NEWS + POLITICS + ENTERTAINMENT + FOOD / MARCH 19, 2015 / ARKTIMES.COM
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ster u b k c o l b a d n a dlines a e h r e t n e Kehinde Wiley C s t s as A r n a k r A e h t t a exhibition uide. g s t r A g n i r p S our
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3
COMMENT
Brewing for this fight Historically, Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen has brewed for every First Amendment fight he can generate. His proclivity for social and political commentary as a judge has always been his platform. Perhaps he does not believe any other platform would be available to him with as much credibility and notoriety. In any event, the current controversy is made to order for him. Having read his order, it seems to me he has missed the point and misstated the ethical standards he is bound to observe. He thinks Justice Antonin Scalia has paved his way to say whatever he wants and never disqualify unless the case is already filed in his court and he has announced a decision before the case is even tried. His public letter published on Jan. 28 was his First Amendment right, however unseemly it may be for a judge to utter. However, it is laughable for him to conclude that it was not foreseeable that a lawsuit would be filed in Pulaski County if state takeover occurred. Equally laughable is his conclusion that he did not prejudge the legality (no credible evidence, etc.) or propriety of such a takeover in his Jan. 28 statement. I don’t question his conclusion that both the school district’s poor history and the present takeover is tainted with abject racism. The presence or absence of racism is not the issue. The real issue is whether his statements have conveyed the appearance that he cannot be impartial in weighing the evidence and following the law. His Jan. 28 statement must be evaluated as a body of work to determine its impact on appearances. For him to split hairs and say his statement does not expressly commit him to a legal result is sophistry. Scalia only said that a state cannot prohibit an elected judge from publicly commenting on social and political issues (not just one case) during the course of a political campaign. That decision also indicated that the cure for any appearance of impartiality for those statements is for the judge to disqualify, even if not because of an actual expressed bias. Appearances do matter. In my opinion Griffen wants this fight. He has waited a long time for a fight like this, and it will accomplish nothing. Any other judge would have immediately disqualified from the case assignment under the present 4
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ARKANSAS TIMES
circumstances and not waited for a party to ask for it. And rightfully so. Such is the fallout from a judge commenting on the social and political events of the day. David Stewart Fayetteville
Fight for public school I have taught in the public schools for 13 years. I am the son and grandson of public school teachers. My love and affection for a free and fair public education system runs deep.
At this moment in time I fear public education is at a dangerous crossroads. The same corruption that has befallen our political system and our economic system is now threatening to infect our schools. I understand why moderates turn from politics and focus on their own lives. Politics is an unseemly business where integrity goes to die and self-interest and greed thrive. I understand how moderates can feel a sense of disenfranchisement from our elected officials. However, moderates, as I write this, there has been a systematic attack on our public
Maundy Thursday | April 2 6 PM | Sanctuary Good Friday | April 3 Noon & 6 PM | Sanctuary Easter Egg Hunt | April 4 10:30 AM | Allsop Park Fun for children 2nd grade and under. In case of rain,location will be at PHUMC, Great Hall. Easter Sunday Services | April 5 8:30, 9:45, & 11:00 AM | Sanctuary & New Heights 9:45 AM Sunday School Childcare available at all services Extended trolley hours on Easter Sunday to and from War Memorial (7 AM - 1 PM)
27th Annual Community Easter Sunrise Service April 5 7 AM | First Security Amphitheatre Participants include: Dr. Dexter Suggs, LRSD Superintendent; Rev. William Robinson, First Baptist Church, NLR; Kathy Webb, AR Hunger Relief Alliance Executive Director The special offering will benefit AR Hunger Relief Alliance Services will be broadcast on KATV Channel 7 at 7:00 and 10:30 AM Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church 4823 Woodlawn | Little Rock, AR 72205 Phumc.com|664-3600
education system. Our country was founded on the idea of advanced citizenship. Advanced citizenship only works when “we the people” can benefit from a robust and strong public education system. Schools are held in public trust and should remain in the public trust. Once the public becomes divested of public education we truly will be a nation of individuals. We will lose the most fundamental of American principles, that out of one comes many. To protect a core American value, free and public education, we must realize that no right has been won, no victory celebrated without the unified voices of American citizens challenging the status quo. Today, that status quo is represented by state legislators who have been bought and paid for by lobbyists from Washington, D.C. We must reclaim our constitutional authority over our elected officials and hold them accountable to the great American idea of public education. It was American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr who reminded us that man is moral, while groups are immoral. The protection against immoral groups is a free and public education. We must demand our elected officials protect our public education from the self-interest and greed of the private sector. Our educational system should not be a financial bottom-line industry. Public education should be held in the public trust, and ensure our children have every opportunity to achieve their American dream. Public education is sick. However, turning over our children to for-profit industry is not the cure. The cure can be found in our capacity to love. We must remember what is great about America, and what makes us the United States of America. Our communal spirit, the spirit that reaches out to the weary and beaten traveler and welcomes them back into community. That is the spirit that we must embrace. Education is our secret weapon. It can cure society’s ills, mend its broken relationships, but only if all members of society engage in the process. Public education is public because we all benefit from it or we can all suffer if we turn it into a for-profit bottom-line industry. I want to call on all my brothers and sisters who feel disconnected, ignored or disenfranchised by the political system to not sell yourself short, to speak up and defend the great public trust we have been given, the education of our children. Adam Kirby Little Rock
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MARCH 19, 2015
5
EYE ON ARKANSAS
WEEK THAT WAS
Quote of the Week “Then what’s [the] purpose of public comment? … How can I ignore that?” — Stuart Hill, a member of the Independent Citizens Commission, which on Monday ratified dramatic pay increases for legislators, judges and constitutional officers. Since the commission made its recommendations last month, Hill said, 90 percent of public comment has been against the steep raises. Hill and fellow commissioner Larry Ross voted “no,” but the vote carried 5-2.
Marriage is so sacred in Arkansas we do it over and over again According to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, Arkansas leads the nation in the percentage of remarriages. Among Arkansans who have been wed at some point, 24 percent have married twice and 10 percent have married three or more times. That’s a remarriage rate of about 35 percent, as compared to 25 percent nationwide, despite our stated emphasis on preservation of the family. Every single one of those not-quite-forever Arkansas marriages was between straight people, by the way.
MOCKINGBIRD: Photo by Paul Barrows from our Eye On Arkansas Flickr group.
ments have been recovered since.
Not too long ago, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, which dominates the state’s newspaper market, sharply increased its subscription prices to compensate for the decline in ad revenue that is hurting print publishing everywhere. They’ve now reversed course in a big way: The D-G is offering a half-price deal to former subscribers who have since fled.
Book ’em Paul Bookout, the former Democratic state senator from Jonesboro, entered a negotiated plea to one count of felony mail fraud last week. He’ll have to pay about $150,000, thanks to his egregious spending of campaign contributions for the benefit of himself and his family, including a home entertainment system, club dues, clothes, booze and other sundries. He awaits sentencing.
Glasgow remains discovered A skull found on Petit Jean Mountain was determined to belong to John Glasgow, the Little Rock construction executive who went missing in 2008. Investigators said the remains were found at the bottom of a cliff in a rocky, remote area, and that the skull showed no signs of trauma; dental records allowed the State Crime Lab to positively identify the remains as Glasgow’s. Bone frag6
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ARKANSAS TIMES
The daily newspaper business, by the numbers
$336
38,000
The full cost of a yearly subscription, before the deal. The cut-rate cost would be $168.
The approximate decline in the D-G’s average weekday circulation over the past two years, from 184,033 subscribers in 2012 to around 146,470 in 2014.
$1.68 million The drop in revenue resulting from cancellations of every 10,000 subscriptions.
Mark Martin identifies the real problem A reader in Northwest Arkansas was drawn into a Facebook exchange with Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin concerning the “rehoming” controversy surrounding Rep. Justin Harris (see article, this issue). When a friend posted an Arkansas Times article on the issue, the reader commented on the post, saying that Harris should resign. Martin jumped in to defend Harris. He told the reader she was “making a judgment based
upon misinformation by a vile socialist anti-Christian propaganda blog about one of the most righteous seeming, humble, and gentle men I have ever met in my life.” The reader stood her ground and pointed out that the Harrises have now admitted to rehoming their adopted girls. Martin told her, “People like you are what makes people refuse to risk fostering or adoption. I believe it is people like you who are the problem. Not people who try and fail like the Harris.’ [sic]”
Leave us out of it After being attacked by his own pet zebra on Sunday night in Searcy, White County District Judge Mark Derrick is now in serious condition at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, according to the Searcy Police Department. Searcy police Cpl. Steve Hernandez said the department won’t be taking any further action, since the animal belonged to Derrick. “If this would have been someone else’s zebra that attacked him, there would be more to it,” Hernandez explained.
OPINION
Who’ll run public schools? Will the Walton billions take over the Little Rock School District?
T
hat’s the immediate question posed by House Bill 1733, pending before a House committee evenly split between Republicans (generally reliable Walton votes) and Democrats (generally supportive of democratic control of school districts.) The bill is by Rep. Bruce Cozart of Hot Springs. He and four other legislators got a free trip last summer to Washington to meet on “education reform” courtesy of Laurie Lee, a lobbyist who’s been working to help the Walton Family Foundation agenda. The Walmart heirs spend billions across the country on “school choice,” meaning taking over conventional public school districts with privately operated charter schools. The bill allows the state education commissioner to privatize districts judged in academic distress as, coincidentally, the Little Rock School District has been. Only
six of its 48 schools are technically in distress, but the bill would apply to all district operations. The commissioner MAX could take buildBRANTLEY ings and local tax maxbrantley@arktimes.com millage, break the union contract, and fire employees without cause or hearing. Then, the commissioner could turn over schools to private operators. They could then stock “failing” schools with new student bodies. They’d seek motivated parents willing to abide by rules that can’t be enforced in all-comer conventional public schools. They’d discourage special needs students. They’d “succeed,” if comparisons of apples and kumquats can be called a fair test. Little Rock parents, teachers and sup-
Cotton put U.S. at risk
T
om Cotton got his name scrawled across the heavens for two weeks for writing a letter to the potentates of Iran, undoubtedly a good thing for a young Arkansas politician only two months in his exalted office, and his party probably suffered only a momentary embarrassment. Only a handful of the 46 Republican senators he got to sign the letter acknowledged the grave mistake they had made. Sen. John McCain, the modern War Hawk, chalked it up to his and the other senators’ haste to get out of town ahead of bad weather. No time to think, he explained, but just to sign your name for the young buck from Arkansas. After all, the great cause of embarrassing the president was worth just about any risk. America will be lucky if Cotton’s ascension among war-loving, Obamahating voters back home and a brief Republican humiliation is all that comes of the letter. Alas, we will be lucky if
announcing to the world that the United States cannot be trusted to live up to its end of diplomatic agreeERNEST ments will have DUMAS no repercussions beyond the current drive for an international accord to prevent Iran from joining Israel and Pakistan as Middle Eastern nuclear powers. It sure enough affects the parley between Iran and the six nations seeking verifiable curbs on Iran’s bomb-making capacity, although not in the way Cotton said he intended. He was warning the Iranians that the United States would violate any agreement President Obama and the other nations reached with the country, by the next president in 2017 if not earlier by the current Republican Congress. Cotton hoped to deter the Iranians from signing an agreement. But Cotton’s letter, signed by just
porters turned out 300 on a rainy night last week to oppose the bill. Monday, nine educational advocacy groups announced their opposition, from the PTA, to school superintendents, to school boards, to the Arkansas Education Association. Every school in the state is potentially at risk; a Walton-dominated Education Board need only set the failure score high enough. The Walton Foundation’s Kathy Smith meets regularly with lobbyists her employer supports — Lee, Gary Newton of Arkansas Learns and Scott Smith of the Arkansas Public School Research Council. Why they don’t own up to this initiative is a mystery. Newton, whose aunt Diane Zook sits on the Board of Education and spouts his talking points, dishonestly claimed the other day it’s tinfoil talk to see the Waltons’ hand in this. Facts apparently matter as little to Newton as they do to the propagandists the Waltons support at their university subsidiary in Fayetteville. How monumental is this legislation? It provides a means to a permanent end of an elected school board. Gov. Asa Hutchinson is trying to spin himself as a moderate on this, as he does on other issues with extreme outcomes. But the record shows he wants to strip educational requirements for the education commissioner so Johnny Key can take the job. Key once ran a religion-
themed nursery school, but otherwise lacks education credentials. His main credential is as an acolyte of the Waltons. In 2013, he wrecked the school choice law and used trickery to expand the giveaway of tax dollars to help homeschoolers with a 2,500-student expansion of the so-called “virtual academy.” The reformers like to talk about the New Orleans “miracle.” Don’t buy it. Ten years of charter schools have produced little to brag about there, including an absence of students who can meet the minimum ACT score Arkansas Republicans want to set to qualify for an Arkansas lottery scholarship. Conventional public schools are making progress in Arkansas. Even Little Rock, with its overwhelming population of at-risk poor minority kids, has improved, if not enough. The Waltons want Little Rock’s millions in taxes to finance their pet and unproven notions. It’s a rare day when money doesn’t prevail. But an energized school community might, for once, have a power greater than their hoarded gold. UPDATE: At press time came word that the bill had been pulled for this session amid an outpouring of unflattering national attention to Walton family string-pulling on the effort.
short of a majority of the Senate, could have only one effect on the Iranians, as everyone except Cotton and his 46 co-signers immediately recognized. It greatly strengthened Iran’s bargaining position and weakened the United States’. When the negotiations resumed this week Iran’s foreign minister pressed the Western negotiators on the senators’ point that the United States would consider its agreement worthless. How much safety we will have to give up as a result we may never know. Look, take Dick Cheney’s word for it. The former vice president and defense secretary, architect of the Middle East wars and Tom Cotton’s patron, weighed in with a stern warning about “congressional overreaching” that interfered with the president’s constitutional powers to conduct diplomacy. Here are his words: “Congress’s efforts to dictate diplomatic bargaining tactics, as well as efforts by individual members to conduct back-channel negotiations on their own, make it extremely difficult for the country to sustain a consistent bargaining posture for an extended time period, whomever the president and whatever the policy.” OK, I’m a trifle misleading. Cheney,
a congressman at the time, was talking in the late ’80 to a conservative Washington think tank, and not about Obama and the Iranians but about Ronald Reagan and the Iranians. But if his point had validity then, under the weakest circumstances in U.S. diplomatic history, it certainly has validity now. Let’s return to the glorious last days of the Reagan revolution. Wanting to free seven U.S. hostages held in Lebanon, the Reagan White House worked out a secret deal in 1984 to sell 2,508 missiles and arms parts to Iran, using Israel as the go-between. You may remember the celebrated details: U.S. diplomats arrived in Tehran with a cake baked in the shape of a key (a key to good relations, see) and a Bible with a handwritten verse from Reagan. Iran needed the arms to wage war against Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, whom the Reagan administration supported. Reagan took the proceeds from the arms sale piped through Israel and gave it to the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Iran had been declared a state sponsor of terrorism and was under an international embargo since 1979 (negotiated by President Jimmy Carter) after it took Americans hostage at the embassy in Tehran. Providing money to the ConCONTINUED ON PAGE 38 www.arktimes.com
MARCH 19, 2015
7
Tom Cotton, Bond Carole villain Katchen Opening Friday, March 5-8 pm
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MARCH 19, 2015
ARKANSAS TIMES
RON ROBINSON THEATER
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100 RIVER MARKET
“Glory At Sea”
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other side, specifically the Americans, becomes harsher, coarser and tougher.” Los Angeles GENE Times columnist LYONS Doyle McManus reported the score: “Qom Theological Seminary 1, Harvard Law 0. When an ayatollah sounds more statesmanlike than the U.S. Senate, it’s not a good sign.” Bargaining is practically the Persian national sport. They’re inclined to see a my-way-or-the-highway type like Tom Cotton as unserious and immature. As if to confirm that impression, the Arkansas senator took his newfound notoriety to CBS’s “Face the Nation,” where he complained about Iran’s growing “empire.” “They already control Tehran, increasingly they control Damascus and Beirut and Baghdad and now Sana’a as well,” Cotton said. “They do all that without a nuclear weapon. Imagine what they would do with a nuclear weapon.” You read that correctly. Arkansas’s brilliant Harvard law graduate complained about Iran’s control of Tehran — the nation’s capital since 1796. As for Iran’s alleged “control” of Baghdad, you’d think an Iraq veteran like Cotton would have some clue how that came about. Hint: President George W. Bush invaded Iraq. The Bush administration deposed Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein, whose invasion of neighboring Iran led to an eight-year war killing roughly a million people. They installed as Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, a Shiite nationalist who’d spent 24 years exiled in, yes, Iran. How Iranian-armed Shiite militias came to be leading the fight against ISIS terrorists west of Baghdad is that the Iraqi government begged for their help. It’s in Tehran’s national interest to defeat ISIS even more than in Washington’s. Can this possibly be news to Cotton? Probably not, but he can count on his constituents’ ignorance. It would be astonishing if 20 percent of Arkansas voters could locate Iran on a world map, much less grasp that if Iran looks stronger, it’s because the U.S. keeps attacking its enemies. “Like all the Iran hawks before him,” Daniel Larison writes in The American Conservative, “Cotton claims to fear growing Iranian influence while supporting policies that have facilitated its growth.” For President Obama, a verifiable The Bridge, 2013, acrylic on canvas 48” x 96”
Creating art for 40 years!
s near as I can determine, Sen. Tom Cotton’s biggest worry about Iran is that its government is as bellicose and fanatical as he is. The good news is that based on the Islamic Republic’s response to the condescending, adolescent tone of the “open letter” he and 46 Republican senators addressed to Iran’s leaders, that seems unlikely. Judging by their measured responses, Iranian politicians appear to understand that they weren’t its real audience. Rather, it was a grandstand play directed at Cotton’s own constituents among the GOP’s unappeasable Tea Party base. Its actual purpose was to express contempt and defiance toward President Obama, always popular among the Fox News white bread demographic — basically the same motive that led Cotton to repeat Obama’s name 74 times during a 2014 election debate with Sen. Mark Pryor. That big doodyhead Barack Obama’s not the boss of them. Except that particularly with regard to foreign policy, he is. But hold that thought. Javad Zarif, American-educated Iranian Foreign Minister involved in intense negotiations with Secretary of State John Kerry, observed that the senators’ letter has “no legal value and is mostly a propaganda ploy.” The Persian diplomat pointed out that the agreement’s not being hashed out between the U.S. and Iran, but also among Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. Any deal would be put before the U.N. Security Council and have the force of international law. A future U.S. president could renounce it, but at significant political cost unless Iran clearly violated its terms. Slate’s Fred Kaplan points out chief executives from FDR and Reagan to George W. Bush have negotiated arms control deals in ports of call from Yalta to Helsinki. “In other words,” Kaplan writes, “contrary to the letter writers, Congress has no legal or constitutional role in the drafting, approval, or modification of this deal.” Presidents negotiate arms agreements, not raw-carrot freshman senators. Iran’s crafty old “Supreme Leader” Ayatollah Khamenei lamented “the decay of political ethics in the American system,” but added that he stood by the process. “Every time we reach a stage where the end of the negotiations is in sight,” Khamenei said, “the tone of the
A warning about school privatization BY IRENE ROBINSON AND KARRAN HARPER ROYAL
A
rkansas is considering a grand education experiment in House Bill 1733 to privatize your public schools. Take it from us in New Orleans and Chicago: The experiment won’t work. The school privatization models imposed on New Orleans and Chicago have many flaws. The chief flaws are the ideas that we have systems built on parent choice and that choice improves student learning. Nothing could be further from the truth. New Orleans has closed over 20 schools in the Recovery School District over the last five years, displacing over 4,000 children. In Chicago, 50 schools were closed in 2013 to make way for new charters. They took away our neighborhood schools to give us their idea of “school choice.� School closings, huge numbers of charters and other such interventions do not equal choice. Someone chose for us, without our input or OK. Chicago and New Orleans got a wave of privatization instead of investing in community schools that families could count on in their own neighborhoods. We got ideology instead of research-based practices. It made education worse in our communities. Theoretically parents could send their kids to any school in the city. The reality is we now have to enter a lottery just to have a school for our children anywhere in the city. If we don’t get our children into the school of our choice, we no longer have a neighborhood school to fall back on. This is chance, not choice. Most importantly, this “choice� and “competition� is failing to deliver improvements to our education system. In Chicago, scores have dropped at two-thirds of the 49 receiving schools. Only 18 percent of the mostly charter and contract schools that have replaced closed schools since 2002 perform well. Fifty-six percent of the Recovery School District schools were rated D or F at the end of the 201314 school year in New Orleans. Not one RSD school was rated A, fewer than 10 were rated B and 20 were rated C. The Louisiana Department of Education took over 107 schools that were scoring below the state average and placed them into the Recovery School District after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After nine years of state control, only four of
the 107 schools taken over by the RSD are above the state average. As Chicago closed schools we saw conditions deteriorate. We have special education students being taught under the stairs, we have a combined kindergarten/first-grade class with 42 children and we no longer have space for parent activities. We spend more and get less with the “choice� and privatization envisioned by your HB 1733. Many parents have to wake their children in the early morning hours to be bused across town to often failing or near failing schools. In the 2001-02 school year, $13.9 million was spent on transportation to 120 schools in New Orleans. Currently $35 million is being spent on more than 80 schools. Certainly many parents would rather see this type of education spending increase inside the classroom rather than on transportation. So many outside people came to New Orleans and Chicago to help reform our public education system, but they didn’t come here and ask us what we wanted. They came here with their ideas of what they thought education reform was about. They often had little practical experience or research to support their theories. With heads full of ideology they never took the time to get to know us or what our concerns were about our public schools. It was such a wasted opportunity because our communities desperately want to improve our public schools, but we had “reform� done to us instead of with us. Our children will be paying the price for a generation. The ideology behind your HB 1733 is not based in the reality of what helps children. It is built on an illusion of parent choice. When you have a forced choice, that isn’t parent choice at all. We know you are thinking, “Well, that could never happen in Arkansas!� We hope it doesn’t for your sake. We hope Arkansas lawmakers have the good sense to reject copying the disaster that’s been made of our education systems. We hope you will get involved now in the fight for the schools our children deserve. Irene Robinson is a grandparent of eight Chicago Public School students and a local school council member at Mollison Elementary School. Karran Harper Royal is a parent and education advocate in New Orleans.
"QSJM
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Ed Gerhard Thursday March 19 7:30 p.m. The Joint
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GRAMMYÂŽ award-winning guitarist who has played to sold-out concerts from Japan to Europe.
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MARCH 19, 2015
9
PEARLS ABOUT SWINE
Razorback reemergence
R
est easy now, Arkansas fans. Basketball is essentially reborn here, and for a change, the renaissance seems to have legs and a sense of gender equity. Both Razorback programs return to the NCAA tournament after layoffs this week, and let’s first not overlook the fact that Jimmy Dykes’ women’s squad earned probably more respect than any 17-13 team has previously. Seeded 10th, in fact, this bunch is being properly credited for staying afloat despite a nasty schedule. When Dykes was hired, Pearls was among a few that scoffed at the mere idea that an unproven but affable and knowledgeable guy could get a long-tepid entity to catch fire. To be sure, this is no world-beater, but it’s a team that far outpaced its record with quality of play. The humiliations of the Tom Collen and Susie Gardner eras disappeared almost immediately. Those teams would throttle nonconference opponents and then become indistinguishable and punchless against the best of the SEC. At least for a year, and theoretically longer with a young nucleus returning, Dykes has something appealing, competitive and potentially dangerous. Where UA Athletic Director Jeff Long banked on the rookie head coach was as a recruiter, so the offseason should offer much promise if he secures backcourt leadership. The men’s team got pasted again by Kentucky to end an otherwise commendable conference tournament run. Beating Tennessee and Georgia in Nashville only seems like a modest achievement on the surface: The league slate is so dramatically improved, and so much deeper even in the lower recesses of the rankings, that taking down a couple of groups of that sort amounts to something. Even if the Wildcats were simply too fierce on the final day, capitalizing largely on a late first-half spurt that drove the margin from a few to a bundle in quick order, Arkansas had a don’t-quit brand of nastiness that left a few of Kentucky’s vaunted arsenal bleeding, limping, wincing or complaining. And that was in the second half, with the outcome basically never in question. Mike Anderson now takes a 26-win team into an opening-round game against Wofford, which is no slouch of a program, to say the least. The challenge is evident because of the long-held and oft-validated belief that a 12-5 matchup offers the lowerseeded group the most available vehicle to an upset. The fifth seed is often a talented but exceedingly flawed one, while the 12th tends to be a mid-major dynamo that fears
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nothing and plays with the weight of history in its favor. Add in the mysterious decision to ship the Hogs to BEAU Jacksonville, Fla., a WILCOX trip roughly three times as long as the one the Terriers will be making, and you can see why so many pundits are tabbing this as something of a foregone conclusion. Arkansas isn’t undisciplined, though. And though the Hogs have pretty much felt secure in their place in this tourney for over a month, this is still a team that has all of two NIT games in the last three seasons to show for its steady, if unremarkable, ascent. Michael Qualls and Bobby Portis want to demonstrate their wares to scouts, maybe not for the upcoming NBA draft but the one to follow. Guys like Nick Babb and Jabril Durham itch to make more impact now. It’s an invigorating experience for everyone else, but if the Hogs want to prolong their stay to the second weekend, they’re going to need to exhibit that same imperviousness that stood out during a late-season burn through the meat of the conference schedule. In other words, playing close games won’t be an audacious and mysterious thing. Wofford is a perfect foe because the Terriers will be fairly well suited to run, and not all that equipped to bang down low. It’s virtually a strength-on-strength showdown that should be one of the more entertaining opening games because of the personalities on the sideline (Mike Young is one of the game’s less celebrated but fiery competitors, a man who has built the Wofford program from the ground to the apex in methodical fashion) and the collection of athleticism on the floor. Guard Karl Cochran is a certified scorer and slasher, but the frontcourt girth is lacking. The wild-card prediction cometh: The Hogs adjust at halftime and dust off the Terriers by double digits, with Moses Kingsley providing an unexpected offensive boost against the short front line. That’ll vault the Razorbacks into a second-round game with North Carolina, and the mercurial Tar Heels hit a wall against the pressing Hogs. Arkansas had good fortune against the venerable program in both the 1990 and 1995 tourneys, and 20 years later, the Hogs will be enjoying a return to the Sweet 16 on the strength of Qualls’ 27 points and merciless assault on the rim. Welcome back to the big time ... I hope.
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THE OBSERVER NOTES ON THE PASSING SCENE
Dear Tom
G
reetings, senator! Hope all is well there — that you’re settling into your new office, and that you’re finally getting around to opening the boxes marked “Misc” in quick, too-tired-to-messwith-it handwriting instead of just leaving them in the hall closet where they’ve been since they came off the moving truck, the way Spouse and I did. We’ve got 13-year-old Miscellaneous still boxed up in the attic as I speak, my friend, and there is every indication in the world that that’s where it’s going to stay for the foreseeable future. After a while, it’s just more fun to leave stuff like that sealed, a little time capsule for Future You, full of at least some of the crap you probably didn’t need in the first place. All is well here in Arkansas, for the most part. Thought I saw some buds on the crepe myrtle out back of the house the other day, and the birds are singing to beat the band. Spring has sprung, or soon to sprung. We are in that short, beautiful moment between freezing one’s ass off and so hot it feels like being boiled in molten paraffin, so it’s a fine time indeed. But enough chit chat about the weather. Not to rub it in, but you sure got your dingus in the wringer over that letter to Iran, didn’t you? I usually don’t do politics in polite company, but I’m making an exception in this case. Doesn’t get much more political than trying to get the president’s goat by attempting to scuttle a deal that would hopefully keep some of the craziest people in the world from getting an A-bomb, now does it? When Bob Schieffer asked you on “Face the Nation,” “Are you planning to contact any other of our adversaries? Do you plan to check with the North Koreans?” Ouch. Seriously. I felt your pain. If you watch the YouTube clip of that moment, I swear that in the two seconds after Bob asked those questions, I could see a tiny image of you parked behind the Resolute Desk evaporating out of your eyes like a snowball in a bucket of hot spit. Don’t know if you’ve read it, but even the editorial page of the big daily paper here in Arkansas, usually on the side of conservative folk like a mother mockingbird after her brood, delivered a mighty kick to your ribs the other day, noting the fact that while most freshman senators with less than 100 days of seat
time are still trying to find the bathrooms in the U.S. Capitol building and figger out how to best work for the interests of their constituents back home, you already seem to be looking past the Senate to The Big Chair on Pennsylvania Avenue, blowing off boring ol’ Arkansas issues in favor of pulling a stunt that’ll get your mug on CNN, consequences be damned. Arkansas as a stepping stone, I believe the editorialist said. Double ouch. See, the issue is that you broke the second rule of a happy and productive life. The first, as related in one of my favorite movies, “The Princess Bride,” is: Never get involved in a land war in Asia (there’s still time for you on that one, I suppose). The second, however, is this: Don’t write anything down when you’re mad, and for sure don’t put it in a mailbox. That’s an issue in itself, though. You just seem mad all the time, always on the cusp of hulking out, a lofty flagpole of barely contained rage. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile in public since election night. While there are those who love that emotionally constipated, Stone Idol on a Hill stuff — usually those dumb enough to see a sense of humor as weakness — I would submit that even John Wayne cracked a grin or two in “The Searchers.” Not to get you on the couch and perform some unlicensed psychotherapy, but on a man who just became the youngest member of the U.S. Senate, with a lovely wife and very-soonto-be-newborn child, world by the tail in a downhill pull, that frown you always seem to sport reads a lot like joylessness. I sincerely hope not — not only for your sake, but for all of ours. Joylessness can lead to recklessness, and a joyless, reckless man in a position of great power is a frightening thing indeed. Anyway, thanks for listening. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do, so I’ll let you go. My best to you and your family, and congratulations on the soon-to-come little Cotton boll. Keep the sunny side up, try to smile every once in a while, and — for God’s sake — keep the drawer with the stamps and envelopes closed, at least in the short term.
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Your friend, The Observer www.arktimes.com
MARCH 19, 2015
11
Arkansas Reporter
THE
IN S ID ER
Did Harrises benefit from adoption? Questions continue to arise about the adoption and subsequent “rehoming” of two young girls adopted by Rep. Justin Harris (R-West Fork) and his wife, Marsha, including a number of issues concerning possible direct or indirect benefits the Harrises may have enjoyed as a result of the adoption. Each of the points raised below is addressed in more detail online on the Arkansas Blog: 1.) Rep. Harris used photos of the girls’ older sister in his 2012 re-election campaign materials when she was a foster child in his household. This girl, who we called “Jeanette” in last week’s cover story about the Harris case, began living with the family in the summer of 2012 when she was approximately 6. The Harrises intended to adopt Jeanette as well, but she was returned to DHS custody before the end of 2012 and entered a hospital. The state Department of Human Services expressly prohibits the public use of photos or any other media that would compromise a foster child’s anonymity. DHS spokesperson Amy Webb said she couldn’t comment specifically on Harris, but speaking generally, she said the agency would not allow such use. “If we were made aware of a situation like you described, we would immediately call the foster or pre-adoptive parent and tell him to discontinue using the picture on any campaign material. We would not be comfortable with a foster child’s picture being used during a campaign.” The pictures remained on Harris’ campaign website as late as September 2013. It is hard to believe that no one in DHS was aware that Harris was using photos of a foster child during pre-adoption in 2012, considering these were campaign materials distributed in Harris’ district and made available online. 2.) Five former workers from Growing God’s Kingdom, the preschool that the Harrises own and operate in West Fork, told the Times that the two younger girls — “Mary” and “Annie” in our story — were often signed in on attendance forms on days when they were not physically present. “The girls were there maybe once a week at the most, then they weren’t there at all, and they were still signing them in like they were there,” said one former worker. Another said that whenever one of the girls would come to the preschool, it was “for maybe 1-2 hours at most.” The Harrises, she recalled, “said to put her in the roster every day, even if she
Failure to report DHS worker firing raises more questions about maltreatment reporting. BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK
T
wo children whose mother was an employee in the Division of Children and Family Services of the state Department of Human Services were ordered removed from her custody last year by a judge who found the children were in “imminent danger” at her home. The employee, Chanel Moore, who is required by law to report child maltreatment to the state’s abuse hotline, apparently did not inform DHS that her husband had done anything to harm the children. It was the boys’ grandfather who first called the abuse hotline to report that the older boy had cuts, bruises and scars on his back. Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce awarded custody to the grandfather, George Turner II, after Turner initiated court proceedings in November 2013. After the grandfather called the maltreatment hotline in spring of 2013 and during the custody proceedings that followed, Chanel Moore continued to work at DHS. At some point after his hotline call, Turner said, a caseworker visited Chanel Moore’s home in response to his report, but did not remove the children. A trusted source says that not only did Moore not make a maltreatment report, DCFS Director Cecile Blucker also knew about the abuse allegations and did not report them. The case is of particular interest because state Rep. Justin Harris (R-West Fork) also said that Blucker was aware he had rehomed his children before a maltreatment report of abandonment was made to the hotline. Judge Pierce ordered DHS to turn over its files on the allegations made against the boys’ stepfather, Brandon M. Moore, last April. Chanel Moore was fired in July. In his final custody order in August 2014, Pierce wrote that DHS had made “true findings” of abuse by Brandon Moore and neglect by Chanel Moore. Asked for the reason for her termination, DHS would only disclose that she was fired for violating agency policy.
Turner, of Conway, originally called the state child maltreatment hotline in spring 2013 after learning that the child’s stepfather, Brandon Moore, had “whooped him with a belt.” During a visit to his grandfather, the younger boy told Turner, “ ‘You should look at [his brother’s] back, he has scars on his back,” Turner told the Times. Turner said a caseworker visited Chanel Moore’s home in response to his report, but left the sons in the home. In an affidavit filed in January 2014 in Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce’s court, Turner said, “I believe there was a true finding of physical abuse against Mr. Brandon Moore, the stepfather, because I was subpoenaed to testify and did testify before the Appeal Tribunal of the Department of Human Services on Nov. 18, 2013.” According to Turner, the judge said he did not understand why DHS did not follow protocol and remove the boys from the home after the home visit. He said that Pierce, after meeting with the boys in chambers, expressed displeasure in open court with DHS and said he was turning the documents from the agency over to criminal investigators. The Times has a call in to Judge Pierce for comment. Brandon Moore, 30, was arrested Nov. 14, 2014, on a charge of 2nd degree battery and ordered not to have any contact with Chanel Moore’s oldest son. A jury trial was set for June 9 of this year. But why did DHS evidently not take action against Moore on its own, considering Turner’s original call to the child maltreatment hotline occurred many months prior to the court’s involvement? Turner said he believes the abuse was known to Moore’s boss, Cecile Blucker, the head of DCFS, prior to Judge Pierce’s involvement. An anonymous source corroborated this account. Like Moore and other DCFS employees, Blucker is a mandated reporter DHS spokesperson Amy Webb said
that if allegations of maltreatment rise to the level that requires reporting, Blucker reports it. Moore’s termination letter, provided to the Times under the state Freedom of Information Act, redacted the reason for her firing. Asked why the termination reason was redacted, DHS spokesperson Kate Luck said the agency was “bound by very specific confidentiality laws that prevent us from making certain information public.” She said DHS cannot even reveal which statute, exactly, required the redaction in the first place. “I understand that it’s frustrating; it can be frustrating for us too,” Luck said in an email. “We want to, and strive to be, as open as we can be. But there are times, like this one, when our hands are tied. We have our top attorneys review the information we release under the FOIA and in this instance, there are other confidentiality laws at play that take precedence over the FOIA. To cite those laws would be revealing the confidential nature of the information. [Our emphasis.] “[W]e are in the process of seeking an Attorney General’s opinion on this issue and will abide by whatever that opinion says. However, at this time our attorneys feel the information released was the most we could provide and still be within the law.” The allegations made against Brandon Moore, that Chanel Moore and Brandon Moore were living together CONTINUED ON PAGE 35
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THE
BIG PICTURE
Additions and deletions The absolute worst thing about Wikipedia — even worse than having all the information you ever wanted about pilonidal cysts and the Kardashians — is that anybody can edit it. While that makes Wikipedia a fairly crummy source for everything from term papers to news stories, it does make for entertaining reading once you find the little tab at the top of every page that says “View History.” A lot of our favorite Arkansas-related pages have been heavily edited, usually — shock of shocks! — to make the subject of the entry look better (or, in some cases, worse). Here are a few of our favorites.
“Little Rock, Arkansas,” edited July 25, 2006: Deletion of a line that contends that in 1977, “Elvis Presley ‘died’ and moved to Little Rock. Name changed to Jennings Osborne.”
“Nate Bell,” edited Sept. 30, 2014: Delete of information about Arkan- “Arkansas,” edited Jan. 21, 2015: sas Rep. Greg Leding’s speaking out Deleted information saying the cul“Mark Pryor,” edited Nov. 5, 2014: against Bell’s infamous tweet follow- ture of Arkansas is readily observable Name changed from “Mark White ing the Boston marathon bombing, in the porn industry. Man Pryor” to “Mark Lunsford Pryor,” in which Bell wrote: “I wonder how with a paragraph deleted that had many Boston liberals spent the night “Jason Rapert,” edited Feb. 3, 2015: said: “Shout out to Lacy, who doesn’t cowering in their homes wishing they Delete of a paragraph detailing how think that changing information on had an AR-15 with a hi-capacity mag- the state’s unsuccessful defense of a Wikipedia page is really that easy. azine?” The paragraph was restored Rapert’s 12-week abortion ban led All it takes is one troll to mess things on March 7, 2015. to a federal judge ordering the state up. Even if it is for a day or two. A day to pay $69,000 in attorney fees and or two can make the biggest differ- “Walmart,” edited Feb. 8, 2015: Cor- court costs. Bonus points: the delence in a person’s final opinion on porate name restored to “Walmart eter, who goes by FreeRangeFrog, any issues.” Stores, Inc.” after user I Luv Chicken justified the paragraph being 86’ed changed it to “Wal-Fro-Nart.” not because it’s untrue, but because “Mike Huckabee,” edited March 4, of the source, writing in an explana2015: Former political title restored “Arkansas,” edited Feb. 25, 2015: tory note: “The Arkansas Times is not to “Governor of Arkansas” after Deleted information saying that early a reliable or unbiased source. It’s an being changed to “Governor of Ass.” Arkansans traded unicorns for gold. alternative newspaper.”
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INSIDER, CONT. wasn’t there.” That raises the question of whether the preschool improperly received either federal or state money or both for the children. To be clear, it’s uncertain whether Growing God’s Kingdom received any public money from such sign-ins. The answer would likely depend on the income profile of the Harris household. The state pays preschools for the attendance of certain 3- and 4-year-olds through the Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture pays for some preschoolers’ meals, but eligibility for both programs is dependent on income. The cutoff for ABC funding, for example, is 200 percent of the federal poverty line, which is $73,460 for a family of seven. In 2013, the Harris home would have consisted of Mary, Annie, Justin, Marsha and their three biological sons. We don’t know the Harrises’ income for 2013, but based on what we know of past years, it was probably higher than $73,460. So, perhaps the Harrises had a different, unknown reason for counting the girls as being in attendance at the school. 3.) There are questions about direct financial incentives the Harrises may have received for the adoption. Jennifer Wells, the family’s attorney, has produced copies of checks that demonstrate the Harrises did indeed pass on their $820 monthly adoption subsidy from DHS to Eric C. and Stacey Francis, the Bella Vista couple who took the young girls into their home in late 2013. (Eric was later convicted of sexually abusing the older of the two girls and is now serving a 40-year sentence in prison.) We do not know, however, whether the Harrises received a federal adoption tax credit, which could have been significantly larger than the monthly DHS adoption subsidy. In 2013, the IRS allowed adoptive parents to claim a credit of $12,970 per child; combined with other child tax credits, that means the Harrises could have saved up to $28,000 on their federal income taxes for 2013. The adoption tax credit is nonrefundable, but it can be carried forward to apply to future tax years. It’s also unclear whether the Harrises claimed Mary or Annie as dependents on their 2014 taxes, during which time the girls were no longer living in the Harris home. Wells has not answered questions from the Times about whether the Harrises claimed the adoption credit or other tax benefits for the children. The Harrises should release their tax returns for 2012, 2013 and 2014 to clear up such questions. www.arktimes.com
MARCH 19, 2015
13
GREG HAYGOOD
CRITICAL OF ‘EXPERT’ CITED BY HARRIS: Jean Mercer is a psychologist who has concerns about “Attachment Therapy.”
Harris therapy controversial But DHS site recommends it. BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK
C
helsey Goldsborough, a babysitter for state Rep. Justin Harris (RWest Fork) and his wife, Marsha, said last week that the Harrises believed their adopted girls, ages 2 and 5 at adoption, were possessed by demons and that they turned to exorcism to cure the older girl. Goldsborough and other sources said the Harrises often locked the girls in their rooms and would isolate the older girl from the rest of the family for hours at a time, communicating only through a video monitor. The Harrises eventually removed the girls from their home and placed them with a man who, in turn, raped the older girl. On Tuesday, Goldsborough said she had been contacted by state police regarding a child maltreatment investigation. When we asked the Department of Human Services last week whether locking a child in a room for extended periods of time would constitute abuse or mal-
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treatment, spokesperson Amy Webb said, “That situation would likely result in a call being placed to the child abuse hotline for possible investigation. It would then be up to the hotline to determine whether an investigation would be pursued. The outcome of such an investigation would be dependent on what the circumstances were surrounding that situation. Context is critical in child maltreatment investigations.” Some context for the circumstances in the Harris home was provided by the Harris family lawyer, Jennifer Wells, when the Times asked about the girls’ treatment. She said the couple relied on techniques found in a book called “When Love Is Not Enough, A Parent’s Guide to Reactive Attachment Disorder” by Nancy Thomas, who Wells described as a “recognized expert on therapeutic parenting techniques.” Wells also told the Times that exorcisms “are not part of the Harrises’
religious practice.” But Thomas’ book might have put ideas about demonic possession in the Harrises’ heads. Here is what “When Love Is Not Enough” has to say about children with Reactive Attachment Disorder, which Justin Harris says the girls were diagnosed with: “The infant rage they often internalize that first year, instead of internalizing a loving parent, makes them fascinated with destruction, fire, blood, gore and evil. They often identify with the devil.” In fact, Thomas paints a bleak picture of children with RAD, describing them as “sneaky,” potentially dangerous liars who should not be let out of their rooms at night lest they harm family members. There is much popular confusion about RAD, and for good reason. Reactive Attachment Disorder is a very specific condition recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the definitive (if imperfect) resource for mental health diagnosis, published by the American Psychological Association. Children with RAD typically either fear and avoid social relationships or develop social bonds inappropriately quickly, according to the DSM. Although RAD is often associated with abused or neglected children, who commonly have other behavioral problems, the diagnosis does not necessarily indicate a violent individual.
But Thomas and other proponents of what they call “Attachment Therapy” define a broader range of negative child behaviors as symptoms of “Attachment Disorder,” a diagnosis that is not recognized by the DSM. Adding to the confusion, Thomas and others often use the terms “RAD” and “Attachment Disorder” interchangeably. The diagnosis and therapy have come under fire from the APA’s Division on Child, Youth and Family Services and child psychologists as not based in science and potentially harmful to children Jean Mercer of the Institute for Science in Medicine, a retired professor who earned her doctorate from Brandeis University, says the practitioners of “Attachment Therapy” label young children as potential psychopaths, a diagnosis that mental health professionals say cannot be made in children. “Attachment Therapy” insists on absolute obedience to the parents as the way to engender feelings of attachment in the child. An APA task force described the philosophy this way in a 2006 report: “Proponents of the controversial therapies emphasize the child’s resistance to attachment and the need to break down the child’s resistance … the conceptual focus for understanding the child’s behavior emphasizes the child’s individual internal pathology and past caregivers, rather than the current parent-child relationship or current environment.” Mercer said therapists who use “Attachment Disorder” as a diagnosis “are saying, ‘We’re going to imitate what normally happens with babies, babies being totally dependent. … Parents must have total authority and they think that emotional attachment happens because the child recognizes the power of the adult. What they think [parents] have to do is display their power, and the way you know [children] are attached is they are very obedient and grateful.” Children must acknowledge parental authority, show affection and gratitude “and into the bargain they have to be fun to be around. The goal here is vastly different from what the goal would be in a genuine family.” Mercer said established therapies, on the other hand, focus on symptoms and work with parents to address those symptoms. “I’m not saying the parent is bad or wrong, but parents must learn to do things that work with [a] particular child for [a] particular problem,” Mercer said. Therapies that focus on nuance — is a child you think is ignoring you really ignoring you? Or just paying attention in a different way? — “can really help parents change behavior expectations in a way that fosters the
“Attachment Disorder” “should never share a room with another child. If a child with attachment disorder can physically or sexually abuse another child, they will.” She writes that they should not be allowed to play with other children because “it is very easy for them to grab a crotch or poke out an eye.” Goldsborough also reported there were locks on the girls’ rooms, which is something Thomas does not advocate: “It is not safe or legal to lock a child in their room. Don’t do it.” She does advocate for alarms, however, and says, “parents must open the child’s bedroom door rather than allow the child to do it until the alarm is no longer needed.” Thomas says children with RAD enjoy lying, and that a “fun thing” to help “a falsehood filled fiend” overcome lying is to offer them cereal when they ask for ice cream and “when they question, you say ‘Oh, I thought you were lying.’ ” Have fun with it, she says. In its 2006 report, the APA task force writes that Thomas’ definition of RAD behavior — that all RAD children have deeply suppressed anger, have no conscience and will become psychopaths if untreated — is unsupported by “most” attachment researchers. The task force was particularly critical of holding therapy, in which the child is held down by a therapist or parent until he or she stops resisting. Holding therapy came under scrutiny in 2000, when 10-year-old Candace Newmaker was suffocated by therapists in Evergreen, Colo., who held and lay on her as she was wrapped in a sheet to simulate the birth canal. They did not let up despite her protests that she was dying. Thomas now says she doesn’t recommend holding. (Her book does, however, suggest a book by another author on holding therapy.) Another unconventional recommen-
dation by Thomas is to feed disobedient children sugar, which she believes is a pain reliever. She recommends giving children warm milk sweetened with sugar or caramels and vanilla to “reinforce the bonding process.” The state Department of Human Services’ website includes many links to websites advocating “Attachment Therapy,” including fosterparents.com, where you can find this caveat attached to Nancy Thomas Parenting training sessions: “Some of the strategies outlined in this workshop may be considered unethical by many child protective agencies and can result in an investigation and loss of foster care license. Though we feel the praise strategies and many of the other strategies in this workshop are appropriate, helpful and make this course well worth taking, we do not endorse all strategies discussed in this workshop. Please keep in mind that Ms. Thomas is working with and discussing children who are severely behaviorally impaired.”
In defense
Jean Crume, an MSW and licensed clinical social worker who has a contract with DHS to treat children with RAD, has a different take on Nancy Thomas’ and other “Attachment Therapy” methods. “I know Nancy Thomas is extremely controversial. However, I know she is very effective, trains worldwide and has done a lot of good for parents,” Crume said. Crume, who is listed as an “Attachment Therapist” on the Nancy Thomas Parenting website, does not recommend that parents simply use the book, but use the book in combination with working with a licensed therapist. Crume said there are many methods that have been developed to treat children with “Attachment Disorder.” Nancy Thomas’ “is one method and what you
BRIAN CHILSON
child’s appropriate maturation,” she said. Thomas’ “Attachment Disorder” diagnosis says children with “act superficial and phony … they feel they can manipulate”; “avoid eye contact with people who love them unless they are lying, or conning, and then they make excellent eye contact”; are “trust bandits” who are “not cuddly”; “very sneaky”; and are without a conscience. The checklist of behaviors is derived from something called the Randolph questionnaire, an unscientific instrument developed by a practitioner who lost her license, Mercer said. Those symptoms are not included in the DSM-5’s diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder. Instead, the DSM-5 describes children with RAD as being emotionally withdrawn toward caregivers, sad, fearful and irritable. It is not a predictor of “a terrible outcome,” Mercer said, and is a rare diagnosis. In a press conference he called to address the Arkansas Times’ revelations of his rehoming, Harris said he relied on Ozark Guidance, a respected mental health provider in Northwest Arkansas, for help with his children’s therapy. A spokesperson for Ozark Guidance asked the Times to submit its inquiry into the use of “Attachment Therapy” by email for a response, but none was received by press time. Nancy Thomas does not have any formal training in child psychology, something she herself acknowledges. Instead, she writes, “I have a mom’s heart and a mom’s hands.” Before she got into “Attachment Therapy” she was a dog groomer, according to the Advocates for Children in Therapy in Loveland, Colo. (In “When Love Is Not Enough,” Thomas describes a child’s basic skills as “come, go, no, sit and stay.”) Thomas tells tales of mayhem, of parents whose 9-year-old “hacked up stairs, furniture and paneling, preparing to hack up her newly adopted mom!” and another 9-year-old who crept out at night to molest dozens of children. Goldsborough, the former babysitter, said the girls’ rooms were outfitted with cameras and alarms, and that the older girl was not allowed to play with the Harris boys or her biological sister, with whom she’d lived since birth and who the babysitter said was also believed to be possessed by the Harrises. Goldsborough said Marsha Harris showed her a video that Harris believed showed a demon interacting with one of the girls, and that the girls were kept apart because the Harrises believed they could communicate telepathically. Thomas writes that a child with
LITTLE ROCK THERAPIST JEAN CRUME: Says Thomas “has done a lot of good” for parents but her book is not to be used in place of professional therapy.
read in her method is the extreme of everything. It doesn’t have to be that rigid.” Crume said that “When Love Is Not Enough” does not stress what she knows to be an important part of Thomas’ therapy: “unconditional love, all the time.” Crume uses a therapy called “Theraplay” for her patients 6 and under. She said Theraplay uses the play setting to teach parents how to help their children gain a sense of self, self-esteem and understand that “ ‘I don’t have to control the situation all the time.’ ” “A lot has evolved since Nancy Thomas. She [developed her theories in] the ’80s and early ’90s and there was nothing else out there. She was a voice in the wilderness,” Crume said. What about Thomas’ description of a child with RAD as “sneaky” and having other negative characteristics? “Frankly,” Crume said, “they probably are going to do all [the behaviors described] if they are seriously attachment disordered. … The child doesn’t know the difference between a want and a need, and doesn’t trust the adult to provide what they need. So [the parents] have asked a child not to do something six times and the child does it anyway … parents are going think the child is being sneaky.” The older of the Harrises’ two adopted girls was kept in a room stripped of toys and books, Harris confirmed at his news conference. He said they were taken away and would be reintroduced slowly: Thomas recommends children earn their toys. Though that seems punitive, Crume was not critical of such a technique. “The reason that positive reinforcement doesn’t work so well is there is nothing to build on,” Crume said. If they learn to see a connection between good behavior and reward, they’ll gain a sense of selfworth, she said. Crume said she believed Thomas was addressing the behavior of very disturbed adolescents, rather than 4- and 2-yearolds. “It’s not something I think I’d recommend” for younger children, she said. (In the introduction to the book, however, Thomas writes “the tools in this book are most effective with children from toddlers to the onset of puberty.”) It is essential, Crume said, that parents seeking to correct behaviors are not acting out of “anger, meanness, a place of dominance, a place of ‘I want to show you who is boss.’ ” They must not be harsh. If a child has been given a choice to act in a way that is good for him and refuses, the parent must feel “genuinely disappointed” and let the child know that. “It is extremely difficult. It takes a lot of CONTINUED ON PAGE 35 www.arktimes.com
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2015 SPRING MUSIC PREV Concerts from Steve Earle, Sturgill Simpson, Sheryl Crow, Girl Talk and The Roots on the horizon. BY WILL STEPHENSON
I
don’t know about you, but I haven’t left my apartment in months. I’ve been standing at the window, sipping coffee, waiting for the end of the snow and black ice and rain and seasonal affective disorder. I’ve been living off granola bars and small mandarin oranges, looking up pictures of the sun on the Internet. But no more! Arkansans, our long seasonal nightmare is over. These are the months of Riverfest and Wakarusa, of Steve Earle, Bone Thugs & Harmony and Todd Rundgren. Of Chance the Rapper, Sturgill Simpson, Big K.R.I.T. and Sheryl Crow. It’s time to shave and throw open your windows and put away childish
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things. It’s time for spring. On March 26, your options are both promising and absurdly wide-ranging. The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will give a free concert at the Capital Hotel, only to be drowned out by Detroit beatmaker and former J Dilla collaborator Black Milk, who will be at Stickyz with Nat Turner. Much-hyped noise pop group Mitski will be at Juanita’s while local psych-rockers and Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase finalists Open Fields play across the river at The Joint with Emma Branch. The following night, March 27, finds Verizon Arena hosting the nation’s big-
gest Christian music tour Winter Jam, featuring Grammy nominees Skillet alongside Jeremy Camp, Francesca Battistelli and many others; Denim and Stetson-clad outlaw legend Billy Joe Shaver returns to White Water Tavern; G-Unit rapper and Cash Money Records cast-off Young Buck performs at IV Corners, country singer-songwriter William Clark Green headlines at Stickyz and Rodney Block and the Real Music Lovers play at Revolution. Next up: Atlanta indie pop group The Shadowboxers (March 28) comes to Stickyz, and beloved local country mainstay Bonnie Montgomery plays at White Water Tavern
with Robert Banta. Vegas alt-rock band Stolas (March 29) comes to Juanita’s with Motion in Color, Lame Johnny, Move Orchestra and more. Andy Frasco and the UN (March 29) bring their brand of feelgood “party blues” to Stickyz. More or less famous L.A. cock-rock band Buckcherry (March 31), best known for a song called “Crazy Bitch,” plays at Juanita’s. April kicks off with performances by award-winning blues harmonica player R.J. Mischo and His Red Hot Blues Band at South on Main, Tucson cowpunk cult favorites Supersuckers at Stickyz and experimental, self-pro-
LIVING THE DREAM: Sturgill Simpson, whose sound has been favorably compared to Waylon Jennings, visits Hendrix College’s Staples Auditorium on April 29.
ing Life. Alt-country favorite Mulehead returns to White Water the following night, April 3, and trombone-heavy New Orleans rock group Yojimbo comes to Stickyz April 5. In Fayetteville, avantmetal band The Body (April 7) will be at the Lightbulb Club with Not On Your Life. Iska Dhaaf (April 8), a Seattle indie rock duo who claim to be primarily influenced by Sufi poetry, play at White Water Tavern with locals The Coasts, who made our 10 best Little Rock albums
list last year with their LP “Racilia.” Northwest Arkansas “outlaw bluegrass” group Cutty Rye (April 8) plays a free show at South on Main. Indiana country three-piece Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band (April 9) comes to George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, while Billboard-charting country group the Randy Rogers Band (April 9) plays at Revolution and Memphis singer-songwriter Amy LaVere (April 9) returns to White Water. Mall-punk royalty New Found
Glory (April 10) comes to town next for a show at Juanita’s, followed by Macon, Ga., native and country star Jason Aldean (April 11) at Verizon Arena. Also that weekend: a metal showcase featuring Neverafter, Mothwind and Enchiridion (April 11) at Juanita’s; Memphis rockers Dead Soldiers (April 11) at Stickyz; local super-group Bad Match (April 11), fronted by John Willis collaborator Sarah Stricklin, at South on Main, and the first of two performances of Mozart, Prokofiev and Strauss comCONTINUED ON PAGE 25
SOAKING UP THE SUN: Sheryl Crow headlines Riverfest on Memorial Day weekend.
VIEW claimed “audio/visual rock duo” Darsombra at White Water Tavern (featuring Auto-Dreamer and Mainland Divide) all on April Fool’s Day. On April 2, Alabama Americana troupe The Mulligan Brothers play at Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts; the Oxford American Jazz Series continues with an appearance by the Bennie Wallace Quartet at South on Main; Devon Allman (April 2), son of the more famous Gregg and founder of the band Honeytribe, comes to Revolution; and local punks The Trophy Boyfriends play at White Water Tavern with Glittercore and the newly renamed Glow-
TAKE A CHANCE: Chance the Rapper is part of a huge bill of diverse acts at Wakarusa on Mulberry Mountain June 4-7.
www.arktimes.com
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SPRING ARTS CALENDAR
LITERARY LIGHT: “Awkward Black Girl” writer and actress Issa Roe will be in town for the Arkansas Literary Festival in April.
(STARTING MARCH 26)
GREATER LITTLE ROCK BOOKS APRIL 23-26: Arkansas Literary Festival. Featuring John Waters, Rick Bragg, Rebecca Wells, Megan Abbott, Jamaica Kincaid, Kevin Brockmeier and Issa Rae. Various venues downtown.
COMEDY APRIL 10: Kevin Hart. Verizon Arena, 8 p.m., $35.50-$99.50. APRIL 14: Kenny Zimlinghaus. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $15. JUNE 20: Black and Brown Comedy Get Down. Featuring Cedric “The Entertainer,” Mike Epps, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy. Verizon Arena, 8 p.m., $49.75$75.
DANCE APRIL 17-19: Ballet Arkansas’s “Who Cares?” Featuring the music of George Gershwin. Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., $35.
EVENTS MARCH 31: Amir Dossal, founder and chairman of the Global Partnerships Forum. Clinton School of Public Service, Sturgis Hall, 6 p.m. APRIL 16: Amy Dubois Barnett. Bless the Mic Lecture Series. M.L. Harris Auditorium, Philander Smith College, 7 p.m., free. APRIL 25: 5th annual Indie Arts and Music Festival. Kavanaugh Boulevard between Walnut and Palm streets, 11 a.m. APRIL 26: Jewish Food Festival. War Memorial Stadium, 10 a.m. 18
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MAY 6-10: Disney on Ice. Verizon Arena, various times, $13-$61. JUNE 20: Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom 2015. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center.
FILM MARCH 28: “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” Ron Robinson Theater, 2 p.m., $5. APRIL 9: “Fight Club.” Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $5. APRIL 10: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $5. APRIL 11: “The Sandlot.” Ron Robinson Theater, 2 p.m., $5. APRIL 14: “The Wizard of Oz.” Riverdale 10, 7 p.m., $5. MAY 1: “Some Like It Hot.” Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $5. MAY 11-17: Little Rock Film Festival. Ron Robinson Theater and other Little Rock venues. MAY 12: “Casablanca.” Riverdale 10, 7 p.m., $5. MAY 16: “Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy.” Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. MAY 28: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $5. JUNE 9: “Shawshank Redemption.” Riverdale 10, 7 p.m., $5. JUNE 11: “Hell Raiser.” Riverdale 10, 7 p.m. $5. JULY 15: “Mad Max: The Road Warrior.” Riverdale 10, 7 p.m., $5.
MUSIC MARCH 26: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Capital Hotel, 5:15 p.m., free. MARCH 26: Open Fields, Emma Branch. The Joint, 9 p.m., $5. MARCH 26: Mitski, The P-47s. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $5. MARCH 26: Black Milk with Nat Turner. Stickyz, 9 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of. MARCH 27: Winter Jam 2015. Verizon Arena,
7 p.m., $10. MARCH 27: Billy Joe Shaver. White Water Tavern, 8 p.m., $25. MARCH 27: William Clark Green. Stickyz, 9 p.m., $10. MARCH 27: Young Buck. IV Corners Bar, 9 p.m. MARCH 27: Suite 1911, Rodney Block and the Real Music Lovers. Revolution, 10 p.m., $10. MARCH 28: Red Devil Lies, Redefined Reflection, Minerva. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $8. MARCH 28: The Shadowboxers. Stickyz, 9 p.m., $6. MARCH 28: Bonnie Montgomery, Robert Banta. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. MARCH 29: Stolas, Motion in Color, Lame Johnny, Harvester, Move Orchestra. Juanita’s, 7 p.m., $8. MARCH 29: Andy Frasco and The UN. Stickyz, 7:30 p.m., $8. MARCH 31: Buckcherry. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $23. APRIL 1: R.J. Mischo and His Red Hot Blues Band. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. APRIL 1: Supersuckers. Stickyz, 8:30 p.m., $10 adv., $14 day of. APRIL 1: Darsombra, Auto-Dreamer, Mainland Divide. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m., $6. APRIL 2: The Mulligan Brothers. Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts, 7 p.m., $20. APRIL 2: Bennie Wallace Quartet. South on Main, 8 p.m., $30. APRIL 2: Devon Allman. Revolution, 8 p.m., $12-$25. APRIL 2: The Trophy Boyfriends, Glittercore, Glowing Life. White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. APRIL 3: Thunder on the Mountain Throwdown. Revolution, 8 p.m., $5. APRIL 3: Foul Play Cabaret. Stickyz, 9:30 p.m., $10. APRIL 3: Mulehead. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m., $7. APRIL 5: Yojimbo. Stickyz, 9 p.m., $5. APRIL 8: Cutty Rye. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. APRIL 8: Iska Dhaaf, The Coasts. White Water
Tavern, 9 p.m. APRIL 9: Rodney Block Presents: Amasa Hines. The Joint, 7:30 p.m. APRIL 9: Randy Rogers Band. Revolution, 9 p.m., $22 adv., $25 day of. APRIL 9: Amy LaVere. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m., $7. APRIL 10: New Found Glory. Juanita’s, 7:30 p.m., $20. APRIL 11: Jason Aldean. Verizon Arena, 7:30 p.m., $45.50-$77. APRIL 11: Neverafter, Mothwind, Enchiridion. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $8. APRIL 11: Dead Soldiers. Stickyz, 9 p.m., $6. APRIL 11: Bad Match. South on Main, 10 p.m., $8. APRIL 11-12: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra: Mozart, Prokofiev and Strauss. Maumelle Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m., Sun., $19-$58. APRIL 13: Y&T. Juanita’s, 7:30 p.m., $15. APRIL 14: GIVERS. Stickyz, 8:30 p.m., $12 adv., $15 day of. APRIL 15: SeanFresh. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. APRIL 15: Papadosio. Revolution, 8 p.m., $15. APRIL 15: Steve Earle and The Dukes. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $30. APRIL 16: John Moreland. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. APRIL 17: Art Alexakis of Everclear. Revolution, 8:30 p.m., $20 adv., $25 day of. APRIL 17: John Paul Keith. White Water Tavern, 10 p.m., $7. APRIL 18: Ralph Stanley. Juanita’s, 1 p.m., $40-$100. APRIL 18: John Neal Rock N Roll. Stickyz, 9 p.m. APRIL 18: Mom’s Kitchen. Revolution, 9 p.m., $8 adv., $10 day of. APRIL 19: Fleetwood Mac. Verizon Arena, 8 p.m. $52.50-$174. APRIL 19: Todd Rundgren. Revolution, 8 p.m., $35 adv., $40 day of.
APRIL 21: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Mendelssohn, Mozart and Brahms. Clinton Presidential Center, 7 p.m., $23. APRIL 21: Nonpoint, 36 Crazyfists. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $10-$30. APRIL 21: Dana Louise and The Glorious Birds. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. APRIL 22: David Rosen Septet. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. APRIL 22: I Prevail, Too Close to Touch. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $5. APRIL 22: The Bright Light Social Hour. Revolution, 9 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of. APRIL 23: Chris Tomlin. Verizon Arena, 7 p.m., $24.50-$63.50. APRIL 23: Marc Cohn. Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts, 7 p.m., $35. APRIL 23: Little Rock Wind Symphony, “Symphonic Dances.” Second Presbyterian Church, 7:30 p.m. APRIL 23: Steve Moakler, Adam Hambrick. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $12. APRIL 24: Full of Hell, The Body. Stickyz, 9:30 p.m., $10. APRIL 24: Jimbo Mathus and The Tri State Coalition. White Water Tavern, 10 p.m., $10. APRIL 25: Iron and Wine. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $25. APRIL 25: Pujol, The Uh Huhs. Stickyz, 10 p.m., $8. APRIL 28: Revolver Magazine’s Hottest Chicks Tour. Revolution, 5:30 p.m., $20 adv., $25 day of. APRIL 28: Dirty Heads. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $17. APRIL 29: Tonya Leeks Band. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. APRIL 30: Whiskey Myers. Revolution, 9 p.m., $15 adv., $18 day of. APRIL 30: Young Guns. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $5. MAY 1: Hatebreed. Revolution, 8:30 p.m., $17 adv., $20 day of. MAY 1: Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers, U.S. Elevator. Stickyz, 9 p.m., $15. MAY 2: James McMurtry. Revolution, 8:30 p.m., $15. MAY 5: Hurray for the Riff Raff. South on Main, 7:30 p.m. MAY 5: Cherub. Revolution, 8:30 p.m., $16 adv., $20 day of. MAY 6: Cindy Woolf and Mark Bilyeu. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. MAY 6: SoMo. Revolution, 8 p.m., $22-$100. MAY 7: Will Hoge. Revolution, 7:30 p.m., $10. MAY 7: Banditos. Stickyz, 8:30 p.m., $7.
JUNE 16: William Fitzsimmons, Denison Witmer. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $12. JULY 9: Rodney Block Presents: Lex Norwood. The Joint, 7:30 p.m. JULY 27: The History of the Eagles. Verizon Arena, 8 p.m. $54.50-$176.50.
THEATER APRIL 10-25: “Karski’s Message.” The Weekend Theater, 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., $12-$16. APRIL 24-26: “Million Dollar Quartet.” Maumelle Performing Arts Center, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., $42-$73.50. MAY 5-16: “Project Elan.” Arkansas Repertory Theatre. MAY 15-30. “The Member of the Wedding.” The Weekend Theater, 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., $12$16. JUNE 5-21: “August: Osage County.” Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 7 p.m. Wed.-Thu., Sun.; 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. ROYALTY: Steve Earle and the Dukes are slated for a Juanita’s show on April 15.
MAY 8: Bart Crow. Revolution, 9 p.m., $10. MAY 8: Patrick Sweany. White Water Tavern, 10 p.m., $10. MAY 9-10: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, “Ashley Brown’s Broadway.” Connor Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., $19-$58. MAY 11: Swingin’ Utters. White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. MAY 13: Rodney Block and The Love Supreme. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. MAY 14: Blue October, Harvard of the South. Juanita’s, 7:30 p.m., $27. MAY 14: Rodney Block Presents: Anthony David. The Joint, 7:30 p.m. MAY 15: Copeland. Juanita’s, 7 p.m., $16. MAY 16: Joe Diffie. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $30. MAY 16: Riitz, Kxng Crooked. Discovery Nightclub. MAY 17: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, “Electrify Your Strings!” Connor Performing Arts Center, 7 p.m., $15. MAY 17: Hellyeah. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $23. MAY 20: Faster Pussycat. Revolution, 8:30 p.m., $12 adv., $14 day of. MAY 22-24: Riverfest. Riverfront Park, Clinton
Center, with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Girl Talk, 311, Sheryl Crow, Sam Hunt, Big K.R.I.T. and more. MAY 27: Luke Pruitt. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. MAY 27: Eve to Adam. Revolution, 8:30 p.m., $10. MAY 28: Mike and the Moonpies, Swampbird. White Water Tavern, 9 p.m., $7. MAY 29: The Wildflowers. Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $10. MAY 30: Kevin Gordon. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. MAY 31: Black Stone Cherry. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $15. MAY 31: The Zoltars, Open Fields. Stickyz, 8 p.m., $6. JUNE 4: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stickyz, 9 p.m., $12 adv., $15 day of. JUNE 5: Casey Donahew Band. Revolution, 9 p.m., $20. JUNE 6: Brit Floyd. Verizon Arena, 8 p.m., $56. JUNE 7: Little Rock Wind Symphony, “Out and Back Again.” Second Presbyterian Church, 7:30 p.m. JUNE 15: Miss May I. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $10.
VISUAL ART THROUGH APRIL 5: “She.” Ink and watercolor by Lisa Krannichfeld. Historic Arkansas Museum. THROUGH APRIL 12: “Mid-Southern Watercolor Exhibition.” Arkansas Arts Center. THROUGH MAY 3: John Harlan Norris: Public Face. Historic Arkansas Museum. THROUGH JUNE 21: “A Humble Hum: Rhythm of the Potter’s Wheel.” Ceramics by Ashley Morrison. Arkansas Arts Center. THROUGH AUG. 23: “Recent Acquisitions.” Historic Arkansas Museum. MARCH 27: “Faces in Certain Places.” Bisa Butler fine art quilts, reception, 5:30 p.m., Hearne Fine Art. MARCH 28: Bisa Butler, artist talk. 2 p.m., Hearne Fine Art. APRIL 10-JUNE 21: “30 Americans.” Work by contemporary African-American artists, Arkansas Arts Center. APRIL 10, MAY 8, JUNE 12, JULY 10: 2nd Friday Art Night. Downtown galleries, 5-8 p.m. APRIL 17, MAY 15, JUNE 19: Third Friday Argenta ArtWalk. Downtown galleries, 5-8 p.m. APRIL 24: “Sculpture at the River Market.” Preview party, River Market pavilions, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $100.
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MARCH 19, 2015
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DESIGNERS CHOICE FASHION PREVIEW
THE WORLD OF FASHION
presents
Saturday, April 4, 2015 Featured Designers
Anthony Lemon, Audrey Funk, Brandi Tate, Mariya Wright, Remi Hodges, Shelia Scott, Stephanie Thomas, Teiraney J. Ousley, & Korto Momolu
Hosted by
& Morris Chestnut
Donna Terrell
VIP Red Carpet Reception 6:30 pm | Doors Open at 7 pm | Fashion Show Begins at 7:30 pm VIP | $75
Includes Entrance Into The • VIP Red Carpet Reception• Enjoy an open bar with unlimited flow of wine and drinks, heavy hors d’oeuvres, VIP seating and a fabulous swag bag.
General Admission | $40 Purchase your tickets today at Jeante, Uncle T’s, Butlers Furniture Depot or online at www.dcfplr2015.eventbrite.com. Metroplex Event Center | 10800 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock E-mail: info@timmonsarts.org
APRIL 24: “Bronze and Brewskis.” “Sculpture at the River Market” event, River Market pavilions, 8:30-10:30 p.m. $35. APRIL 25-26: “Sculpture at the River Market.” River Market pavilions, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. APRIL 27-MAY 8: “BFA Group Exhibition.” University of Arkansas at Little Rock. MAY 2: Argenta Arts Festival and Maker Faire. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., downtown North Little Rock, Arts Festival free, Maker Faire $10. MAY 15-JULY 10: John Wooldridge, paintings. Cantrell Gallery. JULY 10-SEPT. 20: 57th annual “Delta Exhibition.” Juried show. Arkansas Arts Center. JULY 17-SEPT. 5: Eric Spann, paintings. Cantrell Gallery.
BATESVILLE FILM
APRIL 3-11: Ozark Foothills Film Festival. Screenings of narrative and documentary features, shorts and animation, with visiting filmmakers and a screenwriting workshop. Various venues in Batesville, $25.
BENTONVILLE FILM MAY 5-9: Bentonville Film Festival. Geena Davis, chair. Various venues.
VISUAL ART THROUGH JUNE 1: “Van Gogh to Rothko.” Work from the Knox-Albright Gallery, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. MARCH 28-MAY 10: “Georgia O’Keeffe: See What I See.” Featuring “Jimson Weed/White 20
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ARKANSAS TIMES
Flower No. 1” and other works. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. JULY 4-OCT. 5: “Warhol’s Nature.” Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. JULY 25-OCT. 5: “Jamie Wyeth.” Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
CONWAY MUSIC MARCH 27: Randall and Benjamin Del Shreve. Kings Live Music, 8:30 p.m., $5. APRIL 18: The Texas Tenors. Reynolds Performance Hall, 7:30 p.m., $30-$40. APRIL 29: Sturgill Simpson. Staples Auditorium, Hendrix College, 8 p.m., free.
EUREKA SPRINGS MUSIC JUNE 13-21: Blues Week. Jimmy D. Lane, The Bel-Airs, Earl & Them, Shawn Holt and the Teardrops, Kelley Hunt, Chris Thomas King, The Nace Brothers and the Noah Witherspoon Band. Venues in downtown Eureka Springs. VIP passes $150, weekend passes $115. Individual tickets on sale April 1. MAY 1-31: May Festival of the Arts. Venues around Eureka Springs, performing and visual arts events. JUNE 19-JULY 17: Opera in the Ozarks. The Tales of Hoffman,” “La Traviata,” “La Cenerentola (Cinderella),” Inspiration Point.
FAYETTEVILLE EVENTS
p.m., $27-$47. APRIL 24: Collin Vs. Adam. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. APRIL 25: Antartichrist, Chemical Discipline. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. APRIL 28: JJ Grey and Mofro. George’s Majestic Lounge, 9 p.m., $22. MAY 13: Joe Pug. George’s Majestic Lounge, 8 p.m., $13. JUNE 6: Sloppy Seconds, Rival Monsters. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. JUNE 19: Artosphere Festival Orchestra 10X10 Concert. Walton Arts Center, 8 p.m., $10-$25.
THEATER
NOT A DIRTY SHAME: Director John Waters will present at the Arkansas Literary Festival.
APRIL 29-May 3: “Once.” Walton Arts Center, $36-$70. JUNE 18: TheatreSquared’s 2015 Arkansas New Play Festival. Walton Arts Center, 8 p.m., $40.
HOT SPRINGS MUSIC MAY 30. Randy Houser. Magic Springs, $19.99. MAY 31-JUNE 13. Hot Springs Music Festival. Hot Springs National Park, $150.
MARCH 29: Jeanne Robertson. Walton Arts Center, 4 p.m., $17. APRIL 23: An Evening with David Sedaris. Walton Arts Center, 7 p.m., $38-$58. MAY 16: Kathleen Madigan. Walton Arts Center, 8 p.m., $20-$40.
MUSIC MARCH 27: DEERPEOPLE, Junk Machine. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. MARCH 28: High Magic, Lo-Res. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. APRIL 1: Nora Jane Struthers. George’s Majestic Lounge, 8 p.m., $10. APRIL 4: Split Lip Rayfield, Cutty Rye. George’s Majestic Lounge, 9 p.m., $12. APRIL 7: The Body, Not On Your Life. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. APRIL 9: Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band. George’s Majestic Lounge, 9 p.m., $10. APRIL 10: Swampbird. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. APRIL 11: Joe Locke Quartet with Kenny Washington. Walton Arts Center, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $20. APRIL 11: The Brothel Sprouts, The Dangerous Idiots, High Lonesome. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. APRIL 12: Yonder Mountain Stringband. George’s Majestic Lounge, 8 p.m., $25. APRIL 15: Umphrey’s McGee. George’s Majestic Lounge, 9 p.m., $30. APRIL 16: So Percussion. Walton Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., $10-$25. APRIL 16: Josh Abbott Band. George’s Majestic Lounge, 9 p.m., $20. APRIL 17: Atomic Hi-5, Crowning Alice. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. APRIL 18: Old Age, JrSOAPbox. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. APRIL 24: Marc Cohn. Walton Arts Center, 8
VISUAL ARTS APRIL 3, MAY 1, JUNE 5: Hot Springs Gallery Walk. Downtown galleries, 5-8 p.m. MAY 3: 2nd annual Art Springs. Juried artisans’ showcase. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Historical Farmers Market, 121 Orange St.
OZARK MUSIC JUNE 4-7: Wakarusa Music Festival. Music festival and campout featuring The Roots, Chance the Rapper, Ben Harper, STS9, Major Lazer and more. Mulberry Mountain, $179. JUNE 26-28: Thunder on the Mountain. Country music festival featuring the Zac Brown Band, Carrie Underwood, The Band Perry and more. Mulberry Mountain, $129.
ROGERS MUSIC APRIL 24: NEEDTOBREATHE. Walmart AMP, 7 p.m., $27-$42. MAY 1: Brantley Gilbert, Casey Donahew Band. Walmart AMP, 7:30 p.m., $25-$45. MAY 3: Chicago. Walmart AMP, 7:30 p.m., $42$97. MAY 16: Steve Miller Band. Walmart AMP, 7:30 p.m., $31-$75.50. MAY 19: Dave Matthews Band. Walmart AMP, 7 p.m., sold out. JUNE 2: Third Eye Blind, Dashboard Confessional. Walmart AMP, 7 p.m., $30. JULY 30: Kenny Chesney. Walmart AMP, 7 p.m., sold out.
THE VOV | MARCH 20-24
PALLBEARER PEELANDER Z JAMAICAN QUEENS MY GOLD MASK WATER LIARS MEMPHIS DAWLS BLACKLIST ROYALS DANIEL ROMANO TWO COW GARAGE RYAN CASSATA • WITH •
Shilpa Ray, Schwervon!, Fred Thomas, JD Wilkes, Andrea Jablonski, All Eyes West, Native Lights, Christian Lee Hutson , The Gunshy, The Shivas, Darren Keen, Hikes, Bill Daniels, Andrew Bryant, Al Scorch, Mutts, NOTS, Young Buffalo, Ronnie Heart, Laser Background, Swearing At Motorists, Heaters, AMFM’s, Bruiser Queen, White Mystery, Triathalon A home spun, underground rock festival Hot Springs, Arkansas Support for Low Key Arts is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Heritage and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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KEHINDE TO BASQUIAT TO ROTHKO Big names on gallery walls this spring. BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK
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MARCH 19, 2015
ARKANSAS TIMES
I
t’s a good year for art lovers this spring, with work by masters from the 20th century and today coming to Little Rock and Bentonville. What promises to be a spectacular show — Arkansas Arts Center Director Todd Herman’s description and mine — is “30 Americans,” works by some of the country’s greatest contemporary African-American artists opening April 10. The show, which will include works by the late genius Basquiat, the silhouette artist Kara Walker and emerging giant talent Kehinde Wiley, comes from the Rubell Family Collection museum in Miami. Arkansas can thank Darrell Walker, the retired NBA player, art collector
and friend of the Rubells; he asked Herman if he would be interested in bringing the exhibition to Little Rock, “and I said, ‘Absolutely,’ ” Herman said. “That started the ball rolling.” Others among the 30 in the show: painters Barkley L. Hendricks and Robert Colescott, mixed media artist Wangechi Mutu, installation artist Gary Simmons and photographer Rashid Johnson. The exhibition promises to offer a look at how African-American artists address issues of racial politics as well as such contemporary ideas of gender, sex and culture. From Basquiat, a New York graffiti artist who skyrocketed to fame as a painter, will be child-like but haunting fig-
SPRING SHOWS: The Arkansas Arts Center’s “30 Americans” exhibition will feature (from left, page 22) Barkley Hendricks’ “Noir”; Basquiat’s “Untitled (Self Portrait)” and Kehinde Wiley’s “Triple Portrait of Charles” and “Equestrian Portrait of the Count Duke Olivares” (on the cover), among other works from the Rubell Collection. At Crystal Bridges, “Van Gogh to Rothko: Masterworks from the Albright-Knox Gallery” features dozens of paintings, including (this page, top) Giacomo Balla’s “Dinamismo di un Cane al Guinzaglio” and (bottom) Andy Warhol’s “100 Cans.”
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ures expressing both inner and outer turmoil; from Wiley, giant paintings casting African Americans in historical roles, set against patterns one might see in tapestry or wallpaper. Some of the work is monumental: Wiley’s “Equestrian Portrait of the Count Duke Olivares” is 108-by108 inches; Walker’s “Camp Town Ladies,” 97½-by-666 inches, takes up an entire wall. The exhibit should be the best exhibit of not just African-American art but all contemporary American art in Arkansas this year. The show closes June 21. Another museum’s art has come to Arkansas for a great exhibition: “Van Gogh to Rothko: Masterworks from
the Albright-Knox Gallery” at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. The Albright-Knox, located in Buffalo, N.Y., has one of the most significant collections of 20th century art in the U.S. At Crystal Bridges are works by European masters Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Gaugin, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Salvador Dali and, of course, Vincent Van Gogh and Marc Rothko. A large drip painting by Jackson Pollock is getting rave reviews; there is also work by Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol and, of course, Mark Rothko. The Arkansas Times will take a bus to Crystal Bridges on May 2 for the exhibition; call 375-2985 for more information. The show, open now, closes June 1.
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‘LONESOME’: Glenn Tryon and Barbara Kent star in the 1928 silent film. GREAT BALLS OF FIRE: Tony Award-winning musical “Million Dollar Quartet” comes to the Maumelle Performing Arts Center April 24-26.
ACTION!
Spring film festivals in bloom. BY DAVID KOON
F
or whatever reason, spring is the time of year when Arkansas’s crop of film festivals blossom along with the daffodils. This year is no exception, with old favorites being joined by a new, well-funded and very diverse festival in North Arkansas. The biggest news in Arkansas film so far this year has to be the new Bentonville Film Festival, which will run May 5-9, with a stated goal of “championing women and diversity in film.” Academy Award-winner Geena Davis, founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media, is a founding partner in the festival, which has a number of bigwheel sponsors — including ARC Entertainment, Walmart, Coca-Cola and Kraft Foods — and a busload of influential folks on its board of advisers, including Samuel L. Jackson, Angela Bassett, Bruce Dern, Julianne Moore, CarrieAnne Moss and Natalie Portman. Specific details about programming and which stars will be in attendance at the festival are scarce at this point, but festival organizers promise at least 50 films in competition, all featuring women and minorities either onscreen or in prominent roles behind the scenes. The films that take home the three biggest prizes — Audience Award, Jury Award and Best Family Film — will receive $25,000 and a distri-
bution agreement that guarantees they will run on at least 25 screens at AMC Theaters. There’s also a screenwriting competition (deadline March 31, with a $50 filing fee, or April 13, with a $70 late filing fee) with the grand prize winner receiving a $1,500 prize and an award presented by actor Bruce Dern. Scripts must be feature length (between 85 and 135 pages long, in standard format). For more information, go to bentonvillefilmfestival.com Also on deck for this spring is the annual Ozark Foothills Film Festival, which will screen 28 films starting April 3, over half of them Arkansas premieres. Now in its 14th year, the OFFF has made a number of changes this year, including Judy Pest taking over as executive director for her husband, longtime director Bob Pest. Judy Pest said the scheduling of the festival has also changed, with films shown on two consecutive weekends instead of one. Half the films will be shown April 3 and 4, and the other half April 10 and 11. All screenings will take place at Independence Hall on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Batesville. “We’ve had a challenge trying to get folks in this area to do things on Sundays,” Pest said. “So this year, we’re doing two consecutive Friday/Saturdays. That gives people two options. CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
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Arkansas theaters packed with variety From ‘Mary Poppins’ to ‘Million Dollar Quartet.’ BY JAMES SZENHER
A
rkansas has a slew of opportunities for theatergoers of all ages this spring, with Broadway musicals, Shakespearean classics, riveting dramas and children’s books come to life. First off, if you still haven’t seen the Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s “Mary Poppins,” you’ve got three weeks left. The fun-for-the-wholefamily Broadway adaptation of the Disney classic plays through April 12. The play is billed as “the Rep’s biggest production yet” and wows audiences with memorable songs, show-stopping dance numbers and, of course, flying nannies. More Broadway performances hit the stage April 24-26 with “Million Dollar Quartet” at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center, presented by Celebrity Attractions. This Tony Award-winning musical tells the true story of how Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and
Carl Perkins came together for a riotous recording session. Meanwhile, Walton Arts Center presents a Tony Award winning Broadway adaptation of the 2007 film “Once,” about an Irish musician inspired by his muse to chase his dreams. Next up at The Rep is “Project Elan” (May 5-16), which brings together over 60 alumni of The Rep’s Summer Musical Theater Intensive program to present a new musical written by Director of Education Nicole Capri along with seven SMTI alumni. The show focuses on the millennial generation, changing times and the unchanging dynamics of love. Closing out The Rep’s season is the critically acclaimed “August: Osage County” (June 3-21), a dark comedy that won the Pulitzer Prize and countless other awards, and was made into a feature film in 2013. The play presents the story of an Oklahoma family parsing through secrets as they come
NO RUNT: Rock legend Todd Lundgren appears at Revolution on April 19. HE’S BIG: Big K.R.I.T. will be among the Riverfest headliners May 22-24.
to terms with their relationships and their aspirations. Three quality dramas touching on relevant social issues play at The Weekend Theater this spring, starting with the award winning “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” by Jane Chambers (through March 28). Here, a woman leaves her husband to find a group of lesbians on vacation and falls in love, soon discovering the hardships faced by gay people in 1980s America. “Karski’s Message” (April 10-25) by local playwright, lawyer and historian Phillip McMath tells the story of a Polish resistance fighter who met with President Franklin Roosevelt to give first-hand accounts of the Holocaust. Wrapping up The Weekend Theater’s season is Carson McCullers’ “The Member of the Wedding” (May 15-30), winner of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award and the Donaldson Award for best play in 1950. Another World War II-related drama, the play shows us the war through the eyes of a 12-yearold tomboy in a racially divided Southern town. Community Theatre of Little Rock presents “The Winning Numbers,” written and directed by local playwright and actor S. Christopher Boggs April 24-26. The play pits several office employees against each other as they vie to win the lottery. The Community Theatre is also staging a musical adaptation of the beloved and wonderful Dolly Parton film “9 to 5” (June 5-21), in which three women plan revenge on their horrible sexist boss. Gearing up for its annual run, Arkansas
positions by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (April 11-12) at Maumelle Performing Arts Center. Later that month, country auteur, frequent Grammy winner and “The Wire” actor Steve Earle (April 15) comes to Juanita’s. Tulsa songwriter and White Water regular John Moreland (April 16) returns, closely followed by Memphis pro John Paul Keith (April 17). Everclear frontman Art Alexakis (April 17) presents an evening of “songs and stories” at Revolution. Seventies rock wizard and true star Todd Rundgren comes to Revolution April 19, though you’ll have to flip a coin to decide between his show and fellow baby boomer heavyweights Fleetwood Mac, who rescheduled their much-anticipated Verizon Arena concert due to illness (and, presumably, because they have a longstanding grudge against Todd Rundgren and enjoy seeing him
upstaged) to the same date. Christian singer-songwriter Chris Tomlin (April 23) comes to Verizon Arena, bugged swamp rock icon Jimbo Mathus (April 24) comes to White Water, indie-folk favorites Iron & Wine (April 25) come to Juanita’s and Nashville garage punks Pujol (April 25) return to Stickyz with locals The Uh Huhs. Deep South blues-fusion jam band JJ Grey and Mofro (April 28) comes to Fayetteville’s George’s Majestic Lounge. The Oxford American magazine presents Sturgill Simpson (April 29), the acclaimed cosmic country star-in-themaking, at Hendrix College’s Staples Auditorium. Looking ahead in Little Rock, there’s New Orleans Americana group Hurray for the Riff Raff (May 5) at South on Main, classic West Coast street punk band Swingin’ Utters (May 11) at White
Water, rapper and Tech N9ne affiliate Rittz (May 16) at Discovery and indie rock favorites Clay Your Hands Say Yeah (June 4) at Stickyz. Big-time country celebrity Brantley Gilbert (May 1) headlines at the Walmart AMP in Rogers with the Casey Donahew Band. Also at the Walmart AMP this summer: Chicago (May 3), The Steve Miller Band (May 16), Dave Matthews Band (May 19), Third Eye Blind and Dashboard Confessional (June 2) and Kenny Chesney (July 30). Music festival season kicks off with Riverfest on May 22-24. Headliners this year will include Sheryl Crow, Sister Hazel, Bone Thugs & Harmony, 311, Galactic (featuring Macy Gray), Big K.R.I.T., Girl Talk, Kris Allen, Better Than Ezra, Robert Earl Keen, Jake Owens and many others. The Hot Springs Music Festival is next, May 31-June 13. From June 4-7, the giant campout and music festival Wakarusa will take place at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark. This year’s lineup includes The Roots, Chance the Rapper, Ben Harper, STS9, Major Lazer and countless more. Thunder on the Mountain, Ozark’s country music festival, is June 26-28 and features Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band, The Band Perry and more.
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Arts Entertainment
SARA BLANCETT REEVES
AND
LATE ROMANTICS, LIVE: Mike Motley, Sarah Stricklin, John Willis, Sydney Hunsicker and Jack Lloyd, coming to White Water.
John Willis, late romantic The Little Rock singer-songwriter premieres his new release at White Water Tavern. BY MITCHELL CRISP
J
ohn Willis has been playing piano since he was 3. When he talks about it, it’s as if this kind of discipline is a part of everyone’s life. He shrugs when I exclaim, “Three?!” and says, “We all got piano lessons,” referring to his three siblings. “I’m just the only one who stuck with it.” We met up for dinner recently to discuss songwriting, relationships, the future and his band’s new EP, “Bad Boyfriend,” coming out March 21. They recorded it at Jason Weinheimer’s stu-
dio, Fellowship Hall Sound, and it’s Willis’ first release with his band Late Romantics, which includes Jack Lloyd (bass), Mike Motley (drums) and Sarah Stricklin and Sydney Hunsicker (backup vocals, additional percussion). The band came together to participate in the Arkansas Times Musician’s Showcase last year, and “gradually,” Willis says, “we’ve transitioned into a band where everyone is collaborative, rather than one where everyone just plays my songs. So all of the songs were
written by me, but it’s the effort of everyone involved.” The EP includes the songs “Sensitive Man,” which they recently entered in NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Contest; “Bad Boyfriend,” a fan favorite at live shows, and “Hands on You,” which has been stuck in my head for months. Light, poppy, danceable: The band’s individual creativity is apparent, clearly not just as back up to a solo artist. But this band is not all that John Willis is about, either. “Will you explain to me what to call you?” I asked him. “You aren’t just a ‘singer/songwriter,’ sometimes you are a ‘piano playing crooner.’ Are you a ‘band leader,’ like Ricky Ricardo?” “No, I’m not a band leader like Ricky Ricardo,” he said. “What’s the difference between you and Ricky Ricardo?” I challenged him. “He sang, wrote, had the band behind him at the club.” “True, true,” he conceded. “In that way, I’m like Ricky Ricardo, although,
my personality is a lot more like Lucy.” *** The first time I saw John Willis play live was at Easy Street, on Seventh Street, back in 2006. He was taking requests on a grand piano, responding to shoutouts from a packed happy-hour crowd for The Beatles and Sinatra. He wasn’t playing many of his own pieces publically back then. He would occasionally slip his song “6 Bridges” in between a Joni Mitchell number and a string of jazz standards, and while he was too shy to feature his work, his music held its own against the familiar songs to which we knew all the words. Willis’ piano playing has a rare personality. It’s flexible, like he is, gliding easily from boogie-woogie into long classical strokes and back again. The notes become secondary to the style, and before the listener is aware of it, we are taken inside the song. Willis loves music and shares this love with everyone equally, CONTINUED ON PAGE 33
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THE OZARK FOOTHILLS FILMFEST, held at Independence Hall on the campus of the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville, has announced the lineup for its 2015 festival, to be held April 3-11. Twenty-eight features, documentaries and shorts have been confirmed for the event, including “Northern Borders,” starring Bruce Dern; “The Frontier”; “Stomping Ground” (billed as “a scary relationship comedy about love and Bigfoot hunting”); “Billy Mize and the Bakersfield Sound,” and “Misfire: The Rise and Fall of The Shooting Gallery,” a crowd-funded documentary about the production company behind “Stand By Me” and “Sling Blade.” The festival will also screen a rediscovered and restored print of the silent film “Lonesome” (described by critic Jonathan Rosenbaum as a “classic example” of silent cinema’s “perfection of expression”), with live musical accompaniment by the Doug Talley Quartet. Other screenings include “Eureka! The Art of Being,” about Eureka Springs, and “Woke Up This Mornin’ in the Arkansas Delta,” a travel film directed by Benjamin Meade. Twenty filmmakers whose works are part of the schedule will be in attendance for Q&As. A complete list of films and ticketing information can be found at ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org.
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THE LITTLE ROCK FILM FESTIVAL will run May 11-17, the festival has announced. The festival, based in the Ron Robinson Theater, has hired filmmaker and University of Central Arkansas graduate Gabe Gentry as its new director. Gentry formerly handled the festival’s media operations and collaborated on documentary projects with the Renaud brothers. “Gabe knows the Little Rock Film Festival inside and out,” said LRFF founder and Artistic Director Brent Renaud, “and we are looking to him to push us in new and exciting directions; for me it was important that we hire a filmmaker, as the filmmaker experience and the interaction with local audiences is at the heart of everything we do.”
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THE TO-DO
LIST
BY LINDSEY MILLAR & WILL STEPHENSON
FRIDAY 3/20
THURSDAY 3/19
DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND 8 p.m. South on Main. $25.
It happened this way: Sometime at the dawn of 1970s New Orleans, Rev. Andrew Darby Jr. asks congregant Daniel Moses Barker to start a band, which he knows how to do, having periodically played rhythm guitar in the ’30s with, for example, Cab Calloway. Barker recruits a 10-year-old trumpeter named Leroy Jones and others in the neighborhood, others like young Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Shannon “King of Treme” Powell, Lucien Barbarin, et al. Soon the Fairview Baptist Church Marching Band begets the Hurricane Brass Band, renamed the Tornado Brass Band (after troubles with the union), eventually revived as the Dirty
Dozen Brass Band, all of them jazz scene cast-offs, funk devotees, traditionalists, titans of WWOZ and Frenchmen Street theater and Uptown dives. “We weren’t actually trying to start a brass-band resurgence,” founding trumpeter Gregory Davis claimed in Rich Koster’s book “Louisiana Music.” “The whole idea was just to play some music and throw some new ideas into the old stuff, just because it was fun and it was cool to experiment in that fashion.” By “that fashion,” he means simultaneous solos of the Dixieland variety, the syncopated stomp of The Meters, valences of James Brown effect, shades of Gregory D as well as the spirit of 1880. They are as good at what they do as anyone ever has been, anytime. WS
DYSE, FELIX MARTIN
9:30 p.m. White Water Tavern. $7.
Here is what I promise you is the year’s most inexplicable and inspired billing to date, something that would sound at home in a Thomas Pynchon novel or an episode of “Portlandia”: German noiserock band DYSE paired with the Venezuelan 14-string guitarist Felix Martin. DYSE, pronounced “Doo-zer” according to their website and named for the motel in Amsterdam where its members met, was started in 2003 by Jari, raised in Neustadt an der Orla on the Dead Kennedys and the Cro-Mags, and by Andre, born in Chemnitz (formerly Karl-MarxStadt), which he describes as a “Saxon town heavily dependent on its industrial
workforce to support the economy … extremely bleak for young people with an interest in music or arts.” Because both were already in other bands, DYSE originated as a “fun, drunken side project” that has over the years become their main priority, a raucous outlet for stoner rock and odd, industrial punk. Martin, meanwhile, on what appears to be two left-handed electric guitars melded together, which he slaps and strums violently and picks in double-time, makes a kind of high-energy progressive metal fusion, with elements of tango and Latin folk and jazz. Opening the show is new Little Rock band Colour Design, featuring members of The Sound of the Mountain, Mainland Divide and God City Destroyers. WS
‘GLORY AT SEA’: The Times is screening short films and music videos by New Orleans film collective Court 13, which will be present for a Q&A, at Ron Robinson Theater 7 p.m. Friday, $5.
FRIDAY 3/20
COURT 13 SHOWCASE
7 p.m. Ron Robinson Theater. $5.
Court 13, the film and arts collective that director Benh Zeitlen (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”) cofounded as a student at Wesleyan University, draws its name from an abandoned squash court he and his friends commandeered while in school. “It had this tiny little door that felt like going through the looking glass,” he told Fast Company. “It just felt like you cross this threshold and this is a different set of rules that brings a different code of behavior.” 28
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ARKANSAS TIMES
That spirit of wonder and defiance and ingenuity became the unifying principle behind Court 13, with members first collaborating on psychedelic videos for the band MGMT and surrealistic short films, and then moving, almost en masse, to New Orleans to make “Glory at Sea,” a short film about a group of mourners who build a raft out of debris to rescue loved ones trapped undersea. “Glory” was supposed to take a month and cost $5,000, but it ballooned into a yearand-a-half-long shoot, on a $100,000 budget (including massive credit
card debt), with a 25-minute runtime. It directly preceded “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” an even more sprawling production that went on to win Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize and the Caméra d’Or at Cannes and land four Academy Award nominations. On Friday, as part of the Arkansas Times Film Series, co-sponsored by the Little Rock Film Festival, we are screening a Court 13 shorts program that includes “Glory at Sea.” There to talk about what the collective is all about will be Casey Coleman, who heads Court 13 Arts, and Nathan Har-
rison, who’s head of casting for the “Beasts” follow-up, which Zeitlen has said is “about a young girl who gets kidnapped onto a hidden ecosystem where a tribal war is raging over a form of pollen that breaks the relationship between aging and time.” Sounds promising. On Thursday, beginning at 5 p.m., Coleman and Harrison will host a workshop at the University of Central Arkansas’s Stanley Russ Hall, room 108, with a screening of “Beasts” and a Q&A to follow. That’s free and open to the public. LM
IN BRIEF
SATURDAY 3/21
FILMS ON FEMINISM: ‘14 WOMEN’ 2:30 p.m. Central High. Free.
On select Saturday afternoons in March and April, the Little Rock Central High School Feminist Alliance will host a group of film screenings on the topic of women’s rights at the National Historic Site Visitor Center. This Saturday’s screening is “14 Women,” a 2007 documentary narrated by Annette Bening that profiles the 14 female senators of the 109th U.S. Congress., a group that includes Hillary Clinton, Barbara Boxer, Mary Landrieu and Olympia Snowe. The New York Times called it “an inside portrait of women in politics,” which “allows its subjects a chance to talk about the ‘glass ceiling’ in American politics, the hard work that goes into serving in Congress, and how gender can sometimes trump party allegiances in dealing with their colleagues on Capitol Hill.” The screening will be followed by a discussion moderated by Stephanie Harris, Women Lead Arkansas founder and Arkansas Supreme Court communications counsel. WS
SATURDAY 3/21
TRINA
9 p.m. Discovery Nightclub. DOWN IN THE VALLEY: The Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival is at Low Key Arts in Hot Springs March 20-24, $10-$50.
FRIDAY 3/20-TUESDAY 3/24
VALLEY OF THE VAPORS $10-$50. Low Key Arts, Hot Springs.
Spa City’s finest and largest independent music festival returns this year with five nights of live music, film screenings, visual art, hiking trails and workshops (comic book illustration, DIY touring, etc.). The lineup includes local favorites like Pallbearer and Ghost Bones (winners of the 2015 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase), but the primary draw is the legions of out-of-town garage punk and indie rock bands who are stopping on their way to or from SXSW. The really pretty extensive list includes Jamaica Queens, My Gold Mask, Shilpa
Ray, Water Liars, The Memphis Dawls, Native Lights, Two Cow Garage, Ronnie Heart, Daniel Romano, Heaters, Swearing At Motorists, White Mystery, PeeLander Z and many more, hailing from Germany or Japan or New York or California or Canada. There’s also a wellcurated series of music documentaries, featuring “A Band Called Death,” about the ’70s Detroit punk band; “Dig!” about Anton Newcombe and The Brian Jonestown Massacre; “The Punk Singer,” a profile of riot grrrl pioneer Kathleen Hanna and more. Then there are the secret shows, the impromptu shows, the outdoor shows and the rest. WS
Way down the list at No. 19 on Billboard’s “Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop” list, we find Trina, born Katrina Laverne Taylor, who insists that while she was technically born in the city of Miami, “I grew up in a world of Luke.” Luke is Luther Campbell, founder of Luke Skyywalker Records and the man behind 2 Live Crew, whose world was an enthusiastic cartoon fantasy built on bass and sweat and palm trees and fireworks. To grow up in a world of Luke was to grow up in a pastel-colored bouncy castle of a city, all decadence and G-strings, and Trina embraced this vision of Liberty City rap, emerging first on a Trick Daddy single and appearing fullfledged in 2000 with a LP called “Da Baddest Bitch,” which went gold. Since then she’s sustained a career as the reigning queen of luxury rap, gracing Diddy and Rick Ross and Flo Rida with wild, scatter-shot guest verses. Her greatest mentor over the years, though, as she told Billboard, was Missy Elliott: “She’d tell me to stand my ground and stand for what you believe in,” she said. “Nobody can hold you down better than you. ’Til this day, no matter what I do — whether I sign a contract or go independent — that advice stands true and I use it. You have to step up to the plate knowing what you want, who you want to work with, and you have to fight.” WS
THURSDAY 3/19 Josh Ruxin will give a presentation, “A Thousand Hills to Heaven: Love, Hope and a Restaurant in Rwanda,” at the Clinton School’s Sturgis Hall, 6 p.m. Comedian Dante is at the Loony Bin through Saturday, March 21, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, $7; 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, $10. Pop punk band Alien Ant Farm (best known for an early aughts Michael Jackson cover) is at Juanita’s with Eddie and The Defiantz and The Violent Hour, 8 p.m., $12. Kentucky indie rock band Father Mountain is at Vino’s, 8 p.m., $5. Drum ‘n’ bass DJ (and founder of the label Human Imprint) Dieselboy is at Revolution with Downlink, 9 p.m., $10 adv., $15 day of. Nate Hall and The Poison Snakes play at White Water Tavern with Lazer/Wulf and Iron Tongue, 9:30 p.m.
FRIDAY 3/20 The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is hosting the program “Women Phenomenal: A Celebration of Women Entrepreneurs,” beginning at 11 a.m. Local improv troupe The Main Thing presents its new original comedy production “I Love You But You’re Sitting On My Cat” at The Joint in Argenta, 8 p.m., $22. The On Call Band plays at Revolution with T.P. and The Feel, 8:30 p.m., $5-$50. Fayetteville shoegaze band Dividend plays at Vino’s with The Kickstand Band, Emma Branch and Chimp Chimp Chimp, 9 p.m., $5. Little Rock doom metal band Pallbearer plays at The Lightbulb Club in Fayetteville with Auric, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY 3/21 Heifer Village hosts “Beyond Hunger: Communities of Change” at 10 a.m. The 2014 documentary “Last Days in Vietnam” will screen at the Ron Robinson Theater at 2 p.m., free. The Cyrus Chestnut Quartet presents “Brubeck Reimagined” at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, 7 and 9 p.m., $20. Nashville’s Fly Golden Eagle is at Stickyz, 9 p.m., $7. Typesetter plays at Vino’s with Dream Ritual, I Was Afraid and Oh Cathy, 9 p.m., $7. John Willis and Late Romantics celebrate their album release with a performance at White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. Fayetteville jam band Goose plays at Juanita’s with Kassi Moe at 10 p.m., $8. www.arktimes.com
MARCH 19, 2015
29
AFTER DARK All events are in the Greater Little Rock area unless otherwise noted. To place an event in the Arkansas Times calendar, please email the listing and all pertinent information, including date, time, location, price and contact information, to calendar@arktimes.com.
COMEDY
Dante. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., $10. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-228-5555. www.loonybincomedy.com. “I Love You But You’re Sitting On My Cat.” An original production by The Main Thing. The Joint, 8 p.m., $22. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.
THURSDAY, MARCH 19
MUSIC
Ace’s Wild (headliner), Brian Ramsey (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf. com. Alien Ant Farm, Eddie and The Defiantz, The Violet Hour. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $12. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com. Chris Henry. Another Round Pub, 7 p.m. 12111 W. Markham. 501-313-2612. www.anotherroundpub.com. Dirty Dozen Brass Band. South on Main, 8 p.m., $25. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. southonmain. com. Diseselboy, Downlink. Revolution, 9 p.m., $10 adv., $15 day of. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www.rumbarevolution.com/new. Ed Gerhard. Argenta Arts Acoustic Music Series. The Joint, 7:30 p.m., $20. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com. Father Mountain. Vino’s, 8 p.m., $5. 923 W. 7th St. 501-375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com. “Inferno.” DJs play pop, electro, house and more, plus drink specials and $1 cover before 11 p.m. Sway, 9 p.m. 412 Louisiana. 501-907-2582. Jim Dickerson. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7 p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-324-2999. www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. The Midtown Men. Walton Arts Center, 7 p.m.; March 20, 8 p.m., $39-$59. 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. 479-443-5600. Nate Hall and The Poison Snakes, Lazer / Wulf, Iron Tongue. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com. Open Jam. Thirst n’ Howl, 8 p.m. 14710 Cantrell Road. 501-379-8189. www.thirst-n-howl.com. Open jam with The Port Arthur Band. Parrot Beach Cafe, 9 p.m. 9611 MacArthur Drive, NLR. 771-2994. Opera Gala,”Canti del Cuore — Songs of the Heart.” Clinton Presidential Center, 6:30 p.m., $75. 1200 President Clinton Ave. 370-8000. www. clintonpresidentialcenter.org. RockUsaurus. Senor Tequila, 7-9 p.m. 10300 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-224-5505. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 7:30 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-370-7013. www.capitalbarandgrill.com.
COMEDY
Dante. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m., $7. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-228-5555. www.loonybincomedy.com.
EVENTS
Antique/Boutique Walk. Shopping and live entertainment. Downtown Hot Springs, third Thursday of every month, 4 p.m., free. 100 Central Ave., Hot Springs.
LECTURES 30
MARCH 19, 2015
DANCE
Contra Dance. Park Hill Presbyterian Church, first and third Friday of every month, 7:30 p.m.; fourth Friday of every month, 7:30 p.m., $5. 3520 JFK Blvd., NLR. arkansascountrydance.org. “Salsa Night.” Begins with a one-hour salsa lesson. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $8. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.littlerocksalsa.com.
EVENTS
BEAST REALITY: Lazer/Wulf plays at White Water Tavern with Nate Hall and the Poison Snakes and Iron Tongue beginning at 9:30 p.m. Thursday. “A Thousand Hills to Heaven: Love, Hope and a Restaurant in Rwanda.” A presentation by Jush Ruxin. Sturgis Hall, 6 p.m. 1200 President Clinton Ave. 501-683-5200. clintonschool.uasys.edu.
POETRY
POETluck. Literary salon and potluck. The Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow, third Thursday of every month, 6 p.m. 515 Spring St., Eureka Springs. 479-253-7444.
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
MUSIC
All In Fridays. Club Elevations. 7200 Colonel Glenn Road. 501-562-3317. Club Nights at 1620 Savoy. Dance night, with DJs, drink specials and bar menu, until 2 a.m. 1620 Savoy, 10 p.m. 1620 Market St. 501-2211620. www.1620savoy.com. Dividend, The Kickstand Band, Emma Branch, Chimp Chimp Chimp. Vino’s, 9 p.m., $5. 923 W. 7th St. 501-375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com. DYSE, Felix Martin, Colour Design. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m., $7. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-3758400. www.whitewatertavern.com. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Lucious Spiller, Full Flava Kings. Another Round Pub, 6 p.m. 12111 W. Markham. 501-313-2612.
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www.anotherroundpub.com. The Midtown Men. Walton Arts Center, 8 p.m., $39-$59. 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. 479443-5600. The On Call Band, T.P. and The Feel. Revolution, 8:30 p.m., $5-$50. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www.rumbarevolution.com/new. Pallbearer, Auric. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. 21 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 479-444-6100. Rodney Block and The Real Music Lovers. Next Bistro and Bar, 9:30 p.m., $10. 2611 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-6398. www.facebook.com/ LRnextbar/timeline. Route 66. Agora Conference and Special Event Center, 6:30 p.m., $5. 705 E. Siebenmorgan, Conway. RVS (headliner), Richie Johnson (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf.com. Secondhand Serenade, Ryan Cabrera, Nick Thomas, Wind in Sails. Juanita’s, 7:30 p.m., $20. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 9 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-370-7013. www.capitalbarandgrill.com. Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival. Featuring Pallbearer, Water Liars, Two Cow Garage, The Memphis Dawls, Native Lights and many more. Low Key Arts, March 20-24. 118 Arbor St., Hot Springs.
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ARKANSAS TIMES
Ballet Arkansas’s 2015 Turning Pointe Gala. Albert Pike Memorial Temple, 6 p.m., $125. 712 Scott St. 501-375-5587. www.littlerockscottishrite.org. LGBTQ/SGL weekly meeting. Diverse Youth for Social Change is a group for LGBTQ/SGL and straight ally youth and young adults age 14 to 23. For more information, call 244-9690 or search “DYSC” on Facebook. LGBTQ/SGL Youth and Young Adult Group, 6:30 p.m. 800 Scott St. Women Phenomenal: A Celebration of Women Entrepreneurs. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 11 a.m. 501 W. 9th St. 501-683-3593. www.mosaictemplarscenter.com.
FILM
Films from the creators of “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” The Arkansas Times Film Series presents short films and music videos from the New Orleans film collective Court 13, followed by a Q&A with “Beasts of the Southern Wild” producers Casey Coleman and Nathan Harrison. Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $5. 1 Pulaski Way. 501-320-5703. www.cals.lib.ar.us/ ron-robinson-theater.aspx.
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
MUSIC
Club Nights at 1620 Savoy. See March 20. Cyrus Chestnut Quartet, “Brubeck Reimagined.” Walton Arts Center, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $20. 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. 479-443-5600. Fly Golden Eagle. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $7. 107 River Market Ave. 501372-7707. www.stickyz.com. Goose, Kassi Moe. Juanita’s, 10 p.m., $8. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www. juanitas.com. John Willis and Late Romantics. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com. K.I.S.S. Saturdays. Featuring DJ Silky Slim. Dress code enforced. Sway, 10 p.m. 412 Louisiana. 501-492-9802. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Oreo Blue. Another Round Pub, 9 p.m. 12111 W. Markham. 501-313-2612. www.anotherroundpub.com. Pickin’ Porch. Bring your instrument. All ages welcome. Faulkner County Library, 9:30 a.m. 1900 Tyler St., Conway. 501-327-7482. www.fcl.org.
Rustenhaven (headliner), Free Verse (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf. com. Schwervon, Rival Monsters, PK. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. 21 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 479444-6100. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 9 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-370-7013. www.capitalbarandgrill.com. Trina. Discovery Nightclub. 1021 Jessie Road. 501-664-4784. www.latenightdisco.com. Typesetter, Dream Ritual, I Was Afraid, Oh Cathy. Vino’s, 9 p.m., $7. 923 W. 7th St. 501375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com. Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival. See March 20.
COMEDY
Dante. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., $10. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-228-5555. www.loonybincomedy.com. “I Love You But You’re Sitting On My Cat.” An original production by The Main Thing. The Joint, 8 p.m., $22. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.
DANCE
Little Rock West Coast Dance Club. Dance lessons. Singles welcome. Ernie Biggs, 7 p.m., $2. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-247-5240. www. arstreetswing.com.
EVENTS
Beyond Hunger: Communities of Change. Heifer Village, 10 a.m. 1 World Ave. 501-3766836. heifer.org/heifervillage. Falun Gong meditation. Allsopp Park, 9 a.m., free. Cantrell & Cedar Hill Roads. Hillcrest Farmers Market. Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. 2200 Kavanaugh Blvd. Historic Neighborhoods Tour. Bike tour of historic neighborhoods includes bike, guide, helmets and maps. Bobby’s Bike Hike, 9 a.m., $8-$28. 400 President Clinton Ave. 501-613-7001. Pork & Bourbon Tour. Bike tour includes bicycle, guide, helmets and maps. Bobby’s Bike Hike, 11:30 a.m., $35-$45. 400 President Clinton Ave. 501-613-7001.
FILM
Films on Feminism: “14 Women.” Central High School, 2:30 p.m. 2120 W. Daisy L Gatson Bates Drive. “Last Days in Vietnam.” Ron Robinson Theater, 1:30 p.m., free. 1 Pulaski Way. 501-320-5703. www.cals.lib.ar.us/ron-robinson-theater.aspx.
BENEFITS
Arkansas Chamber Singers, The Art of Music. Pleasant Ridge Town Center, 6:30 p.m., $60. Cantrell Road, just west of I-430. www.schickels. com/directory.htm.
CAMPS
Grow Your Groceries gardening workshop. Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, March 21-22, 10 a.m., $220. 1 Rockefeller Drive, Morrilton. 501-727-5435. www.uawri.org.
SUNDAY, MARCH 22
MUSIC
Lincoln Durham. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken
Shack, 8 p.m., $8 adv., $10 day of. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Paper Haus, Pagiins, Comfortable Brother. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. 21 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 479-444-6100. Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival. See March 20.
FILM
“Of By For.” Vino’s, 6:30 p.m., free. 923 W. 7th St. 501-375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com.
All American Food & Great Place to Watch Your Favorite Event
CAMPS
Grow Your Groceries gardening workshop. Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, 10 a.m., $220. 1 Rockefeller Drive, Morrilton. 501-727-5435. www.uawri.org.
MONDAY, MARCH 23
MUSIC
Circa Survive, Balance and Composure, Chon. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $19.50. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com. Kristen Diable, Anderson East. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 8 p.m., $8 adv., $10 day of. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www. stickyz.com. Kristofer Pierce, Zach Smith, Coliseum Headcold. Comedy and punk rock. The Joint, 9 p.m., $6. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-3720205. thejointinlittlerock.com. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Monday Night Jazz. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 8 p.m., $5. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbistroandbar.com. Open Mic. The Lobby Bar. Studio Theatre, 8 p.m. 320 W. 7th St. Richie Johnson. Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf. com. Tesla Rossa, My Brother My Friend, Wreckless Endeavor. Vino’s, 8 p.m., $5. 923 W. 7th St. 501375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com. Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival. See March 20.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24
MUSIC
Irish Traditional Music Sessions. Hibernia Irish Tavern, second and fourth Tuesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-246-4340. www.hiberniairishtavern.com. Jazz Spot Tuesday. A benefit for the Art Porter Music Education scholarship fund. Studio Theatre, 5:30 p.m., $10-$35. 320 W. 7th St. Jeff Ling. Khalil’s Pub, 6 p.m. 110 S. Shackleford Road. 501-224-0224. www.khalilspub.com. Jim Dickerson. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7 p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-324-2999. www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com. Kevin Devine and The Goddamn Band, Dads, Field Mouse. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $12. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Music Jam. Hosted by Elliott Griffen and Joseph
Shop shop LOCAL ARKANSAS TIMES
ViNO’S
SEVENTH&CHESTER
501-375-VINO ALWAYS ALL AGES T H U R S D AY M A R C H 1 9
| Father Mountain (Owensboro, KY) | | When All Kept Echoing (Terre Haute, IN) | F R I D AY M A R C H 2 0
| Chimp Chimp Chimp | Dividend (Fayetteville, AR) | | Kickstand Band (Detroit, MI) | Emma Branch | S AT U R D AY M A R C H 2 1
| Typesetter (Chicago, IL) | Dream Ritual (Springfield, MO) | | I Was Afraid | Oh Cathy | S U N D AY M A R C H 2 2
Arkansas Coalition For Peace & Justice presents 8 Of By For (2013) M O N D AY M A R C H 2 3
| Tesla Rossa (Nashville, TN) | Wreckless Endeavor | | My Brother, My Friend | T U E S D AY M A R C H 2 4
Vino’s Brewpub Cinema presents 8 Queen Of Outer Space (1958)
T H U R S D AY M A R C H 2 6
| Head Creeps (Jacksonville, FL) | Raw Head | S AT U R D AY M A R C H 2 8
| Blackbird Revue (Kansas City, MO) | Justin McGoldrick |
www.vinosbrewpub.com www.arktimes.com
MARCH 19, 2015
31
AFTER DARK, CONT. Fuller. The Joint, 8-11 p.m., free. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com. Night School, DOTT, Llinda. The Lightbulb Club, 9 p.m. 21 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville. 479444-6100. Tuesday Jam Session with Carl Mouton. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 8 p.m., free. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbistroandbar.com. Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival. See March 20.
COMEDY
Stand-Up Tuesday. Hosted by Adam Hogg. The Joint, 8 p.m., $5. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.
DANCE
“Latin Night.” Juanita’s, 7:30 p.m., $7. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.littlerocksalsa.com.
EVENTS
Trivia Bowl. Flying Saucer, 8:30 p.m. 323 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-8032. www.beerknurd. com/stores/littlerock.
SPORTS
Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Memphis Tigers College baseball. Dickey-Stephens Park, 6:30 p.m., $12-$18. 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501664-1555. www.travs.com.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25
MUSIC
Acoustic Open Mic. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 8 p.m., free. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbistroandbar.com. Brian and Nick. Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf. com. Bronze Radio Return, Swear and Shake Trio. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 8 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of. 107 River Market Ave. 501-3727707. www.stickyz.com. Claire Holley, Local Live. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. southonmain.com. Daniel Romano, The Banditos, Swampbird. White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com. Drageoke with Chi Chi Valdez. Sway. 412 Louisiana. 501-907-2582. Jim Dickerson. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7 p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-324-2999. www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 Clinton Ave. 501-372-4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Open Mic Nite with Deuce. Thirst n’ Howl, 7:30 p.m., free. 14710 Cantrell Road. 501-379-8189. www.thirst-n-howl.com. Single Mothers, The Dirty Nil, Lifer, Wreckless Endeavor. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $8. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 7:30 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-370-7013. www.capitalbarandgrill.com.
COMEDY
The Joint Venture. Improv comedy group. The Joint, 8 p.m., $7. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.
DANCE
Little Rock Bop Club. Beginning dance lessons for ages 10 and older. Singles welcome. Bess Chisum Stephens Community Center, 7 p.m., $4 32
MARCH 19, 2015
ARKANSAS TIMES
THEATER REVIEW
for members, $7 for guests. 12th & Cleveland streets. 501-350-4712. www.littlerockbopclub.
POETRY
Wednesday Night Poetry. 21-and-older show. Maxine’s, 7 p.m., free. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. 501-321-0909. maxineslive.com/shows.html.
KIDS
MTCC Creative Kids Spoken Word Camp. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 9 a.m. 501 W. 9th St. 501-683-3593. www.mosaictemplarscenter.com.
ARTS
THEATER
Dr. Seuss’s “The Cat in the Hat.” Arkansas Arts Center, through March 29: Fri., 7 p.m.; Sat., Sun., 2 p.m., $12.50. 501 E. 9th St. 501-372-4000. www. arkarts.com. “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove.” The Weekend Theater, through March 28: Fri., Sat., 7:30 p.m., $16. 1001 W. 7th St. 501-374-3761. www.weekendtheater.org. “Mary Poppins.” Arkansas Repertory Theatre, through April 4: Fri., Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; Wed., Thu., Sun., 7 p.m.; Sat., 2 p.m., $35. 601 Main St. 501-378-0405. www.therep.org. “The Vagina Monologues.” The Auditorium, Sat., March 21, 7 p.m., $25-$35. 36 Main St., Eureka Springs.
NEW GALLERY EXHIBITS, EVENTS ARGENTA GALLERY, 413 Main St., NLR: “Carole Katchen’s Art, Then and Now,” oils and pastels, reception 5-8 p.m. March 20, Argenta ArtWalk, show through April 10. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tue.-Thu., 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Fri.-Sat. BOSWELL MOUROT FINE ART, 5815 Kavanaugh Blvd.: “An Italian Experience: Reflections on the Past and Present,” works by Laura Raborn, May 21-April 2. 664-0030. CANTRELL GALLERY, 8206 Cantrell Road: New paintings by Daniel Coston, March 20-May 9. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 224-1335. GREG THOMPSON FINE ART, 429 Main St., NLR: “Southern Landscapes,” featuring work by Walter Anderson, John Alexander, Carroll Cloar, Sheila Cotton, William Dunlap, Charles Harrington, Dolores Justus, Edward Rice, Kendall Stallings and Rebecca Thompson, reception 5-8 p.m. March 20, Argenta ArtWalk. 664-2787. HEARNE FINE ART, 1001 Wright Ave.: “Faces in Certain Places: An Exhibition of Fine Art Quilts,” quilts by Bisa Butler, March 20-May 2, reception 5:30 p.m. March 27, talk by the artist 2 p.m. March 28. 372-6822. LAMAN LIBRARY ARGENTA BRANCH, 420 Main St., NLR: “The Art of Carole Katchen — A 40 Year Retrospective,” reception 5-8 p.m. March 20, Argenta ArtWalk, show through April 13. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 758-1720. L&L BECK ART GALLERY, 5705 Kavanaugh Blvd.: “Potpourri,”paintngs by Louis Beck, through March; giclee giveaway drawing 7 p.m. March 19. MUGS CAFE, 515 Main St., NLR: “Over the Influence,” recent paintings by UALR artist-inresidence Taimur Cleary and emerging artists Mitch Gathings, Heather Harmon, Jennifer Perren, Katherine Purcell, Mesilla Smith and Spencer Zahrn, reception 5-8 p.m. March 20, Argenta ArtWalk, show through April 15. 4427778
GREAT SONG AND DANCE: The Rep’s “Mary Poppins.”
Practically perfect “Mary Poppins” at The Rep. BY JAMES MURRAY
I
have to admit I was a bit skeptical as to whether I would enjoy a musical performance about everyone’s favorite deus ex machina nanny. However, witty one-liners, operatic-like singing and acrobatic dancing won me over. For those who have no clue or those who have forgotten and have yet to revisit the Disney film: “Mary Poppins” takes us to 1910 London, where both the prosperous Victorian period and the patience of many a nanny given the daunting task of looking after the rambunctious Michael and Jane Banks have ended. Their parents, George and Winifred Banks, struggle to find a suitable nanny for their young ones, preferably a stern one. The children have something different in mind and place an advertisement for a more kind hearted caregiver. Enter Mary Poppins, whose Pollyannaish outlook (accompanied by song and dance) transforms the lives of not only the children, but their parents as well; particularly Mr. Banks, whose stringent upbringing and career in the dog-eat-dog world of finance has left him unimaginative and losing sight of the importance of family. Like any musical, the songs take center stage in the production. We get the usual suspects, like, “Let’s Go Fly a Kite, ” “A Spoon Full of Sugar” and “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” But the more standout classic number, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” highlights the passion and pipes of the voice of Mary Poppins, (played here by Elizabeth DeRosa, who previously played Eliza Doolittle in a production of “My Fair Lady”). The other standout classic gem, “Step in Time,” highlights the oscillating sounds of the chimney sweep ensemble and Poppins’ friend Bert (played by Brian Letendre), swaying from soothing and peaceful to firm and heavy. The choreography for “Step in Time” makes it one of the more memorable pieces of the entire performance. The agility of the ensemble in this set, with their spins and stepping,
bears an uncanny resemblance to the moves one would see at a black fraternity step show (just replace the chimney sweep broom with a cane). Cast members make full use of the space. We see Poppins gracefully levitating to and fro and kites are lifted off the ground, hovering in the air as if on actual wind. Off the stage, the ensemble rushes through the aisles to join the others on the platform during some of the musical numbers, giving the production a vivid, three-dimensional feel. The production’s lighting makes use of a myriad of colors (notably, green, blue and red), particularly during songs, to further set the moods. The production is as visually impressive as the musical choreography. One of the primary set pieces consists of a large silhouette structure outlining the London skyline, replete with skyscrapers. The vastness of the design gives the impression that the city is big enough for anything to happen. On the other hand, the set for the Bankses’ residence leaves something to be desired. The design comes across as extremely two-dimensional, leaving one to wonder if the piece was made in such a way to quickly make room for the other set pieces — Poppins and the children are far from homebodies after all. Last, but not least, some performances worth noting are those of Miss Andrew (the former nanny of Mr. Banks, played by Q. Smith) and Michael and Jane Banks (played by Madison Stolzer and Addison Rae Dowdy, respectively). Smith’s delivery of humor and her voice, which definitely has a gospel influence, will have you wanting to see more of her. Stolzer and Dowdy’s performances are commendable overall, as they master speaking and singing in a British accent. The care and detail that have gone into “Mary Poppins” is reason enough to see it. Be prepared for a long standing ovation during the curtain call for this one.
JOHN WILLIS, LATE ROMANTIC, CONT. paying little attention to genre, generation or venue. Whether he’s playing his own music with Late Romantics to a rowdy crowd at White Water Tavern, or for celebrities at South on Main, or doing mostly covers at Vesuvio, Willis’ style is uniquely his own. Why not transition effortlessly from Lady Gaga to Burt Bacharach? Willis makes it seem like the logical next step in a two-hour set. Willis knows over 200 songs written by other people — “A conservative estimate,” he said — and he has written over 100 of his own, “although most of them have not seen the light of day.” Recently we were leaving a party and passed John’s friend, Brittany, in the doorway. “I heard you on [KABFFM, 88.3’s] Big Gay Radio Show today!” she squealed. “I loved it!” She then recounted a story about when they were roommates, “back in the day,” remembering him writing music behind his bedroom door, too shy to play it in front of people, even his friends. “And now look at you!” It might feel like overnight success, but there was nearly a decade between Willis playing quietly in his room and filling every venue in town whose stage is large enough for a piano. Not long ago, at Pizza D, a woman came up and excitedly tapped Willis’ arm. “I’m sorry to bother you, but are you John Willis?” She was from Memphis and had seen him live over a year ago. “I play your CD all the time and I made all my friends buy it, too,” she gushed. He was, as always, a real Southern gentleman, and the woman hugged him before returning to her table. This is becoming a thing. It’s a thing now. When John Willis is out in public, people stop him and want to say nice things. There is no specified demographic for Willis’ fan base. He’ll play every type of venue or occasion you could think of: Harvestfest, White Water Tavern, The Lobby Bar, the Big Gay Radio Show (Fridays from noon to 2 p.m. on KABF). He’s also the music director at Argenta Methodist Church in North Little Rock. Whatever the crowd, Willis has a set list.
*** Willis is a wonderful autobiographical storyteller. His first EP, “King of the Cocktail Party,” (available on iTunes) is about walking through heartbreak and daily life dramatically but bravely. “Bad Boyfriend” is a series of songs about being steadfast in situations that used to be baffling. But Willis’ own life situation is pretty smooth at the moment. I asked him, “Now that you’ve got an
awesome boyfriend, has that changed your approach to these songs, especially ‘Bad Boyfriend’?” “Right!” Willis laughed. “That’s the thing. Writing that song was a way of exorcizing that whole attitude, because I realized, that’s not right, there’s something not right about my approach if it’s all about how good I look when it’s over. “In this current thing, I catch myself thinking about what he will enjoy. I mean, it all just needed to be perfect, you know, to quote the song, ‘so that when you’re finished with me I won’t be accused of being the bad boyfriend.’ Because, you know, I made all that happen. So now, when I perform that song … well, it’s nice to look back and see growth!” “So, now that you’re in an actual good relationship,” I asked, “what are you going to write about? I mean, can you think of a single decent song about a good, stable relationship?” Willis thinks for a moment, but his mental catalog of music is vast, so he quickly has an answer. “I really love the old jazz standards,” he says. “There’s a song Gene Kelly made famous, ‘Almost Like Being in Love.’ It’s a love song, but it’s just one toe in. Like, I think this may be the real thing, but I’m not sure, I’m gonna just see how it goes. “But all those in-praise-of-love songs, I don’t think that they resonate with any of us anymore. I mean, ‘I’ve Got the World on a String’? I’ve got no tolerance for it. I love Frank Sinatra, but the sentiment of that song, I mean, I like a little darkness with my light. Maybe that will be my goal for this next album. I think it’s limiting to look at one relationship with one person at one moment in time and base your entire happiness on that. I’m bored of that. I’m in my 30s now. I’m learning that great love is just one part of a happy, whole life, that it is not the whole of life itself. I am so fortunate to be happy in a relationship, but I’m happy in other areas of life, too. “I go through phases in writing songs,” he said finally. “ ‘King of the Cocktail Party’ was, ‘How do I go through this, glass-in-hand, without making a fool of myself?’ Before that were what I called salvation songs, my own view of what it’s like to look for happiness. And now this new thing, I don’t know what this new thing will be about. But it’s nice to be happy.” The “Bad Boyfriend” release party will be at White Water Tavern on March 21. Everyone who comes to the show will get a free download. After that, the record will be available on iTunes.
‘RUN ALL NIGHT’: Liam Neeson (left) and Joel Kinnaman star.
Liam Neeson, Action Hero ‘Run All Night’ works well enough. BY SAM EIFLING
Y
ou may be tempted at this point in Liam Neeson’s career to lump his recent movies together, and not simply because the past two features he has made with director Jaume ColletSerra are “Non-Stop” and the just-released “Run All Night.” (Proposed next titles: “Just Keep Going,” “Don’t Slow Down.”) These blur with the “Taken” series, because while none of them quite pit Neeson vs. the world, they tend to set up Neeson the Family Man vs. the Terrorists or Maybe a Bunch of Gangsters. Remember when he played Oskar Schindler? His Oscar nomination for that Best Picture winner seemed to vault him into a certain tier of performer, though that never guarantees prestige roles will come, or that they’ll pay when they do, or that they’ll be as fun as chasing a police car in a Thunderbird and choking out a mobster with a towel on the floor of a public restroom. He’s now Liam Neeson, Action Hero, and if you have a problem with that, you can still catch him voicing a crooked cop in “The Lego Movie.” For whatever reason, we’re down to this Neeson, who has the brute and the bearing to brawl his way through these cat-and-mouse revenge fantasies. He must get a kick out of them, in some fashion; still, it’s odd to see a guy turn from Ben Kingsley into Bruce Willis. In “Run All Night” he’s a retired hit man, distinguished from his retired cop or retired intelligence agent roles by his hovel-sad Queens apartment and his penchant for ugly drunkenness. He goes way back with a gangster played by Ed Harris, whose face these days is as hard and craggy as a desert fencepost. The hit man has no relationship with his upright grown son, played by Joel Kinnaman, formerly your most recent incarnation of RoboCop, until a nasty
event involving the gangster’s reckless son, Boyd Holbrook, puts all their lives in some serious danger. The estranged son then finds it’s not so bad to have a killer known in his heyday as the Gravedigger running point for you. The whole thing works well enough as a genre film, with the caveat that “Run All Night” suffers many of the same weaknesses as its crime-action-family brethren, giving its characters so little time to get to know one another that their passion comes off as melodrama. Setting up, for example, a distant father and son to dodge death together (car chases, near escapes, catching bullets, the rest) while they try to cover the past 20 painful years is a high-risk proposition. Those grudges have got to run pretty deep if they’re going to trump a pack of gangsters coming to make you dead. All the bickering on the son’s part feels like a case of “believe me, this can wait.” But at least we get the satisfying tension between having kids and being evil, with the implicit moral that parents will do some truly wicked deeds on behalf of their young ’uns. It’s not a great gangster movie, perhaps, but it isn’t a terrible New York movie. The outer boroughs never get nearly the treatment of Manhattan, but similar to “The Drop,” a stronger gangland movie of last year set in Brooklyn, “Run All Night” gives its best heart to Queens, a giant community bereft of visible landmarks. In neighborhoods, through backyards and across train platforms, you get a more claustrophobic, more intimate chase than would happen amid a sea of skyscrapers. “Run All Night” reaches part way into this wormy world, but comes back out before really getting its hands dirty — all over too soon. www.arktimes.com
MARCH 19, 2015
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MARCH 19, 2015
ARKANSAS TIMES
RESERVED SEATING
If they’re not from the area and they want to come in for the festival, they can kind of scope out which weekend has more films they’d be interested in.” Another change is the awarding of prizes for best Arkansas narrative film and best Arkansas documentary film, which will both be awarded the weekend of April 4, the day devoted to Arkansas-made ArtWalk Ad films. Argenta Gallery One thing that hasn’t changed, Art is 200% however, is the OFFF’s tradition of Ad is 2” x 2.75” screening Louise Terzia a silent film with live clas501-590-8103 sical accompaniment. This year, it’s the 1928 film “Lonesome,” a recently restored feature about a couple’s Fourth of July trip to Coney Island, by director Paul Fejos. The film will screen at 8 p.m. Friday, April 10, at the University of Arkansas-Batesville and will be accompanied by an original score by the Doug Talley Quartet. Pest said the festival lineup this year is particularly good, with over 20 filmmakers scheduled to attend. In the narrative category, she recommends “Northern Borders” by director Jay Craven. The film, which stars Bruce Dern, is about a 10-year-old boy sent to live on his grandparents’ Vermont farm in 1956. Craven, who Pest said is a strong proponent of “micro-budget” and community-based filmmaking, will be in town for the screening, and will host Q&As about both the film and communitybased filmmaking. In the documentary category, one film that looks good (and has a connection to a famous Arkansas narrative film) is “Misfire: The Rise and Fall of the Shooting Gallery.” The doc tells the story of the ragtag, independent production company that contributed mightily to the rise of the indie film scene in the 1990s, producing “Stand By Me” and the Arkansas-filmed “Sling Blade,” among other movies. “They had a sort of meteoric rise,” Pest said, “and a number of circumstances combined to contribute to an equally meteoric fall. That’s interesting in terms of the history of independent film.” For more information about the Ozark Foothills Film Festival, including a full schedule and information about buying tickets, visit ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org. The other big daddy of Arkansas film festivals is the Little Rock Film Festival, which runs this year from May 11 to May 17. Little Rock filmmaker Gabe Gentry is the new director of the festival. Gentry, a UCA grad who has worked on documentary projects with festival
founders Craig and Brent Renaud, previously served as the festival’s media director. Gentry said that though he has only been on the job about fourand-a-half months, his goal from the outset has been to work on the fundamentals that will improve the experience of attending. “For example, we have a technical walkthrough that’s going to happen next week, with the goal of really professionalizing the [screening] spaces,” he said. “We’ll be putting up pipe and draping. We’ll have the most comfortable chairs that we can that are still portable. We’re looking at laser projectors, and professional sound, professional projectionists — really trying to perfect the experience.” Another move toward improving the festival experience, Gentry said, is to consolidate the venues. Other than a few screenings at the Clinton Presidential Center, every film will be shown within easy walking distance of the festival’s base, the Ron Robinson Theater. Venues for 2015 also include the Butler Center, the Clark Room at the River Market, Stickyz Rock ’n’ Roll Chicken Shack and the third floor of the Cox Creative Center. “We’re trying to keep everything — with the exception of the Clinton Library — within about 100 feet of the Ron Robinson Theater,” Gentry said. “Rather than stretching out into the Main Street area or to downtown North Little Rock, we’ve really tried to consolidate the festival to recapture some of that energy of running into one another.” Gentry, who has been a bronze-level pass-holder since the early days of the festival, said that one of the new features he’s most proud of this year is a planned tally system that will reward bronze pass-holders who attend more than 10 festival screenings between Monday, May 11, and the festival’s annual party on the Junction Bridge on May 15. He said the plan is to upgrade those bronze pass-holders who attend 10 screenings to the “Gold Pass experience.” A gold pass — normally $300 — is “all access,” with priority seating at every film, free drinks at many events, access to the filmmaker lounge and other amenities. “I want to honor people who really attend a lot of screenings — who go and binge on the films and have dialogue with our visiting filmmakers,” Gentry said. “I want to reward them for that. Gentry said the festival will not be ready to make announcements about which films will be screening at the festival until early April. For more information, visit littlerockfilmfestival.org.
ARKANSAS THEATERS PACKED WITH VARIETY THIS SPRING, CONT. Shakespeare Theatre promises to make all your midsummer nights’ dreams come true with performances of the bard’s timeless comedies: “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” “The Merchant of Venice” and “As You Like It” (with the latter adapted for young audiences). The company also performs the classic musical “Fiddler on the Roof.” It will be playing across the state: UCA’s Donald Reynolds Performance Hall, The Village at Hendrix, outdoors in North Little Rock’s Argenta District, Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville and at the Rockefeller Institute atop Petit Jean. Performances run June 4-28. In Northwest Arkansas, TheatreSquared and the Walton Arts Center team up to present “Superior Donuts,” a comedy drama by the Pulitzer Prizewinning Tracy Letts (“August: Osage County”), in which a grumpy old owner and an entrepreneurial young assistant tackle conventions to form an intergenerational and interracial friendship. It’s being staged April 2-26. More details are forthcoming, but the two will also collaborate
for the Arkansas New Play Festival June 18-28, which will include a fully staged new work, reading performances and conversations with playwrights and cast. The Walton Arts Center also will produce a duo of children’s theater performances, including “Spot” (April 12), a stage adaptation of Eric Hill’s children’s book about an adventurous dog, and “The Gruffalo’s Child” (May 16) performed by London’s Tall Stories theater company and adapted from the picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. And as always, Murry’s Dinner Playhouse will be serving up laughs, drama, and show-themed meals with a trio of shows: “Farce of Nature,” a “Southern fried farce” set in Mayhew, Arkansas, plays March 17-April 11: “The Rainmaker” (April 14-May 16) joins magic and romance together for an uplifting drama; and “A Mighty Fortress is Our Basement” reunites the “Church Basement Ladies” May 19-June 20 to bring you an all-new musical comedy with “love, life, and a casserole.”
Coming Little Rock Rock – -2 2 Showings Coming to to Little showings Sunday, March 29, 2015
2:00pm and 7:00pm
$5.00 cover charge - benefits DSRA Rodeo in the Rock 2015 Charities Hearts & Hooves and the Arkansas Freedom Fund
FAILURE TO REPORT, CONT. when the alleged abuse occurred and that Moore lost custody are already known. The names of the minors involved are also known; they are in the court records of the custody action. All that is not known is whether Chanel Moore was fired for not reporting a suspicion of maltreatment, as she was required to. Is that protected by confidentiality laws so confidential we can’t know what the laws are? Moore’s is not the only case in which alleged abuse occurred in a DHS worker’s home. In July 2008, the aunt of a 2-year-old drove her nephew to a
DHS office to show caseworkers the bruises on his buttocks and back. She’d found the marks while she was taking care of the toddler. A DHS worker on duty took photos of the boy, but told Amanda Allen, the aunt, to return the child to his mother. The mother and father of the child were living with the child’s grandmother, a DHS employee. A month later, the boy was in Arkansas Children’s Hospital with a fractured skull, detached gallbladder, internal bleeding and bruises all over his body. The employee resigned that month, DHS said at the time.
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HARRIS THERAPY CONTROVERSIAL, CONT. thought and intention, and it takes training. I don’t think all parents can do this,” Crume said. Though DHS links to books and other sites that advocate “Attachment Therapy,” spokesperson Amy Webb described the agency’s focus as “evidence-based trauma training — Trauma Focused Cognitive Based Therapy (TF-CBT).” “We have been working with [the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences] Psychiatric Research Institute to provide training for DCFS [DHS’ Division of Children and Family Therapy] staff on Trauma Informed Care. Training also has been provided to a number of foster parents. We think a trauma-informed approach is critically important and we’ll
be working with UAMS on how we can accomplish training for all foster parents.” TF-CBT, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is a short-term treatment developed for children who’ve been sexually abused, exposed to domestic violence or suffered other traumatic experiences. The training involves both parents and children. Webb also said the agency advocates Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, “an evidenced-based practice that is available through UAMS Child Study Center and Mid South Health Systems in Northwest Arkansas, which has certified mental health therapists who directly address the attachment issues between child and family.” www.arktimes.com
MARCH 19, 2015
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Dining WHAT’S COOKIN’
Bray Gourmet
323 Center St., Suite 150 353-1045 www.braygourmet.com QUICK BITE Don’t forget the to-go options at Bray Gourmet beyond single meals. The meats and cheeses that grace its fabulous sandwiches are available by the pound, and you can take home turkey spread, pimiento cheese, potato salad, corn relish, cole slaw and the deli’s salsa in bulk.
MYLO COFFEE CO., WHICH PLANS to open a downtown location in the Sterling Building at Capitol and Center streets, is off to a rolling start with a coffee cart set outside the building. The cart is being run by Markos Mylonas, brother of Mylo owner Stephanos Mylonas. The cart is offering espresso and other drinks, and a pastry selection. The cart will be in front of the Sterling Building from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday. THE OWNERS OF MUGS CAFE, 515 Main St. in North Little Rock, have announced an expansion into Saline County with a new coffee shop to be called “The Speakeasy Coffee Bar” at 3411 Main St. in Bryant. The coffee shop is slated to open next year, and while the spkeasy.coffee website is still fairly bare-bones, expect a menu similar Mugs’ in Argenta.
DINING CAPSULES
HOURS 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. Breakfast served 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.; lunch served 10:30 a.m. to close. OTHER INFO Credit cards accepted.
Smoke Peppered Beef Sandwich (smoked peppered beef with lettuce, tomato, swiss cheese and homemade dijon sauce melted on toasted fresh bread).
Braying over Bray THE SANDWICHES STAND OUT.
AMERICAN
1620 SAVOY Fine dining in a swank space, with a menu redone by the same owners of Cache downtown. The scallops are especially nice. 1620 Market St. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-221-1620. D Mon.-Sat., BR Sun. ADAMS CATFISH & CATERING Catering company in Little Rock with carry-out trailers in Russellville and Perryville. 215 N. Cross St. All CC. $-$$. 501-336-4399. LD Tue.-Fri. AFTERTHOUGHT BISTRO AND BAR The restaurant side of the Afterthought Bar (also called the Afterthought Bistro and Bar) features crab cakes, tuna tacos, chicken tenders, fries, sandwiches, burgers and, as entrees, fish and grits, tuna, ribeye, chicken and dumplings, pasta and more. Live music in the adjoining bar, also private dining room. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. 501-663-1196. ALL ABOARD RESTAURANT & GRILL Burgers, catfish, chicken tenders and such in this trainthemed restaurant, where an elaborately engineered mini-locomotive delivers patrons’ meals. 6813 Cantrell Road. No alcohol, All CC. 501-975-7401. LD daily. ALLEY OOPS The restaurant at Creekwood Plaza (near the Kanis-Bowman intersection) is a neighborhood feedbag for major medical institutions with the likes of plate lunches, burgers and homemade desserts. Remarkable chess 36
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ARKANSAS TIMES
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t’s hard for a restaurant to excel and differentiate itself in the very competitive world of the sandwich. But Bray Gourmet does it. The deli in the Tower Building on Fourth Street in downtown Little Rock opened two-and -a-half years ago, and by all appearances it seems to be thriving. The sandwiches surely are one of the primary reasons why. We tried three — all marked on the menu with the chevron that denotes a “Bray’s specialty” — and each shone brightly thanks to a powerful combination of quantity and quality. Check the profile view of a Bray sandwich and you’ll see stacks of premium meat. The breads are from Arkansas Fresh Bakery and therefore first-rate. We adored the Smoked Peppered Beef ($6.59), parenthetically called “Arkansas Favorite,” which features mounds of a meat that reminded us of a cross between brisket and corned beef.
The Swiss was nicely melted, and the Dijon sauce added some complementary zip. Each half of the Mexican Chicken Wrap ($6.49) could be a meal unto itself. The tortilla was stuffed with large chunks of tender marinated chicken, plenty of grated cheddar, guacamole and corn salsa. Notes of sweetness offset the mild spiciness. Bray’s Favorite ($7.09) is distinctive — large mounds of top-notch smoked turkey, with one side of the bread (we chose marble rye) dressed with diced tomato relish, the other with pesto spread. Melted asiago on one side and melted mozzarella on the other completed the package. We’re sure the Bray’s Smoked Turkey Spread sandwich ($5.59) is among the most popular on the menu, but we chose instead to buy to-go tubs of this smoky, smooth, luscious spread ($4.50 for a half-point and only slightly cheaper
by volume when you get a quart). We like the original more than the Cajun (which is only a little “hot”), and generally plan to have some in our fridge at all times. Ditto the pimiento cheese ($3.50 for a half-pint), which is creamy and the right amount of spicy. We also tried the chili ($3.39 and $4.79), which is good but not spectacular. The consistency is like a thick puree and while it was tasty, we found it a bit too salty. Bray’s has a solid breakfast business, too — and we found out why. The cinnamon roll ($2.29 — and homemade, like almost everything) is large, gooey, not too doughy with a perfect cinnamon and sugar-to-roll ratio. The sausage/egg/cheese biscuit ($2.99) is huge — probably two scrambled eggs’ worth, a large sausage patty, homemade fluffy biscuit and is “not over-cheesed,” as our friend noted. It’s easily a hearty breakfast unto itself. But, of course, we felt compelled to add an order of cheese grits ($1.79), which is grits with cheese melted into it, not baked in, casserole style. The grits were a little bland, could have stood being “overcheesed,” and benefited from some added salt and pepper. We see mostly take-out business at Bray Gourmet, but there is a small seating area in the back. We are told the catering business booms. The sandwiches … and the turkey spread … and the pimiento cheese will keep us coming back.
Information in our restaurant capsules reflects the opinions of the newspaper staff and its reviewers. The newspaper accepts no advertising or other considerations in exchange for reviews, which are conducted anonymously. We invite the opinions of readers who think we are in error.
B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner $ Inexpensive (under $8/person) $$ Moderate ($8-$20/person) $$$ Expensive (over $20/person) CC Accepts credit cards
BELLY UP Check out the Times’ food blog, Eat Arkansas arktimes.com
DINING CAPSULES, CONT. pie. 11900 Kanis Road. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-221-9400. LD Mon.-Sat. ASHER DAIRY BAR An old-line dairy bar that serves up made-to-order burgers, foot-long “Royal” hot dogs and old-fashioned shakes and malts. 7105 Colonel Glenn Road. No alcohol, No CC, CC. $-$$. 501-562-1085. BLD Tue.-Sat. ATHLETIC CLUB SPORTS BAR & GRILL What could be mundane fare gets delightful twists and embellishments here. 11301 Financial Centre Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-312-9000. LD daily. B-SIDE The little breakfast place in the former party room of Lilly’s DimSum Then Some turns tradition on its ear, offering French toast wrapped in bacon on a stick, a must-have dish called “biscuit mountain” and beignets with lemon curd. 11121 Rodney Parham Road. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-716-2700. B-BR Sat.-Sun. BAR LOUIE Mammoth portions of very decent bar/bistro fare with an amazingly varied menu that should satisfy every taste. Some excellent drink deals abound, too. 11525 Cantrell Road, Suite 924. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-228-0444. LD daily, BR Sat.-Sun. BIG WHISKEY’S AMERICAN BAR AND GRILL A modern grill pub in the River Market District with all the bells and whistles - 30 flat-screen TVs, whiskey on tap, plus boneless wings, burgers, steaks, soups and salads. 225 E Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-324-2449. LD daily. BOBBY’S COUNTRY COOKIN’ One of the better plate lunch spots in the area, with some of the best fried chicken and pot roast around, a changing daily casserole and wonderful homemade pies. 301 N. Shackleford Road, Suite E1. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-224-9500. L Mon.-Fri. BOGIE’S BAR AND GRILL The former Bennigan’s retains a similar theme: a menu filled with burgers, salads and giant desserts, plus a few steak, fish and chicken main courses. There are big-screen TVs for sports fans and lots to drink, more reason to return than the food. 120 W. Pershing Blvd. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-812-0019. BD daily. BOOKENDS CAFE A great spot to enjoy lunch with friends or a casual cup of coffee and a favorite book. Serving coffee and pastries early and sandwiches, soups and salads available after 11 a.m. Cox Creative Center. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501- 918-3091. BL Mon.-Sat. THE BOX Cheeseburgers and french fries are greasy and wonderful and not like their fastfood cousins. 1023 W. Seventh St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-372-8735. L Mon.-Fri. BUFFALO GRILL A great crispy-off-the-griddle cheeseburger and hand-cut fries star at this family-friendly stop. 1611 Rebsamen Park Road. Full bar, CC. $$. 501-296-9535. LD daily. CAFE 201 The hotel restaurant in the Crowne Plaza serves up a nice lunch buffet. 201 S. Shackleford Road. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-2233000. BLD Mon.-Fri., BD Sat., BR Sun. CATFISH CITY AND BBQ GRILL Basic fried fish and sides, including green tomato pickles, and now with tasty ribs and sandwiches in beef, pork and sausage. 1817 S. University Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-663-7224. LD Tue.-Sat. CHEERS IN THE HEIGHTS Good burgers and sandwiches, vegetarian offerings and salads
at lunch, and fish specials and good steaks in the evening. 2010 N. Van Buren. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-5937. LD Mon.-Sat. 1901 Club Manor Drive. Maumelle. Full bar, All CC. 501-851-6200. LD daily, BR Sun. CHICKEN WANG & CAFE Regular, barbecue, spicy, lemon, garlic pepper, honey mustard and Buffalo wings. Open late. 8320 Colonel Glenn Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-562-1303. LD Mon.-Sat. COLD STONE CREAMERY This national chain takes a base flavor (everything from Sweet Cream to Chocolate Cake Batter) and adds your choice of ingredients or a combination of ingredients it calls a Creation. Cold Stone also serves up a variety of ice cream cakes and
cupcakes. 12800 Chenal Parkway. No alcohol, All CC. $. 501-225-7000. LD daily. DAVE AND RAY’S DOWNTOWN DINER Breakfast daily featuring biscuits and gravy, home fries, sausage and made-to-order omelets. Lunch buffet with four choices of meats and eight veggies. 824 W. Capitol Ave. No alcohol. $. 501-372-8816. BL Mon.-Fri. DAVID’S BURGERS Serious hamburgers, steak salads, homemade custard. 101 S. Bowman Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-227-8333. LD Mon.-Sat. 1100 Highway 65 N. Conway. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. (501) 327-3333 4000 McCain Blvd. NLR. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-353-0387. LD Mon.-Sat. E’S BISTRO Despite the name, think tearoom
THE EVERYDAY SOMMELIER Your friendly neighborhood wine shop. #theeverydaysommelier
JOSEPH DROUHIN “CLOS DES MOUCHES” BEAUNE 1ER CRU ROUGE 2009 REG $109.99 - SPECIAL $82.99 “This one’s for all of you burgundy hounds, it’s an extremely rare treat to offer at this great price.” – O’Looney “93 points” – Robert Parker
Rahling Road @ Chenal Parkway 501.821.4669 • olooneys@aristotle.net • www.olooneys.com
rather than bistro — there’s no wine, for one thing, and there is tea. But there’s nothing tearoomy about the portions here. Try the heaping grilled salmon BLT on a buttery croissant. 3812 JFK Boulevard. NLR. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-771-6900. L Tue.-Sat., D Thu.-Sat. FLIGHT DECK A not-your-typical daily lunch special highlights this spot, which also features inventive sandwiches, salads and a popular burger. Central Flying Service at Adams Field. Beer and wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-975-9315. BL Mon.-Sat. FORTY TWO Solid choice for weekday lunch, featuring entrees and sandwiches from around the world. 1200 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-537-0042. L Mon.-Sat. HILLCREST ARTISAN MEATS A fancy charcuterie and butcher shop with excellent daily soup and sandwich specials. Limited seating is available. 2807 Kavanaugh Blvd. Suite B. No alcohol, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-671-6328. L Mon.-Sat. JASON’S DELI A huge selection of sandwiches (wraps, subs, po’ boys and pitas), salads and spuds, as well as red beans and rice and chicken pot pie. Plus a large selection of heart healthy and light dishes. 301 N. Shackleford Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-954-8700. LD daily. JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES Illinois-based sandwich chain that doesn’t skimp on what’s between the buns. 4120 E. McCain Blvd. NLR. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-945-9500. LD daily. 700 South Broadway St. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-372-1600. LD daily. KITCHEN EXPRESS Delicious “meat and three” restaurant offering big servings of homemade soul food. Maybe Little Rock’s best fried chicken. 4600 Asher Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-666-3500. BLD Mon.-Sat., LD Sun. LASSIS INN One of the state’s oldest restaurants still in the same location and one of the best for catfish and buffalo fish. 518 E 27th St. Beer and wine, All CC. $$. 501-372-8714. LD Tue.-Sat. LINDA’S CORNER Southern and soul food. 2601 Barber St. 501-372-1511. MADDIE’S PLACE Owner/chef Brian Deloney has built quite a thriving business with a pretty simple formula: making almost everything from scratch and matching hefty portions of Cajun and Creole with reasonable prices in a fun, upbeat atmosphere. Maddie’s offers a stellar selection of draft beers and a larger, better wine list than you might expect. 1615 Rebsamen Park Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-660-4040. LD Tue.-Sat. MARIE’S MILFORD TRACK II Healthy and tasty are the key words at this deli/grill, featuring hot entrees, soups, sandwiches, salads and killer desserts. 9813 W Markham St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-225-4500. BL Mon.-Sat. MARKETPLACE GRILLE Big servings of steak, seafood, chicken, pasta, pizza and other rich comfort-style foods. 11600 Pleasant Ridge Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-221-3939. LD daily. MASON’S DELI AND GRILL Heaven for those who believe everything is better with sauerkraut on top. The Bavarian Reuben, a traditional Reuben made with Boar’s Head corned beef, spicy mustard, sauerkraut, Muenster cheese and marble rye, is among the best we’ve had in town. 400 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-376-3354. LD Mon.-Sat. www.arktimes.com
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DUMAS, CONT.
hearsay ➥ Staying in town for spring break, but wondering what to do with the kiddos? Then check out the “Culture-cation” package several cultural organizations downtown have put together for the week of March 23–29. The package includes special deals for cultural organizations located in downtown Little Rock. The “Culture-cation” package includes: Arkansas Arts Center – $5 off family memberships Arkansas Repertory Theatre – $5 off student tickets Clinton Presidential Library – Free admission with a kids card Esse Purse Museum – 50 percent off admission price and 10 percent off at the museum store Mosaic Templars Cultural Center – 10 percent discount in the museum store Museum of Discovery – 15 percent off one item in the museum store Old State House Museum – 10 percent off in museum store You can also get discounted room rates starting at $159 a night, based on availability, at the Capital Hotel when you present a ticket from one of the above cultural institutions. ➥ Shop My Closet, an upscale clothing event sponsored by Go Near Ministry, has now gone from seasonal to a full-time store. Located at the Pinnacle Creek Retail Center in West Little Rock, the store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. You can also bring your own clothing donations during those times. The proceeds from Shop My Closet will benefit local charities as well as the poor and needy in Kenya. ➥ The 26th annual Baptist Health Foundation Bolo Bash, scheduled for 11 a.m. April 8 at the J.A. Gilbreath Conference Center at Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock, will feature designer Nicole Miller as the keynote speaker. Tickets are $50 and proceeds will benefit Baptist Health’s Surgical Center expansions. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.baptist-health.com/BoloBashLuncheon. ➥ Cantrell Gallery will host a trunk show Regalia Handmade Clothing from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28. A wine and cheese preview party is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. March 27. Advertising Supplement 38
MARCH 19, 2015
ARKANSAS TIMES
tras also violated an act of Congress. A few of the hostages in Lebanon were released during the arms trading but more hostages were captured in 1986 to take their place. You can see the similarities to the current dilemma — except Reagan was expanding Iran’s strategic arms supply and Obama is trying to restrain it, and the Reagan agreement was done in secret and the Obama administration regularly briefs Congress and the world on Iran diplomacy. The Reagan deal with Iran came to light in November 1986 when someone leaked it to a Lebanese magazine and the Nicaraguans shot down an airlift of U.S. arms to the rebels. When Congress began hearings on the deals, the White House shredded its documents. Fifteen members of the Reagan administration were indicted but their convictions were either overturned on appeal or else they received presidential pardons. Republicans, led by then-Rep. Dick Cheney, condemned the Democratic congressional majority for its investigation and condemnation of the deals. Cheney said the president had the constitutional authority to ignore acts of Congress dealing with foreign affairs, specifically the ban on aid to the Contras. But there is a more sympathetic way to look at Tom Cotton’s letter that avoids these troublesome precedents. Early last fall, when Cotton’s race against Mark Pryor didn’t look like a cinch, the rightwing lobby Emergency Committee for Israel dumped $700,000 into the race for television, radio and digital ads attacking Pryor for cowardice in the face of threats from American enemies all over the world. He’s not much of a guy who won’t reward his friends.
ARKANSAS TIMES
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Directed by Lana Hallmark “Eight Women Sharing Love & Laughter”
Fridays & Saturdays 7:30pm • $16 Adults / $12 Students & Seniors For more information contact us at 501.374.3761 or www.weekendtheater.org 1001 W. 7th St., LR, AR 72201 - On the corner of 7th and Chester, across from Vino's.
March 20, 21, 27, 28, 2015
7:30pm Fridays & Saturdays
Support for The Weekend Theater is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and National Endowment for the Arts.
agreement preventing the Iranian regime from developing nuclear weapons they say they don’t want could be a diplomatic triumph, reshaping the entire Middle East without firing a shot. To the War Party, that would be a bad thing. Meanwhile, Tom Cotton gave his first speech in the U.S. Senate, prating about “global military dominance” and “hegemonic strength” like the villain in a James Bond movie. It was a performance calculated to make him a star.
The CITY OF MAUMELLE announces Civil Service examination for the position of entry level Police Officer will be given on Saturday, May 2, 2015. QUALIFICATIONS FOR TAKING THE EXAM ARE: 1- Be a United States Citizen 2- Be the age of 21 on date of the exam (Police Exam) 3- Be able to pass a background check, a drug test, and/or physical examination 4- Possess a high school diploma or equivalent 5- Possess a valid Arkansas driver’s license
March 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, and 28, 2015 Presents
LYONS, CONT.
MAUMELLE CIVIL SERVICE ENTRY LEVEL POLICE EXAM
$20 Adults • $16 Students & Seniors For more information contact us at 501.374.3761 or www.weekendtheater.org
Beginning salary is $30,334.00 per year; the City offers an excellent employee benefit package. The application process will begin immediately. For additional information visit www.maumelle.org. “EOE – Minority, Women, and disabled individuals are encouraged to apply.”
Directed by Lana Hallmark March 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, and 28, 2015
1001 W. 7th St., LR, AR 72201 On the corner of 7th and Chester, across from Vino’s.
Fridays & Saturdays 7:30pm • $16 Adults / $12 Students & Seniors For more information contact us at 501.374.3761 or www.weekendtheater.org 1001 W. 7th St., LR, AR 72201 - On the corner of 7th and Chester, across from Vino's.
Support for TWT is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the DAH, and the NEA.
Support for The Weekend Theater is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and National Endowment for the Arts.
This ad is available from the Title VI Coordinator in large print, on audio, and in Braille at (501) 851-2784, ext. 233 or at vernon@maumelle.org.
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Work in Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)-driven organizational framework & provide integration & dvlpmt expertise for assigned systems. Responsible for leading web-based user interface (UI) dsgn/dvlpmt efforts, providing analysis & implmt support for customized systems & dvlpg functionality based on defined reqmts. Collaborate w/ other dvlpmt & integration team members to ensure Java technologies are properly implmt’d & maintained. Dsgn, dvlp & doc web application user interfaces & Java modules using standard methodology (Agile). Create & maintain application s/ware documentation s/ware (scope reqmts, logical dsgns, tech’l dsgns, testing plans, etc.). Dvlp front-end UI/JSP pages & necessary back-end Java classes to support secure data access & user authorization. Analyze tech’l & bus. reqmts to help define scope of Java dvlpmt initiatives & serve as tech’l resource for sound dvlpmt & integration practices. Provide reporting as needed to satisfy client requests. Dvlp effective, object oriented prgms/modules that adhere to established reqmts & conform to detailed dsgn specs. Maintain industry/tech’l knowl base & facilitates/. Demonstrate commitment to providing customer-focused quality service. Support assigned systems w/ on-call availability & respond within agreed upon timeframes. Perform other duties as deemed relevant based upon exp to fulfill customer needs. Reqmts: Master deg in Comp Sci, Info Systems, Engg, Bus, Maths, or other related scientific or tech’l discipline plus 3 or more yrs of demonstrated exp in Java dvlpmt. Significant exp w/ integration methods (e.g. Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), UI, data). Proven ability to plan & execute projects on time/within budget & successful project deployment history. Demonstrated knowl of s/ware dvlpmt methodologies (w/ Agile exp w/in the past yr). Expert in Java/J2EE dvlpmt & following technologies: EJB3, JMS, Web Services, XML, HTML5, CSS JavaScript. Thorough knowl of Java SE libraries, use of collections & high-level concurrency. Strong knowl of Object Oriented Dsgn (OOD) & Object Oriented Prgmg (OOP), dsgn patterns & multi-threading Exp w/ DB2/ Oracle, Hibernate, JDBC. Strong SQL skills & relational d/base & d/base optimization knowl. Excellent oral & written communication skills & ability to clearly articulate to all project members & stakeholders; must be team player who works well w/ tech’l & non-tech’l resources. Preferred Exp: Knowl of Enterprise Service Bus (ESB), Rules Engine, Bus. Process Execution Language (BPEL) & Swing. Healthcare industry background. Exp working in an SOA framework. Job is in Little Rock, AR. Send resume to EngagePoint Inc. Attn: Felicia Gross, Sr. HR Business Partner, 3901 Calverton Blvd., Ste 110, Calverton, MD 20705. www.arktimes.com
MARCH 19, 2015
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Van GoghO’Keefe Kahlo PicassoDali WarholRothko Van Gogh Dali Kahlo Van Gogh Rothko Rothko O’KeefeDali Warhol RothkoO’Keefe TO
MASTERWORKS FROM THE
ALBRIGHT-KNOX ART GALLERY
76 ARTWORKS • 73 ARTISTS FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT Experience these masterpieces through the
ARKANSAS TIMES ART BUS TRIP to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
MAY 2, 2015
149
$
per person
Price includes: Round-trip tour bus transportation Boxed lunch Tickets to the Van Gogh to Rothko exhibit at Crystal Bridges Dinner at The Hive restaurant
PLUS A special dinner by Award-Winning Chef Matthew McClure at The Hive restaurant inside the 21C Museum Hotel
AND See the two current exhibits on display at 21C Museum Hotel: Duke Riley: See You at the Finish Line • Blue: Matter, Mood and Melancholy
RESERVE YOUR SEAT BY CALLING 501.375.2985 OR EMAILING KELLY LYLES AT KELLYLYLES@ARKTIMES.COM
ARKANSAS TIMES
Round-trip bus transportation provided by Arrow Coachlines. Admission into Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is free. 40
MARCH 19, 2015
ARKANSAS TIMES