Arkansas Times - May 7, 2015 by Arkansas Times

NEWS + POLITICS + ENTERTAINMENT + FOOD / MAY 7, 2015 / ARKTIMES.COM

How Winthrop Rockefeller’s moderation paved the way for economic, political and social reform in Arkansas BY JOHN A. KIRK

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MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

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VOLUME 41, NUMBER 35 ARKANSAS TIMES (ISSN 0164-6273) is published each week by Arkansas Times Limited Partnership, 201 East Markham Street, Suite 200, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72201, phone (501) 375-2985. Periodical postage paid at Little Rock, Arkansas, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ARKANSAS TIMES, 201 EAST MARKHAM STREET, SUITE 200, Little Rock, AR, 72201. Subscription prices are $42 for one year, $74 for two years. Subscriptions outside Arkansas are $49 for one year, $88 for two years. Foreign (including Canadian) subscriptions are $168 a year. For subscriber service call (501) 375-2985. Current single-copy price is 75¢, free in Pulaski County. Single issues are available by mail at $2.50 each, postage paid. Payment must accompany all single-copy orders. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents without the written consent of the publishers is prohibited. Manuscripts and artwork will not be returned or acknowledged unless sufficient return postage and a self-addressed stamped envelope are included. All materials are handled with due care; however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for care and safe return of unsolicited materials. All letters sent to ARKANSAS TIMES will be treated as intended for publication and are subject to ARKANSAS TIMES’ unrestricted right to edit or to comment editorially.

Winthrop Rockefeller came to a mountain and changed the world around him. We invite others to do the same. Learn more about the impact and legacy of Winthrop Rockefeller at www.rockefellerinstitute.org.

MAY 7, 2015

COMMENT

From the web In response to Max Brantley’s column, “Asa’s talk is cheap” (April 30): You’re not being too harsh, Mr. Brantley. If the majority of Arkansans were as informed, thoughtful and objective as you, The Natural State wouldn’t continue occupying the bottom rungs of the 50 states as it has since its statehood. But the majority isn’t. So it does. “Arkansas Values” were ugly and hurtful (not just to blacks; to your entire state’s population and economy) in 1957. As embodied in Gov. Hutchinson and his administration, they still are in 2015. Bigots were wrong then; they’re wrong now. Bigots will always be wrong, no matter how they dissemble. That’s how the world works. Kudos to you and the entire Arkansas Times staff. Especially during the past year or two, your coverage and reporting have risen to unprecedented and impressive new heights! Norma Bates In response to an Arkansas Blog post, “Martha Shoffner’s attorney objects to possible 20-year sentence; argues for 12 to 18 months”: She feels bad about what she did, she needs a new roof and she went through the dreadful experience of going to jail. Would these things be taken into consideration if she was an economically disadvantaged minority person who committed a crime? If not, then why take them into consideration now? Kate Who did she actually harm? The state lost no money on her sidebar payoffs. That’s the problem with our over-full penal system, we’re sending too many to prison because we’re mad at them, not because they’re dangerous or a threat to society. Your regressive, backward attitude and values is why the U.S.A. with 5 percent of the world’s population has 25 percent of world’s imprisoned. eLwood Just remember that in federal prison there is no parole, so she will serve the complete sentence, except for a little bit of good behavior time, unlike state prison, where a person usually serves about one-sixth of the time they receive. I’m not defending her, but 20 years is ridiculous, given the fact that, as Chuck Banks pointed out, there was absolutely 4

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

no proof that the state lost money because of the bribes. I think two or three years is reasonable. She won’t live much longer than that. plainjim Is Chuck playing the “age discrimination” card? Martha was aware of what she was doing. She did it more than once. She was elected to do a job. Before running she knew what the job paid. (Or did she?) Ignorance not a valid excuse. None of this: “Steele, why hast thou forsaken me stuff? Steele: “Well, Martha, to save my own ass, of course.” Martha: “I had this impression that getting into politics and winning an election gave the winner, uh, well, you know certain unspoken but well-deserved perks.” Steele Stephens just happened to be one of them, “no harm, no foul.” I’m too old for prison; they’ll make fun of me. Probably tell me to shut my pie hole all the time. Maxifer In response to an Arkansas Blog post, “KKK billboard erected in Russellville; mayor speaks out”:

Like I said earlier about Harrison, the Russellville Chamber of Commerce could and should blacklist the owner of this billboard and make him/her a pariah among the business community. Plaster their name in publicity so that no one else will ever do business with him/her again. Boycott their ass off. I seriously doubt that they only own one single billboard. Put them out of business and I suspect they would decide that renting their billboard to racists is not a good business decision. Certainly we have and must protect free speech in this country; but, by the same token, the owner of the billboard has the freedom to refuse the business of racists. Until he/she does so, the people of Russellville, just like the people of Harrison, have the freedom to refuse to place ad on any of his/her billboards … and if they are truly unsupportive of racist bigotry, that’s exactly what they will do. Otherwise, they deserve to be painted as a racist city. Perplexed Excuse me but when did only African Americans have the right to express their views? I oppose bigotry but come on people, this is a subtle advertisement

as opposed to burning down a city and of course the freedom of expression called looting. This PC nonsense has gone too far in one direction. I’d wager all would applaud if it said “no justice no peace.” Maggie Smerf I am 100 percent free speech but the KKK has a history so intertwined with murder, terrorism and pure evil that you can’t separate it from anything else it does. This would be the equivalent of Al Qaeda putting up a billboard. This would be the same as Hitler saying, “But I am a good artist, can’t you compartmentalize that?” Clem Hooten In response to an Arkansas Blog item “Hutchinson names another study group -- this one on highways”: I’m actually for dedicating some or all of the sales taxes from vehicle sales, vehicle repairs, tires, vehicle parts, vehicle additives like oil and gas additives, Freon, etc. to roads with 50 percent for the state based on the county or zip code in which the money is collected from, 25 percent for the city and 25 percent for the county in which the money is collected. That way the money is spent where the people live and the tax is collected from. If people from Cabot drop their car off at Gwatney on their way to Little Rock or the Air Force base, then they should contribute to the maintenance of roads they drive on. If they take their car to a car dealer in Cabot, then the money stays in Cabot. ok72076 Didn’t Asa say something about a special session for some issue or another? Let’s hope special sessions won’t be needed for each task force or working group issue. We’d never get rid of the scum bags who are supposed to represent us, not the special interests who can wine and dine them every “working” day. Doigotta While it would have done some good when the energy needs were going on and not this slump, we tax natural gas far too low. We tax at 1/20th of what Texas charges because they tax all, at retail, at their borders. We gave them so many gifts that the drillers should be paying for a hooker pad for the legislature. couldn’t be better

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MAY 7, 2015

EYE ON ARKANSAS

WEEK THAT WAS nant wages, unaffordable housing — yet blamed economic inequality on government. “I grew up blue collar, not blue blood,” said the guy who now lives in a 10,900-square-foot beachfront house in Florida, travels by private jet and has a net worth of $5 million. The hilarious thing is that although there’s virtually no chance Huckabee will become president, he’ll probably make millions of dollars from the publicity he’ll get from running.

“The dogs are out of control.” — Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde, warning that Little Rock’s Big Dam Bridge might soon be closed to leashed pets. “We’re sending a two-man crew three times a week. I’m not sure I can justify that kind of money to shovel people’s dog manure,” Hyde explained. Late night vandalism — i.e. drunk people chucking heavy objects over the side of the bridge — may also force authorities to curtail hours of public access.

From Hope to higher speaking fees Well, we never saw this one coming: Mike Huckabee is officially in the running for president. In his May 5 announcement in Hope, Huckabee vowed to “never, ever apologize for America,” “conquer jihadism,” abolish the IRS and the U.S. Department of Education, and confront “the false god of judicial supremacy.” The Supreme Court might rule in favor of marriage equality, but Huck assured us that “they cannot overturn the laws of nature or of nature’s God.” Maybe the most irksome part of his message, though? The populist shtick, in which he talked about very real problems — student debt, stag-

And speaking of wealth Maybe the reason Huckabee feels he’s still working class is that he’s measuring himself against people like the Waltons. A new list by Forbes that attempts to compile the richest people in each state shows members of the Bentonville aristocracy top not one but three slots: Jim Walton’s estimated $37.6 billion makes him the richest person in Arkansas, Alice tops Texas with $36.4 billion and Wyoming’s Christy Walton has $39.1 billion. That means one Christy Walton equals about 7,800 Mike Huckabees. Sort of puts it all in perspective, in a nauseating kind of way.

Playground tactics Not content with sending a letter to undermine the nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran, Sen. Tom Cotton decided to make his fight against the Islamic Republic more personal last week by directly insulting the top Iranian diplomat on Twitter. Cotton tweeted at Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif that his time spent in the U.S. as a younger man while Iran fought a war “shows cowardly character still on display today.” The junior senator from Arkansas also challenged Zarif to “meet in D.C. … [at a] time of your choosing” for a debate. Zarif tweeted back: “Serious diplomacy, not macho personal smear, is what we need. Congrats on Ur new born. May U and Ur family enjoy him in peace.”

Standing up for discrimination Josh Duggar, the Arkansas reality TV star and head of an arm of the Family Research Council, appeared at a rally against same-sex marriage to explain why treating LGBTQ people differently is really about freedom. “Right now in America there is an agenda to silence people of faith … America was founded on respect, tolerance and really not discriminating 6

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

BRIAN CHILSON

Quote of the Week:

SEEKING JUSTICE: On Tuesday, May 5, John Mark Byers walks away from the podium after speaking at the Justice for 6 rally for his son Christopher Byers and two other boys who were murdered on May 5, 1993, in West Memphis. He urged the Gov. Asa Hutchinson to push for an investigation into other suspects who may have committed the murders.

against people based missioner Johnny Key on their religious that paves the way for convictions.” a new superintenT h a t ’ s dent of the Litright: When tle Rock School evangeliDistrict: Baker cal ChrisKurrus, a Little tians aren’t Rock business allowed to leader and fordiscrimimer president nate against of the LRSD board. Norgay people, it means they’re mally, a candidate JOSH DUGGAR actually the ones for superintendent being discriminated would have to hold ceragainst. And as everytain credentials — such as a one knows, Jesus said to dishigher degree in education — but criminate whenever you encounter because the LRSD is now controlled a sinner. by the Education Department, the state board can waive such requirements. Leadership of the LRSD has been in question since interim superOn Tuesday, the State Board of intendent Dexter Suggs departed two Education approved a waiver to state weeks ago amid allegations of plalaw requested by Education Comgiarism.

Baker’s turn

OPINION

Some politics is still local

n recent months, any number of commentators have noted, generally with nostalgic sadness, that Speaker Tip O’Neill’s oft-quoted adage that “all politics is local” couldn’t be more wrong in describing the hyperpartisan environment that is contemporary American politics. Partisanship (and a deeply ideological partisanship at that) now pilots politics at all levels. The 2014 election cycle in Arkansas — a place where “all politics is local” had reigned supreme since the state’s creation — marked the end of a political provincialism that had aided Democrats in staving off Republican trends and serves as a case study of this nationalization. As early voting begins this week in Eureka Springs, however, a campaign that has been consciously localized seems well positioned to pull off an important victory for LGBT rights progress in an emphatically red state. As David Koon recently overviewed in the Times, on May 12 the voters of the

campaign is feasible because of the scale intrusion by outside groups in the local of the endeavor (fewer than 900 votes community in general, and the HRC in will likely be cast). Moreover, rather particular, an issue. The campaign finance than convincing voters of the merits of reports for “Keep Eureka Fair” look the ordinance, the key in a town where dramatically different. It is composed President Obama garnered more than 60 almost entirely of small donations from percent of the vote in 2012 and Demo- locals and money raised from community cratic Sen. Mark Pryor gained nearly two- fundraisers. While those urging repeal of hamlet in Carroll thirds of the vote last year, is turnout; and the ordinance have tried to resurrect the County will decide it is in voter turnout where grassroots argument from Fayetteville that outside whether to uphold work truly pays off. Just as important, groups are pushing Ordinance 2223, or reject the most the community has a tradition of citi- the charge has rung hollow in Eureka expansive antidiszen activism; indeed, much of the net- Springs because locals have been the crimination law in work that came together in “Save the face of the effort. JAY the state’s history Ozarks” — a lengthy, successful effort Finally, the localization strategy is BARTH when they cast focused on stopping the introduction driven by confidence that the commuvotes on Local Ordinance 2223. In the of mammoth power lines in the region nity’s ongoing interaction with LGBT two-month campaign leading up to next — has transferred its energies to the non- friends and neighbors is the strongest Tuesday, the proponents of Ordinance discrimination ordinance campaign. As a weapon that the Keep Eureka Fair has. 2223 have fended off assistance from result of these organizing strategies, cam- As we know well, personal contact with outside groups that would be expected paign workers and volunteers — oper- LGBT individuals is the most importo engage in the campaign because of the ating out of an abandoned store on the tant force in reshaping attitudes; and, in measure’s importance both substantively town’s main drag — should know the Eureka Springs, because of the visibility (its passage would likely ensure legal sentiments of almost all voters by the of the LGBT community for decades, standing in future court challenges to the time of the election. straight voters think of their neighbors, General Assembly’s Act 137) and symboliSecond, important lessons were their favorite waitresses, and artists they cally (its passage in one of the reddest of learned from a December campaign have known for years when they consider states would send strong signals regard- in nearby Fayetteville. There, the the issue of LGBT rights. While there is ing the inevitable expansion of full civil Human Rights Campaign fully engaged, nervousness that the opponents’ argurights to LGBT citizens). contributing more than $250,000 in ment that the ordinance will undermine Several things have driven the local- money and human labor. Opponents “bathroom privacy” will gain traction, ization strategy. First, a truly grassroots of the Fayetteville ordinance made the there is ultimate trust that those perCONTINUED ON PAGE 38

Lose Obamacare, lose tax cuts

team of 40 health experts, a task and the legislature force of 14 Arkansas legislators nevertheless might and a company of corporate con- have to deal with sultants backed by millions of taxpayer “political reality” dollars are assembling to attempt the and scrap the hardest political gambit of our time: program after ERNEST how to make Obamacare look like it’s this year. At DUMAS the governor’s not Obamacare. And if you just can’t work that magic, urging in January, the legislature how do you deal with the human and appropriated the federal dollars for the fiscal catastrophe of ending Arkansas’s medical coverage through 2015 while big share of Obamacare — federally the legislative task force, backed by the endowed medical coverage for nearly knowledgeable professionals and some 250,000 of the state’s poorest citizens? high-powered corporate consultants Few of the gathering experts will from Boston or someplace, look for characterize it as a political game, but ways to tweak the program so they can even Gov. Asa Hutchinson put it in say it’s not really Obamacare or else exactly those terms last week when he replace it with something that would addressed the health experts and the still insure 250,000 people, leave the politicians of the legislative task force. federal government out and not cost the Although the governor has hinted that state government much of anything. Arkansas’s “private option” — its brand The Republican legislators who of Medicaid coverage of the poor offered dreamed up the private option in 2013 by the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) thought they had resolved the political — has been wildly successful, he said he problem. They said it was not real

Obamacare, but other Republicans didn’t let them get away with it — after all, it employed the purest form of Obamacare, the health care exchanges — and the mavericks won the day last year by electing more Republicans who equated the program with the hated Barack Obama and promised to kill it. What Hutchinson meant by dealing with political reality is that Obamacare is still unpopular, highly so in Arkansas, especially if it is called Obamacare and not the Affordable Care Act. National polls show that the numbers have gotten better as none of the predictions about the horrible things that would happen come true, but nearly half of Americans still expect bad things to happen “in the long term.” A huge majority of Americans favored universal health insurance in both 1994 and in 2009, when Bill Clinton and then Obama took it up, but the heavy political attacks turned the poll numbers around both times. Clinton folded but Obama and the narrowly Democratic Congress stuck with it and passed the reform in 2010 after stealing the health plan of Presidents Nixon and Ford from 1974, Republican senators and Ronald Reagan’s thinktank from 1994 and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney from 2004. They all

sought to solve the uninsured problem by mandating private insurance with federal subsidies and expanded Medicaid for the very poor. Adversaries said the reforms would produce massive unemployment and a depression, but the opposite happened. In the year after the big expansion began at the end of 2013, the nation grew 3 million new jobs, the best in 15 years. Unemployment nosed down toward the full-employment range of 5 percent. Republicans, including House Speaker John Boehner, said millions more would lose their insurance than gain it, but the number of uninsured shrank by 15 million and the number would be sharply higher had some 20 Republican states not refused to expand Medicaid for the poor when the Supreme Court said it was their call. Republicans predicted that only the very sick would sign up for coverage by Medicaid and the exchanges and that, along with Obamacare’s mandate that insurance companies can’t cancel insurance or deny coverage to people with chronic illness, would cause everyone’s insurance premiums to double. But insurance premiums rose an average of only 3 percent, well below the usual increases of the past 20 years. CONTINUED ON PAGE 38 www.arktimes.com

MAY 7, 2015

Paranoia in Texas

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he real news isn’t that many Texans seemingly subscribe to an apocalyptic, delusional world view that has them convinced that a U.S Army training exercise called “Jade Helm 15” is the opening wedge of an Obama-led coup d’etat — seizing guns, importing thousands of ISIS fighters to subdue local patriots, and throwing dissenters into FEMA concentration camps. Because where else would you start a military takeover but the strategic hamlet of Bastrop, Texas, commanding the crucial highway junction between Elgin and LaGrange? Never mind that Fort Hood, the largest U.S. military installation in the world, is maybe 75 miles up the road. Bastrop’s the linchpin. No, the real news is that namebrand Texas politicians such as Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz think it’s smart to lend plausibility to what’s essentially a mass psychiatric delusion. Did you know that even Walmart’s involved? Rumor says recently closed stores are being re-fitted as barracks for foreign soldiers. After a raucous hearing in Bastrop during which a regular Army colonel who pointed out that he’d served five presidents over 27 years got accused of lying and shouted down, Gov. Abbott ordered the Texas Guard to monitor U.S. Army war games this summer. This so that “Texans know their safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed.” Probably because there’s lithium in the water, stuff like this rarely happens out in El Paso — home of Fort Bliss, the 1,700-square-mile HQ of the First Armored Division. But just across the border in Chihuahua, according to the Family Research Council, there’s a secret ISIS base with thousands of terrorists poised to strike. Hundreds of miles of underground tunnels have been dug to facilitate the invasion. Lending support to the nutball faction was Ted Cruz, who expressed support for Abbott’s leadership. “I understand the concern that’s been raised by a lot of citizens about Jade Helm,” Cruz said. “… I think part of the reason is, we have seen for six years a federal government disrespect-

ing the liberty of the citizens and that produces fear. When you see a federal government GENE that is attacking LYONS our free speech rights, our religious liberty rights, our Second Amendment rights. That produces distrust as to government.” Hey Ted, Republicans lost two presidential elections. Grow up. Arkansas’s own Mike Huckabee plays to similar fears with gratuitous twaddle about “criminalizing Christianity.” All this really amounts to, as columnist and economist Paul Krugman puts it, is fear that Obama will “seize control of (Texas) and force its citizens to accept universal health care at gunpoint.” Look, it’s not just Texas. Mad conspiracy theories are nothing new in American politics. Historian Rick Perlstein’s book “Before the Storm” describes a similar paranoid outbreak in 1963. A California GOP senator complained about an avalanche of “‘fright mail,’ mostly centering on two astonishingly widespread rumors: that Chinese commandos were training in Mexico for an invasion of the United States through San Diego; and that 100,000 U.N. troops — 16,000 of them ‘African Negro troops, who are cannibals’ [sic] — were secretly rehearsing in the Georgia swamps under the command of a Russian colonel for a U.N. martial-law takeover of the United States.” Back then it was President John F. Kennedy, an Irish Catholic Democrat, who afflicted the John Birch Society with fear of The Other. Today, it’s President Obama scaring an Austinbased talk radio and Internet conspiracy theorist called Alex Jones. Richard Hofstadter’s classic 1964 essay “The Paranoid Style in American Politics” explains: “I call it the paranoid style simply because no other word adequately evokes the sense of heated exaggeration, suspiciousness and conspiratorial fantasy that I have in mind.” Left-wing paranoia is not unknown. However, in America paranoid mass movements are almost entirely a rightwing phenomenon, partly because CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

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MAY 7, 2015

PEARLS ABOUT SWINE

On a roll

THE JAMMIN’ BIDDIN’ LAUNCH PARTY TO REJECT ACT 137

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MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

e’ve noted a peculiar tendency for Dave Van Horn’s Arkansas Razorback baseball squads to commonly defy expectations. You can see how this might be a wildly sliding scale, because when projections are modest the team almost always excels. In fatter years, those results trend leaner by the end. Having helmed the program to 12 NCAA tournament appearances in 12 seasons, Van Horn has been as consistent as anyone at getting the team at least as far as it should and often well beyond. Going into 2015, though, the outgoing talent and the raw brutality of the SEC, as always, made this a year of unusual skepticism. And after the Hogs limped to a 1-5 start in conference play against Vanderbilt and LSU, it appeared that Year 13 was going to be terribly unlucky. The pitching staff wasn’t abundantly blessed with seasoned arms and the lineup seemed to strike more as potential energy than kinetic in present form. The talent, no question, was in place. But would a .500 bunch that had a scuffling RPI even get within the realm of consideration for postseason play? This time, the Hogs’ nonconference ride had been so atypically rocky that it had put them in terrible position for the rivalry weekends ahead, and that Vandy-LSU tandem at the start didn’t help. What did help, and keeps on helping as we reach the last couple of SEC weekends, is that Arkansas has a fiendishly strong defense anchored by Bobby Wernes at the hot corner and a fleet outfield that scampers to everything hit its way. It also helps, incidentally, that the anchor of that outfield is the electric Andrew Benintendi, a draft-eligible true sophomore who might have been scarcely on the scouting radars after his modest freshman production (.276 and a single home run). He’s now the toast of the league, smoking his leagueleading 15th bomb in the last game of a three-game sweep of Alabama over the weekend, and pacing the whole field in batting average by nearly pushing the .400 envelope. If Benintendi has been shouldering the load offensively, Wernes’ highlight-reel work at third has been the cornerstone of a vastly advanced defense that has helped carry the team in close games. From that 1-5 start sprang a loose, confident team that has now won six consecutive series against the likes of Texas A&M, Auburn, and Alabama on the road and Ole Miss and Kentucky at

home. The beauty of this surge is that it’s boosted a flagging RPI while also getting a team given up for dead BEAU in the unthinkWILCOX able position of maybe snatching a regional hosting honor away from another conference. The Hogs bolted into the rankings after vanquishing the Aggies with a valiant comeback after a rain-delayed Saturday game was resumed the following morning, permitting the Razorbacks to storm back from five runs down to capture a 9-8 win and then roast the Aggies in the rubber match behind unflappable freshman hurler Keaton McKinney. McKinney did it again against Bama, closing out the Hogs’ first sweep with a masterful two-hit complete-game shutout. He’s been so good on Sundays while Trey Killian and Dominic Taccolini have labored at times on Fridays and Saturdays that it may force Van Horn to rethink his rotation come tournament time. Both of those hurlers bring considerable skill and experience into the picture, but neither has shown a measure of stability that the late-season grind virtually demands. Both also have the kind of arsenal necessary to buckle down at any juncture, against any lineup, and had Taccolini not had an epic debacle against Kentucky his overall stat line would be pretty compelling. The last two weekends of league play present a two-edged sword. Only two of the 14 squads in the field have sub-.500 overall records and they are facing the Hogs, with Tennessee coming to Baum and the Razorbacks then traveling to Georgia. It’s a possibility that four or five more wins are in the offing, but it also provides no boost to the overall tourney profile. Fortunately, Arkansas retains an outside chance of winning the West Division with that robust finish, and it would be almost impossible to send a division champion or co-champion into foreign lands for a regional. Regardless, the good fortune that Arkansas baseball has at its disposal is astonishing given how the first 30 games of the campaign unfurled. Arguably the hottest team in the country at this point, this run is reminiscent of the ones that the 2004 and 2009 teams leveraged into Omaha trips. The team is spunky but smart, which is precisely the manner of Arkansas team that usually has reached higher pinnacles than the others.

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THE OBSERVER NOTES ON THE PASSING SCENE

Their signs

ill Engvall’s comedy routine about dumb people is one of The Observer’s favorites. For example: He pulls into a gas station with a flat tire and the attendant asks, “Flat tire?” No, Engvall says, the other three just suddenly swelled up. So what Engvall would suggest is that stupid people wear a sign saying they’re stupid. Then he gives more examples of stupidity, all followed by what he’d say to those folks: “Here’s your sign.” Lately, a lot of Republicans, in and out of Arkansas, have been going around without their signs. Idaho Republican Rep. Vito Barbieri could have been part of Engvall’s routine. Back in February, while speaking in favor of an anti-abortion bill during a legislative hearing, Barbieri asked a doctor if a woman could swallow a camera so her physician could remotely check on the progress of her pregnancy. Here’s a man with three children who thinks what goes in the mouth comes out the vagina. Here’s your sign, Mr. Barbieri. And you can relax now about that, er, oral intimacy, with your wife. Then there are some Arkansas Republicans. Their impaired thinking is less funny, since what they’ve put into law could actually threaten a woman’s health. Like the new laws on medical abortion. One requires doctors to ignore evidence accumulated by doctors over many years and prescribe the abortive medicine at a dosage much higher than was originally thought necessary. Lower dosage, safer medicine — that’s how it works, Rep. Lanny Fite. Why is the law written like that? Who knows? Surely it’s not that lawmakers think it’s OK to overdose women? Mr. Fite, here’s your sign. Stupider than Fite’s contribution to how things are done in Arkansas: Our new law that requires the state Health Department, despite the fact that it is supposed to be a source of credible information on health care, to advise women that they can reverse a medical abortion. This is utterly without research to back it up, and again, perhaps dangerous. Rep. Robin Lundstrum, stick to selling real estate. Sen. Jim Hendren, stick with plastics. Otherwise,

here are your signs. Now comes Texas Republican Rep. Matt Schaefer of Tyler. He’s offered an amendment to a Texas bill to outlaw abortion after 20 weeks that would require a woman to carry a fetus even if it “has a severe and irreversible abnormality.” When asked why he might require such a terrible — and possibly fatal to the mother — law, he said suffering is “part of the human condition, since sin entered the world.” Wait till Arkansas legislators hear this one! Schaefer still hasn’t forgiven Eve. It was her fault. Hey, Rep. Shaefer: Here’s your sign, and it says I’m stupid and I’m mean. What is happening here? Is it a lack of sex education? (Or, in the case of Barbieri, basic anatomy?) Former Missouri Rep. Todd Akin: In the case of “legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that thing down.” Republican donor Foster Friess: “Back in my day we used Bayer aspirin for contraception, the gals put it between their knees and it wasn’t that costly.” Conservative commentator Dana Loesch, who said women shouldn’t object to forced transvaginal ultrasounds since the sex they had that produced their unwanted pregnancy was “similar.” Rush Limbaugh, calling a reproductive rights activist a “slut.” And our own Mike Huckabee, candidate for president, who said rape shouldn’t be reason for abortion since the child conceived after rape might be “extraordinary.” Here’s your sign, Mike! Add it to your other ones, the ones you earned when you said that women who use birth control “cannot control their libidos”! That America had aborted more than a million people that could have been in the workforce! And that stuff about gay people, Mike. Really. They won’t be satisfied until they’ve stamped out Christianity? That “homosexuality and pedophilia to sadomasochism and necrophilia” are “publicly endorsed … aberrations”? What world are you living in? We’re starting the press, now that you’re on the campaign trail. More signs to come!

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MAY 7, 2015

Arkansas Reporter

THE

IN S IDE R

Still scared of the little ol’ Arkansas Times after all these years. The Mike Huckabee campaign denied access to the former Arkansas governor’s presidential announcement in Hope to Arkansas Times reporter David Koon and photographer Brian Chilson. Koon and Chilson, both wearing their media credentials, were told that they had improperly RSVP’ed to general admission rather than media (the Times, of course, was given no media advisory). They were denied entry to the event, including to the general admission area. At the time, as the event was underway, there were numerous media passes available. So it goes. Perhaps there was just some confusion around RSVP procedures. Of course, there is a whole lot of history here, and let’s just say that the Clintons aren’t the only Arkansas pols who have a sour relationship with some members of the press. When Huckabee was governor, he refused to provide public, taxpayer-paid-for announcements (news releases, notices of news conferences, responses to routine queries, etc.) altogether to the Arkansas Times. Earlier this year, Mother Jones took a look back at these shenanigans: “Even before he destroyed his hard drives rather than grant the public access to his records, Huckabee took a combative approach to public records requests. When Arkansas Times editor Max Brantley (who has also weighed in on Huckabee’s transparency record) requested documents from Huckabee in 1995, the then-lieutenant governor flipped out. In a press release issued by his campaign, he attacked Brantley as a ‘disgruntled and embittered wannabe editor’ from a ‘trashy little tabloid’ — and went after Brantley’s wife, a Clinton judicial appointee, for good measure. All because the editor filed a request for records every citizen was entitled to.” No hard feelings, Huck!

Justice looks at ‘Muslim-free’ gun range

Remember the Gun Cave Indoor Gun Range in Hot Springs, declared a Muslim-free zone by its owner, Jan Morgan? The story was stirred up when Asian men (Hindus, not Muslims) said they were barred. The Guardian newspaper reported 12

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

Disabilities hamper oral health For some, a trip to the dentist is a long one. BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK

how us a person who likes going to the dentist and having sharp objects or injections in his or her mouth and we’ll show you a pretty kinky human being. It is hard even to be rational about tooth cleanings and cavity fillings, though you may have been through them many times: Still, you grip the arms of the chair. So, imagine a child with a disability, like autism, or Down Syndrome, in the same situation. Nathan Dodson, 14, of Magnet Cove is autistic and has “extreme anxiety,” his mother, Teresa Dodson, says. He can be difficult at times and he does not like going to the dentist, though he tolerates getting his teeth cleaned. His anxiety can trigger “a lot of behavior issues,” his mother says. He may be uncooperative, even flee, in situations like a dentist’s office. When Nathan was younger, his mother took him to the dental clinic at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, but if he needed a cavity filled, it could take months for an appointment. Dodson began taking Nathan to dentists in Hot Springs, where Dr. Stephanie Baldwin could fill his cavities under anesthesia at Healthpark Hospital. But Feb. 20, when Dodson took Nathan in, she discovered her dentist had changed hospital affiliations, and Saline Memorial in Benton would not agree to put Nathan under. So on March 3, Teresa Dodson took her son to Tipton Pediatric Dentistry in Hot Springs, which works with Baptist Health in Little Rock when a surgical suite and anesthesiologists are needed. But, Dodson said, the clinic told her that anesthesiologists at Baptist declined to

take Nathan as a patient because he was “too big.” Asked about that, Mark Lowman, a spokesman for Baptist Health, said it made no sense that the hospital would turn someone down for their size. He said it was possible that the pediat-

ric dentists had declined to see the boy because he was too old. Dodson, however, insists she was “specifically told” by the dentist’s office that “they contacted the anesthesia department at Baptist and they told her they did not have the staffing to provide treatment to a child Nathan’s size.” Whatever the truth was, by now, the pain was bothering Nathan so much that he was asking his mother, “Can we go to the dentist today?” On March 24, Dodson took Nathan to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital dental clinic for children with developmental and medical problems. She was told the hospital could not book her son until November or December and that she should give him ibuprofen. But April 23, Dodson got a call. Her son can be seen May 6. CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

BRIAN CHILSON

Huck v. Arkansas Times

LONG WAITS: Nathan Dodson and his mother, Teresa Dodson, have encountered much dental discomfort.

Ask the Times: BIG PICTURE Ants are marching in THE

Q: My house, even my roof, is crawling in ants, and our exterminator has not been able to control them. He says they are odorous house ants, but I call them obnoxious. Has there been a jump in ant populations this year? I’m not the only one having this trouble. A: Dr. John Hopkins is an associate professor at the University of Arkansas and an Extension Entomologist for urban pests. He says, no, there are no more ants this year than any year. Ant populations remain pretty stable. Your problem, he says, is you are “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” And no, you are not living atop a giant ant colony like the one in Japan inhabited by 306 million worker ants and a million queen ants, though it may seem like it. Probably your problem is honeydew — which is the sugary substance that insects with piercing mouth parts like aphids and white flies excrete after they suck the juices from your flowers, plants and trees. So if you live in a yard with flowers, plants and trees, and they are close to your house, you are feeding your ants. Hop-

kins is optimistic your pest person will get the odorous ants under control eventually. They are called odorous ants (Tapinoma sessile), by the way, because of the way they smell when you crush them. Some describe the smell as like rotting coconut or a blue cheese. The ants are also called “stink ants” and “coconut ants.” Just be glad you don’t live along the Texas gulf coast and have crazy ants, an invasive ant that will cover you up if you stand still in your yard in, say, Galveston. Crazy ants don’t like our climate, Hopkins says, so while these ants may be driving you crazy, they are not crazy ants. Crazy ants, armed with the ability to spray formic acid on their enemies, including fire ants, are bad news for animals, like birds, who rely on the insects they kill for food.

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INSIDER, CONT. recently that the Justice Department has responded to an outcry from several places about a religious test for use of a public business. The Civil Rights Act prohibits religious discrimination in public accommodations. “After calls for an investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice recently confirmed that officials are keeping an eye on the shooting range for allegations of civil rights violations. Morgan, a Second Amendment supporter, firearm instructor and television investigative journalist, confirmed over the phone knowledge of the federal government’s decision to monitor her business, but referred The Guardian to an essay she posted this week by way of a response. In it, she writes that she banned Muslims from firing guns at her range because of her responsibility “for the safety and security of innocent people from all races and backgrounds who handle firearms in my facility.” “... Morgan, who justified the policy because of Gun Cave’s status as a private club with paid memberships, claimed to be in compliance with federal law, as explained to her by an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [ATF],” the article says. According to Morgan, the Federal Bureau of Investigation told her said Isis-affiliated militants located in Arkansas could target her based on her past remarks about the religion.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations said it had received a brief letter from the Justice Department on April 17 that said it had begun to monitor the gun range, but the letter didn’t elaborate on whether any further action was planned. “In response,” reported The Guardian, “Morgan wrote that federal authorities will keep tabs on her whereabouts not due to her wrongful actions but to protect her after receiving ‘years of death threats’ from Muslims.” Correction: In last week’s Arkansas Times Academic All-Stars issue we mistakenly reported that Lexi Weeks of Cabot High School will be attending the University of Arkansas on a track scholarship. She was offered a track scholarship, but will, in fact, attend thanks to an Honors College Fellowship. As the top-ranked high school female pole vaulter in the country, she’ll also be a member of the UA track team. www.arktimes.com

MAY 7, 2015

ROCKEFELLER THE REFORMER Winthrop Rockefeller introduced a moderate, sometimes progressive brand of Republican politics in Arkansas.

t is tempting to view the history of the Republican Party in Arkansas as simply a two-act play driven by larger national and regional developments. Act one came after the Civil War, during Reconstruction, in the first period of Republican ascendency. As in other Southern states, Republican government was imposed on Arkansas as an accompaniment to military rule over the defeated Confederacy. When Reconstruction ended in the state in 1874, the Republican Party retained some presence in state politics through coalitions with other groups. By the 1890s, however, Democratic domination of elected offices consigned the Republican Party mostly to the role of a political spectator. Act two began in the 1990s when, in the second period of Republican ascendency in the state, behind the cusp of the rest of the nation and the South, a new conservative Republican Party emerged. Taking its cue from the rise of the “New Right” in the 1980s (itself part of a much longer history of a rightward shift in the GOP stretching back into the 1960s), conservative Republicans won state offices. In 2014, for the first time in Arkansas history since Reconstruction, Republicans completed a full sweep of all major political offices, winning all four congressional seats, both U.S. Senate seats, both the state Senate and House, the governorship, and the attorney general, all of which has seemingly ushered in a second era of Republican rule 140 years after the last one ended. Yet there is a third, largely overlooked act in the Republican ascendency in Arkansas, centered on Winthrop Rockefeller in the 1950s and 1960s, which is also tied to larger national and regional developments. During most of that period, a brand of moderate conservatism, which was fiscally conservative but socially progressive, dominated the Republican Party. Dubbed “Eisenhower Republicanism” in the 1950s, named after its most influential proponent, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this morphed into “Rockefeller Republicanism” in the 1960s, named after Nelson Rockefeller, governor of New York and an unsuccessful moderate Republican nominee for the party’s presidential ticket in 1964. Winthrop Rockefeller, Nelson’s younger brother, brought his own brand of Rockefeller Republicanism to Arkansas. Both Winthrop and Nelson Rockefeller were part of the wealthiest family dynasty in the United States, founded by their grandfather John D. Rockefeller, an oil tycoon and business magnate.

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

by John A. Kirk

Winthrop was raised in New York and worked in various family enterprises before enlisting in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he saw active service in the Pacific and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. After returning from war, as the only unmarried Rockefeller of five brothers, Winthrop was one of the United States’ most eligible bachelors and reveled in the big-city highlife. In 1948, Rockefeller entered into an ill-fated marriage with divorcee Barbara “Bobo” Sears. The union produced Winthrop’s only son, Win Paul (who would later become a Republican lieutenant governor of Arkansas), but lasted just over a year before the couple split. To escape messy divorce proceedings and the accompanying media interest, in 1953 Winthrop took the advice of former Army buddy Frank Newell, a Little Rock insurance salesman, and moved to Arkansas. Soon after, he purchased a 927-acre tract atop Petit Jean Mountain. He built a ranch there, named it Winrock Farms, and began an enthusiastic career as a cattle rancher. Ironically, it was the Democratic Party that got Rockefeller involved in Arkansas politics. During the 1955 Arkansas General Assembly a state of emergency was declared. Arkansas was hemorrhaging population at an alarming rate. The state had lost almost a fifth of its population in the previous decade. Its agricultural economy was shrinking and industrial and manufacturing companies, many of them based outside of the South, were not locating to Arkansas to provide muchneeded jobs and employment. With no jobs coming to the people, people were leaving to find jobs elsewhere. To address the situation, the General Assembly passed Act 404, creating the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission (the AIDC, today the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last month) to coordinate new efforts to bring industry into the state. Gov. Orval Faubus appointed Rockefeller to the commission and fellow AIDC members elected him chair. No one in Arkansas matched the national influence and connections that Rockefeller had, and he was the obvious choice to take the lead in industrial development. The results of the AIDC’s first year in operation were impressive. A total of 10,431 new jobs were created through the establishment of 75 new plants employing 7,236 people, and 50 plant expansions employing an additional 3,195 people. This represented a 150 percent

COURTESY UALR CENTER FOR ARKANSAS HISTORY AND CULTURE

WELCOME ABOARD: Later to become political rivals, Gov. Orval Faubus (left) named Winthrop Rockefeller to lead the AIDC in 1955.

www.arktimes.com

MAY 7, 2015

I AM THE AEA ne of the services the Arkansas Education Association provides its members is direction in human and civil rights programs. Through conferences and training resources, AEA members learn how to communicate effectively with students from underrepresented ethnic groups. Roy Vaughn is a shining example of these resources, and he puts to use what he’s learned for the betterment of his students, coworkers and school. A journalism teacher and yearbook advisor, Vaughn has taught at McClellan High School in the Little Rock School District since the 2008-2009 school year. Originally hired as a communications instructor, he has since taught and certified others in Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). AVID is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap by preparing all students for college and other postsecondary opportunities. “AVID trains educators to use proven practices to prepare students for success in high school, college and a career,” Vaughn said. “In particular, it assists students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education.” Vaughn’s passion runs deep for teaching and seeing that students from every walk of life have access to a quality education. “I feel like I was called to teach,” he said. “I work every day to make a difference in the lives of the students I teach inside or outside the classroom. I enjoy knowing that the work that I do every day matters, that what you give to students in class will help them for the rest of their lives. I live by this motto every day: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. Every day, I strive to teach students a skill that will help them to be successful in the future. Even if they never become journalists, they will have mastered the skills of writing, photography and critical thinking that I teach each day.” A member of AEA since 2008, Vaughn believes the collective voice of educators is what is needed to have true education reform. “The AEA is always at the forefront of reform measures in Arkansas, and I wanted to lend my voice to the cause because I truly do believe in public education,” he said. “In my experience, when education is legislated without the voices of teachers, bad policies are created and children are harmed. As members of AEA, teachers and education support professionals are given a voice to advocate for changes that impact public education and change it for the better. “For example, since March 2014, several members of the Little Rock Education Association and I saw some inequalities in our school district. Some students received iPads and Chromebooks in several elementary schools in the Little Rock School District while other elementary schools barely had enough books for

BR I A N CH I L SO N

Roy Vaughn serves his community by keeping students engaged.

each student. We organized, and together we have been working a campaign to make educational equity possible in this district. Recently, National Education Association president Lily EskelsenGarcia visited two schools and highlighted the inequity not only on the elementary school level but also the disparity with respect to high schools. Although the work is not yet done, people have begun to take notice of an issue that may have gone without public view. In understanding educational equality, educators must stick together and demand the things that they know will make a difference in student achievement.” Vaughn urges other educators and education support specialists to become members of the AEA because there is strength in numbers. “There is an old saying that one finger won’t make an impact, but if you ball all fingers into a fist, you can strike a mighty blow. That is what the AEA is to me—the fist needed to make a difference in the lives of teachers, education support professionals and, especially, students all over the state of Arkansas.”

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MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

ROCKEFELLER THE REFORMER increase over announced new industrial employment in any of the previous three years and added approximately $27.5 million to the annual payroll. Faubus was pleased. “I want to express my sincere gratitude and approbation for the wonderful job done by yourself, the Commission members and the personnel of the AIDC,” he gushed to Rockefeller. “Your accomplishments were not only heartening and appreciated by this administration, but I know from the many expressions, both verbal and written, that the entire people of this state are not only mindful of the good that has been accomplished but are as well grateful and appreciative.” The good feelings toward Rockefeller and the AIDC were also in evidence in the 1957 Arkansas General Assembly. Rep. Jack Gwin of Grant County initiated an enthusiastically accepted vote of commendation praising Rockefeller’s “high accomplishments, able leadership and personal generosity.” Yet even as Rockefeller and the AIDC basked in glory, there were dark clouds on the horizon. The 1957 General Assembly also saw the state gearing up for massive resistance to the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education school desegregation decision. East Arkansas politicians introduced four pro-segregation bills. One piece of legislation in particular was cause for concern, proposing to create a State Sovereignty Commission that would have far-reaching investigative powers into the activities of all organizations operating in the state. In untypically strident language, Rockefeller condemned the bill as “dangerous” and warned that it would create “what you might call an Arkansas gestapo. It is far reaching in what it could do. No organization would be safe from embarrassment of an investigation, and behind closed doors, too.” The pro-segregation bills passed and foreshadowed the conflict over school desegregation in the state that culminated in the Little Rock school crisis in September 1957. As far as industrial progress was concerned, the school crisis was an unmitigated disaster. Rockefeller had sought to reason with Faubus not to call out the National Guard, without success. A Time magazine report claimed that “Rockefeller rushed to the executive Mansion, [and] pleaded against the move for more than two hours, arguing that it would give the state a bad name with industry.” Apparently, the reply from Faubus was, “I’m

sorry, but I’m already committed. I’m going to run for a third term [as governor], and if I don’t do this, Jim Johnson [an arch segregationist and head of the Arkansas White Citizens’ Council] and Bruce Bennett [segregationist Arkansas attorney general] … will tear me to shreds [in the Democratic Party primaries].” Rockefeller continued to speak out against Faubus’ actions, driving a wedge between the two men. When, in 1960, Rockefeller met the residency require-

ments to run for office, he announced that he was thinking of running for governor as either a Republican or as an independent. At the news, Faubus balked at reappointing Rockefeller to the AIDC. Eventually, bowing to popular opinion, he begrudgingly did so. But the political threat of Rockefeller only grew. Writing about the November 1962 election results, Arkansas Democrat reporter George Douthit noted, “Rockefeller, as leader of the Republicans in Arkansas, organized a good fight against

the Democrats this last general election. … While the voting results didn’t seem to indicate this strength, it was offset because the Democrats really had to work and spend some money for the first time. In fact, a lot of them were worried.” Rep. Paul Van Dalsem of Perry County was chief among the worriers. The oldest member of the House and a close Faubus ally, in 1962 for the first time the Republicans had the temerity to run an opponent against him in the general election. He led the 1963 Arkan-

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ROCKEFELLER THE REFORMER sas General Assembly attempts to oust Rockefeller from the AIDC. “Just who the hell does Mr. Rockefeller think he is that he can get you opposition and take credit for everything?” Van Dalsem asked his fellow Democrats. Outsiders were incredulous at Rockefeller’s treatment. “What’s Win’s Sin?” the Tulsa World asked, answering, “He’s a Republican, that’s what. Imagine a Republican holding office in Arkansas!” Offering the “Feeding-Hand Biting Award for 1963” to Arkansas Democrats, it insisted that, “Oklahoma would be glad to have him. … Yes, sir, Mr. Rockefeller, come right on over. And if you want to bring along any of those industries, don’t feel a bit shy about asking permission.” In a similar vein, the Charleston Daily Mail proposed that West Virginia should vie for Rockefeller’s affections. “Until recently, Arkansas was West Virginia’s closest rival in the skid toward economic decline,” but Rockefeller had almost single-handedly turned that around, “far better than West Virginia has been able to.” The paper went on to do “a little day-dreaming. Maybe the Arkansas Democrats will succeed, and Mr. Rockefeller will be out of a job. He

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

might then be open to an offer from West Virginia. West Virginia could do with a man who would work for nothing and add $212 million to its industrial payroll.” Three state representatives from Missouri sent Rockefeller a telegram informing him that, “In the event they don’t want you in Arkansas, we welcome you to Missouri, and bring some of those plants with you.” Many in Arkansas were also sympathetic. The Harrison Daily Times said, “Some Arkansas legislators are wanting to shoot the state’s Santa Claus,” but “Rockefeller’s efforts and money have been the best assets Arkansas ever had.” Forrest City’s Daily Times Herald agreed that, “the past ten years under the leadership of Mr. Rockefeller should delight every intelligent citizen of our state.” Warren’s Eagle Democrat told readers, “Winthrop Rockefeller — his name, his influence, his contacts — have meant more to Arkansas industrialization than any other group of factors.” On the University of Arkansas campus, students hung an effigy of Faubus and anti-Rockefeller General Assembly members from a tree. The Arkansas Gazette concluded, “Across Arkansas a groundswell of public support for the embattled Winthrop Rockefeller shows how sadly his enemies misjudged the popular appreciation for Mr. Rockefeller’s investments in and his services to the state.” Once again, Faubus and his allies in the Arkansas General Assembly were forced to back down. But the writing was on the wall: Faubus continued to put pressure on Rockefeller to resign. He packed the AIDC with his own cronies and tightened the fiscal reins, making Rockefeller’s position untenable. On March 28, 1964, Rockefeller submitted his resignation as AIDC chair to Faubus. “Off and on over the past months I felt for a variety of reasons that perhaps the time had come when I should offer my resignation from the [AIDC] where I have served for more than eight years as Chairman,” he wrote. “I have finally come to the conclusion that now is the moment, and I would by this letter request that I be relieved of this responsibility as of the first of April.” Rockefeller summarized his achievements in his eight years with the AIDC: “Approximately 90,000 new jobs since 1955, yielding a net increase of more than 50,000. The additional industrial jobs represent approximately $270 million of annual payroll. General state revenues have increased by better than

MEN OF THE PEOPLE: Gov. Orval Faubus (left) and Winthrop Rockefeller ride in a parade in Booneville in 1955.

AT ODDS WITH FAUBUS: Rockefeller, shown in Pine Bluff in 1958, opposed segregationist policies.

COURTESY UALR CENTER FOR ARKANSAS HISTORY AND CULTURE

ROCKEFELLER THE REFORMER 50 percent. The per-capita income has increased approximately $600. In the year 1961 over 1960 the increase was at a rate of 8 percent and led the nation. In excess of 600 new plants have moved to the State, and on all sides existing industry is expanding. Something in the neighborhood of $100 million has been spent in capital construction.” Rockefeller ran as a Republican against Faubus in the November gubernatorial election but lost against a firmly entrenched Democratic machine. Two years later, after Faubus bowed out, Rockefeller ran against and beat Democratic candidate Jim Johnson. Rockefeller became the first Arkansas Republican governor in 92 years. In two successive terms in office he advanced a reform agenda that, among other things, promoted African Americans in state government and looked to improve race relations, tackled the state’s archaic prisons system and effectively suspended the death penalty, and continued to push economic development and two-party politics. Over a period of 16 years between becoming AIDC chair in 1955 and leaving office as governor in 1971, Rockefeller played a transformational role in the Arkansas economy and in its social and cultural infrastructure. His lasting impact on Arkansas politics was evident in the sea change in the Democratic Party that dumped the ideologue segregationist candidates of the past in favor of new and more progressive leadership, many of whom continued Rockefeller’s reform legacy. At a time when Arkansas was mired in economic problems, racial strife and entrenched one-party politics, and the social and cultural backwardness that came with them, Rockefeller’s brand of moderate Republicanism provided a muchneeded tonic for the state. As historian James C. Cobb explains, economic progress cannot guarantee progress in other areas “unless those who seek a developed economy are equally committed to a developed society as well.” In Arkansas, Rockefeller brought with him a commitment to change in other areas beyond the economy that ensured industrialization would bring with it a more broadly encompassing set of changes. He sought out and partnered with many other like-minded and sympathetic groups that shared his vision for a more democratic and forwardlooking Arkansas. It was this coalition of interests that was influential

in pushing a broad-based agenda for reform in the 1960s on a number of fronts that opened up, if only tentatively and temporarily, the promise of making Arkansas one of the most innovative and dynamic of the Southern states.

John A. Kirk is the George W. Donaghey Distinguished Professor of History and Department Chair at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is currently working on the first full-length biography of Winthrop Rockefeller.

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MAY 7, 2015

Arts Entertainment AND

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L ARKTIMES.COM/OUTINARK

Scenes from Rodeo in the Rock.

SANDY BIDWELL

BY HEATHER STEADHAM

QUEENS OF THE RODEO: Cindy Cowan (left) and Dana Kimball relax during the 2015 Rodeo in the Rock.

ast weekend I went to the gay rodeo. No need to adjust your glasses, you read that right. I did not know there was such an animal until recently. But the Diamond State Rodeo Association (DSRA), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the country Western lifestyle within the gay community, held its first rodeo in 1994. And its parent organization, the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA), had its beginnings with the National Reno Gay Rodeo in 1976. Now, 18 states participate in the IGRA. When I arrived at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds Friday night, April 24, it was raining steadily. Sandy Bidwell, current president of the DSRA, told me it had also rained the last time this biannual rodeo was held, two years ago: “There were tornadoes on either side of us,” she said. “We just watched things fly by.” The weather Friday wasn’t that severe, but it was bad enough that the second annual “Gary Williams Memorial Barrel Race” had to be canceled. Lucky for me, the night’s other scheduled activities — including vendors, a silent auction, a bar and a series of musical performances — were still happening in the metal-domed Arkansas Building. The tables set up around the exhibit hall were pretty much what you would expect at an event aimed at the gay population: T-shirts proclaiming “Love is Love” and “Married Y’all” decorated one vendor’s stand. The Human Rights Campaign was there, too, with a station offering signup forms to join the movement. ARcare HIV Special Services group handed out blue plastic bracelets stamped “KNOW YOUR STATUS.” Other aspects of the event, though, might have surprised some folks. The silent auction had everything from scarves crocheted with images of horses to a wooden Christian wall cross decorated with carpenter’s nails and amateur pastoral paintings. Participants and spectators alike walked around in cowboy hats, jeans and boots. Big silver belt buckles — trophies of rodeos past — sparkled in the fluorescent lighting. In other words, this was a rodeo like every other rodeo I’d ever been to. Not that I’ve been to so many. But when I was in junior high, as a member of the school band, I’d always get a free ticket to the Old Fort Days Rodeo in Fort Smith as a CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

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MAY 7, 2015

thank-you for marching in the parade. And I’d always go, but then I’d call my mom about five minutes into it to come pick me up because, well, it was a rodeo. And I was a city girl. I didn’t like having my cute shoes covered in horse crap. As I dressed for Friday evening, I realized that things hadn’t changed so much for me. As a grown-up now, I understood — in advance, for a change — that the rain combined with animals would mean slicks of muck, so I searched for my most appropriate footwear. All I had was a pair of flowered Doc Martens, those shoes reminiscent of combat boots. I put them on. I also wore a pair of “boyfriend” jeans, rolled up at the bottom cuff, and a navy blue military-style jacket. I prepared myself to be ridiculed and alerted my mom that I might be calling her at about 6:05 p.m. But I was not and I did not. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt more welcome anywhere in my life. These rodeo-goers smiled at me and talked to me like they had been waiting for me to show up. I met Lize, the event’s reigning MsTer Oklahoma, a woman I’d guess to be in her 50s, who wore the standard rodeo uniform of a plaid, button-down shirt, jeans, boots and a cowboy hat. Her hair was short (I couldn’t even see it coming out from under her hat) and her facial hair was neatly trimmed into a horseshoe mustache. “Rednecks are known to be homophobic assholes,” Lize told me. “Well, we’re rednecks, too. We’re just gay rednecks.” I met Jason, a 33-year-old manager of a Starbucks, who wore a full beard and mustache. He’s a bull rider, and he met his partner at a gay rodeo in Denver last year. “The thing that really got me into the gay rodeo was the camaraderie,” he told me. “We’re competing against each other, but at the end of the day, we’re family. It’s always like coming home when I go to these rodeos.” I asked Jason’s partner if he rode in the rodeos as well, and he told me, “No, I’m too big.” And I believed him. He’s a beefy guy, standing at least 6 feet tall, and he works on the sniper line at San Quentin. “But I do goat dressing,” he added. Their so-called “camp events” set the DSRA and the IGRA rodeos apart from more traditional ones. Steer decorating (where a team of two work to quickly tie a ribbon on a steer’s tail), goat dressing (where a team of two catches a goat and puts a pair of traditional brief-style underwear on it) and the “Wild Drag Race” (where two of three contestants lead a steer across a finish line and a third contes22

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

BRIAN CHILSON

GAY DIAMONDS, CONT.

HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE: IGRA star Wade Earp.

tant, dressed in drag, rides it back) are three events that spice up the usual rodeo roster of bull riding, bareback bronc, steer riding, chute dogging and seven other categories. And in those categories, contestants compete as whatever gender they identify as. As a matter of fact, contestants need not be gay to compete. At the DSRA, everyone is welcome to truly come as they are. The IGRA also hosts a totally separate competition: the IGRA Royalty Contest. To my delight, I got to meet the reigning Miss IGRA — a beautiful blonde 6-foot tall drag queen in full rhinestone crown and black satin sash — who told me all about the IGRA’s royalty system, where contestants compete in four divisions (Mr., in which guys compete as guys; Ms., in which girls compete as girls; Miss, the drag queen competition; and MsTer, the drag king competition) and are scored in five categories: interview, Western wear, horsemanship, public presentation and entertainment. Because one of the missions of the rodeo association is to raise funds for nonprofits, winners are expected to raise a certain amount — this year for Hearts & Hooves, an accredited rid-

ing center in Sherwood for disabled people, and the Arkansas Freedom Fund, which supports outdoor activities for all Arkansas military veterans and their families. The winners wear black sashes indicating that they must raise $1,200 over the course of their reign; first runners-up wear red sashes and must raise $1,000, and second runners-up wear white sashes and must raise $800. Fundraising was front and center at the final event of the evening, a show featuring many of the reigning royalty. MsTer Arizona Gay Rodeo Association, Mr. Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association, Ms. DSRA and Miss IGRA herself all performed in a delightful mixture of lip syncing and live singing. Throughout these performances, spectators approached the stage, putting dollar bills in nearby coffee cans or cowboy hats or, in the case of Ms. Florida Gay Rodeo Association, her decolletage. But I think my favorite was Miss DSRA. Marvella, nee Martin, must be at least in his late 60s. He told me he’d been “female impersonating” for 34 years, and when he began, “there were lots of Lizas and lots of Dianas. I said,

‘Not me. I’m going to be funny.’ ” But more than funny, I found him endearing. I drove home Friday night wondering how anyone on earth could hate these people. They’re fun, and funny, and like the same things that so many of the people who hate them do. It broke my heart. The next day, I brought my husband and three children back with me. We’d already missed the camp events, and the clock on my old five-minute rule began the moment we stepped out of the car. My 11-year-old, who has identified as gay for almost two years now, was wearing his freedom-ring necklace, an accessory he keeps hidden on a daily basis while he attends middle school. “Do I need to tuck these into my shirt?” he asked me. “No, son,” I replied. “This is one place where you can definitely be who you are.” About four minutes in, a cowboy in the standard uniform, which crosses all gender identifications and sexual orientations, approached him. “I like your necklace, son.” My boy smiled. “Thanks.” We stayed for another hour.

THE EH ALING LIGHT Teen Filmmaker l’s a v ti s e F ilm F R L e to youth. Lab gives a voic BY DAVID KOON

SCRIBNER: Wants to make films to change people’s lives.

FILMS. PARTY. REPEAT. May 11-17th Presented By

New York before moving to Little Rock with her husband, festival co-founder Craig Renaud, three years ago, Mami Renaud says that the medium of documentary film allows young people to say things they normally wouldn’t be able to. “It’s designed to give voice to young people who really don’t have another way to express themselves,” she said. “We focus on the teenagers from difficult backgrounds or a confusing environment. When I worked in New York, typically I would focus on kids from the projects or kids who were living in homeless shelters — people who are marginalized and who have experienced so many hardships for their age.” Renaud said the idea of doing a teen film course in Little Rock came about after she read a September 2012 cover story in the Arkansas Times about a study that had uncovered widespread reports of Latino students being bullied in the Little Rock School District. Eventually, with the help of Chris Forster, a longtime friend who works as a teacher at eStem, Renaud was introduced to Laura Rangel, an eStem student who had been brought to

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here is something about documentary film that narrative cinema will never be able to touch. The anxiety of understanding that everything you see on the screen really happened to someone. The odd feeling of knowing that — while a narrative film has a script that is followed from point to point until the conclusion — when the cameras start to roll on a documentary project, the filmmaker is often just as clueless as the viewer about where it will all end up. There’s quite a bit of healing power in the documentary form, a quality on display in two short films created by eStem High Public Charter School students Laura R a ngel a nd Christopher Scribner. Rangel and Scribner were the inaugural class of the Little Rock Film Festival’s Teen Filmmaker Lab. Their films, “Flowers in Concrete” by Rangel and “Three Wishes One Choice” by Scribner, will be screened at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 13, at the Ron Robinson Theater as part of the Little Rock Film Festival. Mami Kuwano Renaud is the founder and primary instructor of the Teen Filmmaker Lab. Having run youth filmmaker labs in

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 39 www.arktimes.com

MAY 7, 2015

THE TO-DO

LIST

BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK & WILL STEPHENSON

SATURDAY 5/9-SUNDAY 5/10

QUAPAW QUARTER SPRING TOUR OF HOMES

Six sites downtown. $20 adv., $25 day of tour; Candlelight Tour and Dinner, $150; $50 Sunday brunch.

HYPNOTIZE THIS: Gary Conrad performs at the Loony Bin Wednesday through Saturday, $7-$10.

THURSDAY 5/7

GARY CONRAD

7:30 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 10 p.m. Fri. and Sat. Loony Bin. $7-$10.

Master hypnotist Gary Conrad, who will appear this week for a fournight stretch at the Loony Bin, was a guest on an old episode of “The View,” which you can find on YouTube. “What exactly is hypnosis?” Joy Behar asks him. Conrad smiles. “Let me explain it to you this way: Your brain pulsates,” he says. “It moves at a particular rate of speed. When you’re hypnotized, it kinda slows down. It’s found that when human beings’ brains go that way, they 24

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

become highly suggestible.” The camera pulls back to reveal four guests lined up on a couch, apparently already hypnotized. Behar asks how he does it, and he is cagey on the subject: “I present them with an object of fascination,” he says. He moves over to the guests, who are expressionless and still, then he snaps one hand, makes a popping sound with his tongue and mumbles something about a “hypnotic boomerang.” He has them fall asleep, then start patting their right knees while humming. As a stage effect, it’s both unconvincing and fascinating. Con-

rad, whose website advertises that he has shared the stage with “Tony Bennett, Barbara Walters, Cher, Lenny Kravitz … even the late, great, Tiny Tim,” sometimes presses their faces or waves his hands, but mostly just describes what they should do next — then they do it. A clue to his technique can be found in the comment section under the video: “I never was actually hypnotized by him, but I put on a show for him like I was,” writes someone named Dennis Wells. “Was the star of that particular show in Dalton, Ga. lol.” WS

The 51st annual tour of Little Rock’s oldest neighborhood injects a bit of 21st century architecture into the mix this year: a visit to the 2008 office and art studio of architects Jennifer Herren and Jeff Horton at 1219 S. Spring St., a block east of Mount Holly Cemetery. The architects chose sustainable and energyefficient materials for the gray brick and white metal structure, creating attractive and affordable infill in the neighborhood. Also on the tour: Curran Hall (ca. 1842), 615 E. Capitol Ave., restored as the Little Rock Visitor Information Center; a restored home at 1411 Broadway (ca. 1896); the Haile Cottage (ca. 1880s), 417 W. 13th St., a folk Victorian home restored by Carl Miller; Christ Episcopal Church (1941), 509 Scott St., the successor to two previous churches that burned; and the Firehouse Hostel and Museum (ca. 1917), 1201 Commerce St., a Craftsman structure that once served as Fire Station No. 2 and is to open as a hostel later this year. The kickoff Candlelight Tour, which includes trolley service, is 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday with dinner at Christ Episcopal Church at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday brunch and garden tour is 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Curran Hall and tours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thirteenth Street will be closed from Broadway to Center streets for entertainment by Folkin’ Around (1:30 p.m.) and guitarist Mickey Rigby (4 p.m.), as well as food by vendors Loblolly Creamery, Southern Salt and the Pastry Basket, The Waffle Wagon (11 a.m.) and Katmandu Momo (4 p.m.). Tour participants will get $1 off Stone’s Throw Brewing pints on Sunday afternoon. Tickets to just the tours are $20 ($25 day of) so you don’t have to participate in the pricier events to enjoy the architecture. Go to quapaw.com for more information on where to buy tickets and a map. LNP

IN BRIEF

THURSDAY 5/7

MONDAY 5/11

SWINGIN’ UTTERS

9 p.m. White Water Tavern.

For many, the name Swingin’ Utters is enough to conjure a whole world of shaky-cam skate videos, Van’s Warped Tour posters and leather CD binders lined with “Punk-O-Rama” and “Give ’Em the Boot” compilations. Remember

Fat Wreck Chords and Tony Hawk’s Pro-Skater and George W. Bush? The band, which was formed in Santa Cruz in the late ’80s, holds up surprisingly well even absent these contexts, and they’ve been evolving and maturing since 2010, when they reformed after a seven-year hiatus. They are a street punk band of the highest order, play-

ing fast and steady power chords under tetchy, growling vocals offering roughhewn scenes of the everyday, vague distrust of authority or just generally complaining. As they put it, on one of their new records, “Channel it all into a manuscript / Or divert it all into a clenched fist.” Locals The Uh Huhs and Trophy Boyfriends will open. WS

MONDAY 5/11-SUNDAY 5/17

LITTLE ROCK FILM FESTIVAL

Ron Robinson Theater, various other Little Rock venues.

We’ll have more on the 2015 Little Rock Film Festival, including our top picks, in next week’s issue, but we feel it’s necessary to point out that the festival actually starts on Monday, May 11, and there are plenty of worthy films to check out during the first few days of programming. This year’s opening night film, screening 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Ron Robinson Theater, is “King Jack,” a debut feature from NYU grad Felix Thompson starring Charlie Plummer (both of whom will be in

The 11th Annual Taste of the Rock, featuring booths from 35 local restuarants and caterers, is at the River Market pavilions, $15 adv., $20 day of. John Burnette performs at the Dunbar Garden Project at 5:30 p.m., $5. The Preservation Crustaceans Crawfish Boil is at Argenta Plaza at 6 p.m., $40 adv., $45 day of. The first-ever Bentonville Film Festival, started by Geena Davis, continues this week through Saturday, May 9. The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performs its “Back to the ‘80s” program at the Argenta Community Theater, 7 p.m., $20. Grammy nominated country singer Will Hoge performs at Revolution at 7:30 p.m., $10.

FRIDAY 5/8 attendance). The film, which won the audience award at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, has been described as a “tough and tender coming-of-age story.” The opening night celebration will be afterward at Cache Restaurant and Lounge. Promising screenings on Tuesday and Wednesday include “Of Men and War” (5:30 p.m. Tue.), Laurent Bécue-Renard’s nonfiction effort about a California treatment center for Iraq War veterans with PTSD; “Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, D.C.” (8 p.m. Tue.), a documentary about the scene that spawned Bad Brains, Minor Threat

and Fugazi (featuring a performance by local punk band Headcold); “Tired Moonlight: (11:15 a.m. Wed.), the Grand Jury Prize winner at Slamdance, an “unclassifiable” 16 mm portrait of a town in Montana; “Krisha” (5:30 p.m. Wed.), the Grand Jury Prize narrative film winner at SXSW directed by Trey Edward Shultz; and plenty of others, including panels on local filmmaking, trivia nights, Arkansas and World Shorts sidebars and a “celebration of Arkansas film and filmmakers” at South On Main featuring live music by Isaac Alexander and Bad Match (10 p.m. Wed). WS

WEDNESDAY 5/13

JMSN

8 p.m. Juanita’s. $10.

THE BLUE ALBUM: JMSN is at Juanita’s 8 p.m. Wednesday, $10.

JMSN — which is not an acronym, and is pronounced “Jameson” — is by far the best Albanian-American R&B singer ever endorsed by Usher (who called him his “favorite act” a couple of years ago). The singer, who lists Phil Collins, Radiohead and Prince as influences, has also produced records for Ab-Soul and lent vocals to a handful of tracks on Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.” He’s been lumped in with the so-called PBR&B renaissance that produced stylish, moody, dance-influenced R&B artists like The Weeknd and others; but on his new album, “The Blue Album,” he sounds more like Justin Timberlake than anyone else, and over stark and fluid and jolting beats that recall (appropriately) Timbaland. WS

Sir Ketumile Masire, former president of Botswana, speaks at the Clinton School’s Sturgis Hall at 8:30 a.m. Local improv troupe The Main Thing presents its newest comedy production “I Love You But You’re Sitting On My Cat” at The Joint in Argenta, 8 p.m., $22. Malcolm Allen, Big Piph, Soul Centric, Bijoux, Mamma Shawn and more perform at IV Corners. Cajun-Americana group Feufollet plays at Stickyz at 9 p.m., $7. Country singer Bart Crow is at Revolution with Rich O’Toole, 9 p.m., $10. Blues-rocker Patrick Sweany returns to White Water Tavern, 10 p.m., $10.

SATURDAY 5/9 The Peace Love Goodwill 5K and 10K begins at Murray Park at 7:30 a.m., $25-$45. The 42nd Annual Territorial Fair, with family-friendly activities and actors portraying life in Little Rock during the territorial era, is at the Historic Arkansas Museum beginning at 10 a.m., free. The Arkansas Travelers play the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at 7:10 p.m. (and at 2:10 p.m. Sunday, 7:10 p.m. Monday and 11 a.m. Tuesday) at DickeyStephens Park, $6-$12. The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, with soloist Ashley Brown, performs at Pulaski Academy’s Connor Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. (and at 3 p.m. Sunday), $19-$58. Metro Station, SayWeCanFly, 7 Minutes in Heaven and System Avenue play at Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $13. The Good Time Ramblers play at Stickyz, 9 p.m., $5.

WEDNESDAY 5/13 Rodney Block and The Love Supreme play at South on Main as part of its Local Live series, 7:30 p.m., free. Joe Pug performs at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, 8 p.m., $10. www.arktimes.com

MAY 7, 2015

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.

THURSDAY, MAY 7

MUSIC

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, “Back to the ’80s”. Argenta Community Theater, 7 p.m., $20. 405 Main St., NLR. 501-353-1443. argentacommunitytheater.org. Arkansas River Blues Society Thursday Jam. Revolution, 7 p.m., free. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www.rumbarevolution.com/ new/. Banditos. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 8:30 p.m., $7. 107 River Market Ave. 501-3727707. www.stickyz.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 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Mayday By Midnight (headliner), Joey Fanstar (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf.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. RockUsaurus. Senor Tequila, 7-9 p.m. 10300 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-224-5505. Spring Music in the Garden with John Burnette. Dunbar Garden Project, 5:30 p.m., $5. 1800 S. Chester. 501-529-8520. dunbargarden.org. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 7:30 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-370-7013. www.capitalbarandgrill.com/. Will Hoge. Revolution, 7:30 p.m., $10. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www. rumbarevolution.com/new/.

COMEDY

Gary Conrad. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m. $7. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-228-5555. www. loonybincomedy.com. Too Long Didn’t Read (TL;DR). The Joint, first Thursday of every month, 8 p.m., $7. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com.

EVENTS

11th Annual Taste of the Rock. River Market pavilions, $15 adv., $20 day of. 400 President Clinton Ave. 375-2552. www.rivermarket.info. Arts ExtravACANSA. A kickoff fundraiser for the ACANSA festival, with live music by The Hi-Balls. War Memorial Stadium, 6 p.m. 1 Stadium Drive. 501-663-0775. Co-Opt: An Evening of UALR Arts. South on Main, 7 p.m. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. southonmain.com. Go Red For Women Luncheon. Little Rock Marriott, 10 a.m., $125. 3 Statehouse Plaza. 501906-4000. www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/litpb26

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

SWAMP POP: Cajun-Americana group Feufollet plays at Stickyz at 9 p.m. Friday, $7.

little-rock-marriott. Hillcrest Shop & Sip. Shops and restaurants offer discounts, later hours and live music. Hillcrest, first Thursday of every month, 5 p.m. 501-6663600. www.hillcrestmerchants.com. Preservation Crustaceans Crawfish Boil. Argenta Plaza, 6 p.m., $40 adv., $45 day of. 502 Main St., NLR.

FILM

Bentonville Film Festival. Various venues in Bentonville, through May 9, $8-$15. bentonvillefilmfestival.com/.

LECTURES

Brown Bag Lunch Lecture: Sultana Disaster. Old State House Museum, noon, 300 West Markham St. 501-324-9685. www.oldstatehouse. com. “Civil War Arkansas 101.” Arkansas National

Guard Museum, 11 a.m. 6th and Missouri, NLR. 501-212-5215. www.arngmuseum.com.

BOOKS

Listen to Your Mother: Little Rock. Writers read personal essays on motherhood. Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $15 adv., $20 day of. 1 Pulaski Way. 501-320-5703. listentoyourmothershow. com/littlerock.

FRIDAY, MAY 8

MUSIC

All In Fridays. Club Elevations. 7200 Colonel Glenn Road. 501-562-3317. Bart Crow, Rich O’Toole. Revolution, 9 p.m., $10. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www. rumbarevolution.com/new/. Becoming Elephants. Vino’s. 923 W. 7th St. 501-

375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com. 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. Feufollet. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $7. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com. Just Sayin (headliner), Trey Johnson (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf. com. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Malcolm Allen, Big Piph, Soul Centric , Bijoux, Momma Shawn, Candy Soul, Theme Musiq. IV Corners. 824 W Capitol Ave. Patrick Sweany. White Water Tavern, 10 p.m., $10. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com. Route 66. Agora Conference and Special Event Center, 6:30 p.m., $5. 705 E. Siebenmorgan, Conway. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 9 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-370-7013. www.capitalbarandgrill.com/.

COMEDY

Gary Conrad. The Loony Bin, , 7:30 p.m., 10 p.m., $10. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-2285555. 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

Ballroom Dancing. Free lessons begin at 7 p.m. Bess Chisum Stephens Community Center, 8-11 p.m., $7-$13. 12th and Cleveland streets. 501-

221-7568. www.blsdance.org. “Salsa Night.” Begins with a one-hour salsa lesson. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $8. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.littlerocksalsa.com.

EVENTS

Fantastic Friday. Literary and music event, refreshments included. For reservations, call 479-968-2452 or email artscenter@centurytel. net. River Valley Arts Center, Every third Friday, 7 p.m., $10 suggested donation. 1001 E. B St., Russellville. 479-968-2452. www.arvartscenter. org. LGBTQ/SGL weekly meeting. Diverse Youth for Social Change is a group for LGBTQ/SGL and straight ally youth and young adults age 14 to 23. For more information, call 244-9690 or search “DYSC” on Facebook. LGBTQ/SGL Youth and Young Adult Group, 6:30 p.m. 800 Scott St. Main Street Food Truck Fridays. Food Truck Court, 10:45 a.m. 500 Main St.

FILM

Bentonville Film Festival. Various venues in Bentonville, through May 9, $8-$15. bentonvillefilmfestival.com/.

LECTURES

Sir Ketumile Masire. A presentation by the former president of Botswana. Sturgis Hall, 8:30 a.m. 1200 President Clinton Ave. 501-683-5200. clintonschool.uasys.edu. “Transformative Community Philanthropy: Increasing Access to Quality Early Care for Arkansas Children.” Dr. Joan Lombardi William J. Clinton Presidential Library, noon. 1200 Clinton Ave. 501-374-4242. www.clintonlibrary.gov.

SATURDAY, MAY 9

MUSIC

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Ashley Brown. Connor Performing Arts Center, Pulaski Academy, 7:30 p.m., $19-$58. 12701 Hinson Road. Club Nights at 1620 Savoy. See May. 8. Good Time Ramblers. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $5. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com. Kanis Bash 2015. Featuring Wreckless Endeavor, Riverbottom Debutante, Headcold, Ten hih, Rad Rad Riot, Trophy Boyfriends and more. Kanis Park, donations. 820 North Rodney Parham Road. 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 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Metro Station, SayWeCanFly, 7 Minutes in Heaven, System Avenue. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $13. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.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. Shari Bales (headliner), R&R (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf.com. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 9 p.m., free. 111 Markham St. 501-370-7013. www.capitalbarandgrill.com/.

COMEDY

Gary Conrad. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., $10. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501228-5555. 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.

EVENTS

42nd Annual Territorial Fair. Featuring familyfriendly activities and actors portraying life in Little Rock during the territorial era. Historic Arkansas Museum, 10 a.m., free. 200 E. Third St. 501-324-9351. www.historicarkansas.org. CARTI’s Ragin Cajun Bash. River Market pavilions, 6 p.m., $40 adv., $50 day of. 400 President Clinton Ave. 375-2552. www.rivermarket.info. 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. Little Rock Farmers’ Market. River Market pavilions, through Oct. 31: 7 a.m. 400 President Clinton Ave. 375-2552. www.rivermarket.info. Pork & Bourbon Tour. Bike tour includes bicycle, guide, helmets and maps. Bobby’s Bike Hike, 11:30 a.m., $35-$45. 400 President Clinton Ave. 501-613-7001. Quapaw Quarter Association Spring Tour of Homes. Curran Hall, 5:30 p.m. 615 E. Capitol. 501-370-3290.

All American Food & Great Place to Watch Your Favorite Event

FILM

Bentonville Film Festival. Various venues in Bentonville. $8-$15. bentonvillefilmfestival.com/.

SPORTS

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

BENEFITS

Peace Love Goodwill 5K/10K. Murray Park, 7:30 a.m., $25-$45. Rebsamen Park Road.

NO SKINNY STEAKS!

–Sat

SUNDAY, MAY 10

MUSIC

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Ashley Brown. Connor Performing Arts Center, Pulaski Academy, 3 p.m., $19-$58. 12701 Hinson Road. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

Piano Bar Tue e Bar Martini & Win

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EVENTS

4th Annual Fort Lincoln Freedom Fest. Featuring live music by Sonny Burgess and The Pacers and more, an antique car display, bass tournament and other activities. DeValls Bluff Community Center, 9 a.m., free. 715 Sycamore St., DeValls Bluff. Quapaw Quarter Association Spring Tour. Downtown Little Rock, through. Downtown.

SPORTS

In The River Market District 501.324.2999 sonnywilliamssteakroom.com

Free Valet Parking www.arktimes.com

MAY 7, 2015

AFTER DARK, CONT. Arkansas Travelers vs. NW Arkansas. DickeyStephens Park, 2:10 p.m. $6-$12. 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501-664-1555. www.travs. com.

MONDAY, MAY 11

MUSIC

Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. 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. Swingin’ Utters, The Uh Huhs, Trophy Boyfriends. White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com.

FILM

Little Rock Film Festival 2015. Ron Robinson Theater, May 11-17. 1 Pulaski Way. 501-320-5703. www.cals.lib.ar.us/ron-robinson-theater.aspx.

SPORTS

Arkansas Travelers vs. NW Arkansas. DickeyStephens Park, May 11, 7:10 p.m.; May 12, 11 a.m., $6-$12. 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501664-1555. www.travs.com.

CLASSES

Finding Family Facts. Rhonda Stewart’s genealogy research class for beginners. Arkansas Studies Institute, second Monday of every month, 3:30 p.m. 401 President Clinton Ave. 501-320-5700. www.butlercenter.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 12

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. 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. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Music Jam. Hosted by Elliott Griffen and Joseph Fuller. The Joint, 8-11 p.m., free. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.com. Tuesday Jam Session with Carl Mouton. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 8 p.m., free. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbistroandbar.com/.

COMEDY

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

ronmental field. Ciao Baci, 5:30-7 p.m. 605 N. Beechwood St. 501-603-0238. www.greendrinks. org. Trivia Bowl. Flying Saucer, 8:30 p.m. 323 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-8032. www.beerknurd. com/stores/littlerock.

FILM

“Casablanca.” Riverdale 10 Cinema, 7 p.m., $5. 2600 Cantrell Road. 501-296-9955. Little Rock Film Festival 2015. Ron Robinson Theater, through May 17. 1 Pulaski Way. 501320-5703. www.cals.lib.ar.us/ron-robinson-theater.aspx.

SPORTS

Arkansas Travelers vs. NW Arkansas. DickeyStephens Park, 11 a.m., $6-$12. 400 W. Broadway St., NLR. 501-664-1555. www.travs.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13

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. 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. JMSN. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $10. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com. Joe Pug. George’s Majestic Lounge, 8 p.m., $13. 519 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville. 479-442-4226. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. 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. Rodney Block and The Love Supreme. South on Main, 7:30 p.m., free. 1304 Main St. 501-2449660. southonmain.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 for members, $7 for guests. 12th and Cleveland streets. 501-350-4712. www.littlerockbopclub.

FILM

Little Rock Film Festival 2015. Ron Robinson Theater, through May 17. 1 Pulaski Way. 501320-5703. www.cals.lib.ar.us/ron-robinson-theater.aspx.

POETRY

DANCE

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.

EVENTS

ARTS

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

Little Rock Green Drinks. Informal networking session for people who work in the envi28

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

THEATER

“The Legend of Robin Hood.” Arkansas Arts Center, through May 10: Fri., 7 p.m.; Sat., Sun., 2 p.m., $12.50. 501 E. 9th St. 501-372-4000. www. arkarts.com.

NEW GALLERY EXHIBITS, EVENTS New shows in bold-face ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER, MacArthur Park: “54th Young Artists Exhibition,” art by Arkansas students grades K-12, through July 26; “30 Americans,” works by African American artists from the Rubell Collection, through June 21; “Building 30 Americans,” talk by 7 by collectors Donald and Mera Rubell and Rubell foundation director Juan Roselione-Valadez, reception 5:30, lecture 6 p.m. May 7, $10 for nonmembers; “Humble Hum: Rhythm of the Potter’s Wheel,” recent work by resident artist Ashley Morrison, Museum School Gallery, through June 21. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. 372-4000. ARKANSAS CAPITAL CORP. GROUP, 200 River Market Ave., Suite 400: “Southern Curiosities,” work by Diane Harper, Dominique Simmons and Barbara Satterfield, opening reception 5-8 p.m. May 8, 2nd Friday Art Night. 374-9247. BUTLER CENTER GALLERIES, Arkansas Studies Institute, 401 President Clinton Ave.: “Human Faces & Landscapes: Paintings by Sui Hoe Khoo,” reception 5-8 p.m. May 7, 2nd Friday Art Night, featured retail artist Hank Kaminsky, music by Justin McGoldrick and the P47s; “White River Memoirs,” artwork collected by canoist and photographer Chris Engholm along the White, through July 25; “A Different State of Mind,” exhibition by the Arkansas Society of Printmakers, loft gallery, through June 27; “Captured Images,” photographs from the permanent collection. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 320-5790. GALLERY 221, Pyramid Place, Second and Center streets: Paintings by Greg Lahti, reception 5-8 p.m. May 8, 2nd Friday Art Night; “WPA & Art from the Great Depression,” works from private collections, through May 28. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. gallery221@ gmail.com. GREG THOMPSON FINE ART, 429 Main St., NLR, and HEARNE FINE ART, 1001 Wright Ave.: National Silverpoint Invitational 2015 “Drawing with Silverpoint,” May through June 27, receptions 5-9 p.m. May 8 at Hearne (372-68922), 6-9 p.m. May 14 at Thompson (664-2787). HISTORIC ARKANSAS MUSEUM GALLERIES, 200 E. 3rd St.: “(Everyday) Interpretations: Cindy Arsaga, Joe Morzuch and Adam Posnak,” photographs, paintings and pottery, opening reception 5-8 p.m. May 8, 2nd Friday Art Night, with live music by The Cons of Formant, beer from Apple Blossom Brewery Co.; “Suggin Territory: The Marvelous World of Folklorist Josephine Graham,” through Nov. 29; “Suyao Tian: Entangled Beauty,” through June 7; “Recent Acquisitions,” objects acquired between 2012 and 2014; “John Harlan Norris: Public Face,” through May 3; “The Great Arkansas Quilt Show 3,” juried exhibit of contemporary quilts, through May 3; “Arkansas Made,” ongoing. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. 324-9351. MOSAIC TEMPLARS CULTURAL CENTER, 501 W. Ninth St. : “Learning Pass,” exhibit of work by 6th and 7th graders at the Little Rock Preparatory Academy, 6-8 p.m. May 8. 683-3592. OLD STATE HOUSE MUSEUM, 300 W. Markham: “A Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe with Stephen Koch,” 5-8 p.m. May 8, 2nd Friday Art Night; “Different Strokes,” the history of

bicycling and places cycling in Arkansas, featuring artifacts, historical pictures and video, through February 2016. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. 324-9685. THEA FOUNDATION, 401 Main St., NLR: “River, Buildings, Streets, Bridge,” paintings by John Kushmaul, part of The Art Department series, 6:30-9 p.m. May 8, $10, heavy hors d’oeuvres, open beer and wine bar, music by Bonnie Montgomery, chance to win a Kushmaul painting, show through May. 9 a.m.12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. 379-9512. WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM, 1 Stadium Drive: “Arts ExtravACANSA,” fund-raiser for the September arts festival, with punt, pass and kick competition and entertainment by the Hi-Balls, 6-8 p.m. May 7, $45. 663-2287, admin@ACANSAartsFestival.org. BENTONVILLE CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART, One Museum Way: “Spotlight Lecture: The Drunken Botanist,” author Amy Stewart on how humans have transformed vegetation into alcohol, with drink recipes and growing tips, 7:30-8:30 p.m. May 8, cash bar featuring drinks from Stewart’s book 6:30 p.m.; “Fish Stories: Early Images of American Game Fish,” 20 color plates based on the original watercolors by sporting artist Samuel Kilbourne, through Sept. 21; “Van Gogh to Rothko,” masterworks from the Albright-Knox Gallery, through June 1; American masterworks spanning four centuries. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon., Thu.; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wed., Fri.; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun., closed Tue. 479-418-5700. EL DORADO SOUTH ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER, 110 E. 5th St.: “The Viewfinder,” photography, through June 1, Merkle and Price galleries; Steven E. Ochs juror, reception 6-8 p.m. May 16. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. 870-862-5747.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

The South Arkansas Arts Center is accepting entries to its 2015 Annual Juried Art Competition to be held July 1-30. Two- and 3-D works in all media may be entered; deadline is May 20. Juror will be Dr. Stanton Thomas of the Brooks Museum in Memphis. More than $2,000 in prize money will be awarded. Entries may be online or by CD. For more information and an entry form, go to www.saac-arts.org. The Fort Smith Regional Art Museum is accepting entries for a show themed “Man versus Machine: The Art of Expression and the Wired World” to run July 31 to Nov. 1. Deadline is July 1. Submissions should be sent to FS RAM, 1601 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith 72901. Call 479784-2787.

CONTINUING GALLERY EXHIBITS ARGENTA GALLERY, 413 Main St., NLR: “Eluvium and Formation: Abstracted Landscapes,” sculpture by Ed Pennebaker and paintings by LaDawna Whiteside, through May 18. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tue.-Thu., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat. argentagallery.com. BOSWELL MOUROT FINE ART, 5815 Kavanaugh Blvd.: “In Rose-Papered Rooms,” paintings by Grace Mikell Ramsey, through May 23. 664-0030. CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 509 Scott St.: “Plein Air Painters of Arkansas,” work by

AFTER DARK, CONT. Victoria Harvey, Clarence Cash, Tom Herrin, Greg Lahti, Sean LeCrone, John Wooldridge and Diana Shearon. CHROMA GALLERY, 5707 Kavanaugh Blvd.: Work by Robert Reep and other Arkansas artists. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat. 664-0880. COX CREATIVE CENTER, 120 River Market Ave.: Arkansas Society of Printmakers exhibition. 918-3090. THE EDGE, 301B President Clinton Ave.: Paintings by Avila (Fernando Gomez), Eric Freeman, James Hayes, Jerry Colburn, St. Joseph Thomason and Stephen Drive. 9921099. ESSE PURSE MUSEUM & STORE, 1510 S. Main St.: “What’s Inside: A History of Women and Handbags, 1900-1999,” vintage purses and other women’s accessories. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Sat., $8-$10. 916-9022. GALLERY 26, 2601 Kavanaugh Blvd.: Nancy Dunaway, Katherine Strause, recent works, through May 9. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tue.-Sat. 6648996. GALLERY 360, 900 S. Rodney Parham Road: “Flora and Fauna,” work by Rachel Trusty and Beth Whitlow, through May. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat. 663-222. GINO HOLLANDER GALLERY, 2nd and Center: Paintings and works on paper by Gino Hollander. 801-0211. 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. 664-2787. HEARNE FINE ART, 1001 Wright Ave: “Page Turners: Original Illustrations and Prints by Bryan Collier,” through June 13. 372-6822. L&L BECK ART GALLERY, 5705 Kavanaugh Blvd.: “Backyard Birds,” through May, giclee giveaway 7 p.m. May 20. LAMAN LIBRARY ARGENTA BRANCH, 420 Main St., NLR: “Dennis McCann: A History.” 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. 758-1720. LOCAL COLOUR, 5811 Kavanaugh Blvd.: Rotating work by 27 artists in collective. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 265-0422. M2GALLERY, 11525 Cantrell Road (Pleasant Ridge Shopping Center): Watercolors by Lisa Krannichfeld, through June 12; also work by Bryan Frazier, Dan Holland and Sabine Danze, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 944-7155. MUGS CAFE, 515 Main St., NLR: “The Original Selfie: Artists’ Self Portraits.” 442-7778. RED DOOR GALLERY, 3715 JFK, NLR: Paula Jones, new paintings; Jim Goshorn, new sculpture; also sculpture by Joe Martin, paintings by Amy Hill-Imler, Theresa Cates and Patrick Cunningham, ornaments by D. Wharton, landscapes by James Ellis, raku by Kelly Edwards and other works. 753-5227. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. STEPHANO’S FINE ART: 1813 N. Grant St.: New work by Mike Gaines, Maryam Moeeni, Ken Davis, John Kushmaul and Gene Brack. 563-4218. UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK: “BFA Group Exhibition,” work by 18 students, through May 8; “MA Thesis Exhibition,” photography by Brady Forrester, ceramics by Heather Beckwith, graphic design by Yihan Wang, through June 28. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., 2-5 p.m. Sun. 569-3182. WILDWOOD PARK FOR THE ARTS, 20919

Denny Road: “Symbiotic: Art, Nature & Spirituality,” work in a variety of media by Barbara Cade, Jessica Louise Camp, Sofia V. Gonzalez. Nichole Howard, Lisa Krannichfeld and Rachel Trusty, through May 10. 821-7275. BENTON DIANNE ROBERTS ART STUDIO AND GALLERY, 110 N. Market St.: Work by Dianne Roberts, classes. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 860-7467. BENTONVILLE 21C MUSEUM HOTEL, 200 N.E. A St.: “Duke Riley: See You at the Finish Line,” sculpture; “Blue: Matter, Mood and Melancholy,” photographs and paintings. 479-286-6500. THE PRESSROOM, 121 W. Central Ave.: TRUCK/ART: “Structural Defiance: Ba’aler Abstraction,” new work by Louis Watts, in the parking lot behind the coffee shop. CALICO ROCK CALICO ROCK ARTISAN COOPERATIVE, 105 Main St.: Paintings, photographs, jewelry, fiber art, wood, ceramics and other crafts. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Thu., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. calicorocket. org/artists. CONWAY ART ON THE GREEN, Littleton Park, 1100 Bob Courtway: Paintings by Kristen Abbott, Eldridge Bagley, Nina Ruth Baker, Elizabeth Bogard, Steve Griffith, William M. McClanahan, Mary Lynn Nelson, Sheila Parsons and others. 501-499-3177. FORT SMITH REGIONAL ART MUSEUM, 1601 Rogers Ave.: “Dawn Holder: Several Collections of Commemorative Plates,” mixed media by Dawn Holder, through July 19; “The Orlanda Series,” printmaking by Anne Reichardt, through May 24. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tue.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. 479-784-2787. HARRISON ARTISTS OF THE OZARKS, 124½ N. Willow St.: Work by Amelia Renkel, Ann Graffy, Christy Dillard, Helen McAllister, Sandy Williams and D. Savannah George. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thu.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. 870-4291683. HEBER SPRINGS BOTTLE TREE GALLERY, 514 Main St.: New silver collection by Mary Allison; also work by George Wittenberg, Judy Shumann, Priscilla Humay, April Shurgar, Julie Caswell, Jan Cobb, Johnathan Harris, Antzee Magruder, Ann Aldinger, Sondra Seaton and Bill and Gloria Garrison. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Sat. 501-590-8840. HOT SPRINGS ALISON PARSONS GALLERY, 802 Central Ave.: Sculpture by Lori Arnold. 501-6253001. DOWNTOWN HOT SPRINGS: “Arts and the Park” arts festival, through May 10, schedule at hotsprings.org/events/event/1127. 501-321-2027. HOT SPRINGS FINE ARTS CENTER, 626 Central Ave.: “The Fine Artworks of Hot Springs,” curated show of works inspired by Hot Springs, through May. 10:30 a.m.-5

p.m. Tue.-Sat. 501-624-0489. HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK CULTURAL CENTER, Ozark Bathhouse: “Arkansas Champion Trees: An Artist’s Journey,” colored pencil drawings by Linda Williams Palmer, through August. Noon-5 p.m. Fri.Sun. 501-620-6715. GALLERY CENTRAL, 800 Central Ave.: New work by Janis Wiley, Sandy Newberg and Sherrie Shepherd, through May. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 501-318-4278. JUSTUS FINE ART, 827 Central Ave.: Rebecca Thompson, paintings; Michael Ashley, through May. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.Sat. 501-772-3627. NATIONAL PARK COMMUNITY COLLEGE, 101 College Drive: “The Lost Highway,” scale models of roadside architecture of the 1950s by David Rose, library, through June. 501-760-4222. JONESBORO ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, Bradbury Gallery: “Spring 2015 Senior Exhibition,” work by Sylvia M. Clemmons, Noel Miller, Penny Jo Pausch and Shawn Wright. Noon to 5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., 2-5 p.m. Sun. 870-9722567. MORRILTON RIALTO GALLERY, 213 E. Broadway St.: “For the Birds,” avian art, through June 6, awards ceremony 3-6 p.m. May 17. 416-0514, gallery@grhstudios.com. PERRYVILLE SUDS GALLERY, Courthouse Square: Paintings by Dottie Morrissey, Alma Gipson, Al Garrett Jr., Phyllis Loftin, Alene Otts, Mauretta Frantz, Raylene Finkbeiner, Kathy Williams and Evelyn Garrett. Noon-6 p.m. Wed.-Fri, noon-4 p.m. Sat. 501-766-7584.

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PINE BLUFF ARTS AND SCIENCE CENTER FOR SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS GALLERIES, 701 S. Main St.: “Familiar Figures: Drawings by Alonzo Ford,” through May 16; “Bombs, Bones and Bacteria,” mixed media by Robert Reep and Tom Richard, through June 20. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 1-4 p.m. Sat. 870-536-3375.

NEW MUSEUM EXHIBITS CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL CENTER, 1200 President Clinton Ave.: “Dinosaurs Around the World,” animatronic dinosaurs, free with admission, through Oct. 18; permanent exhibits on the Clinton administration. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. $7 adults; $5 college students, seniors, retired military; $3 ages 6-17. 370-8000. SCOTT PLANTATION AGRICULTURE MUSEUM, U.S. Hwy. 165 and state Hwy. 161: “Mother’s Day Button Bracelet Workshop, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 9, $10 registration, $5 kit fee; exhibits on historic agriculature. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. 961-1409.

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MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

MOVIE REVIEW

HERE THEY COME: The Avengers, again.

More of the same ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ is comfortably OK. BY SAM EIFLING

he sequel to “The Avengers” has been chugging along in the background of moviedom for the past three years, since the first one became the third-highest-grossing film in history. The wait for “Avengers: Age of Ultron” has been three years of are-we-there-yet, with trailers and teasers and trailer teasers trickling out to fluff our interest, like mile-marker road signs on an interminable interstate. It arrives almost as an obligation for you, the culturally literate but hardly comics-mad movie consumer, to check this one off the list. Will you enjoy it, or merely endure another 141 minutes of the Hulk hulking and Black Widow widowmaking and Captain America captaining Americans? Joss Whedon returns as writer and director, so we have that going for us; the usual crew returns as well, with the addition of two villainous “enhanced” HYDRA creations, Quicksilver (Aaron TaylorJohnson) and the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), who are, respectively, very fast and good at messing with people’s heads. Ultron, considered by many Marvel fans to be utter crap as a villain, begins his life as a peacekeeping software system who finds he has the voice of James Spader. He’s what happens when Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) tinker around with artificial intelligence juiced with a magical crystal from another dimension. Naturally it doesn’t go well for them once Ultron awakes and realizes that the biggest conflicts in the world all seem to center around the Avengers. Maybe this is the result of a deeper set of computations than we mere mortals could understand, or maybe Whedon simply needed an extremely powerful android with the ability to jack into factories and clone himself, in order to make a rad movie. Anyway, Ultron wants to kill the Avengers, and he’s highly smart and pretty good at fighting. So off we go. Once we wind up Ultron the Avengers

are stuck on the defensive. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) are longtime buddies, and she seems to be starting a little something with Banner. Otherwise it’s a dysfunctional crew at work here, especially when the Scarlet Witch dips into their minds. Worth the price of admission alone is Iron Man dialing up a massive exosuit that arrives via satellite deployment (the fabled HulkBuster suit) so he can tangle with the Hulk in downtown — Johannesburg, is it? Smash, boom, bang, these are little-boy sequences with big-boy toys, in which the only thing you can’t see are the tiny hands wrapped around the action figures plowing through skyscrapers and colliding in midair, and they’re a hoot. Whedon is great at these sorts of sequences, and even better, he knows how to throw this many discordant elements at a single film and keep it from melting down to mush. Does Ultron’s plan to eradicate humanity make a lick of sense at the end? Probably not, but it is fiendish as the day is long, and it clears space for fine fighting. The dialogue springs along nimbly, balancing a tone that could otherwise land heavy. There are some jokes, as well as a creeping sense of camp — an allowance, without getting too winkwink, that we’ve been here before, and will be back, so why worry? This franchise has become the biggest in cinema over the past decade, and may wind up the biggest of all time, if it keeps this pace. It’s hard even to guess what, in the 11th Marvel film, we have left to learn about this universe. Maybe nothing all that profound — though who would’ve thought that Paul Bettany would be such a resplendent Vision in eggplant facepaint? “Ultron” doesn’t break much new ground, at bottom, but perhaps it doesn’t matter when the same old thing has become so comfortably satisfying, and almost as familiar as all the looking forward to the next one. www.arktimes.com

MAY 7, 2015

Dining

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

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

WHAT’S COOKIN’ ON THURSDAY, MAY 7, THE LITTLE Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 2015 Taste of the Rock at the River Market pavilions, 400 President Clinton Ave., from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Last year, the event drew over 1,000 hungry folks looking to what Little Rock restaurateurs are up to. This year’s event will feature dishes from 36 restaurants, both locally owned and chain, along with live music and entertainment. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance from littlerockchamber.com.

DINING CAPSULES

AMERICAN

1515 CAFE This bustling, business-suit-filled breakfast and lunch spot, just across from the state Capitol, features old-fashioned, buffetstyle home cookin’ for a song. Inexpensive lunch entrées, too. 1515 W 7th St. No alcohol. $-$$. 501-376-1434. L Wed.-Fri., D Mon-Sat. 4 SQUARE CAFE AND GIFTS Vegetarian salads, soups, wraps and paninis and a broad selection of smoothies in an Arkansas products gift shop. 405 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-244-2622. BLD Mon.-Sat., L Sun. ANOTHER ROUND PUB Tasty pub grub. 12111 W. Markham. Full bar, CC. $-$$. 501-313-2612. D Mon.-Thu., LD Fri.-Sun. APPLE SPICE JUNCTION A chain sandwich and salad spot with sit-down lunch space and a vibrant box lunch catering business. With a wide range of options and quick service. Order online via applespice.com. 2000 S. University Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-663-7008. L Mon.-Fri. (10 a.m.-3 p.m.). ARKANSAS BURGER CO. Good burgers, fries and shakes, plus salads and other entrees. Try the cheese dip. 7410 Cantrell Road. Beer and wine, CC. $-$$. 501-663-0600. LD Tue.-Sat. BELLWOOD DINER Traditional breakfasts and plate lunch specials are the norm at this lostin-time hole in the wall. 3815 MacArthur Drive. NLR. No alcohol, No CC. $. 501-753-1012. BL Mon.-Fri. THE BLIND PIG Tasty bar food, including Zweigle’s brand hot dogs. 6015 Chenonceau Blvd. Full bar, CC. $-$$. 501-868-8194. D Wed-Fri., LD Sat. BONEFISH GRILL A half-dozen or more types of fresh fish filets are offered daily at this upscale chain. 11525 Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-228-0356. D Mon.-Fri., LD Sat-Sun. BONEHEADS GRILLED FISH AND PIRI PIRI CHICKEN Fast-casual chain specializing in grilled fish, roasted chicken and an African pepper sauce. 17711 Chenal Parkway. Beer and wine, CC. $-$$. 501-821-1300. LD daily. BRAVE NEW RESTAURANT Chef/owner Peter Brave was doing “farm to table” before 32

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

TASTE IT ALL: With Heights Taco & Tamale Co.’s Plato 1947, including a cheese enchilada, a tamale, a chicken taco, a guacamole tostada, refried beans and green chile rice.

Tamales today at HT&T Yellow Rocket venture in the old Browning’s was worth the wait.

xpectation is a double-edged sword, and since Heights Taco & Tamale Co. is the seventh new eatery in as many years for restaurant group Yellow Rocket Concepts, our expectations were at an all-time high. The Yellow Rocket group has always been ambitious and varied in all its ventures, taking on burgers at Big Orange, upscale Mexican at Local Lime, pizza at ZAZA and even craft beer on tap or in the can with Lost Forty Brewing — all to wide acclaim. So when the group announced its intentions to renovate the old Browning’s restaurant on Kavanaugh in order to open a Delta-style taco and tamale place, we almost felt sorry for everyone

involved. After all, adding on the burden of a historic location is just another layer on top of the usual restaurant opening chaos. So how does HT&T (as our servers called it) measure up? Well, it ain’t fancy, and it ain’t expensive, but it sure is tasty — and somehow managed to exceed even our high expectations. Like all of Yellow Rocket’s Amber Brewer-designed dining spaces, HT&T is a wonderful blend of sleek modern design paired with some wonderful retro kitsch. From the intricate tile mosaics that line the back walls to the throwback light-up letter board (which read “Mojito, mo’ problems” on our last

Heights Taco & Tamale Co. 5805 Kavanaugh B|vd. 313-4848 facebook.com/heightstaco @heightstaco

QUICK BITE Like any new restaurant in a part of town that likes to eat out, HT&T is most likely to be busy any day of the week. Like sister restaurants Big Orange and Local Lime, HT&T uses the No Wait app to notify patrons by text message when tables become available. Download the app for yourself and get in line for a table from your smartphone before you ever leave the house — it really takes the guesswork out of when to show up at the restaurant. HOURS 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. OTHER INFO Full bar, all credit cards accepted.

visit), it’s a statement space that asserts the restaurant’s identity with gusto. Inside seating is well spaced and comfortable, and we made sure to eat one meal out on the cozy, comfortable patio CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

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

DED R FA O R E S TA U R A N T

arktimes.com

hidden gem

DINING CAPSULES, CONT. most of us knew the term. His focus is on fresh, high-quality ingredients prepared elegantly but simply. Ordering the fish special is never a bad choice. His chocolate crème brulee sets the pace. 2300 Cottondale Lane. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-2677. LD Mon.-Sat. BRAY GOURMET DELI AND CATERING Turkey spreads in four flavors — original, jalapeno, Cajun and dill — and the homemade pimiento cheese are the signature items at Chris Bray’s delicatessen, which serves sandwiches, wraps, soups, stuffed potatoes and salads, and sells the turkey spreads to go. 323 Center St. Suite 150. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-353-1045. BL Mon.-Fri. BUFFALO WILD WINGS A sports bar on steroids with numerous humongous TVs and a menu full of thirst-inducing items. The wings, which can be slathered with one of 14 sauces, are the starring attraction and will undoubtedly have fans. 14800 Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-868-5279. LD daily. BY THE GLASS A broad but not ridiculously large wine list is studded with interesting, diverse selections, and prices are uniformly reasonable. The food focus is on highend items that pair well with wine — olives, hummus, cheese, bread, and some meats and sausages. Happy hour daily from 4-6 p.m. 5713 Kavanaugh Blvd. Beer and wine, All CC. $$. 501-663-9463. D Mon.-Sat. CAFE BRUNELLE Coffee shop and cafe serving sweets, tasty sandwiches and Loblolly ice cream. 17819 Chenal Parkway. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-448-2687. BLD daily. CAFE@HEIFER Serving fresh pastries, omelets, soups, salads, sandwiches and pizzas. Located inside Heifer Village. 1 World Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $. 501-907-8801. BL Mon.-Fri. CAPITAL BAR AND GRILL Big hearty sandwiches, daily lunch specials and fine evening dining all rolled up into one at this landing spot downtown. Surprisingly inexpensive with a great bar staff and a good selection of unique desserts. 111 Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-370-7013. LD daily. CAPITOL BISTRO Serving breakfast and lunch items, including quiche, sandwiches, coffees and the like. 1401 W. Capitol Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-371-9575. BL Mon.-Fri. CATCH BAR AND GRILL Fish, shrimp, chicken and burgers, live music, drinks, flat screens TVs, pool tables and V.I.P room. 1407 John Barrow Road. Full bar. 501-224-1615. CATERING TO YOU Painstakingly prepared entrees and great appetizers in this gourmetto-go location, attached to a gift shop. Caters everything from family dinners to weddings and large corporate events. 8121 Cantrell Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-614-9030. Serving meals to go: LD Mon.-Sat. CIAO BACI The focus is on fine dining in this casually elegant Hillcrest bungalow, though excellent tapas are out of this world. The treeshaded, light-strung deck is a popular destination. 605 N. Beechwood St. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-603-0238. D Mon.-Sat. CRAZEE’S COOL CAFE Good burgers, daily plate specials and bar food amid pool tables and TVs. 7626 Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-221-9696. LD Mon.-Sat.

CUPCAKE FACTORY About a dozen cupcake varieties daily, plus pies, whole or by-the-slice, cake balls, brownies and other dessert bars. 18104 Kanis Road. No alcohol, All CC. 501-8219913. L Mon.-Fri. CUPCAKES ON KAVANAUGH Gourmet cupcakes and coffee, indoor seating. 5625 Kavanaugh Blvd. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-664-2253. LD Mon.-Sat. DEMPSEY BAKERY Bakery with sit down area, serving coffee and specializing in gluten-, nutand soy-free baked goods. 323 Cross St. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-375-2257. Serving BL Tue.-Sat. DOE’S EAT PLACE A skid-row dive turned power brokers’ watering hole with huge steaks, great tamales and broiled shrimp, and killer burgers at lunch. 1023 W. Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-376-1195. LD Mon.-Fri., D Sat. DOUBLETREE PLAZA BAR & GRILL The lobby restaurant in the Doubletree is elegantly comfortable, but you’ll find no airs put on at heaping breakfast and lunch buffets. 424 West Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-372-4371. BLD daily. EJ’S EATS AND DRINKS The friendly neighborhood hoagie shop downtown serves at a handful of tables and by delivery. The sandwiches are generous, the soup homemade and the salads cold. Vegetarians can craft any number of acceptable meals from the flexible menu. The housemade potato chips are da bomb. 523 Center St. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-666-3700. LD Mon.-Fri., BR Sun. FILIBUS TER ’S B IS TRO & LOUNGE Sandwiches, salads in the Legacy Hotel. 625 W. Capitol Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-3740100. D Mon.-Fri. FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES Nationwide burger chain with emphasis on freshly made fries and patties. 2923 Lakewood Village Drive. NLR. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-246-5295. LD daily. 13000 Chenal Parkway. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-225-1100. LD daily. FLYING FISH The fried seafood is fresh and crunchy and there are plenty of raw, boiled and grilled offerings, too. The hamburgers are a hit, too. It’s counter service; wander on through the screen door and you’ll find a slick team of cooks and servers doing a creditable job of serving big crowds. 511 President Clinton Ave. Beer and wine, All CC. $$. 501-375-3474. LD daily. GOOD FOOD BY FERNEAU Lunch offers a choice of ordering the gluten-free, sugarfree, healthy-yet-tasty-and-not-boring fare. On Friday and Saturday nights chef Ferneau stretches out a bit with about four entrees that still stay true to the “healthy” concept but do step outside the no-gluten, no-sugar box. 521 Main Street. NLR. Full bar, CC. $$-$$$. 501-725-4219. L Mon.-Fri., D Fri.-Sat. THE GRAND CAFE Typical hotel restaurant fare. 925 South University Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-664-5020. BD daily. GREEN LEAF GRILL Cafeteria on the ground floor of the Blue Cross-Blue Shield building has healthy entrees. 601 S. Gaines. No alcohol, CC. 501-378-2521. GRUMPY’S TOO Music venue and sports bar

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MAY 7, 2015

DINING CAPSULES, CONT. with lots of TVs, pub grub and regular drink specials. 1801 Green Mountain Drive. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-225-3768. D Mon.-Sat. GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN The best fried chicken in town. Go for chicken and waffles on Sundays. 300 President Clinton Ave. Beer, CC. $-$$. 501-372-2211. LD daily. 400 N. Bowman. Beer. $-$$. 501-400-8745. LD daily. HERITAGE GRILLE STEAK AND FIN Upscale dining inside the Little Rock Marriott. Excellent surf and turf options. 3 Statehouse Plaza. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-399-8000. LD daily. HOMER’S Great vegetables, huge yeast rolls and killer cobblers. Follow the mobs. 2001 E. Roosevelt Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-374-1400. BL Mon.-Fri. 9700 N Rodney Parham. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-224-6637. BLD Mon.-Sat., BL Sun. IRONHORSE SALOON Bar and grill offering juicy hamburgers and cheeseburgers. 9125 Mann Road. Full bar, All CC. $. 501-562-4464. LD daily. J. GUMBO’S Fast-casual Cajun fare served, primarily, in a bowl. Better than expected. 12911 Cantrell Road. Beer, All CC. $-$$. 501-916-9635. LD daily. JERKY’S SPICY CHICKEN AND MORE Jerk chicken, Southern fried chicken, Southern fried jerk chicken, along with burgers, sandwiches, salads. 2501 Arch St. No alcohol. 501-246-3096. J I M M Y ’ S S E R I O U S S A N DW I C H E S Consistently fine sandwiches, side orders and desserts for 30 years. Chicken salad’s among the best in town, and there are fun specialty sandwiches such as Thai One On and The Garden. Get there early for lunch. 5116 W. Markham St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-666-3354. LD Mon.-Fri., L Sat. JOUBERT’S TAVERN Local beer and wine haunt that serves Polish sausage and other bar foods. 7303 Kanis Road. Full bar, CC. $-$$. 501-664-9953. D Mon.-Sat. K. HALL AND SONS Neighborhood grocery store with excellent lunch counter. The cheeseburger is hard to beat. 1900 Wright Avenue. No alcohol, CC. $. 501-372-1513. BLD Mon.-Sat. (closes at 6 p.m.), BL Sun. KILWINS Ice cream, candies, fudge and sweets galore made in-house and packaged for eat-it-now or eat-it-later. 415 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-379-9865. LD daily. LAZY PETE’S FISH AND SHRIMP Southern and Cajun pub grub. 200 N. Bowman Road. Full bar, CC. $$. 501-680-2660. LD daily. LE POPS Delicious, homemade iced lollies (or popsicles, for those who aren’t afraid of the trademark.) 5501 Kavanaugh Blvd. Ste. J. No alcohol, CC. $. 501-313-9558. LD daily. LOBLOLLY CREAMERY Small batch artisan ice cream and sweet treats company that operates a soda fountain inside The Green Corner Store. 1423 Main St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-396-9609. LD Mon.-Sat., L Sun. LOCA LUNA Grilled meats, seafood and pasta dishes that never stray far from country roots, whether Italian, Spanish or Arkie. “Gourmet plate lunches” are good, as is Sunday brunch. 3519 Old Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-4666. BR Sun., LD Mon.-Fri., D Sat. LOST FORTY BREWING Brewery and brewpub from the folks behind Big Orange, Local Lime and ZAZA. 501 Byrd St. Beer and wine, All CC. $$. 501-319-7335. LD Wed.-Sun. LOVE FISH MARKET Part fish market, part restaurant. Offering fresh fish to prepare at 34

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

home or fried catfish and a variety of sides. 1401 John Barrow Road. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-224-0202. LD Mon.-Sat. LULAV A MODERN EATERY Bistro-style menu of American favorites broken down by expensive to affordable plates, and strong wine list, also group-priced to your liking. Great filet. Don’t miss the chicken and waffles. 220 W. 6th St. Full bar, CC. $$$. 501-374-5100. LD Mon.-Fri., D Sat. THE MAIN CHEESE A restaurant devoted to grilled cheese. 14524 Cantrell Road. Beer and wine. $-$$. 501-367-8082. LD Mon.-Sat. MILFORD TRACK Healthy and tasty are the key words at this deli/grill that serves breakfast and lunch. Hot entrees change daily and there are soups, sandwiches, salads and killer desserts. Bread is baked in-house, and there are several veggie options. 10809 Executive Center Drive, Searcy Building. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-223-2257. BL Mon.-Fri., L Sat. MOORE 2 U Deli sandwiches, salads, fruit bowls, burgers, fish, chili dogs, and chicken and waffles. 5405 Geyer Springs Road. No alcohol. 501-562-1200. NATCHEZ RESTAURANT Smart, elegant takes on Southern classics. 323 Center St. Beer and wine, CC. $$-$$$. 501-372-1167. L Tue.-Fri., D Wed.-Sat. NEXT BISTRO AND BAR Live music, on the outdoor patio in nice weather, bar with specialty drinks like cheesecake shots, strawberry fizz martinis. No cover. 2611 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-6398. ONE ELEVEN AT THE CAPITAL Inventive fine dining restaurant helmed by Jöel Attunes, a James Beard award-winning chef. 111 Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 370-7011. BD daily, L Mon.-Fri, BR Sun. THE OYSTER BAR Gumbo, red beans and rice (all you can eat on Mondays), peeland-eat shrimp, oysters on the half shell, addictive po’ boys. Killer jukebox. 3003 W. Markham St. Beer and wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-666-7100. LD Mon.-Sat. OZARK COUNTRY RESTAURANT A longstanding favorite with many Little Rock residents, the eatery specializes in big country breakfasts and pancakes plus sandwiches and several meat-and-two options for lunch and dinner. Try the pancakes and don’t leave without some sort of smoked meat. 202 Keightley Drive. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-663-7319. BL daily. PANERA BREAD This bakery/cafe serves freshly-baked breads, bagels and pastries every morning as well as a full line of espresso beverages. Panera also offers a full menu of sandwiches, hand-tossed salads and hearty soups. 314 S. University. 501-6646878. BLD daily. 11525 Cantrell Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-227-0222. BLD daily. 1050 Ellis Ave. Conway. 501-764-1623 10701 Kanis Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-954-7773. BLD daily. PLAYTIME PIZZA Tons of fun isn’t rained out by lackluster eats at the new Playtime Pizza, the $11 million, 65,000-square-foot kidtopia near the Rave theater. While the buffet is only so-so, features like indoor mini-golf, laser tag, go karts, arcade games and bumper cars make it a winner for both kids and adults. 600 Colonel Glenn Plaza Loop. All CC. $-$$. 501-227-7529. D Mon.-Wed., LD Thu.-Sun. POTBELLY SANDWICH SHOP Tasty, affordable sandwiches from fast-casual chain. 314 S University Ave. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-660-4441. LD daily.

PURPLE COW DINER 1950s fare — cheeseburgers, chili dogs, thick milk shakes — in a ‘50s setting at today’s prices. 8026 Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-221-3555. LD daily, BR Sat.-Sun. 11602 Chenal Pkwy. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-224-4433. LD daily, BR Sat.-Sun. 1419 Higden Ferry Road. Hot Springs. Beer, All CC. $$. 501-625-7999. LD daily, B Sun. RACK’UM SPORTS BAR AND GRILL 2817 Cantrell Road. 501-603-0066. THE RELAY STATION This grill offers a short menu, which includes chicken strips, french fries, hamburgers, jalapeno poppers and cheese sticks. 12225 Stagecoach Road. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-455-9919. LD daily. THE ROOT CAFE Homey, local foodsfocused cafe. With tasty burgers, homemade bratwurst, banh mi and a number of vegan and veggie options. Breakfast and Sunday brunch, too. 1500 S. Main St. Beer, All CC. $-$$. 501-414-0423. BL Tue.-Sat., BR Sun. SALUT BISTRO This bistro/late-night hangout does upscale tapas. 1501 N. University. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-6604200. L Mon.-Fri., D Tue.-Sat. SANDY’S HOMEPLACE CAFE Specializing in home-style buffet, with two meats and seven vegetables to choose from. It’s allyou-can-eat. 1710 E 15th St. No alcohol, No CC. $. 501-375-3216. L Mon.-Fri. SATCHEMO’S BAR AND GRILL Pulled pork egg rolls, chicken fries and a “butter” burger star. 1900 W. Third St. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-725-4657. L Mon.-Wed., LD Thu.-Sun. SCALLIONS Reliably good food, great desserts, pleasant atmosphere, able servers — a solid lunch spot. 5110 Kavanaugh Blvd. Beer and wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-666-6468. BL Mon.-Sat. SHAKE’S FROZEN CUSTARD Frozen custards, concretes, sundaes. 12011 Westhaven Drive. No alcohol, All CC. $. 501-224-0150. LD daily. SHORTY SMALL’S Land of big, juicy burgers, massive cheese logs, smoky barbecue platters and the signature onion loaf. 11100 N. Rodney Parham Road. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-224-3344. LD daily. SLIM CHICKENS Chicken tenders and wings served fast. Better than the Colonel. 4500 W. Markham. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-9070111. LD daily. 301 N. Shackleford Road. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 954-9999. LD daily. SONNY WILLIAMS’ STEAK ROOM Steaks, chicken and seafood in a wonderful setting in the River Market. Steak gets pricey, though. Menu is seasonal, changes every few months. 500 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-324-2999. D Mon.-Sat. SOUTH ON MAIN Fine, innovative takes on Southern fare in a casual, but well-appointed setting. 1304 Main St. Full bar, CC. $-$$. 501-244-9660. L Mon.-Fri., D Tue.-Sat. STAGECOACH GROCERY AND DELI Fine po’ boys and muffalettas — and cheap. 6024 Stagecoach Road. Beer and wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-455-7676. BLD Mon.-Fri., BL Sat.-Sun. TABLE 28 Excellent fine dining with lots of creative flourishes. Branch out and try the Crispy Squid Filet and Quail Bird Lollipops. 1501 Merrill Drive. Full bar, CC. $$$-$$$$. 501-224-2828. D Mon.-Sat. TERRI-LYNN’S BBQ AND DELICATESSEN High-quality meats served on large sandwiches and good tamales served with chili or without (the better bargain). 10102 N. Rodney Parham Road. No alcohol, All CC.

$-$$. 501-227-6371. L Tue.-Fri., LD Sat. (close at 5pm). WEST END SMOKEHOUSE AND TAVERN Its primary focus is a sports bar with 50-plus TVs, but the dinner entrees (grilled chicken, steaks and such) are plentiful and the bar food is upper quality. 215 N. Shackleford. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-224-7665. L Fri.-Sun., D daily. WHICH WICH AT CHENAL Sandwiches in three sizes, plus cookies and milkshakes, online or faxed (501-312-9435) ordering available. Also at 2607 McCain Blvd., 501-7719424, fax 501-771-4329. 12800 Chenal Parkway, Suite 10. No alcohol. 312-9424. WING LOVERS The name says it all. 4411 W 12th St. $-$$. 501-663-3166. LD Mon.-Sat. WINGSTOP It’s all about wings. The joint features 10 flavors of chicken flappers for almost any palate, including mild, hot, Cajun and atomic, as well as specialty flavors like lemon pepper, teriyaki, Garlic parmesan and Hawaiian. 11321 W. Markham St. Beer, All CC. $-$$. 501-224-9464. LD daily.

ASIAN

A.W. LIN’S ASIAN CUISINE Excellent panAsian with wonderful service. 17717 Chenal Parkway H101. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-821-5398. LD daily. BIG ON TOKYO Serviceable fried rice, teriyaki chicken and sushi. 400 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-375-6200. BLD Mon.-Sat. CHINA PLUS BUFFET Large Chinese buffet. 6211 Colonel Glenn Road. Beer and wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-562-1688. LD daily. CHINESE KITCHEN Good Chinese takeout. Try the Cantonese press duck. 11401 N. Rodney Parham Road. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-224-2100. LD Tue.-Sun. HANAROO SUSHI BAR One of the few spots in downtown Little Rock to serve sushi. With an expansive menu, featuring largely Japanese fare. Try the popular Tuna Tatari bento box. 205 W. Capitol Ave. Beer and wine, All CC. $$. 501-301-7900. L Mon.-Fri., D Mon.-Sat. KBIRD Delicious, authentic Thai. 600 N. Tyler. No alcohol, CC. $$-$$$. 501-352-3549. LD Mon.-Fri. MIKE’S CAFE VIETNAMESE Cheap Vietnamese that could use some more spice, typically. The pho is good. 5501 Asher Ave. Beer, CC. $-$$. 501-562-1515. LD daily. MR. CHEN’S ASIAN SUPERMARKET AND RESTAURANT A combination Asian restaurant and grocery with cheap, tasty and exotic offerings. 3901 S. University Ave. $. 501-562-7900. LD daily. NEW CHINA A burgeoning line of massive buffets, with hibachi grill, sushi, mounds of Chinese food and soft serve ice cream. 4617 John F. Kennedy Blvd. NLR. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-753-8988. LD daily. 2104 Harkrider. Conway. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-764-1888. LD Mon.-Sun. OISHI HIBACHI AND THAI CUISINE Tasty Thai and hibachi from the Chi family. 5501 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-603-0080. LD daily. PHO THANH MY It says “Vietnamese noodle soup” on the sign out front, and that’s what you should order. The pho comes in outrageously large portions with bean sprouts and fresh herbs. Traditional pork dishes, spring rolls and bubble tea also available. 302 N. Shackleford Road. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-312-7498. LD daily. ROYAL BUFFET A big buffet of Chinese

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hearsay ➥ In case you missed it, the River Market farmers market opened May 2 and will be open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Tuesdays now through Oct. 31. ➥ May 14 is the date for this month’s Design and Dine event in Riverdale. The following shops will stay open until 8 p.m. that night: Tanarah, Providence Home, Tuft and Table, Distinctive Kitchens and Bath, Mertinsdykehome, Urban Pad, and Empty Vase. Since you’re in the neighborhood, stop in and have dinner at Faded Rose or Maddie’s Place. ➥ AeroPottery has a selection of really cute Happy Birthday platters and cupcake plates for sale at their booth at the Shoppes on Woodlawn. These are handmade by a local artist, so be sure to check them out. ➥ Marshall Clements, the home store located at Pleasant Ridge Town Center, has chic new vases in stock, just in time for Mother’s Day. If mom’s not the flower type, pick up a sleek photo frame or two instead. ➥ Like to express yourself in a Pop Art way? Moxy Modern Mercantile has new Andy Warhol stationary, including journals. ➥ Mark your calendars for May 20 and 21 – there will be a Zang Toi fall trunk show at Barbara/Jean. ➥ We’ve mentioned The Red Sari, a Little Rock based company that sells handmade items that provide work and income for women in Nepal, before on Hearsay. Although the recent earthquake spared The Red Sari’s factory is still standing and their team of workers are safe, the company is raising funds to help the people in Kathmandu through partnership with two organizations there: Bibeksheel Nepali, a local Nepali organization who are acting as a command center supporting first responder activities in the Kathmandu Valley and beyond, and Fair Trade Group Nepal member organizations who, in turn, support women artisan producers in remote villages all over Nepal. It will be a long time before the women artisans in Nepal will be able to get their wares to market, and they depend on this income to support their families and send their children to school. To help, visit www.gofundme.com/ theredsari. Advertising Supplement 36

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

DINING CAPSULES, CONT. fare, with other Asian tastes as well. 109 E. Pershing. NLR. Beer, All CC. 501-753-8885. LD daily. SEKISUI Fresh-tasting sushi chain with fun hibachi grill and an overwhelming assortment of traditional entrees. Nice wine selection, also serves sake and specialty drinks. 219 N. Shackleford Road. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-221-7070. LD daily. SHOGUN JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE The chefs will dazzle you, as will the variety of tasty stir-fry combinations and the sushi bar. Usually crowded at night. 2815 Cantrell Road. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-666-7070. D daily. THREE FOLD NOODLES AND DUMPLING CO. Authentic Chinese noodles, buns and dumplings. With vegetarian options. 215 Center St. No alcohol, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-372-1739. LD Mon.-Fri. TOKYO HOUSE Defying stereotypes, this Japanese buffet serves up a broad range of fresh, slightly exotic fare — grilled calamari, octopus salad, dozens of varieties of fresh sushi — as well as more standard shrimp and steak options. 11 Shackleford Drive. Beer and wine, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-2194286. LD daily. WASABI Downtown sushi and Japanese cuisine. For lunch, there are quick and hearty sushi samplers. 101 Main St. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-374-0777. L Mon.-Fri., D Mon.-Sat.

BARBECUE

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

CATFISH

SWEET SOUL Southern classics by the proprietors of the late, great Haystack Cafe in Ferndale: Chicken fried steak (just about perfect), catfish, collards, cornbread, blackeyed peas and fried chicken. 400 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, All CC. 501-3747685. L Mon.-Fri.

EUROPEAN / ETHNIC

ANATOLIA RESTAURANT Middle of the road Mediterranean fare. 315 N. Bowman Road. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-219-9090. LD Mon.-Sat. CREGEEN’S IRISH PUB Irish-themed pub with a large selection of on-tap and bottled British beers and ales, an Irish inspired menu and lots of nooks and crannies to meet in. Specialties include fish ‘n’ chips and Guinness beef stew. Live music on weekends and $5 cover on Saturdays, special brunch on Sunday. 301 Main St. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-3767468. LD daily. I S TA N B U L M E D I T E R R A N E A N RESTAURANT This Turkish eatery offers decent kebabs and great starters. The red pepper hummus is a winner. So are Cigar Pastries. Possibly the best Turkish coffee in Central Arkansas. 11525 Cantrell Road. No alcohol, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-223-9332. LD daily. KEBAB HOUSE Turkish-style doners and kebabs and a sampling of Tunisian cuisine. Only place in Little Rock to serve Lahmijun (Turkish pizza). 11321 W Markham St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. LD Mon.-Sat. LAYLA’S GYROS AND PIZZERIA Delicious

Mediterranean fare — gyros, falafel, shawarma, kabobs, hummus and babaganush — that has a devoted following. All meat is slaughtered according to Islamic dietary law. 9501 N Rodney Parham Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-227-7272. LD daily (close 5 p.m. on Sun.) 6100 Stones Road. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-868-8226. LD Mon.-Sat. L EO ’ S G R E E K C A S T L E Wond er f ul Mediterranean food — gyro sandwiches or platters, falafel and tabouleh — plus dependable hamburgers, ham sandwiches, steak platters and BLTs. Breakfast offerings are expanded with gyro meat, pitas and triple berry pancakes. 2925 Kavanaugh Blvd. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-666-7414. BLD Mon.-Sat., BL Sun. (close at 4 p.m.). LITTLE GREEK Fast casual chain with excellent Greek food. 11525 Cantrell Road. Beer, All CC. $$. LD daily. MUSE ULTRA LOUNGE Mediterranean food and drinks. 2611 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. 501-663-6398. D Mon.-Sat. MYLO COFFEE CO. Bakery with a vast assortment of hand-made pastries, house roasted coffee and an ice cream counter. Soups and sandwiches, too. 2715 Kavanaugh Blvd. Beer, CC. $-$$. 501-747-1880. BLD Tue.-Sun. ROSALIA’S BAKERY Brazilian bakery owned by the folks over at Bossa Nova, next door. Sweet and savory treats, including yucca cheese balls, empanadas and macarons. Many gluten-free options. 2701 Kavanaugh Blvd. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-319-7035. BLD Mon.-Sat. (closes 6 p.m.), BL Sun. SILVEK’S EUROPEAN BAKERY Fine pastries, chocolate creations, breads and cakes done in the classical European style. Drop by for a whole cake or a slice or any of the dozens of single serving treats in the big case. 1900 Polk St. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-661-9699. BLD daily.

ITALIAN

CAFE PREGO Dependable entrees of pasta, pork, seafood, steak and the like, plus great sauces, fresh mixed greens and delicious dressings, crisp-crunchy-cold gazpacho and tempting desserts in a comfy bistro setting. Little Rock standard for 18 years. 5510 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-5355. LD Mon.- Fri, D Sat. CIAO ITALIAN RESTAURANT Don’t forget about this casual yet elegant bistro tucked into a downtown storefront. The fine pasta and seafood dishes, ambiance and overall charm combine to make it a relaxing, enjoyable, affordable choice. 405 W. Seventh St. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-372-0238. L Mon.-Fri., D Thu.-Sat. GRADY’S PIZZA AND SUBS Pizza features a pleasing blend of cheeses rather than straight mozzarella. The grinder is a classic, the chef’s salad huge and tasty. 6801 W. 12th St., Suite C. Beer and wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-663-1918. LD daily. IRIANA’S PIZZA Unbelievably generous hand-tossed New York style pizza with unmatched zest. Good salads, too; grinders are great, particularly the Italian sausage. 201 E. Markham St. Beer and wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-374-3656. LD Mon.-Sat. MELLOW MUSHROOM Popular high-end pizza chain. 16103 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-379-9157. LD daily. PIERRE’S GOURMET PIZZA CO. EXPRESS KITCHEN Chef/owner Michael Ayers has reinvented his pizzeria, once located on JFK in North Little Rock, as the first RV entry

into mobile food truck scene. With a broad menu of pizza, calzones, salads and subs. 760 C Edgewood Drive. No alcohol, No CC. $$. 501-410-0377. L Mon.-Fri. PIRO BRICK OVEN AND BARROOM The South Main neighborhood’s renaissance continues with Piro, an upscale pizza joint that also features sandwiches and unique appetizers (think roasted bone marrow). 1318 S. Main St. Full bar, CC. $-$$. 501-3747476. LD Tue.-Sat., L Sun. THE PIZZERIA AT TERRY’S FINER FOODS Tasty Neapolitan-style pizza and calzones from the people who used to run the Santa Lucia food truck. 5018 Kavanaugh. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-551-1388. Tue.-Sat. ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL A chain restaurant with a large menu of pasta, chicken, beef, fish, unusual dishes like Italian nachos, and special dishes with a corporate bent. 11100 W Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-221-3150. LD daily. U.S. PIZZA Crispy thin-crust pizzas, frosty beers and heaping salads drowned in creamy dressing. 2710 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-2198. LD daily. 5524 Kavanaugh Blvd. Beer and wine, All CC. $$. 501-664-7071. LD daily. 9300 North Rodney Parham Road. Beer and wine, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-224-6300. LD daily. 3307 Fair Park Blvd. Beer and wine, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-565-6580. LD daily. 650 Edgewood Drive. Maumelle. Beer and wine, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-851-0880. LD daily. 3324 Pike Avenue. NLR. Beer and wine, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-758-5997. LD daily. 4001 McCain Park Drive. NLR. Beer and wine, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-753-2900. LD daily. ZAFFINO’S BY NORI A high-quality Italian dining experience. Pastas, entrees (don’t miss the veal marsala) and salads are all outstanding. 2001 E. Kiehl Ave. NLR. Beer and wine, All CC. 501-834-7530. D Tue.-Sat.

LATINO

BAJA GRILL Food truck turned brick-andmortar taco joint that serves a unique MexiCali style menu full of tacos, burritos and quesadillas. 5923 Kavanaugh Blvd. CC. $-$$. 501-722-8920. LD Mon.-Sat. CANON GRILL Tex-Mex, pasta, sandwiches and salads. Creative appetizers come in huge quantities, and the varied main-course menu rarely disappoints, though it’s not as spicy as competitors’. 2811 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-664-2068. LD daily. CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL Burritos, burrito bowls, tacos and salads are the four main courses of choice — and there are four meats and several other options for filling them. Sizes are uniformly massive, quality is uniformly strong, and prices are uniformly low. 11525 Cantrell Road. All CC. $-$$. 501-221-0018. LD daily. CILANTRO’S GRILL The guac, made tableside, margaritas and desserts stand out at this affordably priced traditional Mex spot. 2629 Lakewood Village Plaza. NLR. Full bar, CC. $-$$. 501-812-0040. LD daily. COTIJA’S A branch of f the famed La Hacienda family tree downtown, with a massive menu of tasty lunch and dinner specials, the familiar white cheese dip and sweet red and fiery-hot green salsas, and friendly service. 406 S. Louisiana St. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-244-0733. L Mon.-Fri. EL CHICO Hearty, standard Mexican served in huge portions. 8409 Interstate 30. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-562-3762. LD daily.

DINING REVIEW, CONT.

— and the people-watching opportunities there are worth a trip alone. The HT&T menu isn’t enormous, but there’s enough variety to necessitate a nerve-steadying cocktail while trying to decide. Luckily, Yellow Rocket bar guru Lee Edwards has developed a drink menu that makes this ordeal rather wonderful. The HT&T signature frozen mojito is a subdued and refreshing version of the minty favorite, perfect for summer, but the Whiskey Fix — a tasty concoction of bourbon, lemon, Aperol and bitters — that had us singing the praises of the bar. A respectable selection of draft and bottled beers is also available, but even beer drinkers should give this cocktail menu a try. Fortified by our tasty libations, we finally felt ready to get ourselves into the menu, deciding to start simple with the “Pick Three” salsa option ($3.50), something with which Local Lime veterans will be intimately familiar. The options here are different than HT&T’s West Little Rock sister, and quite fun. Our bowls of sweet and spicy salsa verde and the house red were perfectly delicious, but it was a creamy jalapeno and onion dip that really won our hearts. Cool and mild, with just a touch of spice, it’s a nice change from more traditional salsas and one we know we’ll order again and again. On a following trip, we decided to go a lot bigger with our starters, choosing an order of Half and Half Cheese Dip ($6.50) and a skillet of Tamale Pie Dip ($12). “Half and Half” means half cheese dip paired with a choice of ground beef, chili or salsa verde, and we were so happy with our choice of ground beef that it will be hard to branch away from

it in the future to try the other options. This is a classic Southern-style cheese dip served in a deceptively deep bowl and loaded with seasoned beef — basically every homemade cheese dip ever made here in Arkansas, but smoother, creamier and just generally better. But as much as we enjoyed the cheese dip, we have to admit that it was pushed aside like an old lover the second the tamale pie dip hit the table, because this pile of sliced tamales, crispy Fritos (yes, Fritos), spicy chili, tomatoes, jalapenos and sour cream had us salivating. Anyone who has ever given in to the guilty pleasure of a Frito-chili pie will find that concept perfected in this tamale dip. Eat it on the crackers provided to the side. Eat it right off the fork. Whatever method of consumption chosen, the results are guaranteed to be delicious. Having had the house-made tamales in the dip, we decided to sample them on their own, ordering a plate of six ($10) along with some chili ($2) and queso ($2.50) on the side. Smiles crossed the faces of everyone at the table when the tamales came out, and we immediately began talking about growing up on hot tamales from a can. One bite of these decidedly not-canned tamales brought us right back to the present with a hit of spice and flavor that resulted in eyepopping pleased faces all around. We covered some of our order with the chili and cheese, and while that was nice, we can honestly say we prefer these little masa and beef treats au natural, shorn of their paper wrappers and ready to eat. With the “tamale” portion of HT&T’s name verified, it was time to put the other T — tacos — to the test. First up

was an order of Pickle-fried Chicken Tacos ($12.50), a combination of buttermilk-fried chicken and red pepper chowchow that made our “best tacos in town” list on the first bite. There was a ton of flavor in the crisp breading, and the generous portion made each bite a big one — and with chicken this moist and juicy, we didn’t mind a bit. We predict this will be the most popular item on the menu as HT&T goes on, because it hits everything a Southern palate loves. But it was with our second order of tacos, the Hard Shell Beef Tacos ($11) that we discovered good, simple fun on a plate. These tacos are what we think of as “Taco Tuesday” tacos: seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese and a few slices of tomato stuffed into crispy corn shell ready to eat. We’ve eaten a lot of these types of tacos over the years, enough that we have rules about how we like them. The shell must be thick enough to avoid sogginess, yet still be capable of absorbing enough juice and flavoring from the meat so that the taco does not shatter on first bite. They should be full, but not overflowing. And, of course, they should be delicious. These tacos? Three for three with extra points for serving these beauties in a small metal holder that kept them upright. Not a fan of tacos? Well, we pity you, but we can also say that HT&T has you covered. We enjoyed the enchiladas ($12), served up in a full-size cast iron skillet. Both beef and cheese fillings are fantastic, and we had trouble deciding which sauce we preferred, the red or the green. The whole affair is served with two sides, and we thought our rice and

black beans were delicious, although we admit we mostly ignored them to focus on that glorious mess of enchiladas. If there was one dish that fell short for us on our trips to HT&T, it was the Pork Nachos ($12), but even with this dish, our problems stem more from personal preference rather than the actual quality of the food. The pork in question here is done in-house on a smoker out back, and we really wanted to love it. But although the meat was succulent and tender, it wasn’t smoky enough to our taste — which, combined with a sauce that we found overly sweet, made for a jarring juxtaposition with the rest of the savory dish. We understand the thinking here — this is Delta-style pulled pork, and well made, but we still feel more smoke and less sweet would really develop this pork into something special. So about those expectations — we figured to be served great food by friendly people with skill and efficiency in a lovely environment. After all, with six previous restaurants under the belt, Yellow Rocket should have things down pat by now, and in the case of our meals at Heights Taco & Tamale Co., all those expectations were met and then exceeded. The waitstaff is courteous, the bar is quick and the kitchen didn’t miss a beat even on a night when the wait for a table was approaching two hours — and not because service was slow: the crowd was just that huge. It’s always nice when a classic restaurant space can be used, and with food this good we predict that there won’t be a vacancy there on Kavanaugh again for a very long time.

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DISABILITIES HAMPER ORAL HEALTH

Coincidentally it was just after this reporter called Children’s to talk about the apparently overworked dental clinic. Children’s, however, says it was the addition of two new dentists that freed up the schedule. Now, according to Dr. Stephen Beetstra, director of dental services at Children’s, the clinic is working on moving up appointments daily. Beetstra had been working alone for a year after clinic founder Dr. Jim Koonce had to take medical leave. (Koonce died this year.) Now, however, two full-time pediatric dentists, a fulltime and part-time general dentist (who work with the Wakefield Project at Wakefield Elementary), an orthodontist and other specialists, such as a periodontist who sees patients once a week, now work with the clinic. “Recently Children’s has made a huge effort to provide access to children with disabilities,” Beetstra said. Told about Nathan Dodson’s case, Beetstra said, “Yes, there have been long delays” in the past. But that should change now. The clinic, which accepts patients by referral only, treats patients who are “extremely medically compromised or who normally can’t access care in other ways,” Beetstra, a general dentist, said. Ten years ago, Beetstra said, one out of 300 children was diagnosed with autism. That number has risen to one out of 68 children. “So the demand for services is going up and up, and in response Children’s has put a lot of resources to improve access.” Unless you have a child with disabilities, you may not know what difficulties they face getting dental care. A child with a seizure disorder, for example, may require a periodontist to surgically remove gingival overgrowth that is caused by seizure meds. Children with hemophilia need to be infused with clotting factors before going to the dentist; fortunately, Beetstra said, the dental clinic is just one floor above the hematology clinic at Children’s. A child with high blood pressure caused by his kidney disease can be at risk of heart attack or stroke in a traditional dental office. Children with cardiac conditions need specialized care; children with cleft palates need years of surgical care. Pediatric dentist Koonce took the initiative to create Children’s clinic, Beetstra said, and provide care “for this very 38

MAY 7, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

medically complex and underserved population.” For the past year, Beetstra has been handling the entire load, which he estimated at around 130 to 140 patients a week. Where once the clinic could provide only eight or nine surgeries a week, that number is now up to 15. As for children with autism, Beetstra said, the clinic’s goal is to desensitize them, get them used to the clinical setting so they will not need to go under for treatment. “If we get them at a young age we can get them used to coming to a dental clinic,” he said. Children’s treats both children and adults with Down Syndrome. Dana McLain, who formerly was the attorney for the Disability Rights Association and whose daughter has Down Syndrome, is well versed in the problems children with disabilities face in seeing not just the dentist, but all doctors. Her child has a heart condition as well, “which dentists tend to not want to deal with.” “As an attorney, I’ve gotten many phone calls” on the issue of medical care for the disabled, she said. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that doctors treat the disabled as long as doing so doesn’t “fundamentally” alter their practice, McLain said. “The thing is, there are laws, but you don’t want your child treated by someone who is not comfortable … You want them to be comfortable and confident.” There is another problem, and that is age. Medicaid does not cover dental services for people 21 and over. But if you have Down Syndrome, you may have soft teeth and other conditions needing treatment. “It is more challenging when there is no provider,” McLain said. “Unfortunately, it’s not just limited to dental work.” She would like her child to have access to a psychologist who could help her find ways to deal with her agoraphobia. She did have a terrific family pediatrician, Dr. David Weed, in Benton. “I felt like as a parent he went above and beyond.” McLain was familiar with the huge demand at Children’s, where her daughter was also treated in the genetics clinic by Dr. Kent McKelvey. “If they could work 24 hours a day it wouldn’t be enough,” she said, because Children’s handles things no one else does.

DUMAS, CONT.

And, contrary to predictions, the federal budget deficit has been shrinking, not growing. But in the future won’t it mean terrible things? Last week, Dr. Robert Pearl, the health policy wizard, wrote an article for the conservative Forbes magazine blog listing five reasons the Affordable Care Act in the long term was going to transform the health-care system and the insurance market in ways that would benefit everyone, including greater competition, improved care and a drastic slowing of health care inflation. In Arkansas, the picture has been even rosier. Arkansas led the states in shrinking the ratio of the uninsured. By the end of the year, we will have cut the number by more than half. Community hospitals that were struggling under the load of uncompensated care are thriving and begging the state to continue the private option/Obamacare. Disabled people are getting medical care and returning to the workforce. Even doctors wary over their national association’s endorsement of Obamacare in 2010 are coming around as their waiting rooms fill with insured patients. Old folks who rose up against

Obamacare because the ads said it would slash their Medicare benefits are pocketing millions of dollars a year in drug savings and seeing new benefits although they still fear doom is coming. But while 250,000 poor people may not be easily disposable, they don’t make themselves visible to politicians. The economic impact on the state and particularly the government, however, is palpable. Obamacare puts at least $160 million a year into the state treasury — much more if you calculate the indirect creation of income, sales and excise taxes from a $2 billion-a-year infusion of federal dollars into the economy. That is about enough to cover the state’s share of Medicaid in 2020 when that day so dreaded by critics of the private option comes. Part of Hutchinson’s political reality is that they have already spent that windfall on tax cuts for the well-to-do and corporations and on the governor’s prison reforms. How will the state fare if it kills the private option and has to give that money back? If the corporate consultants can solve those problems, they might earn the millions taxpayers will pay them.

BARTH, CONT. sonal relationships with LGBT individuals who are part of their daily life will overwhelm such fear-based arguments. Make no mistake, the results in Eureka Springs will have ramifications beyond the borders of the small Ozarks community. As the most full-throated challenge to Act 137, the Eureka Springs ordinance would become the most important test case of the constitutionality of the state law (although Lit-

tle Rock City Attorney Tom Carpenter’s interesting legal opinion of recent weeks provides a potential roadmap for undermining the law’s impact without reaching constitutional issues). But, if the ordinance survives to get its day in court, it will be because “local control” was not just a campaign talking point, but the way the campaign itself was operated.

LYONS, CONT. they fit so well with the melodramatic themes of Protestant fundamentalism. “The paranoid spokesman,” Hofstader added, “sees the fate of conspiracy in apocalyptic terms — he traffics in the birth and death of whole worlds, whole political orders, whole systems of human values. He is always manning the barricades of civilization. ... He does not see social conflict as something to be mediated and compromised, in the manner of the working politician. Since what is at stake is always a conflict between absolute good and absolute evil, what is necessary is not compromise but the will to fight

things out to a finish.” Is that not totally Ted Cruz? But you know what? Ted Cruz ain’t Texas. Early indications are that Cruz and Abbott are widely perceived to have made fools of themselves. Coverage in the statewide press has been derisive. A retired GOP legislator, Todd Smith of Euless, wondered if he should be more “horrified that I have to choose between the possibility that my Governor actually believes this stuff and the possibility that my Governor doesn’t have the backbone to stand up to those who do.” Good question.

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bit.ly/hulk-tired THE HEALING LIGHT, CONT.

the United States as a child. Rangel said that she had been subject to bullying when she first arrived in the U.S. because she did not speak English. After convincing Rangel to join the project, Renaud did a search for another eStem student to join the lab, selecting Christopher Scribner after an interview. The process of telling their own stories, Renaud said, was powerful for both: Rangel and Scribner said filmmaking had helped them deal with their hardships. Rangel’s film, which set out to explore the issue of Latinos being bullied, wound up being a powerful piece about the uncertainties faced by undocumented children, featuring interviews with several kids who haven’t seen their parents in years. “In documentary filmmaking,”

Renaud said, “especially in the style we do, we [start with] a small idea of something like, ‘OK, this is going to be about bullying.’ But once we start doing actual production, it usually uncovers all these different things and it turns into a completely new story. That process, I think, is a huge growth for the young filmmakers.” Christopher Scribner agrees. Now 17, he was 16 when he started the process of making his film, “Three Wishes One Choice,” which deals with his family’s lingering pain over losing Christopher’s sister Roshundalyn and his cousin Xavier to separate car accidents, and his younger sister’s ongoing fight against cancer. The film went on to win a Student Television Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the organization that presents

the annual Emmy Awards. Scribner, who will graduate from eStem this spring, said he originally wanted to be an FBI agent. Because of the Teen Filmmaker Lab and the process of making his documentary, he now hopes to become part of the film industry. He plans to move to California after he graduates from college. “I realized that the thing I want to do in life is make a change in someone’s life, and to have somebody tell me, ‘You really made a change in my life,’ “ Scribner said. Watching his film during a private screening for friends and family last month, Scribner said he felt like “Three Wishes One Choice” accomplished that goal. His family, he said, was moved by the film. “For a year straight, they always asked, ‘What are you doing now?

When is it going to be done?’ ” he said. “Afterwards, everybody was speechless. Everybody cried. My sponsors, too. They said it exceeded their expectations, so everybody was proud of me.” Renaud said she is in talks now to expand the Teen Filmmaker Lab. She said the process of creating a documentary film can be therapeutic for young people with very adult problems. “These kids make these incredible films that actually teach us a lot of things, and teach us about the society that we have created,” she said. “The problems they are going through, a lot of time, are the illness our society is going through, like a mirror reflection. … They make their film, then they put it on a big screen and watch it in a theater. That kind of puts things in perspective. It seems to help them move on.” www.arktimes.com

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ARKANSAS TIMES