in cookwhich also happens to be the beer spon- ATLAS BAR was given to me that I have tweaked with ing slow and low. Team member Norris sor of the event; it’ll be available for purWe couldn’t reach the globetrotting a little Rock Town bourbon,” Busick said. Lyman would only describe his rub as chase. There’ll also be a Baggo tourna- Tony Poe for this preview, but we’ve Look for potato salad and mini donuts a “special blend of spices” and his sauce ment going, sponsored by Samantha’s heard that he’s contemplating doing his for sides. as a “secret recipe” that’s tangy with a Tap Room & Wood Grill. As usual, the meat “island style” on a Big Green Egg. kick at the end. The Booty Backers will event benefits the Argenta Downtown We’re eager to hear more about his new FLYWAY BREWING use cherry and oak to smoke. For sides, Council. venture, Atlas Bar, opening sometime In last year’s Arkansas Times Whole look for granny apple baked beans and Read on for previews of what to in the not-too-distant future on South Hog Roast, Flyway teamed with Count smoked cheddar mac and cheese. expect from this year’s participants. We Main Street. Porkula to take home the top trophy. couldn’t reach representatives from the With Count Porkula nearing an opening RED HOG BBQ Argenta Butt Rubbers, Big Sexy’s Bar- BAD TO THE BONE date in the East Village, Flyway is going Chris Tanner, the restaurateur becue, the Carrigan Crew, Curley Tails Robert Satterfield’s Bad to the Bone at it alone this year. “We make all the behind Cheer’s in the Heights and Barbecue and Skinny J’s, but with names team has been competing in barbecue brines, rubs and sauces in house,” Fly- Samantha’s, always was in the mix of like most of those, they obviously know competitions since 1999. It’s traveled way co-owner Jess McMullen says. “We winners whenever he competed in the what they’re doing. to 10 different states and taken home 41 usually inject the meat with a brine and Arkansas Times Whole Hog Roast. Try grand championships. The team uses a then use a house-made rub as well, then the regular pork barbecue special at 28-foot rig with a cooking patio attached. we have our own barbecue sauce, which Samantha’s to get an idea of his skills. The winning formula for Bad to the Bone is a tomato/vinegar sauce.” McMullen arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

HOT SPRINGS HAPPENINGS

october 2018 in Hot Springs For a complete calendar of events, visit hotsprings.org SPONSORED BY OAKLAWN

ART & WINE DINNER AT THE AVENUE RESTAURANT IN THE WATERS HOTEL, SEPTEMBER 30 @ 7 p.m featuring Carole Katchen. Hot Springs artist, Carole Katchen’s restaurant scenes take people-watching to a whole new level. Her oil and pastel artworks inspired by restaurants and bars from Los Angeles to New York will be right at home hanging inside The Avenue. This month’s Art & Wine menu will feature five-courses paired with upscale wine selections from Langman Estate winery to complement each course. Priced at $80 per person, reservations are encouraged (501-625-3850). 8TH ANNUAL HOT WATER HILLS FESTIVAL

OCTOBER 5-6, 2018 Two days of music and art pops up October 5th and 6th in the heart of beautiful, downtown Hot Springs. The family friendly event showcases a full range of excellent music in a variety of styles, quality handcrafted art, free workshops delicious foods, craft beer and places for the kids to frolic always with an element of surprise and spectacle. Headlining the festival Friday night are LARKIN POE (Nashville, TN), supported by J.D. WILKES (Nashville, TN, of Legendary Shack Shakers fame), BAS CLAS (Lafayette, LA rabblerousers), BRIAN MARTIN (of local favorites Sad Daddy), and Fayetteville’s MODELING (formerly Move Orchestra). Saturday features headliners BRONCHO (Tulsa, OK) a pair of international groups, including LOLA MARSH (Tel Aviv, Israel) and SEA MOYA (Germany, by way of Canada), and support from MILES FRANCIS, RAH HOWARD, THE VIOLET ULTRAS, and SPA CITYYOUNGBLOODS.

27TH ANNUAL HOT SPRINGS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL OCTOBER 19-27, 2018 Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, 239 Central Avenue; A 9-day all-walk festival makes its home in one of the most unique destinations of the American South, the Historic Spa City of Hot Springs, with all screenings and parties held within easy walking distance. Known for its eccentric charm and unbeatable hospitality, the city of Hot Springs is an ideal place to mix and mingle with industry professionals, filmmakers, and celebrity guests far from the intensity of the Hollywood scene. Each October, film-lovers and filmmakers gather to immerse themselves in more than 100 of the best international features and shorts the documentary world has to offer, and to attend unforgettable events and parties. Through its 27 year history, Hot Springs has hosted many of the greats in documentary film and is known for its warmth and hospitality to filmmakers. Go to www.hsdfi.org for more information. See the full schedule in next week’s issue of the Arkansas Times. We will have all your information on the films, the parties, the guest appearances, the break-out sessions.

OCTOBER5-7,201850TH ANNUAL HOT SPRINGS ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR at the Garland County Fairgrounds. You won’t have to travel far to attend a great Arts & Crafts Festival, just take the 90 minute drive fromTexarkana to Hot Springs, Arkansas on Oct. 5-7, 2018. One of the oldest and largest Arts & Crafts Fair in the state of Arkansas has been going strong at the Garland County Fairgrounds since 1968. The fair has something for everyone in the family with great fair food, pony rides and a petting zoo.

OCTOBER 5, 2018 ‘THE SOUL OF ARKANSAS’ at Hot Springs Convention Center. An exhibit of 40 paintings by internationally recognized artist Longhua Xu, will open in October at the Hot Springs Convention Center. The Soul of Arkansas exhibit will showcase the inspiration Longhua Xu finds throughout Hot Springs.“For me, I find beauty in the people around me,”he reflects.“People who share, people who care for each other – that’s the beauty, and that’s why I’m trying to record it through my paintings.” 18 SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 18 SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT ARKANSAS TIMES

OCTOBER 6-28, 2018 (WEEKENDS ONLY) MAGIC SCREAMS AT MAGIC SPRINGS! Tis the season for spooks and thrills, and Magic Springs officially kicks off the spirit of Halloween Saturday, October 6, 2018 with Magic Screams! Featuring all of your favorites such as –* Wasteland - Somethings Can’t Be Buried, * CarnEvil #9 - Here Come The Clowns, * Paradox - The BridgeTo NoWhere, * CampfireTales, * Greatest Show on Earth, *Trick or Treat Trail & * Pumpkin Patch, *The LAST RIDE - Zombie Hunt Adventure

OCTOBER 6, 2018 SISTER CITY ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION @ Hot Springs Convention Center Grand Lobby. Traditional tribal dancers from the Quapaw Nation will return to their homeland to perform at the 25th anniversary of Hot Springs’Sister City Program with Hanamaki, Japan. Quapaw Tribal Dancers will perform from 2:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 6 at the Hot Springs Convention Center Grand Lobby. A series of various traditional dances will be performed with explanations from the dancers about each dance. “We’re very much from Arkansas,” Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma Chairman John Berrey said.“We’re emotionally attached to it.”Before their forced removal around 1834 from Arkansas to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, the Quapaws made their homes in areas as far east as the Mississippi River and west to Oklahoma and Texas. Recently, the tribal nation purchased 160 acres near Little Rock in an effort to regain a small portion of their lost homeland.

Downtown Hot Springs Farmer Market Free Show for All Ages 4pm-10pm Presented&hostedbyArtBeatEntertainment LIVE BANDS SCHEDULE INCLUDES: 4pm Us On Fire 4:45 Westbound Revival 5:30 Full Circle 6:15Tripswitch 7pm Hooker Red 7:45 Soulstus 8: 30 Vail 9:15 Eight Eyes “Eight Eyes” is the headliner and includes John LeCompt original member/ guitarist of “Evanescence”. Other bands hes performed with are “We Are The Fallen”, & “Machina” to name a couple. John plays bass guitar alo g with vocals for “Eight Eyes”. Their debut CD will be on hand and available to purchase at this event. (Free to all ages)

OCTOBER 12-13, 2018 OKTOBERFEST 2018. This will be the fourth year that the Hot Springs Oktoberfest has returned to Hill Wheatley Plaza in downtown Hot Springs! Come enjoy authentic Bavarian beer and cuisine as well as other family friendly fun, and entertainment. All proceeds for this year’s Hot Springs Oktoberfest benefit The Faces Foundation, a nonprofit organization. This is a family oriented

event open to the public. Children’s activities as well, don’t miss out on live entertainment of Bavarian music. Come enjoy a variety of authentic German beers, wines, and German cuisine at Oktoberfest 2018.

THE STARLITE

has karaoke every Wednesday and live DJs on Friday and Saturday nights!

Hot water hills Weekend line-up Friday, October 5: 4:00

WORKSHOPS & DEMOS:

LIVE MUSIC: 4:30 5:45 7:00 8:30 9:45

Gates open

4:00

Modeling Bas Clas Brian Martin JD Wilkes Larkin Poe

5:00 5:30 6:30 7:30

Starstuff Storytime Theater (*Kids encouraged!) Gio Splawn Tie-Dye Heidi Holstine Hair Wraps Sherri Chandler Dream Bottles Jacqui McCoy Custom Name Necklaces

Saturday, October 6: Noon Gates open

LIVE MUSIC: 3:00

Spa City Youngbloods 4:00 Reckless Saints 5:15 The Violet Ultras 6:30 Rah Howard 7:45 Miles Francis 9:15 Lola Marsh 10:30 BRONCHO

WORKSHOPS & DEMOS:

1:00 Jacqui McCoy Custom Name Necklaces 2:00 Cardboard House Construction (*Kids encouraged!) 3:00 Laura Lee’s Concert for a Young Audience (*Kids encouraged!) 4:00 Bethannie’s $5 Hula-Hoop Workshop (*Kids encouraged!) 5:30 Heidi Holstine Hair Wraps 7:00 Jayme Whisman Heat Press (*Kids encouraged!) 8:30 Gio Splawn Water Marbling

Go to www.hotwaterhills.com for more information.

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ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT www.arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 19 arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 19

SEPTEMBER 27 (THURSDAY)

Hot Springs

Jeff Hartzell @ Rolando’s Steve Malec @ The Big Chill Clyde Pound Trio with Special Guests @ The Ohio Club

SEPTEMBER 28 (FRIDAY)

John French @ Rolando’s Mike Mayberry and The Slow Hands @ The Big Chill John Calvin Brewer Band @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn Ohio Club Players @ The Ohio Club

Live Music Calendar

SEPTEMBER 29 (SATURDAY)

Rick Mckean @ Rolando’s Mike Mayberry and The Slow Hands @ The Big Chill John Calvin Brewer Band @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn Ohio Club Players @ The Ohio Club

SEPTEMBER 30 (SUNDAY)

Stardust Big Band @ Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa

OCTOBER 3 (WEDNESDAY)

Karaoke w/Chucky D @ Pop’s Lounge, Oaklawn Dave Ball @ The Big Chill

OCTOBER 4 (THURSDAY)

Jeff Hartzell @ Rolando’s Dave Almond @ The Big Chill

OCTOBER 5 (FRIDAY)

Karaoke w/Corey 7-10 @ Pop’s Lounge Aaron Balentine @ Rolando’s Mayday by Midnight @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn Code Blue @ The Big Chill

SPONSORED BY OAKLAWN Josh Stewart @ The Big Chill

OCTOBER 12 (FRIDAY)

Karaoke w/Corey 7-10 @ Pop’s Lounge Rick Mckean @ Rolando’s Wesley Pruitt Band @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn Relentless @ The Big Chill

OCTOBER 13 (SATURDAY)

Aaron Balentine @ Rolando’s Wesley Pruitt Band @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn Hall and Malec Sessions @ The Big Chill Stardust Big Band @ Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa

OCTOBER 10 (WEDNESDAY)

Jeff Hartzell @ Rolando’s

20 SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 20 SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Jeff Hartzell @ Rolando’s Amanda Fish @ The Big Chill

OCTOBER 27 (SATURDAY)

Rick Mckean @ Rolando’s Trey Hawkins Band @ The Big Chill Mister Lucky @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn

OCTOBER 18 (THURSDAY)

Karaoke w/Corey 7-10 @ Pop’s Lounge Rick Mckean @ Rolando’s Dylan Earl and The Reasons Why @ The Big Chill Electric 5 @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn

OCTOBER 11 (THURSDAY)

OCTOBER 25 (THURSDAY)

OCTOBER 17 (WEDNESDAY)

Jeff Hartzell @ Rolando’s Relentless @ The Big Chill

Karaoke w/Chucky D @ Pop’s Lounge, Oaklawn Spa City Blues @ The Big Chill

OCTOBER 24 (WEDNESDAY)

Karaoke w/Chucky D @ Pop’s Lounge, Oaklawn Josh Stewart @ The Big Chill

OCTOBER 26 (FRIDAY)

Karaoke w/Corey 7-10 @ Pop’s Lounge Jeff Hartzell @ Rolando’s Trey Hawkins Band @ The Big Chill Mister Lucky @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn

Karaoke w/Chucky D @ Pop’s Lounge, Oaklawn

OCTOBER 6(SATURDAY)

Rick Mckean @ Rolando’s Mayday by Midnight @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn Trey John and Dave Almond @ The Big Chill

Dylan Earl and The Reasons Why @ The Big Chill Electric 5 @ Silks Bar and Grill, Oaklawn

OCTOBER 19 (FRIDAY)

OCTOBER 20 (SATURDAY)

Aaron Balentine @ Rolando’s

ARKANSAS TIMES ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT ARKANSAS TIMES

Mayday by Midnight, Silks Bar & Grill, Oaklawn,

BEST WOMEN LAWYERS * IN ARKANSAS 2018

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT www.arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

21 21

RAISING THE BAR: WOMEN DOMINATING THE LEGAL FIELD T

he emergence of women in the legal profession today, both in numbers and in accomplishment, is nothing short of revolutionary. Once among the most staunchly male-dominated professions, law practices and courtrooms nationwide are seeing barriers broken by almost every measurement imaginable.

the percentage of total attorneys in private practice who are female, a ratio that currently sits at 40 percent. In the corporate arena, greater than one in four chief counsels to Fortune 500 companies are female, as are managing partners in the 200 largest U.S. firms.

ccording to the American Bar Association, the number of women in law school surpassed men for the first time ever in 2016, and women continue to hold that advantage in 2018. In the coming years, the same picture is expected for

omen also hold a majority on the Arkansas State Supreme Court, occupy one-third of the seats on the U.S. Supreme Court and enjoy similar representation on the bench of U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals and Federal District Courts.

2018 BEST WOMEN LAWYERS IN ARKANSAS

APPELLATE PRACTICE

STACI DUMAS CARSON Watts, Donovan & Tilley 501-372-1406 Arkansas Capital Commerce Center, Ste. 200 200 River Market Ave. Little Rock, AR 72201-1769 CONSTANCE G. CLARK Davis, Clark, Butt, Carithers & Taylor 479-521-7600 19 East Mountain Street P.O. Box 1688 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1688 JULIE DEWOODY GREATHOUSE PPGMR Law 501-603-9000 101 Morgan Keegan Drive, Ste. A P.O. Box 251618 Little Rock, AR 72225-1618 BEVERLY A. ROWLETT Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone 501-374-6535 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1900 Little Rock, AR 72201

ARBITRATION

MELVA HARMON Melva Harmon 501-372-1133 111 Center Street, Ste. 1200 Little Rock, AR 72201

JILL R. JACOWAY Jacoway Law Firm 479-521-2621 223 South East Ave. P.O. Drawer 3456 Fayetteville, AR 72702 BIANCA RUCKER Rucker Law 479-445-6340 One East Center Street, Ste. 215 Fayetteville, AR 72701 KIMBERLY WOOD TUCKER Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 501-371-0808 200 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2300 Little Rock, AR 72201-3699

BET-THE-COMPANY LITIGATION

JUDY SIMMONS HENRY Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 501-371-0808 200 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2300 Little Rock, AR 72201-3699

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

TERESA M. WINELAND Kutak Rock 501-975-3000 124 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3706

CONSTRUCTION LAW

BEVERLY A. ROWLETT Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone 501-374-6535 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1900 Little Rock, AR 72201

CORPORATE LAW

SUSAN KELLER KENDALL Kendall Law Firm 479-464-9828 3706 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Ste. 201 Rogers, AR 72758 D. NICOLE LOVELL Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

SUZANNE G. CLARK Clark Law Firm 476-856-6380 244 West Dickson Street, Ste. 201 P.O. Box 4248 Fayetteville, AR 72702-4248

DUI/DWI DEFENSE

CONSTANCE G. CLARK Davis, Clark, Butt, Carithers & Taylor 479-521-7600 19 East Mountain Street P.O. Box 1688 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1688

EDUCATION LAW

* AS EXCERPTED FROM THE 2018 EDITION OF THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA® 22

BEVERLY A. ROWLETT Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone 501-374-6535 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1900 Little Rock, AR 72201

ELIZABETH ROBBEN MURRAY Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

BANKRUPTCY AND CREDITOR DEBTOR RIGHTS / INSOLVENCY AND REORGANIZATION LAW

ELIZABETH ROBBEN MURRAY Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

ARKANSAS TIMES

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

CHRISTINA D. COMSTOCK Everett Wales & Comstock 479-443-0292 1944 East Joyce Boulevard P.O. Box 8370 Fayetteville, AR 72703-8370 ELLEN OWENS SMITH Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

ELECTRONIC DISCOVERY AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT LAW KAREN S. HALBERT Roberts Law Firm 501-476-7391 20 Rahling Circle Little Rock, AR 72223

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (ERISA) LAW ALEXANDRA A. IFRAH Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

EMPLOYMENT LAW INDIVIDUALS

SUSAN KELLER KENDALL Kendall Law Firm 479-464-9828 3706 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Ste. 201 Rogers, AR 72758 ELIZABETH ROBBEN MURRAY Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522 JANET L. PULLIAM Mitchell, Blackstock, Ivers, Sneddon & Marshall 501-378-7870 1010 West Third Street P.O. Box 1510 Little Rock, AR 72203

EMPLOYMENT LAW MANAGEMENT

MISSY MCJUNKINS DUKE Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus 501-371-9999 500 President Clinton Ave., Ste. 200 Little Rock, AR 72201 KATHLYN GRAVES Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

DENISE REID HOGGARD Rainwater, Holt & Sexton 800-767-4815 801 Technology Drive Little Rock, AR 72223 MICHELLE M. KAEMMERLING Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 501-371-0808 200 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2300 Little Rock, AR 72201-3699 ELIZABETH ROBBEN MURRAY Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522 JANET L. PULLIAM Mitchell, Blackstock, Ivers, Sneddon & Marshall 501-378-7870 1010 West Third Street P.O. Box 1510 Little Rock, AR 72203 AMBER WILSON BAGLEY Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus 501-371-9999 500 President Clinton Ave., Ste. 200 Little Rock, AR 72201 CAROLYN B. WITHERSPOON Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus 501-371-9999 500 President Clinton Ave., Ste. 200 Little Rock, AR 72201

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

SHERRY P. BARTLEY Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

JULIE DEWOODY GREATHOUSE PPGMR Law 501-603-9000 101 Morgan Keegan Drive, Ste. A P.O. Box 251618 Little Rock, AR 72225-1618

FAMILY LAW

MARCIA BARNES Marcia Barnes & Associates 501-492-3438 400 West Capitol, Ste. 1700 Little Rock, AR 72201 CARROL ANN HICKS Hicks & Associates 501-771-1817 5321 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Ste. A North Little Rock, AR 72116

HEALTH CARE LAW

ELIZABETH ANDREOLI Andreoli Law 501-690-5069 72 Pine Manor Drive Little Rock, AR 72207-5151 DEBBY THETFORD NYE Kutak Rock 479-973-4200 234 East Millsap Road, Ste. 200 Fayetteville, AR 72703-4099

IMMIGRATION LAW

MISSY MCJUNKINS DUKE Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus 501-371-9999 500 President Clinton Ave., Ste. 200 Little Rock, AR 72201 KATHY W. GOSS Kathy Woodward Goss 501-676-6522 604 South Center Street P.O. Box 448 Lonoke, AR 72086-0000

INSURANCE LAW

MARIAM T. HOPKINS Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins 501-372-1887 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2400 Little Rock, AR 72201-4851 BEVERLY A. ROWLETT Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone 501-374-6535 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1900 Little Rock, AR 72201

CAROLYN B. WITHERSPOON Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus 501-371-9999 500 President Clinton Ave., Ste. 200 Little Rock, AR 72201

LABOR LAW - UNION

EMILY RUNYON Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone 501-374-6535 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1900 Little Rock, AR 72201

LABOR LAW - MANAGEMENT

SUSAN KELLER KENDALL Kendall Law Firm 479-464-9828 3706 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Ste. 201 Rogers, AR 72758

KIMBERLY WOOD TUCKER Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 501-371-0808 200 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2300 Little Rock, AR 72201-3699

LITIGATION - BANKRUPTCY

MELVA HARMON Melva Harmon 501-372-1133 111 Center Street, Ste. 1200 Little Rock, AR 72201 MICHELLE M. KAEMMERLING Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 501-371-0808 200 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2300 Little Rock, AR 72201-3699

KATHLYN GRAVES Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

LITIGATION - BANKING AND FINANCE

JANET L. PULLIAM Mitchell, Blackstock, Ivers, Sneddon & Marshall 501-378-7870 1010 West Third Street P.O. Box 1510 Little Rock, AR 72203

MARCELLA J. TAYLOR Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

MICHELLE M. KAEMMERLING Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 501-371-0808 200 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2300 Little Rock, AR 72201-3699

LITIGATION - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

SUSAN KELLER KENDALL Kendall Law Firm 479-464-9828 3706 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Ste. 201 Rogers, AR 72758

CONSTANCE G. CLARK Davis, Clark, Butt, Carithers & Taylor 479-521-7600 19 East Mountain Street P.O. Box 1688 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1688

AMY LEE STEWART Rose Law Firm 501-375-9131 120 East Fourth Street Little Rock, AR 72201-2893

LITIGATION ENVIRONMENTAL

MISSY MCJUNKINS DUKE Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus 501-371-9999 500 President Clinton Ave., Ste. 200 Little Rock, AR 72201

SHERRY P. BARTLEY Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525 JULIE DEWOODY GREATHOUSE PPGMR Law 501-603-9000 101 Morgan Keegan Drive, Ste. A P.O. Box 251618 Little Rock, AR 72225-1618

LITIGATION - LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

KATHLYN GRAVES Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525 DENISE REID HOGGARD Rainwater, Holt & Sexton 800-767-4815 801 Technology Drive Little Rock, AR 72223

EVA C. MADISON Littler Mendelson 479-582-6100 The Fulbright Building, Ste. 204 217 East Dickson Street Fayetteville, AR 72701 ELIZABETH ROBBEN MURRAY Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522 JANET L. PULLIAM Mitchell, Blackstock, Ivers, Sneddon & Marshall 501-378-7870 1010 West Third Street P.O. Box 1510 Little Rock, AR 72203

LITIGATION - MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS SUZANNE G. CLARK Clark Law Firm 476-856-6380 244 West Dickson Street, Ste. 201 P.O. Box 4248 Fayetteville, AR 72702-4248

LITIGATION - REAL ESTATE

SUZANNE G. CLARK Clark Law Firm 476-856-6380 244 West Dickson Street, Ste. 201 P.O. Box 4248 Fayetteville, AR 72702-4248 CONSTANCE G. CLARK Davis, Clark, Butt, Carithers & Taylor 479-521-7600 19 East Mountain Street P.O. Box 1688 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1688

LITIGATION - SECURITIES

KERRI E. KOBBEMAN Conner & Winters 479-582-5711 4375 North Vantage Drive, Ste. 405 Fayetteville, AR 72703

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WOMEN PARTNERS

Best Lawyers

24th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© Recognized as 2018 Best Lawyers: 4HYPHT ; /VWRPUZ HUK 1\SPL 4 /HUJVJR

Mariam T. Hopkins and Julie M. Hancock

400 WEST CAPITOL AVENUE, SUITE 2400 | LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201-4851 TELEPHONE: 501-372-1887 | FACSIMILE: 501-372-7706

WWW.ANDERSONMURPHYHOPKINS.COM ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT www.arktimes.com

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

LEADING WITH GREATNESS Congrats to our managing member Julie DeWoody Greathouse on being named to this year’s Best Women Lawyers in Arkansas* & The Best Lawyers in America© 201&. *as excerpted from the 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America

LITIGATION - TRUSTS AND ESTATES

ALLISON J. CORNWELL Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522 RITA REED HARRIS Rita Reed Harris 870-633-9900 208 North Izard Street Forrest City, AR 72335 SARAH COTTON PATTERSON Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

MASS TORT LITIGATION / CLASS ACTIONS DEFENDANTS

SHERRY P. BARTLEY Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

With offices in Little Rock, El Dorado and Stuttgart, PPGMR Law is a business-focused law ﬁrm known for its experience in energy, oil and gas, agricultural, environmental and natural resources law, as well as commercial litigation, insurance defense and related business matters. Visit us at ppgmrlaw.com.

LYN P. PRUITT Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

ŽŶŐƌĂƚƵůĂƟŽŶƐ͊

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAW DEFENDANTS

:ĞŶŶŝĨĞƌ tŝůƐŽŶͲ,ĂƌǀĞǇ &Žƌ ďĞŝŶŐ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ϮϬϭϴ ĚŝƟŽŶ ŽĨ dŚĞ ĞƐƚ >ĂǁǇĞƌƐ ŝŶ ŵĞƌŝĐĂΞ ĨŽƌ DŽƌƚŐĂŐĞ ĂŶŬͲ ŝŶŐ &ŽƌĞĐůŽƐƵƌĞ >Ăǁ ŝŶ >ŝƩůĞ ZŽĐŬ ĂŶĚ ĞƐƚ tŽŵĞŶ >ĂǁǇĞƌƐ ƌŬĂŶƐĂƐ ĚŝƟŽŶ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌŬĂŶƐĂƐ dŝŵĞƐ͊ tŝůƐŽŶ Θ ƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞƐ͕ W>>

MICHELLE ATOR Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

KELLY CARITHERS Davis, Clark, Butt, Carithers & Taylor 479-521-7600 19 East Mountain Street P.O. Box 1688 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1688

OIL AND GAS LAW

REBECCA D. HATTABAUGH Ledbetter, Cogbill, Arnold & Harrison 479-782-7294 622 Parker Ave. P.O. Box 185 Fort Smith, AR 72902-0185

PATENT LAW

MARIAM T. HOPKINS Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins 501-372-1887 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2400 Little Rock, AR 72201-4851

PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION - DEFENDANTS

LAURA HENSLEY SMITH Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

MORTGAGE BANKING FORECLOSURE LAW

JENNIFER WILSON-HARVEY Wilson & Associates 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1400 Lile Rock, AR 72201 (501) 219-9388

MUNICIPAL LAW

M. JANE DICKEY Rose Law Firm 501-375-9131 120 East Fourth Street Little Rock, AR 72201-2893

NON-PROFIT / CHARITIES LAW SARAH COTTON PATTERSON Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

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2019 BEST LAWYERS IN ARKANSAS ©

COMING THIS NOVEMBER

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

CREDIT The Best Lawyers in America© is published by BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC, Aiken, S.C. and can be ordered directly from the publisher. For information call 803-648-0300; write 237 Park Ave., SW, Suite 101, Aiken, S.C. 29801; email info@bestlawyers.com; or visit bestlawyers.com. An online subscription to Best Lawyers® is available at bestlawyers.com. DISCLAIMER AND COPYRIGHT BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC, Aiken, S.C. has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All listed attorneys have been verified as being members in good standing with their respective state bar associations as of July 1, 2017, where that information is publicly available. Consumers should contact their state bar association for verification and additional information prior to securing legal services of any attorney.

CAROLYN J. CLEGG Keith & Clegg 870-234-3550 124 South Jackson, Ste. 205 Magnolia, AR 71753 MEREDITH K. LOWRY Wright, Lindsey & Jennings 479-986-0888 3333 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Ste. 510 Rogers, AR 72758

MICHELLE ATOR Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522 SHERRY P. BARTLEY Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525 MICHELLE L. BROWNING Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525 KELLY CARITHERS Davis, Clark, Butt, Carithers & Taylor 479-521-7600 19 East Mountain Street P.O. Box 1688 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1688 MARIAM T. HOPKINS Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins 501-372-1887 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2400 Little Rock, AR 72201-4851

Copyright 2018 by BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC, Aiken, S.C. All rights reserved. This list, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of this list may be made without permission of BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC, Aiken, S.C. No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of this list without permission. “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Best Lawyers” are registered trademarks of BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC, Aiken, S.C. METHODOLOGY FOR BEST LAWYERS® This list is excerpted from the 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, the pre-eminent referral guide to the legal profession in the United States. Published since 1983, Best Lawyers lists attorneys in 140 specialties, representing all 50 states, who have been chosen through an exhaustive survey in which thousands of the nation’s top lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The 2018 Edition of Best Lawyers is based on more than 6.7 million evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers. The method used to compile Best Lawyers remains unchanged

LYN P. PRUITT Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525 BEVERLY A. ROWLETT Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone 501-374-6535 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1900 Little Rock, AR 72201 LAURA HENSLEY SMITH Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522 TERESA M. WINELAND Kutak Rock 501-975-3000 124 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3706

PRODUCT LIABILITY LITIGATION - DEFENDANTS

PUBLIC FINANCE LAW

M. JANE DICKEY Rose Law Firm 501-375-9131 120 East Fourth Street Little Rock, AR 72201-2893

REAL ESTATE LAW

MARIAN M. MCMULLAN McMullan Law Firm 501-376-9119 815 West Markham Street P.O. Box 2839 Little Rock, AR 72201

SECURITIES / CAPITAL MARKETS LAW

ROBYN P. ALLMENDINGER Rose Law Firm 501-375-9131 120 East Fourth Street Little Rock, AR 72201-2893 D. NICOLE LOVELL Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

SARAH GREENWOOD Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone 501-374-6535 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1900 Little Rock, AR 72201

TAX LAW

JULIE M. HANCOCK Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins 501-372-1887 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2400 Little Rock, AR 72201-4851

TRADE SECRETS LAW

LYN P. PRUITT Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

REBECCA B. HURST Smith Hurst 479-301-2444 226 West Dickson Street, Ste. 201 Fayetteville, AR 72701

TRANSPORTATION LAW

SUSAN KELLER KENDALL Kendall Law Firm 479-464-9828 3706 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Ste. 201 Rogers, AR 72758

TRUSTS AND ESTATES

ALLISON J. CORNWELL Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522 SARAH COTTON PATTERSON Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522 JENNIFER R. PIERCE Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard 501-688-8800 425 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800 Little Rock, AR 72201-3525

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW - CLAIMANTS LAURA BETH YORK Rainwater, Holt & Sexton 800-767-4815 801 Technology Drive Little Rock, AR 72223

ELIZABETH ROBBEN MURRAY Friday, Eldredge & Clark 501-376-2011 400 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 2000 Little Rock, AR 72201-3522

CONSTANCE G. CLARK Davis, Clark, Butt, Carithers & Taylor 479-521-7600 19 East Mountain Street P.O. Box 1688 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1688

TRADEMARK LAW

BETTY J. HARDY Coplin & Hardy 501-707-0300 One Union Plaza 124 West Capitol Ave., Ste. 1650 Little Rock, AR 72201

KATHRYN BENNETT PERKINS Rose Law Firm 501-375-9131 120 East Fourth Street Little Rock, AR 72201-2893

since the first edition was compiled more than 30 years ago. Lawyers are chosen for inclusion based solely on the vote of their peers. Listings cannot be bought, and no purchase is required to be included. In this regard, Best Lawyers remains the gold standard of reliability and integrity in lawyer ratings. The nomination pool for the 2018 Edition consisted of all lawyers whose names appeared in the previous edition of Best Lawyers, lawyers who were nominated since the previous survey, and new nominees solicited from listed attorneys. In general, lawyers were asked to vote only on nominees in their own specialty in their own jurisdiction. Lawyers in closely related specialties were asked to vote across specialties, as were lawyers in smaller jurisdictions. Where specialties are national or international in nature, lawyers were asked to vote nationally as well as locally. Voting lawyers were also given an opportunity to offer more detailed comments on nominees. Each year, half of the voting pool receives fax or email ballots; the other half is polled by phone. Voting lawyers were provided this general guideline for determining if a nominee should be listed among “the best”: “If you had a close friend or relative who needed a real estate lawyer (for example), and you could not handle the case yourself,

to whom would you refer them?” All votes and comments were solicited with a guarantee of confidentiality a critical factor in the viability and validity of Best Lawyers’ surveys. To ensure the rigor of the selection process, lawyers were urged to use only their highest standards when voting, and to evaluate each nominee based only on his or her individual merits. The additional comments were used to make more accurate comparisons between voting patterns and weight votes accordingly. Best Lawyers uses various methodological tools to identify and correct for anomalies in both the nomination and voting process. Ultimately, of course, a lawyer’s inclusion is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow attorneys. While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, the breadth of the survey, the candor of the respondents, and the sophistication of the polling methodology largely correct for any biases. For all these reasons, Best Lawyers lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate and useful guide to the best lawyers in the United States available anywhere.

SUZANNE G. CLARK

was included in thee 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© for Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Real Estate and Litigation – Mergers and Acquisitions Acquisi in Fayetteville.

479-856-6380 •244 West Dickson St., Ste. 201 • Fayetteville • www.clark-ﬁrm.com

McMullan & Brown congratulates our senior partner, Marian McMullan, on being included in the 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© for Real Estate Law in Little Rock.

MARIAN MAJOR MCMULLAN MCMULLAN & BROWN An Established Little Rock Law Firm 815 W. Markham St. • Little Rock, AR 72201 501-376-9119 • www.m-b.law ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT www.arktimes.com

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

INSIGHTS FROM THE ATTORNEYS

Q: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME AN ATTORNEY?

“After having a career in the corporate world, becoming a lawyer allowed me to apply that business expertise to creating my own business in a profession that is often exciting and gratifying.” Suzanne G. Clark, Clark Law Firm, PLLC “I was a teacher before I went to law school. I enjoy work that allows me to help others. I saw the law as another extension of the type of work I did as a teacher. The work is challenging, varied, and engaging.” Julie M. Hancock, Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins “I never really thought about going into the legal profession until I fell in love with my business-law class during my last year of college. However, in hindsight, it makes perfect sense. I always found myself in the middle of other people’s issues growing up. I really enjoy lending myself as an advocate and feel great satisfaction when I can help others solve problems.” Emily Runyon, Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone, P.A.

Q: WHAT ROLE(S) HAS/HAVE MENTORS PLAYED IN BUILDING YOUR CAREER?

“I am lucky to work in a firm where the senior attorneys all freely provide advice and mentoring. I think having a mentor is a key to continuing to develop your skills after you complete your legal education and enter the practice of law.” Julie M. Hancock, Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins “It is absolutely critical to have experienced attorneys you respect and trust to provide guidance as you build a legal practice. “ Suzanne G. Clark, Clark Law Firm, PLLC “I don’t know that I would seek out a mentor; however, it is wonderful when that type of relationship happens organically. I have been blessed with several mentors or role models along the way. […] My first job out of law school was as a law clerk for Justice Betty Dickey at the Arkansas Supreme Court. I adored her. I still do. The stories about her journey in the legal profession were inspiring, and she made me believe that there wasn’t anything I couldn’t go out and do as a young attorney. […] I also had the opportunity to work on occasion with Justice Annabelle Imber Tuck about matters

pending before the Court. She taught me so much about the importance of being thorough and how the smallest of details could make a huge difference in the big picture and the final legal analysis. Neither of these women probably realizes the impact they had on me. I hope one day that I have the opportunity to pay it forward.” Emily Runyon, Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone, P.A.

“Thankful for all of the exceptional women lawyers who paved the way for me. Proud to be a part of a firm that years ago saw fit to name me as its managing partner. Humbled to be listed with this fantastic group of women. Encouraged about the future of our profession.” Julie DeWoody Greathouse, PPGMR Law, PLLC

Q: WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO OTHER FEMALES THINKING ABOUT A CAREER IN THE LAW?

“If you treat law school as a job, and stay disciplined with regard to the work assigned, you will succeed.” Suzanne G. Clark, Clark Law Firm, PLLC

“My advice to women considering a career in the law is to have courage and clerk at law firms that allow you to write pleadings and research. You will be good at the area of practice you like the most but it is also good to explore other areas of the law. Also, be patient with yourself and other colleagues because the best teacher is experience and that might be the attorney on the opposite side of the table. I worked full time at a title company doing title work and closing real estate transactions while I attended night law school. I thought I would have a nervous breakdown sometimes, but I kept on. Because I did not go to law school directly out of college I had some experience in the business world which was incredibly valuable in creating my own practice because many of the people I knew became my clients. Finally, simply because you are a female you do not show how aggressive you are by being rude to other attorneys. Wear the white hat no matter what.” Marian McMullan, McMullan & Brown, Attorneys at Law “Women should use their unique strengths and abilities to develop a successful practice. Sometimes women think they need to adapt to be more like men when entering a profession like the law. You will better serve your clients and love your job more, if you bring who you are as a person to what you do.” Julie M. Hancock, Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins “One considering a career in law should be prepared to work hard and deal with sometimes stressful situations. However, practicing law can be very rewarding and intellectually stimulating.” Beverley Rowlett, Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone, P.A. “If you feel pulled to a career in the legal field, there really shouldn’t be any other considerations. Go for it!” Emily Runyon, Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone, P.A.

Q: WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE ABOUT LAW SCHOOL?

“Make the most of your clerking experiences. Talk to people and make connections, even if it is uncomfortable. Ask questions and seek feedback. Find out if the work is something you could be passionate about. Try new things. Don’t make assumptions about what work will fulfill you. Search for something that you love.” Julie M. Hancock, Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins “Your classmates in an Arkansas law school will be your professional colleagues for years to come, assuming you practice in Arkansas, so develop good relationships.” Beverley Rowlett, Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone, P.A. “Enjoy it. You will miss it.” Emily Runyon, Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone, P.A. “Law school is an adventure in perseverance and dedication, and women are wired for both. And in a field dominated by men only a generation or two ago, the legal profession is now filled with talented, extraordinary women pursuing very rewarding legal careers.” Jennifer Wilson, Wilson & Associates, Attorneys at Law

Q: IS THERE A SINGLE PASSION THAT DRIVES YOU AS IT RELATES TO LAW?

“I can’t identify a single passion; however, there always seem to be small injustices in my cases that push me to want to be a better attorney and do the best job for my client.” Emily Runyon, Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone, P.A. “I am passionate about serving my clients well. One of the things I enjoy most about my job is having the opportunity to assist my clients in learning to assess risk and adopt practices which will assist them in avoiding legal difficulties in the future.” Julie M. Hancock, Anderson, Murphy & Hopkins

Arkansas Times gathered these reflections from participating female attorneys in Arkansas, who are being recognized.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Three women lawyers from Munson, Rowlett, Moore & Boone, P.A. were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018. BEVERLY A. ROWLETT was named the Best Lawyers® 2018 Insurance Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Little Rock.

BEVERLY A. ROWLETT

Commercial Litigation Bet-the-Company Litigation Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants Insurance Law Appellate Practice

SARAH E. GREENWOOD

Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

EMILY M. RUNYON Insurance Law

400 West Capitol Ave., Suite 1900 • Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 • Voice (501) 374-6535 • Fax (501) 374-5906 • www.mrmblaw.com 26

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

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Arts Entertainment AND

A RETURN

William Blackart talks border collies, love affairs with vampires and making his ‘Chinese Democracy’. BY STEPHANIE SMITTLE

ntil I heard him wailing about “a killer beekeeper in a Philistine desert” in a DIY venue in a storefront in Russellville, the only thing I knew about William Blackart was that he identified loosely as a poet — at least, enough to have sold me a chapbook of erudite verse with a square of beer-case cardboard for a cover. The Danville native is, though, first and foremost, a musician — one who is, this week, putting out his first album in over a decade. “Return,” as the record’s called, traffics in what happens between dusk and dawn and, though “blinding and burning light” isn’t mentioned directly until the last gutpunch of a track, chiaroscuro is its cornerstone. Blackart releases “Return” with a concert at The White Water Tavern Friday, Sept. 28, where his performance will be followed by sets from Colour Design and Fiscal Spliff. I talked with Blackart ahead of the show. There’s a long literary history of sunrises being symbols of rebirth and promise. On “Return,” sunrises and eastward horizons turn up a lot, but they’re bitter. They’re backdrops for goodbyes and endings, not for births and beginnings. Why is that? I think it kind of varies by song. On the opening track, “Devil May Care,” I’d say any sunrise imagery is more akin to the idea of rebirth than a bitter end. That song is basically a rebirth of attitude. Our unknown protagonist is trading in his or her acts of fruitless longing for a “devil may care” attitude: “Take me or leave me/The devil may care.” They’re saying, “Yeah, I want your love, but it’s kind of petty compared to the solace and beauty found in this earth (and, by extension, universe) that I’m a part of. So it’s all about embracing your humanity while 28

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

I heard a little piece of an interview on KABF-FM, 88.3, recorded sometime just before the release of the new record from Adam Faucett, who produced “Return.” Someone referred to “Return” as your “Chinese Democracy,” referring, I think, to the fact that “Left,” your last album, came out in 2007. Was the delay a matter of choice or circumstance? Do you feel like waiting to do it made the album more fully realized?

FOREVER DAMNED TO THE SUNRISE: William Blackart’s “Return” gets an album release at The White Water Tavern Friday, Sept. 28, with Colour Design and Fiscal Spliff.

also embracing humanity’s place in the some kind of flux state that doesn’t world — or more specifically, one’s really exist. Which I guess is a paraplace in the world. dox, or something, and that opens up On the flip side, the song “I Know a whole new can of worms. So it’s just Mine” definitely treats the sunrise easier to explore those ideas through as an ending. “I’m forever damned writing about love affairs with vamto the sunrise.” In this case, the sun- pires. It worked for those “Twilight” rise is what separates the narrator books, right? from her lover. I was influenced by the Townes Van Zandt song “Our Where did this airborn dog (statue) Mother The Mountain” when writing come from? Was it heavy? Where this one. I always imagined the “Lover” is it now? in Townes’ song to be some sort of witch, so that got my mind moving to Oh, yes, “Air Bud II: The Return.” write some type of vampire character. Ha, ha! In my early 20s my grandBut what I was really trying to do was mother got a new dog — a border colexamine the idea of dawn (and dusk, I lie — and my folks found that statue at guess, too) — how dawn is such a magi- who-knows-where and gave it to her cal time; it’s not completely dark nor that Christmas. She named the dog completely light. But that line of think- Baby Angel, and when Baby Angel saw ing really stemmed from my ideas that statue it freaked her out big-time. about the present, and how it doesn’t She did an about-face and took off really exist, because as soon as we try with her tail tucked. It’s just made of to comprehend the present it’s already plastic and not that heavy. I still have become the past. I see the present as it. It’s kind of sentimental, I guess.

The lapse in time was definitely not a choice. About a year after “Left” came out, I recorded an album worth of stuff, but I didn’t have the money to put it out. This was pre-Bandcamp. I could’ve done CD-Rs, but they can be fickle. So I kept on touring and kicking around ideas of what to do with the recording. Before I knew it, a couple of years had passed, and at that point I had newer songs I thought were better, and I felt stronger as a performer, too. So I recorded some of the new stuff, then scrapped most of it for even newer, “better” songs. I don’t know; time really passes. With this set of songs on “Return,” I started recording them probably four or five years ago at Blue Chair Studio B in Austin (Lonoke County) with Daniel Cox. Adam Faucett produced the record, and he was living in Nashville for a good chunk of that, so we’d book a couple days here and there when he was in town. We let it breathe plenty, and it just kind of fell together. ... We definitely captured some magic moments with those earlier recordings, but a better set of songs and a better performance resulted from the time lapse, and what we have currently feels pretty magical, too. I’ve been a fan of your poetry for a while, and I notice now that your poetry is markedly different than

your songwriting. Like, I can never imagine you singing “Theremin, that Greek God of ghastly camp, when beseeched by Orpheus — ‘Great Theremin, mighty weaver of audible sinew’ … “ How do you go about writing differently when you know your words will be set to music? Um ... I definitely started writing songs first. With songs, there’s so much more to work with. Music is, foremost, sonic. I was talking with my buddy, Forrest, a while back, about this very thing. He was saying how powerful it can be for someone to simply scream the word “Baby” with the right growl in their voice over the right chord. It can be as moving as any poem (or song). Or substitute “Baby” with “Corned Beef Hash,” even. Music is an audible interaction. Of course, with poetry there’s the whole rhythm thing we learned about in high school, and I guess with someone like Kerouac, he was writing jazz music with his poetry. But I guess with me, when writing songs I let the melody lead the way. There’s a lot of language on the album that reminds me of the Old Testament, language of punishment and vengeance, most particularly on “Atlantis Calling.” And, even more transparently, on “Long Shot,” there’s this: “Once was a time when I talked to god/Talked that ear off/Now I just listen in the rocks and the trees and the drunks set beside me.” Are you a person of faith? I grew up going to a smalltown church, hearing Bible stories and those old hymns and what-not since I was born. Couple that with an introduction to Leonard Cohen in my early 20s, and those Biblical references and metaphors just seem to pour out. As for that line you mention from “Long Shot” — the narrator in that song is definitely one who sees his own flaws, and in that moment he’s — more than anything — having a humble spell. Maybe even some revelations about the world he thought he knew. To say it’s somewhat autobiographical would be true.

ROCK CANDY Check out the Times’ A&E blog arktimes.com

A&E NEWS The MacArthur Museum of Military History reopens its doors Saturday, Sept. 29, after a nearly six-month hiatus for interior renovations. The museum, established in the historic Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal — the birthplace of Gen. Douglas MacArthur — features a collection of artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms and other items that depict the story of Arkansas’s military heritage from the territorial period to the present. The reopening coincides with the 125th anniversary of the 36-acre park, Little Rock’s first municipal public park. In celebration, The MacArthur Park Group will host a Vintage Military Vehicle Show, 9 a.m.2 p.m., with music by the 106th Brass Quintet and Funkle Sam; a history walk through the park with activities from the Arkansas Arts Center, the Central Arkansas Library System, Museum of Discovery, the Firehouse Hostel and Museum and Little Rock’s Aesthetic Club, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; and grilled hot dogs from Woodmen Life for the first 400 visitors, 11:30 a.m. At 4 p.m., the celebration turns into a German Biergarten, with live music from BnB Polka, local brews available for purchase and bratwurst plates from First Lutheran Church, $10.

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We mark the passing of Lawrence J. Malley, director of the University of Arkansas Press between 1998 and 2013. Malley, who was 78 at the time of his death, was hired as director in the summer of 1998. Under his leadership, the Encyclopedia of Arkansas notes, the press “expanded its forays into Middle East-themed books — a response in part to the establishment of UA’s King Fahd Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies.” Malley was succeeded by Mike Bieker, who relayed news of Malley’s passing, saying, “The University of Arkansas Press family was made richer by the many authors who felt Larry’s care in publishing their books, and we all remember his ideas, vision, humor and bold thinking.” Arkansas State University in Jonesboro announced last week that the Windgate Foundation will offer a $6.7 million grant to build a new facility for sculpture and ceramics programs at ASU, the largest single gift to an arts program in ASU’s history. The proposal will fund the construction of a new facility — the Windgate Center for Three-Dimensional Arts — with studio and exhibition space for sculpture and ceramics, often referenced in the art world as the 3D arts. Follow Rock Candy on Twitter: @RockCandies

arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

THE TO-DO LIST

BY STEPHANIE SMITTLE AND STEPHEN KOCH

THURSDAY 9/27

AMYTHYST KIAH

8 p.m. South on Main. $25-$32.

SOUTHERN GOTHIC: Amythyst Kiah takes her expansive voice and bluegrass propers to the stage at South on Main as part of Oxford American’s 2018-19 Americana series.

FRIDAY 9/28-SATURDAY 9/29

THURSDAY 9/27

DEPOT DAYS

‘OUR TOWNS’ 6:30 p.m. Sturgis Hall, Clinton Presidential Center. Free.

Come listen, for free, to the story of a couple who boarded their single-engine propeller plane for repeat, intermittent visits to small towns across America — places like Guymon, Okla.; St. Marys, Ga.; and Chester, Mont. James Fallows, an instrument-rated private pilot, national correspondent for The Atlantic and former speechwriter for Jimmy Carter, trades chapters with his wife, Deborah — a linguist, writer and former assistant dean at Georgetown University — in describing those smalltown encounters, the results of which make up “Our Towns: A 100,000Mile Journey Into the Heart of America.” The pair hits up libraries, Y.M.C.A.’s, schools and breweries, dodging crop dusters and skydivers to ask questions about flyover country that have, since the 2016 presidential election, become a mainstay of political temperature-taking in rural America. Despite the Fallows’ connection to political reporting, though, their findings are not inherently partisan, or even political at all, really. At this lecture, James Fallows speaks about those encounters for the Central Arkansas Library System’s J.N. Heiskell Distinguished Lecture for journalism, followed by a book signing. (Harvard Magazine printed a photo titled “White River, Arkansas” in its article about the Fallows’ journey; wonder whether their window seat observations held true to the real deal?) Reserve your seats by emailing publicprograms@ clintonschool.uasys.edu or by calling 683-5239. SS

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

I’ll bet you night owls have heard a lot of singers this year, and I’ll bet you anything you’ll count Amythyst Kiah’s contralto among your favorites if you’re at this show, part of Oxford American’s 2018-19 Americana series. A haunting Mack truck of a voice with the delicate handling of a Corvette, Kiah is scholarly but never pedagogical, taking on storied blues laments, her own “Southern Gothic folk” tunes and historic gems from the likes of Vera Hall and B.F. Shelton, often adapted from versions unearthed by folklorists like John and Alan Lomax. As a student of Bluegrass and OldTime Country Music Studies at East Tennessee State University, Kiah discovered the music of future peers, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, and the ways in which the story of bluegrass and Old Time music isn’t one that belongs only to white people. “Once I read about the history of this music and how blacks and whites both played this music,” Kiah told The Bluegrass Situation in 2016, “that this is something that is integrally a hybrid — I was like, ‘Well, hell, I have just as much right to be here as anyone else!’” Then again, anyone who’s taken in “Myth” or Kiah’s arrangement of “Darling Cora” wouldn’t have questioned that right, anyway. This show is for fans of Rhiannon Giddens, Tracy Chapman and Jimmie Rodgers. SS

5:30 p.m. Fri., 9:30 a.m. Sat. Front Street, downtown Newport. Free.

Newport is doing it up right with its free Depot Days Music Festival, most clearly through bringing to Jackson County headliner Rodney Crowell, who was first brought to the public eye by Jerry Reed in the 1970s, who penned pithy numbers like “I Ain’t Living Long Like This,” “‘Til I Gain Control Again,” and “Shame On The Moon,” and who produced then-wife Roseanne Cash’s records before his five consecutive country No. 1 hits from his goldmine album “Diamonds & Dirt” in the late 1980s. But since then, Crowell has become something even bigger and better: a keeper of the flame of Americana music. A fall night in the Delta to see one of the curators of this country’s sound? You’d be crazy for leavin.’ Crowell’s not all, though; Cate Brothers offshoot Earl & Them will cap off the festivities Friday evening with a set at 9 p.m., preceded by blues guitarist Larry McCray, 7:20 p.m., and The Arkansas Brothers, 6 p.m. And before Crowell’s set Saturday evening are the Lockhouse Orchestra, 7:30 p.m.; Elvis tribute artist Cody Slaughter, 6:15 p.m.; The Legendary Pacers paying tribute to their late frontman, Newport’s own Sonny Burgess, 4:15 p.m.; and more. Newport’s Rock ’n’ Roll Highway 67 Museum will be open for visits between noon and 4 p.m., and a fireworks show wraps up the festival Saturday night. See depotdays.org for more. SK

IN BRIEF

THURSDAY 9/27 Potluck and Poison Ivy departs from its multiact format this week for a spotlight on the poems and songs of Louisiana guitar sage Kevin Gordon, 7 p.m., The Joint Theater & Coffeehouse, $35, see potluckandpoisonivy.org for tickets. Country rockers the Randy Rogers Band return to the Rev Room, 8:30 p.m., $25. “Science After Dark” at the Museum of Discovery hosts “ModCon,” a “cosplay meets homecoming dance” for adults, 6 p.m., $10. Arkansongs’ Stephen Koch hosts Arkie Pub Trivia at Stone’s Throw Brewing, 6:30 p.m., free. Eye to Adam, Sychosis, Archaic Dawn and Celestials share a heavy bill at Vino’s, 7 p.m., $15. Ppoacher Ppoacher, Warm Trickle and Whoopsi share a bill at Maxine’s in Hot Springs, 9 p.m. Jocko plays the happy hour set at Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 p.m., free, and later, RVS takes the stage, 9 p.m., $5. Columnist/comedian Steve Hofstetter gives a performance at The Loony Bin, 9:45 p.m., $20, and comedian Greg Morton entertains all week, 7:30 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., $10-$15.

FRIDAY 9/28

TAJ MAHAL TRIO 7 p.m. Ozark Folk Center, Mountain View. $30-$40.

Born in and during the Harlem Renaissance, multi-instrumentalist and multiple Grammy winner Taj Mahal has brought a triple threat of fandom, musicianship and academia to blues over the decades, incorporating all its geographic musical strains into his own sound. Along the way, he’s become an elder statesman of the blues himself; his tour of Arkansas colleges in the early 1990s is still talked about, and the 76-year-old continues to tour at a breakneck pace, dropping in to Lincoln Center to record with Eric Clapton and Wynton Marsalis, and dropping into the set of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to sit in with The Roots. Likewise, this performance at the Ozark Folk Center on a fall Friday in Mountain View sounds like one of those shows people will find reason to mention they attended for years to come. See ozarkfolkcenter.ticketleap.com for tickets. SK

FRIDAY 9/28

SONIC BRUTARIANS: Lydia Lunch Retrovirus takes the stage at Four Quarter Bar Friday night.

FRIDAY 9/28

LYDIA LUNCH RETROVIRUS 9 p.m. Four Quarter Bar. $10.

If, as Plato says, it is “the task of the enlightened not only to ascend to learning and to see the good but to be willing to descend again to those prisoners and to share their troubles and their honors, whether they are worth having or not,” I’m calling Lydia Lunch a philosopher queen. In interviews about her earlier work with “no wave” pioneers Teenage Jesus, her current project Retrovirus, her absconding to Barcelona when George W. won a second term in 2004 and her subsequent return to New York, Lunch comes across less as someone who’s pursued an artistic life than she does someone who was drafted for it, assigned some mandatory lifelong duty in psycho-sexual rabble-rousing with a concentration in underground art. Eschewing management or PR representation for a self-directed creative path that includes collaborations with Thurston Moore, Nick Cave, Exene Cervenka and other contrarians, Lunch’s resume spans from punk rock to photography, to spoken word experimentalism, to film. She’s a noise rock heroine for the timid and the pissed-off alike — a transgressive, contentious voice that weaponizes words in a war on artifice. The Retrovirus, an assembly that features Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore), avant-garde jazz bassist Tim Dahl and composer/guitarist Walter Weasel (The Flying Luttenbachers) self-describes as “an all-star cast of sonic brutarians in a no-holds-barred survey of [Lunch’s] musical output from 1977 to the present.” Lunch told the Tom Tom Mag in 2017 that she preferred playing in intimate venues, saying, “I like to be able to look into people’s eyes,” so she should be right in her element at Four Quarter Bar. Mouton and Listen Sister open the show. SS

Pine Bluff native Mark Edgar Stuart brings “Remote Control” and other gems to the stage at South on Main, with Fret & Worry, 9 p.m., $10. Jazz saxophonist Michael Eubanks plays at The Promenade at Chenal as part of the “Courtyard Concerts” series, 6:30 p.m. Republican Hair practices what he preaches with “F*ck A Bomb” and other pop anthems at Stickyz Rock ’n’ Roll Chicken Shack, with The Dangerous Idiots, 9 p.m., $10-$12. The Sword gives one of its final performances before an indefinite hiatus at the Rev Room, with locals Tranquilo and Iron Tongue, 8:30 p.m., $18-$20. The Hooten Hallers take the stage at Maxine’s in Hot Springs with Recognizer, 9 p.m., $7. At Oaklawn Racing & Gaming, the John Calvin Brewer Band takes the stage at Silks Bar & Grill, 10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Brian Nahlen and Nick Devlin duet at Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 p.m., free, or come later and catch Unraveled on the main stage and Buh Jones on the deck, 9 p.m. Christine DeMeo performs at Hibernia Irish Tavern, 7:30 p.m. Bluegrass & BBQ kicks off at The Farm in Eureka Springs, with sets from Opal Agafia & The Sweet Nothings, The Grateful Bluegrass Boys and more, see the-farm-events.com for passes. Lynyrd Skynyrd gets loud at the Walmart AMP, 7 p.m., $40-$219. The Clear Channel Metroplex kicks off “Terrorplex,” with three haunted houses to choose from, 7 p.m., $15-$20, see metroplexlive.com for dates. Bill “Bluesboy Jag” Jagitsch and Mudhead play at Markham Street Grill & Pub, 8:30 p.m. CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

Follow Rock Candy on Twitter: @RockCandies

arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

THETO-DO TO-DO LIST LIST THE

DAVID KOON, LIND-AND STEPHEN KOCH BYBY STEPHANIE SMITTLE

SATURDAY 9/29-SUNDAY 9/30

ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: ‘SORCERER’S APPRENTICE’

AIN’T I A WOMAN: TV star and trans activist Laverne Cox gives a lecture titled “Ain’t I A Woman: My Journey to Womanhood” at the Fayetteville Town Center Wednesday evening.

7:30 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. $16-$68.

Thank Paul Dukas if you’re a fan of Disney’s “Fantasia”; his 1897 scherzo — inspired by a Johann Wolfgang von Goethe poem written a century before — was the film’s sole catalyst. Only after Walt Disney’s chance meeting in a Los Angeles restaurant with conductor Leopold Stokowski was the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” Mickey Mouse short slated for expansion into a full-length feature film, with a redesigned Mickey at the center, one who was, as Jay Gabler says for yourclassical.org, “more akin to a human child and less like a fishing bobber.” The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra opens its season, scheduled to be Maestro Philip Mann’s last with the ASO, with this colorful Dukas vignette. Next up: Rockstar pianist David Fung takes the bench to play a beast of a piano piece: Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466. The concert closes with Igor Stravinsky’s whimsical ballet burlesque “Petrushka,” of which Stravinsky wrote, “I had in my mind a distinct picture of a puppet, suddenly endowed with life, exasperating the patience of the orchestra with diabolical cascades of arpeggios. The orchestra in turn retaliates with menacing trumpet blasts.” And, lest you leave the table without your fair portion of Mozart, check out the Tuesday night (Oct. 3) concert at the Clinton Presidential Center’s Great Hall, the opening to the ASO’s River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Series. You’ll be treated to a rendition of Mozart’s String Quartet in A Minor, as well as Schumann’s Clarinet Quintet in A Major and a wildly jaunty 2012 piece from American composer Kenji Bunch called “26.2,” in which Bunch sets his experience running the New York City Marathon for a horn and string trio. See arkansassymphony.org for tickets. SS

WEDNESDAY 10/3

LAVERNE COX 7 p.m. Fayetteville Town Center. Free.

SATURDAY 9/29

YONCE

9 p.m. Sway.

When you’re so famous your mononym needs a mononym, you shorten it some more and gay clubs throw parties for your birthday: “And why you think ya keep my name rollin’ off your tongue/’Cause when you want a smash, I’ll just write another one/I sneezed on the beat and the beat got sicker/Yoncé all on his mouth like liquor.” Club Sway is summoning the Beyhive for a Beyonce-themed throwdown with tunes from DJ PorterHouse, a Beyonce costume contest and more. Happy hour begins at 9 p.m. SS

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

Mobile, Ala., native, Emmy Award-winning actress and trans trailblazer Laverne Cox is kicking off the 2018-19 Distinguished Lecture Series at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a talk titled “Ain’t I A Woman: My Journey to Womanhood.” Anyone who fell in love with her as the immovable Sophia Burset on Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black” (before the show’s writing went swiftly south, probably) can attest to her power as a character creator, and anyone who watched her field Katie Couric’s cringeworthy inquiries about surgery can attest to her gracious ability to take a potentially dismal situation and use it as a platform to talk about the things that really matter: the disproportionate rate at which trans women are murdered, for example, or discriminated against in the workplace. In conjunction with Cox’s visit is a screening of “Free Cece!,” the documentary Cox executive produced to tell the story of CeCe McDonald, a black trans woman incarcerated in a men’s prison after accepting a plea bargain for second-degree manslaughter. That airs at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at the University of Arkansas School of Law (1045 W. Maple St.), with McDonald and fellow trans activists Major Griffin-Gracy and Diego Barrera in attendance, as well as UA assistant professor of law Jordan Blair Woods. Count on being impacted by Cox’s story, and count on a crowd; the lecture is free to attend, but you’ll need to reserve a ticket at osa.uark.edu. SS

SEY

IN BRIEF, CONT.

SATURDAY 9/29 Sound looper Lee Walsh takes El Dub, his “one-man reggae funk band” set to Four Quarter Bar, 10 p.m., $7. As Cities Burn fires up a set at Vino’s, 8 p.m., $15. Duo momandpop perform for a Brown Bag Brunch for their album release party at South on Main, 10:30 a.m., $5 admission. Morrilton native Matt Stell returns to the Rev Room, 8:30 p.m., $10. Charlotte Taylor & Gypsy Rain charm at Kings Live Music in Conway, 8:30 p.m., $5. The Big Dam Horns perform at Stickyz, 9:30 p.m., $8. The House of Art hosts an erotica-themed night with live painting, spoken word performances and more, 8 p.m. Australian acoustic duo The Weeping Willows share a bill with Dustin Welch and HalleyAnna, 9 p.m. May the Peace of the Sea Be With You, Mouton and Fiscal Spliff get loud at Maxine’s in Hot Springs, 9 p.m., $7. Darril Edwards plays a steel drum set on the deck at Cajun’s, 9 p.m., or catch blues statesmen Earl & Them on the main stage, 9 p.m.

MÖMANDPÖP KIDS ALBUM RELEASE SHOW Saturday, September 29, 2018 • 10:00AM South on Main

Join us for “The mömandpöp Show,” a musical comedy variety show geared especially for pre-school and early elementary school children and their parents. In 2016, they landed the #1 chart topping spot on Kids Place Live “13 under 13 Countdown” with the song “Take Care”. Their debut self-titled CD mömandpöp was recently awarded the Parent’s Choice Silver Honor. Doors open at 10 a.m. and the concert begins at 10:30 a.m. South on Main will be hosting a special brown bag brunch for the kids and their adults! Brown bag brunch items may be purchased at the venue the day of the show.

SUNDAY 9/30

WEDNESDAY 10/3

SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS 8 p.m. Rev Room. $30-$35.

Squirrel Nut Zippers helped create, and rode, the swing revival of the 1990s. SNZ was always deeper and smarter than the scene as a whole — but then, you could say that for pretty much any project involving Clarksdale, Miss., native and Zipper mastermind Jimbo Mathus. The Zippers did fine for themselves — TV appearances, a platinum album, the radio tenacity of 1996 earworm “Hell.” (However, an unjust world cast Royal Crown Revue in the 1994 movie “The Mask,” and put Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in the 1999 Super Bowl halftime show with Stevie Wonder.) After a very unamicable split at century’s turn, Squirrel Nut Zippers reformed again in 2016 with Mathus and some new members to promote the 20th anniversary of the band’s watershed LP, “Hot.” Squirrel Nut Zippers are returning again to Central Arkansas, and promoting a new album, “Beasts of Burgundy” — the band’s first in years. SK

The Salty Dogs play an early Sunday show at the White Water Tavern, 6 p.m. Comedian Brad Williams gives a performance at The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m., $22. Following a Choral Evensong, organist Burton Tidwell plays works by Howells and Sowerby, 4 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, free. Quapaw Quarter Association gives a trolleyled tour of the mid-century modern architecture of the Broadmoor area, 1-5 p.m., $20, meet in the University Plaza parking lot at 5820 Asher Ave. In Hot Springs, the Stardust Big Band performs at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, 3 p.m., free-$10. Torch singer Sylvia Stems and the Foul Play Cabaret perform an outdoor burlesque show at Grateful Head Pizza & Beer Garden in Hot Springs, 9 p.m., $10.

TUESDAY 10/2 The Diamond Empire Band puts inventive spins on classic tunes at Stickyz, 8 p.m., free. At South on Main, the University of Central Arkansas Jazz Ensemble plays a free show, 7 p.m. The Central Arkansas Library System screens “The Exorcist” (1973) with spiderwalking stuntwoman Ann Miles as special guest, 6 p.m., Ron Robinson Theater, $5. Follow up that scare with a heavy show from Synapse Defect, Abandon the Artifice and Celestials at Vino’s, 7 p.m., $5.

WEDNESDAY 10/3 Vocalist Ramona Smith hosts Artist Appreciation Night, a concert and holiday toy drive at Cajun’s Wharf, with live music from Dino D & The D Train Band, DJ Paul and others, 7:30 p.m., admission with donation of a toy or $5.

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arktimes.com SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

Dining WHAT’S COOKIN’

Donuts & Deli plans to open on Main Street this October in the former home of the short-lived lunchtime deli location of Bruno’s Little Italy. Executive Chef Chris Busick, former sous chef with @ The Corner, is working with business partner Kishan Patel to launch the casual eatery with a nod to Arkansas’s first responders in the restaurant’s decor and branding. ”It will be a fun atmosphere geared around first responders and the men and women that take care of our community,” Busick said. “I am a volunteer firefighter of 11 years myself, my little brother is a firefighter and all my friends are in the field. It’s just something I am very passionate about.” Busick grew up in the food industry, working with his mother in the kitchen since childhood. Donuts & Deli is the result of Patel’s love for donuts and the pair’s affinity for great sandwiches. “Kishan is a bit of a donut addict, and I love delis and making fresh deli meats in house,” Busick said. In the morning, they’ll offer gourmet donuts, including cronuts (donuts made from croissant dough) and pronuts (“a protein donut for the healthy people,” according to Busick), along with other fresh pastries and a small breakfast menu. For lunch, guests can expect deli sandwiches, salads, the “best chicken strips in the city,” according to Busick, and a limited number of hamburgers each day. Customers will also have the option of making that burger sweet and savory by ordering one with a donut bun. Donuts & Deli will also experiment with online ordering, delivery and custom orders, with plans to do catering in the near future. Seating will be slim, as dining will mostly be carryout, and tentative hours are 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and to-be-determined Sunday and Monday. A Taste for Business, the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce’s annual food and beverage event, is happening from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, at Verizon Arena. Diamond Bear Brewing, Eat My Catfish, Golden Eagle of Arkansas, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe are among the more than 30 vendors who will offer samples. Tickets are $20 in advance via nlrchamber.org, or $25 at the door. 34

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

ARKANSAS TIMES

A CHARLESTON SALUTE: The Shrimp and Grits at Ira’s are dreamily layered comfort food.

Downtown diamond

Fingers crossed that Ira’s is here to stay.

e knew very little about Ira Mittelman when we walked into the shotgun-style storefront in the Rose Building on Main Street’s Creative Corridor. We knew that his modest, cozy spot in Park Hill had developed a small but devoted following. We’d seen a picture of him on a poster publicizing a pesto-making class at Eggshells in The Heights in mid-September, on which Mittelman looked like he could be the sheepish cousin of celebrity chef/ food writer Tom Colicchio. Most of the things we’ve learned about Mittelman since then are things we learned by eating dinner there late on a balmy Saturday night. We learned that Mittelman is not afraid to use salt; his kitchen understands the fundamental culinary idea that salt, done right, makes ingredients taste more like themselves. We’d guess, too, that he doesn’t play fast and loose with whatever classical culinary training he’s had; the word “backwait” was passed elegantly between two employees as secondhand protocol, and the assortment of bitters, liqueurs and infused syrups at the bar suggested years, not weeks, of carefully considered cocktail service preferences. And, at the risk of drawing pop-psych analyses from a couple of meals, we’d wager that Mittelman believes in hiring the right people and trusting them to do what they do well. When we took a seat beside a bowl of Follow Eat Arkansas on Twitter: @EatArkansas

zested fruit at the sleek bar, one of the crisply clad boozeside employees sidled up to us with the full cocktail and dinner menus, her colleague offering coffee, commiseration and a grilled peach salad to a pair of women fresh from a wedding — and fresh from all the daydrinking that, naturally, had been required to properly salute the newlyweds. We think, too, that Ira probably believes that in order for the place to be what he wants it to be, he needs to spend some time in the front of the house, which he did by way of his gentle, floating presence when we visited, with a painting of him on the bold red accent of the rear wall candidly designating him the face of the business. The bartender shook up something called a Flor del Diablo ($8.50), which we’d ordered in a clear attempt to cling to the last remnants of summertime. It was tequila with a splash of ginger beer and loads of red hibiscus, the latter infused into both the tequila and into a cocktail syrup, resulting in a spritzy number painted deeply crimson at the bottom, rose pink at the top and served in a highball glass with a disk of lime and plenty of ice. We didn’t know it at the time, but we’d ordered two starters that were mainstays of the Ira’s menu even as it crossed the Arkansas River to this new location at 311 Main: the Poblano Cheesecake ($10) and the Mushroom Spring Rolls ($9). The cheesecake, anchored by a sturdy

cornmeal crust and topped with a heap of diced-and-spiced mango, came across more like a homestyle cheddary souffle, with a delicate use of a smoky, underheralded pepper as the main attraction. The spring rolls appeared on a concave plate lined with a bed of lightly dressed spinach, accompanied by a bright sake dipping sauce and a mound of pickled ginger. These were the heaviest of bar bites, puff-fried wonton wrappers halved at an angle brimming with slices of smoky shiitake and carrot. We could have stopped there, and by all means, you could, too! (We didn’t.) The fennel-tomato Cioppino ($28) beckoned, as had the seafood on Ira’s appetizer menu — house-cured Gravlax on a corn cake with tobiko caviar ($12), Gulf Coast Oysters ($16), and balsamic-drizzled Gulf Shrimp with prosciutto, watermelon and blue cheese ($14). With the coastal Carolinas hurricane disaster on the brain, though, we bypassed catfish with a tomato/onion gravy ($20), meatloaf ($18), a Tasmanian grass-fed ribeye ($38) and the Grand Marnier-sauced duck breast with red rice ($29) and went for the Shrimp and Grits ($25), billed as “our version of the Charleston favorite, with large gulf shrimp, served with Gouda chipotle grits.” We’ve never tried shrimp and grits in the Lowcountry, but a plate of it in Oxford, Miss., at Big Bad Breakfast had inspired a lifelong fervor that we hope to someday

BELLY UP

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

STEAK•SEAFOOD•SUSHI WWW.BENIHANA.COM 2 Riverfront Place, North Little Rock, AR 501 374 8081

bolster with The Real Deal. This definitely sufficed in the interim: Ira’s serves chewy, stick-to-your-ribs grits with a nutty texture and smoky, cheesy heft, surrounded by the Tasso-y gravy of your dreams and half a dozen meticulously cooked Gulf shrimp. A friend of ours always laments the shrimp tails being left on in dishes like this; these were served tailless, nevertheless enormous. Finally, when the server announced that though the bread pudding was sold out, but there was still key lime pie, raspberry coulis and chocolate terrine and a Cremsicle Creme Brulee, we ordered the brulee and crossed our fingers, hoping it was exactly what we thought it would be: some schmancy grown-up version of those Flintstones popsicles we used to consume through cardboard tubes that seemed to come from the same factory as toilet paper tubes. It delivered, and gloriously. More pudding-ish than flanlike, rich vanilla notes shone through a bubbling, torched sugar crack surface. The dishes at Ira’s are elevated, the service is pristine and the presentation is artful. Still, miraculously, a place with activated charcoal and caviar on the menu manages not to feel stuffy. Maybe it’s the glittery art deco prints declaring “Prosecco!” or “Vino Italiano” on the wall. Or, and it’s possible this was just a pleasant byproduct of having been among the half-dozen folks dining at the bar, maybe it’s because dinner at Ira’s isn’t made to feel like a formula, doled out to you at some pace designed to get you back out the door in any prescribed timeframe. We doubt you’ll leave from a full dinner having dropped less than half a yard, but you’ll certainly not be pressured to consume and depart. At Ira’s, that pressure was nonexistent even as closing time neared. We overheard the pastry chef considering his choice of creme brulee for the fall menu as he took a place at the bar for a post-shift drink. Ira mingled with a lively group nearby, and nobody seemed like they were in too much of a hurry to get out of there. If somehow things don’t work out, it won’t be because Ira and his crew

weren’t on point. We hope, though — however selfishly, as it secures us access to that shrimp and grits in the future — that Mittelman has landed on historic Main Street at the right time. The neighborhood feels more like a neighborhood with establishments like his lighting up a Saturday evening downtown, and dinner feels a little more like an easygoing chef friend with a cush pad invited you to supper club. What’s more, we hope it’s not just the locals that find this place; Godspeed, you visitors to downtown Little Rock, and may the winds of SEO optimization and the Yelp/TripAdvisor/ Zagat matrix blow such that you make your way past a bevy of loudly announced yet mediocre kitchens and into some place like Ira’s. Ira’s Restaurant

311 Main St. Little Rock irasrestaurant.com 501-902-4911

TOAST TOWN

Hours

OF THE

11 a.m. until 2 p.m., 5 p.m. until close weekdays; 5 p.m. until close Saturday. Closed Sunday.

FINALIST

Other info

Full bar, credit cards accepted.

Quick bite

Among the other cocktails, a Bacon Old Fashioned ($9) and a pair of drinks adventurous enough to require warnings: the Amoxicillin ($10), with activated charcoal, mezcal, lemon, honey and ginger; and the Jet Pilot ($15), with a blend of house rum, falernum, punsch, absinthe, lime, cinnamon and grapefruit so potent there’s a limit of one per customer. The beer list is small but vibrant; aside from the Flyway on draft, there are Belgian beers from across the hops spectrum: a white ale called Lefebvre Blanche de Bruxelles ($8), a Saison Dupont ($10), a blonde Tripel, the Gouden Carolus ($10) an Orval Abbey Ale ($12) and a Trappists Rochefort 10 ($10), among others. The wine list is a long one, with plenty of sparkling champagnes, roses and a ton of Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons from California and Washington.

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MOVIE REVIEW

Too many things burning In “Fahrenheit 11/9,” Moore can’t spray everything. BY SAM EIFLING

would like to congratulate the 2nd Annual Wingstock - Wing and Beer Festival Golden Wing Award Winner Great American WinGS. 36

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ARKANSAS TIMES

t’s late in the second hour of “Fahrenheit 11/9” that Michael Moore hits upon the first truly fresh premise in his scattershot all-purpose takedown documentary on the present political moment. After his broadsides on Hillary Clinton’s tonedeaf campaign; Bill Clinton’s Republican-in-Democrat’s-clothing presidency;

TAKEDOWN DOC: Michael Moore’s Trump doc is unquestionably a downer, but with some notable points of light from its grassroots characters.

Michigan governor Rick Snyder’s pos- West Virginia hit their breaking point sibly criminal handling of Flint’s poi- and set off a series of statewide strikes soned water; Barack Obama’s aloof con- among public school educators; they’re descension; Donald Trump’s perpetual admirably unified. The sheer number dog-licking-himself-in-front-of-the- of first-time women candidates stepTV-while-the-game-is-on selfishness; ping up to run for office promise a time and news networks’ shameful slide into when old, rich, sclerotic capitalists propaganda mouthpieces during the can’t count on permanent incumbency. 2016 election — after all that, during Hope! It’s not just for presidential canwhich you can’t help but worry that didates who accept massive Goldman everything’s going more or less to hell, Sachs contributions! here comes a sit-down with a Yale proThat’s certainly not the note Moore fessor named Timothy Snyder (no rela- leaves you with, however. His racontion). teur notes — spraying the governor’s He’s the author of a slim volume mansion lawn with Flint water, for called “On Tyranny” that for some instance — feel less provocative in an reason people have been snapping up age of smartphone ubiquity than when since Trump was elected. When Moore he was camera-ambushing General asks the professor whether we’re los- Motors execs 30 years ago. Everything ing democracy, Snyder replies, with Moore is documenting now, journalurgency in his voice, that you could only ists have been covering with skill and have called the United States a democ- rigor (aside, maybe, from some truly racy since 1970 or so. A country that insane war games the army set in Flint). systematically disenfranchised black So what’s a documentarian for? voters could not, after all, be considered I’m not sure Moore himself knows a democracy; ditto a country that denied now. Too many things are burning; try women the franchise. Snyder offers as as he might, with his tanker of leada premise that in fact what we’re los- tainted water, Moore can’t spray everying now, as Trump tries to dismantle thing. There’s a sense of catharsis in our fundamental institutions, is that setting audio of a Trump rally speech we’re losing the chance to become the to film of Hitler leading a Nuremberg democracy we’ve been working toward rally, but if you haven’t already noticed for a couple of hundred years now. In the echoes of Nazism wafting from other words: It’s always been a mess this White House, you must be just here, and there’s not much point in now returning from a 30-month subpretending otherwise. marine mission. This is a tremendous downer, alas, The news you may be able to use yet for much of “Fahrenheit 11/9” the from “Fahrenheit 11/9,” the freshest mood is decidedly more upbeat. Aside takeaway, is that Americans actually from the time we spend in Moore’s support, in greater numbers than we hometown of Flint — desperately poor realize, lefty policies for health care, and beleaguered even before Snyder’s education, gun control, environmental crony-capitalism water project spiked protection, and other basic ingredients lead levels in the tap water — the grass- for a successful civilization. And that roots characters we find tend to be the (few) Democrats in power are too getting results. The teen survivors of clubby and cozy to affect much change. the Parkland, Fla., massacre are shock- That leaves you to do something about ingly well-organized and effective in it. America, ever the work in progress, rallying to oppose guns; they’re also will never be complete — but nor is it ferocious. The underpaid teachers of yet finished off. .

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