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NOVEMBER 19, 2015

COMMENT

From the web In response to an Arkansas Blog post on the state Education Department’s charter school board approving a virtual charter school that would spend tax dollars on a contract with a private, (and unaccountable to the public,) corporation: The state needs to drop that per-pupil funding level to 10 percent of the state base for virtual schools. They can tell them it is “virtual funding” to cover their very small labor costs since the coursework was already paid for. They should also put a dollar limit on the salary (with no bonuses) paid to administration of this no-student school district so that it would be the same as the principal of a district that size with the same degree. couldn’t be better In response to the Nov. 12 cover story on the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department’s plan to widen Interstate 30 to 10 lanes as it passes through downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock: IT WAS HORRIBLE! I drove from West Little Rock to North Little Rock at 5 p.m. rush hour last night in the rain, AND IT TOOK 15 MINUTES!!!! THE HORROR! THE PAIN! And last Friday, it took me 5 minutes to get across the I-30 bridge at 8 a.m. OH MY GOD. AHTD SAVE ME FROM THE TRAFFIC APOCALYPSE! ark7788 First off, a disclosure, I was an AHTD engineer for over 33 years. The last 20 or so in roadway design. What we are going through with all the hearings and public meetings is a vetting process. Does AHTD have a preferred plan? Of course! They’ve got to start somewhere. The process now is to take this plan and adjust it as feedback comes in. I know, you are all thinking, right, we spill our concerns to the AHTD and they still build the road they wanted. Far from the truth! We do make adjustments to initial plans to the point that we may throw that design out and try again. I did it several times. It would be so frustrating at these public hearings when you’d explain to the public that this is the suggested design, what don’t you like or do you like about it, and then they would say, “What for, you’re going to do it your way anyhow.” This is a massive project for such a small state and somehow after everyone has had a say, the engineers will go back a cobble together a set of plans that meets the public’s demands, meets all standards 4

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

and practices, and hopefully looks good too. The designers will get the job done as long as you tell them what you want. It was what challenged me to want to go to work all those years. Skee Hee In response to an item on the Arkansas Blog about the League of Women Voter’s stance on the I-30 project, also known as 30 Crossing: I applaud the action of the League on this critical, urgent policy question. I hope

that many other nonprofit organizations and faith groups, especially those who deal with issues of social justice and the environment, will quickly step forward and join with the LWV in unison to oppose the “dirty” 30 CROSSING project, and to advocate for a future Little Rock that is focused on making its downtown and close-in neighborhoods more livable, walkable, and protective of the environment. Making downtown a destination rather than a place that heavy trucks and commuters pass through and/or escape from will drive human-centered rede-

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velopment, which will benefit landowners, employees of center-city businesses (including commuters) and tourists. The construction industry will see long-term growth potential, while taxpayers will be relieved of spending the huge amount of money required to finance and build the dirty 30 CROSSING. Why not take a portion of that projected cost and invest it in making Little Rock more attractive, consistent with the progressive ideas and plans being put forth by architects, planners and civic activists? Environmental groups like the Sierra Club Arkansas Chapter and Arkansas Audubon need to step forward now to help catalyze the growing movement against a 10-lane highway. Don’t let the League stand alone in this fight. We need leadership! Armed Mexican Invader In response to news broken on the Arkansas Blog that Mayor Mark Stodola would seek an increase in the hamburger tax to raise $60 million to update and expand the Arkansas Arts Center: Even if I’m not paying it, why should I support a tax that Stodola supports? If our mayor can say to hell with Little Rock by supporting the billion dollar I-30 bridge boondoggle, then I say to hell with our mayor’s plans for Little Rock — especially when those plans involve spending millions of dollars to improve a museum located next to that freeway. Let us not forget his involvement in the tech park boondoggle. The man has a history of being on the wrong side of these projects, and I don’t see that changing. That Arts Center needs to relocate to a city that appreciates its downtown and is working hard to revitalize it: North Little Rock. It does not belong in a city that sees providing office space to people who live in Benton as the reason for its existence. Paying Top Dollar for Legislators In response to Gene Lyons’ column on Republican presidential nominee seeker Dr. Ben Carson:

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Another piece of the Carson story is, he won’t get the nomination because there aren’t enough Republicans who are ready to vote for an African American. Maybe in another generation or two, but certainly not now. Republicans as a whole aren’t ready for a woman either, and I would be very surprised if a man with a Latino heritage gets the nomination. That narrows it down a bit. Tony Galati

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NOVEMBER 19, 2015

WEEK THAT WAS

Quote of the Week: “We are not in a war of civilizations, because these assassins don’t represent one. We are in a war against jihadist terrorism, which threatens the entire world.” — French President Francois Hollande, addressing a joint session of France’s parliament on Monday.

Brutal terrorist attack inspires rejection of those fleeing brutal terrorists

As of Tuesday morning, 27 governors (all Republican but one) had issued statements opposing allowing Syrian refugees into their states. One of the first was Arkansas’s Asa Hutchinson. “Many of the Syrian refugees are fleeing violence in their own country, but Europe, Asia or Africa are logically the best places for resettlement or for temporary asylum,” the governor said. “[It] is not the right strategy for the United States to become a permanent place of relocation.” Never mind the fact that the millions streaming out of Syria are the classic picture of huddled masses desperate for relief from both religious persecution (at the hands of Islamic State fanatics) and a repressive regime (under a Syrian government hungry for young men to force into military service). Never mind that the U.S., by destabilizing Iraq a decade ago, inadvertently set the stage for much of the chaos in neighboring Syria, or that the U.S. historically has taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees escaping war-torn regions from Vietnam to Yugoslavia. The fear sown by the attacks in Paris is doing just what it was intended to do: drive a deeper wedge between the West and the Islamic world. Depressing as Hutchinson’s stance may be, it doesn’t go far enough for some. For the truly dark stuff, turn once again to state Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway), who has kept up a stream of hate speech against Islam on social media since last Friday’s atrocity. “I urge every American citizen to write @BarackObama & demand he STOP all plans to accept muslims into our nation. #terrorism,” he tweeted.

Getting RAD wrong A group of 19 professors of psychology and social work from around the nation sent a letter last week to ABC, complaining of the network’s inaccurate depiction of reactive attachment disorder, or RAD, in its October “20/20” special on 6

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

the Justin Harris rehoming. RAD is a rare condition in which children have difficulty forming bonds with their caregivers, but it’s often misunderstood as being defined by violence and aggression. Some fringe “therapists” recommend harsh, punitive “treatments” for kids who supposedly have RAD. (In the Harris case, Justin and Marsha Harris claimed their adopted daughters had “undiagnosed RAD.”) But mainstream psychology flatly rejects such methods. The psychologists objected to a video on ABC’s website that accompanied the “20/20” story. Jean Mercer, a professor emerita of psychology at Stockton University in New Jersey who drafted the letter, wrote that “the content of this video supports a common misunderstanding that, among other things, can cause people to fear and reject children who have histories of abuse or abandonment, or can lead the children’s caregivers to seek ‘fringe’ treatments that may cause real harm.”

No to nativity scene A federal judge last week ruled in

Race at the University of Arkansas, by the numbers

With the turmoil at the University of Missouri drawing more attention to racial disparities on American college campuses, students at Arkansas’s flagship public university are joining the movement. How does the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville compare when it comes to race?

1,334

African-American student enrollment at UA-Fayetteville this fall, out of 26,754 students total, or 4.98 percent.

African-American full- or part-time instructional faculty, out of 1,320 faculty total, or 2.65 percent.

210 African-American nonfaculty staff members, out of 3,169 total, or 6.62 percent.

15.6 percent

The proportion of Arkansas’s population that is black, as of 2014. favor of plaintiffs challenging the constitutionality of a Nativity scene displayed during the holidays on the Baxter County courthouse lawn. Mountain Home resident Dessa Blackthorn, aided by the American Humanist Association, sued the county after a local judge refused to allow the hanging of a banner

that noted the observance of the winter solstice. The precedent is as clear in Baxter County as it is at the state Capitol or any other public property: Either the government must open its grounds to displays of different religious viewpoints, or have no religious displays at all.

OPINION

Neighborliness, in Little Rock and beyond

had a parochial topic in mind this week — a surprise plan by Mayor Mark Stodola to address the Arkansas Arts Center’s many needs. He sprung the plan this week — a 2-cent hotel room tax to support a $35 million bond issue to repair, expand and redesign the arts center, while making some other improvements to surrounding MacArthur Park and the military museum. If voters approve, it would cement the museum in Little Rock and in the historic park. A poll indicates residents are supportive of a tax to be paid almost wholly by visitors. The Arts Center’s leadership is on board, even though some remain unenthusiastic about the downtown location. Obstacles exist: Hotels might prefer a convention bureau idea to build a sports facility to attract youth sports

industrial property now has homes, businesses and restaurants joining the presidential library and Heifer International in what could be the city’s next great new neighborhood. Opposition is rising to the disruptive highway scheme. Credit the mayor on this, too, as well as City Directors Kathy Webb and Ken Richardson and state Reps. Warwick Sabin and Clarke Tucker, along with the new urbanists events that fill who are rapidly reshaping attitudes about hotel rooms. how a city should look and function. No Using up existing thanks are in order for the hidebound tax authority for chamber of commerce and its supporta single recipient ers from the west side who think wider will disgruntle freeways and bigger parking lots are how MAX some other woryou measure city progress. BRANTLEY thy organizations. But I have digressed. Back to neighmaxbrantley@arktimes.com Those conbors. And back to Sunday School. cerned about the neighborhood might I’m no Mike Huckabee nor Asa be more enthusiastic if the Arkansas Hutchinson. I wasn’t schooled at a Bible Highway and Transportation Depart- college and so I don’t always share the ment could be deterred from its $600 “values” they tout. But I do remember million plan to widen Interstate 30 the Great Commandment from First through the center of town, thus more UMC Lake Charles, about loving your deeply dividing the neighborhood. neighbor. I can still hum the junior choir Other cities are tearing up freeways. hymn about the Samaritan who “loved Little Rock should, too. Then there’d his God and his neighbors, too, because be no barriers between downtown that’s what Jesus wants us to do.” Jesus apparently has other plans if and the Quapaw Quarter on the west and the east side, where once-derelict the person in need is Syrian, at least

War is not the solution

t may be true of any historical string rendous as Paris, of events, but it seems that the now perhaps because long scourge of terrorism always of the nationality strikes people, particularly in the West, or culture of the in the same way: that it is something dead. The fact is that unprecedented, almost millennial in its ERNEST horror, and something that demands a we have been livDUMAS response unprecedented in ferocity and ing with global finality. terrorism in the West and this side of That was the reaction of nearly every the Atlantic at least since 1983 when American and much of the world after Shiite terrorists blew up the U.S. the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World embassy in Beirut and the barracks Trade Center and the Pentagon and it of American and French peacekeepwas the reaction to the coordinated ers, killing altogether more than 400 attacks in Paris last week that left 129 servicemen and civilians. We were people dead, many more injured and all shocked that Americans sent to millions more fearful that they would Lebanon for a benevolent purpose, to never feel safe again. The Paris mas- maintain public safety while Palestinsacre was only the latest in a string of ian forces abandoned the zone of the terrorist attacks that had killed hun- Lebanese civil war, could be butchered dreds of Russians on an airliner in the so heartlessly. It was the largest loss Sinai and, the day before Paris, scores of of servicemen’s lives since Iwo Jima innocent Muslims in twin bombings in — and they were peacekeepers! — and Lebanon by the Islamic State. Although the biggest-ever loss of CIA lives. more deadly, those did not seem so horLike the Paris massacre and 9/11,

Beirut seemed to demand a ferocious response from French and American leaders. President Reagan declared that the United States would not be driven out by terrorists and would stand its ground and he sent Vice President George Bush to Beirut with the same message. Beyond a naval strike, the president never delivered the heavy retaliation he seemed to promise because his defense secretary and secretary of state disagreed on whether it was wise. After a few months, he quietly brought the Marines home. Cultural and religious wars, of which terrorism is the modern tool, are not immune to the principle of cause and effect. Reagan’s defense secretary, Caspar Weinberger, and probably Reagan himself knew that the Americans and French were not murdered because they represented freedom and enlightened democracy, which is the popular theme then and today, but because the Shiites and Druze believed the peacekeepers were not neutral but friends of Christians and Israel, the other combatants or sponsors in the Lebanese civil war. The Marine commander had advised against the operations that gave the Druze and Shiites that notion. The first bungled attack on the

according to Arkansas “values Republicans.” In the face of impossible hardship and suffering, they want to close the doors on all Syrian refugees. No vetting could be strict enough, they insist, to guarantee 100 percent security. Huckabee suggested closing borders to any country with a demonstrated presence of ISIS. Does he mean France and Belgium and England, too? Hutchinson said flatly Monday morning that he opposed Syrian refugees in Arkansas. The wretched masses of a war-torn land are other continents’ problem, not ours (is this American exceptionalism at work?). Republicans have identified neighborliness as a weakness, though Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz said they could see admitting Syrian Christians. Sen. Jason Rapert (R-Conway) took the argument to its logical conclusion — he called for the banning of all Muslims’ entry into the United States. He hasn’t called for expulsion of the 12 million living here now — yet. The next election may be determined by this issue. Democrats have generally supported a limited, carefully controlled refugee policy. Shouts from the other side are deafening. If the shouters prevail, I wish for a minute they’d at least shut up about this being a Christian nation.

World Trade Center in 1993 and the spectacularly successful one eight years later by the terrorist band that became known as al Qaeda intended to punish America for setting up camp in the sacred land of Mohammed and meddling in the holy business of Islam and also to pull America into direct combat. The sabotage of the Russian airliner punished Russia for entering the Syrian civil war to bolster Bashar al-Assad, the enemy of Saudi Arabia, the chief exporter of modern Wahhabi jihad. A band of French and Belgian terrorists, along with apparently one Syrian, did not attack Paris because they hated liberté, egalité and fraternité but because France was deeply involved in the civil war that had spread across Syria, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, principally to defeat the Islamic State. France had stepped up its bombing raids in Iraq and Syria after the Obama administration had fed it intelligence about planned attacks on France. It didn’t prevent the attacks. The massive air attacks on Raqqa and suspected ISIS compounds and the declarations of war feed the hunger of people to punish the barbarity somehow. Leaders must do something. Presidential candidates must show that CONTINUED ON PAGE 33 www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

ISIS isn’t an existential threat to U.S.

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ears before Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden, this column argued that al-Qaeda was capable of “theatrical acts of mass murder,” but was not a military threat to the United States. The phrase infuriated some readers. Back then tough guys talked about fighting “Islamofascism,” supposedly a totalitarian ideology linking bitter enemies such as Iran and al-Qaeda (but never Saudi Arabia, where the oil and money are, and where almost all the 9/11 conspirators originated) in an alliance to destroy Western Civilization. Nobody says that any more. My point was simple. Fascism was a poor analogy. Pundits’ Churchillian fantasies aside, what made Nazism “uniquely dangerous wasn’t merely Hitler’s hypnotic ideology. It was German militarism and hyper-nationalism run amok. Islamic extremists control none of the world’s 60-odd Muslimmajority nations. They have no army, air force or navy. They pose no military threat to the integrity of the United States or any Western nation.” Nor does ISIS, al-Qaeda’s more flamboyant and equally murderous rival. Last week’s appalling atrocities in Paris, Beirut and Egypt underscored that reality in the bloodiest possible way. Almost everybody anticipates similar attacks in the United States. We must pray that they fail. However, as President Obama has said, a terrorist willing to die can murder innocents in restaurants as easily as Connecticut schoolchildren. Yet for all the fury and despair these attacks have evoked — I think of a little Parisian girl named Charlotte and her family — ISIS cannot and will not prevail. It’s less a political movement than an apocalyptic death cult, and definitely not an existential threat to the United States, France or Russia. Sane leaders would know better than to antagonize three of the world’s most powerful military establishments at once. ISIS’s self-anointed More Info: Phone: 414-0423“Caliph,” Abu Email:al-Baghdadi, theroot@therootcafe.com Bakr is not that kind of leader. Think David Koresh or Jim

Jones with a militia and a Koran instead of a Bible. Theologically, ISIS is to Islam as the Ku Klux Klan GENE is to Christianity, LYONS i.e. a crackpot, deviant sect. But much crazier. Madness, however, has never prevented cult leaders from gaining an enraptured following. If anything, the converse appears true. It’s a fact of life Orwell recognized in a 1940 review of Hitler’s Mein Kampf: “Whereas Socialism, and even capitalism in a more grudging way, have said to people, ‘I offer you a good time,’ Hitler has said to them, ‘I offer you struggle, danger, and death,’ and as a result a whole nation flings itself at his feet.” Writing in The Atlantic, Graeme Wood explains ISIS’ hypnotic appeal to dispossessed and humiliated young men. “During the last years of the U.S. occupation of Iraq, the Islamic State’s immediate founding fathers … saw signs of the end times everywhere. They were anticipating, within a year, the arrival of the Mahdi — a messianic figure destined to lead the Muslims to victory before the end of the world. … For certain true believers — the kind who long for epic good-versus-evil battles — visions of apocalyptic bloodbaths fulfill a deep psychological need.” It almost goes without saying that you can’t make treaties with such people. They can only be defeated. The question is how? And at what cost? Confronted with a newly belligerent press corps in Turkey recently, President Obama spoke mockingly about actions that would “somehow in the abstract make America look tough or make me look tough.” “When you listen to what [GOP candidates] actually have to say, what they’re proposing, most of the time when pressed they describe things that we’re already doing. Maybe they’re not aware that we’re already doing them. Some of them seem to think that if I were just CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

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A beatdown

est you doubt that Razorbacks are ill-tempered beasts with short memories, witness and rejoice in the carnage of Nov. 14, 2015. On a night where LSU fans lustily greeted their Tigers after they returned, claws bared in anger, from a Tuscaloosa trouncing, Arkansas sapped that vigor within minutes. Yeah, those 5-4 Hogs, the ones with a well-tuned offense that had managed to mask defensive sponginess during a three-game surge to respectability, evinced no regard for Death Valley or its denizens. Sebastian Tretola, the gregarious-seeming offensive lineman, rankled some with his standard pregame pseudo-dance on the Tiger’s eye at midfield. Arguably a purposeful salvo, but did it appear to motivate LSU? Not in the least. Instead, in the latest “uncommon” turn of events of late, Arkansas carried that pregame aggression all the way to about 9:30 in a 31-14 rout of the No. 9 Tigers, more or less toying with them as it should have been worse than that score suggests. LSU benefited from a physics-defying deflection on its first touchdown pass near the end of the first half and scored on the first possession of the second half, so that 21-0 Razorback lead shrunk to 21-14 and would have appeared imperiled if you were merely following the ticker on another network or casually watching the proceedings at a crappy chain restaurant. For those who were engrossed, the disparity was obvious, and the Tigers’ brief tease, meaningless. Arkansas so thoroughly commanded both sides of the line of scrimmage that Tiger fans began exiting the stadium en masse before halftime and continued filing out in ebbs and flows thereafter until the damnable place looked like it had hosted a high school quiz bowl rather than an SEC football game. Brandon Allen, coming off a 33-completion, sixTD effort against Ole Miss, only needed to throw the ball 16 times Saturday, and he hit nine, the most satisfying two being a third-down short curl to Dominique Reed early in the game that the rangy speedster turned into a 52-yard score to get Arkansas off and running, and the last being a 12-yarder on fourth-and-11 on the game’s last possession. Les Miles called a pointless, infuriating timeout to try to force the Hogs into a punt or turnover on downs with all of 15 seconds remaining, and Bret Bielema was having

none of it. Even the punctuation on this game, long since decided, was made with the kind of heavyBEAU fisted force that a WILCOX hyper kindergartener with a jumbo crayon uses while coloring. The night belonged, as mentioned, to the linemen. Arkansas again protected Allen well in passing situations, but primarily flaunted power football that Bobby Petrino’s teams only truly flashed once while patrolling the sidelines, ironically against LSU in the 2010 game at War Memorial Stadium that vaulted Arkansas into its first and last BCS game. In this one, Alex Collins and Kody Walker did yeoman work in the middle when the play called for wedge blocking, eating up big sections of turf and bruising the Tigers’ heretofore vaunted defenders. When Dan Enos was calling for his backs to hit the edges, boy, did they. Collins broke off an 80-yard TD run to stake the Hogs to a 14-0 lead and exhibited the breakaway acceleration that seemed to have been missing early in the year when he was having to exert too much energy trying to navigate around blockers. His longest run of the season ended up being only 11 yards shy of what ballyhooed counterpart Leonard Fournette would grind out all night on 19 carries, and it was the first of his two touchdown runs in the decisive second quarter. When Collins’ midsection took some second-half abuse, though, Walker relished the opportunity to launch his 260-pound frame through those same gaps, with a couple of longer bursts helping him to a career-best 88 yards. By the time the Tigers were wearing down midway through the second half, Jared Cornelius joined in and showed the Hogs what they missed when he broke his arm in the ugly Texas Tech debacle. The Louisiana native came in motion, took Allen’s handoff after the senior quarterback deked the defense badly with a ball fake, and swept left with speed and dexterity. The 69-yard jaunt set the final margin with 10 minutes left, hastened the fan exodus, and validated that Arkansas (6-4, 4-2) damn sure deserves second place in the brutal SEC Western Division all to itself. Pearls cannot simply regale the offensive unit with praise, though, because CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

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THE OBSERVER NOTES ON THE PASSING SCENE

Real fear

t was 6:15 p.m. and The Observer, on the road for work, had just settled into a motel room when the text arrived from a friend: Are you hearing this Paris shit? In fact, The Observer was not hearing it, having spent the afternoon driving through the Delta and poking around Lake Chicot and now gearing up for a wild Friday night of Pringles and Miller Lite in bed at the Lake Village Days Inn. Whatever this Paris shit was, it seemed unlikely to make the evening any better, and so The Observer narrowed his eyes, put the phone face down on the table and cracked open a beer. The thought lingered: How long could one sustain a deliberate ignorance? Could news media be avoided until bedtime? Turn off the phone and the computer, buy more booze and stubbornly watch fake disasters on the SyFy channel all night. A motel room is made for denial, anyway: illicit affairs, dead-end drug binges, fugitives. Isn’t that what you’re paying for — opacity? Seize the wand and whisk those burgundy drapes shut across the face of the world; this Paris shit is gonna come seeping in sooner or later, so why not at least keep it at bay for the rest of the night? That resolve lasted perhaps 90 seconds or so before curiosity and habit won out. Laptop cracked opened and there it was. “Scores.” Not “multiple victims,” not “up to a dozen,” but “scores.” A page refresh and the headline morphed and swelled to fill the top of the screen, blared in 72-point disbelief: Over a hundred. Over a hundred dead. Over a hundred. And then, abruptly, a realization: Wait. What about Liz? See, The Observer has a friend living in Paris. Someone who likes a good concert. Someone who’d check out a soccer match. Someone who’d love to try a popular Cambodian restaurant. Someone who’d go out on a Friday night and be alive in a beautiful, global city. Her Facebook wall was already sprouting a growing huddle of anxious posts, people in Little Rock and elsewhere, telling her to hurry up and check in, please. There in the Lake Village Days Inn, The Observer sat alone and felt just the

tiniest whiff of what was choking France that night: actual terror. Real fear, for a real person, not just the vicarious ache of strangers’ tragedy. The obvious reason why Liz wasn’t online was that she was probably asleep, given the seven-hour time difference. But The Observer had been schooled from infancy in the fine art of concocting irrational fears, taught by a master practitioner — a woman whose considerable creative potential is almost wholly devoted to imagining hideous deaths for her two children. The Observer’s mother can spin the most banal occurrences into gargoyles of certain calamity. An unreturned phone call? There’s been a home invasion. You’ve got a cold? No, sorry, I’m afraid you have leukemia. Many years ago, when The Observer’s much-older brother was away at college in Fayetteville, his weekend visits home were inevitably prefaced by anxiously awaiting his belated arrival late into the night. He was supposed to be here two hours ago, she’d say, eyes red and raw. Those roads are awful. I know he’s dead. I just know it. So Liz, of course, was doomed. The Observer compulsively checked Twitter for news updates — a bad idea generally, and especially ill-advised when one is tense and angry. Several unfortunate social media engagements later, The Observer switched to watching grim faces on cable news rehash the slow drip of facts out of France, then talked online to another friend equally upset about Liz. This turned out to be helpful, since the best way to stop worrying is to be forced to soothe someone even more worried than you. You’ll see. She’s just asleep. A few beers later, The Observer fell asleep, too. Around 2 a.m., a messaged buzzed in the dark, and there was Liz — in bed the whole night, of course. Safe, like so many others weren’t. There, in Paris, she’d pulled off the trick that couldn’t be managed in Arkansas: of knowledge deferred, of remaining blissfully ignorant of the latest atrocity for just a few hours longer. Now, while we slept in the U.S., there she was, waking up into a new day full of war and murder and fear, real fear.

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THE

IN S IDE R

AHTD: Will work with studioMAIN Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department engineers planning the 30 Crossing project to widen Interstate 30 will work with the downtown architect/engineer design collaborative studioMAIN to “listen to the ideas they have on east-west connectivity” and to make the corridor “more inviting,” Design Build Project engineer Ben Browning said Tuesday. The AHTD announced the plan to coordinate with studioMAIN at a public meeting Monday night at the Clinton Presidential Center, attended by nearly 300 people despite a downpour. The AHTD repeated a presentation it made to the city Board of Directors to explain why a 10-lane Interstate 30 is the answer to congestion and safety concerns along the 7-mile stretch from U.S. Hwy. 67/167 in the north to I-530 in the south and took comments from the public. Jerry Holder, the manager of the AHTD’s Connecting Arkansas Program that will spend $1.8 billion on highway improvements, added to the presentation reasons why I-30 can’t be compared to stretches of I-99 in Portland and Seattle that those cities have altered — in Portland with an at-grade boulevard, in Seattle by tunneling underground — to rid their downtowns of unsightly traffic. State Sen. Linda Chesterfield (D-Little Rock), during the comment period after the presentation, urged the foes of the widening project (who outnumbered speakers in favor of the project) to remember her constituents “in the hinterlands” — Southwest Little Rock, Hensley, Jacksonville and so forth — who have to put up with traffic on I-30 to get into downtown. She lives in Southwest Little Rock, and said “it is hell” getting into downtown from her neighborhood. A few of the points raised by the speakers: A bicycle advocate named Steve Clark — a visitor to Little Rock, no connection to the former attorney general — quoted statistics that said that for every bicyclist in Little Rock, there are 721 drivers, compared to a 1 to 126 ratio nationally. While that might argue against plans that enhance bike travel, Clark made the point that “you get what you design for.” Architect Tom Fennell noted that no part of the 30 Crossing plan attempts to reduce demand, and that increased traffic — which the highway department concedes happens when you improve roads — will cause damage to the environment that public health can’t afford. AMR architect Adam Day proposed turning Bond Street into alternative route into town from I-440 that would decrease 12

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

BIG WINNER IN COURT: Wild Wilderness Safari was awarded $916,745 last month in suit against power company.

Donkeys vs. Kong Gentry animal park wins almost $1 million in case against SWEPCO. BY DAVID KOON

he power to condemn private property for a large-scale infrastructure project is one that is, one hopes, reserved for only those projects that will truly serve the greater good. But even in cases where such a move is warranted, condemnations rarely sit right with property owners whose land is taken, especially when they feel the remainder of their land has been damaged or lessened in value in the process. Such was the case with the condemnation of a 9-acre strip of the Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari in Gentry by Southwestern Electric Power Co., or SWEPCO, to build a high-voltage power line. The first time the case was tried, a jury awarded the owners of the park $87,539 in damages. Remanded to the lower court for retrial by the Arkansas Court of Appeals in March 2015, a jury in the second trial, decided Oct. 24, awarded the park’s owners $916,745, an amount their lawyer said was an indication that the jury had been

swayed by the argument that habitat set aside for the park’s collection of animals — some of them critically endangered — had been harmed by the construction. Josh Wilmoth, a spokesman for the family that has owned Wild Wilderness since the 1960s, wouldn’t comment directly on the verdict or the case, citing ongoing legal action. He said his grandfather started collecting animals when his wife bought him buffalo and elk as a gift. The park opened to the public, on a donation admission basis, in the 1970s. Today, Wilmoth said, it provides sanctuary for several dozen species, including endangered Gaur bison from India; Pere David’s deer, a species from China that’s extinct outside of zoos; wild Mongolian horses; Persian onagers, an endangered species of wild donkey; Hartmann’s mountain zebras; scimitar-horned oryx from North Africa, now extinct in the wild; and other, more common animals like hippos, kangaroos and emus. “Our goal is to provide an establishment

for wildlife conservation, education and care, and connection,” Wilmoth said. “Connection is a better word than entertainment. We just want people to be able to go out and see the animals.” Little Rock attorney Sandy McMath handled the case for the Wilmoth family. McMath said that he became involved in the Safari Park case after clients he’d worked with on the successful effort to fight SWEPCO’s Shipe Road-Kings River transmission line project suggested his name to the Wilmoths. For years, McMath said, SWEPCO “had pretty well gotten whatever they wanted” in North Arkansas. Thanks to grass-roots opposition by landowners who feared SWEPCO’s Shipe Road-Kings River project would ruin Ozark views, the power company withdrew its proposal for the project from consideration by the Arkansas Public Service Commission in December 2014. McMath said he believes the days of SWEPCO getting its way without question may be over. “I think the power company is on notice now that they can’t just run roughshod over folks like they used to,” McMath said. In the second trial, McMath introduced into evidence claims of harm to the rest of the Safari Park property from the power line project. McMath said there were three parcels CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

THE

BIG PICTURE

Ask the Times

Earlier this month, the Arkansas Times reported on an incident in which state Rep. Mary Bentley (R-Perryville) allegedly threatened fiscal retribution against the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission when a wildlife officer questioned Bentley’s husband,

Ted, about supposed violations of rules on wildlife baiting and ATV use in the Ouachita National Forest. According to the officer’s incident report, “Ms. Bentley made the statement that we ... need to be real careful, that times were tough and money was tight and that they [the state House of Representatives) are looking for places to get money for funding and the Game and Fish Commission would be a good place to look.” When does an elected official cross the line when it comes to brandishing his or her official authority? We all know people in positions of power sometimes get special treatment, but at what point does it become illegal?

We asked Graham Sloan, executive director at the Arkansas Ethics Commission, to shed some light on the rules about using official authority to grant favors. Although such actions are under the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission, Sloan said, “Our bread and butter is campaign finance and lobbying and things like that.” Still, the commission does get complaints from citizens about actions that are seen as “just not right,” but which don’t involve money changing hands. The closest thing to a general catch-all, “do-right” provision in state ethics law, Sloan said, is Arkansas Code Annotated 21-8-304(a). Here’s that statute:

CROSSING THE LINE?: Rep. Mary Bentley.

No public servant shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure special privileges or exemptions for himself or herself or his or her spouse, child, parents, or other persons standing in the first degree of relationship, or for those with whom he or she has a substantial financial relationship that are not available to others except as may be otherwise provided by law. “I think you could break that down into four elements,” Sloan said. “First, ‘public servant,’ is broader than an elected official. It would include appointed officials and employees,” such as law enforcement officers. “Then there’s ‘use or attempt to use,’ so you would have to use your office or position” in the course of the unethical behavior. “The ‘special privilege or exemption’ is not statutorily defined, but by rule we have defined it as ‘a benefit unfairly conferred or the release of an obligation required of others.’ ” “But you could do all of that, those first three requirements or prongs, and then it boils down to who the favor was for. Was it for your spouse or family member or business partner? Or was it just your old high school friend? You’re not prevented from using your position for anybody on the planet. … The recipient of that special privilege or exemption has to be on that list of people.” That is: your spouse, close family members or someone with whom you share a financial relationship. “If you did a favor for your next door neighbor … it falls outside the scope of that statute.” Sloan said the commission regularly investigates complaints involving ACA 21-8-304(a). “We’ve had a lot of cases that have involved that statute. A lot of them involve tractors and backhoes: The mayor had the water department digging the stump out of his yard. ‘Do y’all dig stumps out of just anybody’s yard?’ … [Or] somebody on the school board votes to hire their brother for a position they’re not properly credentialed for.” As for consequences, Sloan said, “all the statutes under our jurisdiction carry the same penalty. A public letter [of] caution, warning or reprimand. There’s fines from $50 to $2,000. And there’s … criminal penalties as well, but that would be the prosecuting attorney.” Whether the Ethics Commission would refer a violation of this statute to a prosecutor would be a decision made by the agency’s five-member board of commissioners. But, Sloan said, prosecutors aren’t typically receptive to pursuing such low-level criminal charges. “The time or two we’ve tried to send something that way … we got a letter back saying they were busy with robberies and murders, and if [they] ever get caught up [they’ll] take a look at it.”

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INSIDER, CONT. traffic on I-30. He also argued for a bridge to connect Pike Avenue in North Little Rock with Chester Street and I-630 in Little Rock as another bypass to relieve I-30 traffic. CAP manager Holder responded that maintaining Chester Street as a bypass would “fall on the locals” rather than the state. That’s disingenuous: The so-called Cantrell Interchange that would have directed traffic from I-30 west on Second Street to State and east from Chester on Fourth called for making Chester a one-way state highway south. (It was a plan, Holder acknowledged, that AHTD “didn’t get a pat on the back” for.) Day also asked why highway engineers had not consulted urban planners until this point. Tuesday, Browning said that urban planners from HNTB Corporation, national consultants working with Connecting Arkansas on procurement, will be brought into the project. One of the persons to speak out against the 10-lane plan was from Bryant. She said the plan would create choked traffic on I-630 and make her commute worse. She described her recent 35-minute commute along I-430 from Bryant to Burns Park in North Little Rock as “not onerous.” Kathy Wells, speaking for the Coalition of Downtown Neighborhoods, said the Coalition would like the agency to consider a “pedestrian scramble” at the River Market district intersection of Cumberland Street, President Clinton Avenue, Markham Street and La Harpe Boulevard, in which traffic from all directions would stop for pedestrians. That could remove the need to close Cumberland to La Harpe, envisioned by the AHTD as a way to lessen the Second Street exit impact on the intersection. As several other speakers suggested, the coalition also asked the agency to rework its design to adhere to Imagine Central Arkansas, the long-range plan drawn up by Metroplan. Carol Young, speaking for the League of Women Voters, said the league was pleased the agency had listened to complaints about cutting off the River Rail tracks under I-30 and decided to work around them. But, she said, it “remains to be seen” whether the agency, while being open to hearing from the public, will respect the wishes of the public. At one point, a speaker suggested the safety issue at the intersection of Markham, Cumberland, Clinton and La Harpe could be solved by a flyover highway. Holder told the speaker that the highway department would take another look at it. However, the highway department long ago ruled out a flyover as being expensive and difficult to engineer without creating a roller coaster turn on La Harpe. It’s almost certain the highway department will not take another look at it, which raises the question of whether its vow to work with studioMAIN is similarly a sop to the public. www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

SWEET THANKSGIVING: Trio’s Capi Peck offers up a pumpkin mousse with toffee as a holiday treat.

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

Recipes from the pros. BY LINDSEY MILLAR & MICHAEL ROBERTS

veryone has that beloved Thanksgiving dish that must be on the table — giblet gravy, oyster dressing, fried turkey — but if you’re one of those charged with making it every year, man, oh man, does cooking the same

thing every year get boring. So, in what’s become an annual tradition, the Arkansas Times has enlisted local chefs to help mix things up. Below, they offer recipes they cook for their families during the holidays. Some will be easier than others. Capital Hotel pastry chef Matthew Dunn’s recipe for Sweet Potato Pot De Crème is in grams, which requires a kitchen scale, something that’s pretty cheap and an essential tool for serious bakers. In any case, happy cooking and happy holidays.

CAPI PECK TRIO’S

Trio’s Restaurant celebrated its 29th anniversary this year with a party and a spate of renovations that has chef Capi Peck’s dining mainstay looking as fresh as the food. There are few ingredients used more often in a Southern Thanksgiving feast than pumpkin, and this preparation combines it with decadent cream, dark rum and spices, then tops everything off with a delicious toffee crunch. Perfect for a side dish, dessert — or as something to snack on while everyone else is sleeping it off.

BRIAN CHILSON

PUMPKIN MOUSSE WITH TOFFEE For the crunch: 2 C. walnuts 1 1/2 C. toffee bits 3 T. packed dark brown sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 2 T. butter, melted For the mousse:

4 C. chilled heavy cream, divided 1 1/2 C. sugar 10 egg yolks 2 1/2 C. canned pumpkin 4 T. dark rum 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground allspice Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and butter foil. For the crunch, toss nuts, toffee bits, sugar and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Add butter and toss to coat. Place mixture in center of prepared sheet pan; pat to a single layer. Bake until toffee bits are soft but hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Cool crunch completely on sheet pan. Transfer to work surface; chop coarsely. Set aside. For the mousse, whisk 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream with the sugar and

egg yolks in a heavy saucepan to blend. Stir over medium-low heat until thickened to pudding consistency, about 10 minutes, taking care not to boil the mixture. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in pumpkin, rum, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and allspice. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Beat remaining 2 1/2 cups heavy cream until cream holds peaks. Set aside 1 cup of the whipped cream for garnish. Cover and chill. Fold remaining whipped cream into pumpkin mixture. Cover and refrigerate mousse at least 4 hours or up to 1 day. To serve, take 12 eight-ounce decorative glasses, layer 1/3 cup mousse and generous tablespoon of crunch. Repeat two more times (some crunch may be left). Garnish with whipped cream and a very light sprinkle of cinnamon. You can also present this in a trifle dish or other serving pieces. www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

MARK ABERNATHY LOCA LUNA AND RED DOOR

There’s nothing quite like a heap of sweet potatoes and a slice of pie after a big holiday meal, and chef Mark Abernathy of Loca Luna and Red Door has unique recipes for each to fit the bill. Abernathy has had a busy 2015, overseeing renovations of his flagship restaurant Loca Luna in Riverdale and creating new menu items, keeping current with the ever-changing culinary scene in Arkansas.

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB PIE Filling: 4 1/2 C. strawberries, destemmed, washed and cut into quarters 1 C. rhubarb cut into small pieces (frozen is acceptable) 1 C. sugar 4 T. minute tapioca 1 T. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. lemon zest 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon Pinch of salt 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 T. butter cut into chunks 1 egg white beaten with 1 tsp. water Raw large-granule sugar (like Turbinado) Directions: Place one piece of pie dough to make a bottom crust into a pie dish. Put dish in refrigerator to chill. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. To prepare the filling, mix the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, tapioca, flour, zest and juice of lemon, dash of cinnamon and vanilla. Mix well in a large bowl, and pour out into chilled crust. Dot the top of the filling with the butter slices. Brush edges of piecrust with egg white wash. Roll out the other piece of dough and place over filling. Crimp to seal edges and put a couple of small slits in the top center. Brush with egg white wash, and garnish with

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NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

large granule sugar. Collar with foil to keep the edges from burning. Place the pie on a foil-lined pan and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts bubbling. Important: Let it cool before serving. This is a pie that’s even better the next day.

BROWN SUGAR AND BALSAMIC GLAZED SWEET POTATOES 6 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch wedges 3 T. melted butter 1/4-1/2 C. light brown sugar 3 strips bacon, cooked crisp and chopped 2 T balsamic vinegar 3-4 green onions, sliced thin Salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss and coat wedges with butter and spread onto a rimmed sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cook until tops of potatoes start to brown, remove from oven and turn the potatoes over. Cook until the potatoes are still a little firm but soft enough that a fork goes in easily. Remove the potatoes and toss with the brown sugar and Balsamic vinegar. Return to the oven on a top rack for approximately 3 to 4 minutes to let the sugar caramelize. Remove and gently mix in the bacon and green onions. Salt to taste.

BRIAN CHILSON

GREAT POTATOES: Try Mark Abernathy’s take on sweetening up sweet potatoes.

MICHAEL ROBERTS

STEAM IN THE GOODNESS: Matthew Dunn makes a rich and smooth dessert.

MATTHEW DUNN CAPITAL HOTEL

Matthew Dunn is pastry chef at the Capital Hotel, a unique and demanding position among chefs. Baking is a combination of both art and science, requiring precise measurements and temperatures to achieve the best results. Because of this, professional pastry chefs measure their ingredients in grams because, while volume measurements like cups and tablespoons can go awry through packing or settling, weight doesn’t change.

SWEET POTATO POT DE CRÈME This recipe is written for an oven that has a steam setting. If yours doesn’t, create steam by putting a pot of water on a lower rack.

Sweet potato puree 1,000 g sweet potato 120 g good maple syrup 2 cinnamon sticks, divided 4 cloves, divided 2 star anise, divided 10 g fresh ground nutmeg, divided Peel and dice the sweet potato and divide between two large shrink wrap

bags. Place 60 g of maple syrup, one cinnamon stick, two cloves, one star anise and five grams nutmeg in each bag and seal. Place the bags in the oven on full steam at 214 degrees and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are fully cooked. Cool the potatoes and remove all of the whole spices. Pass through a potato ricer to make smooth.

Pot de Crème 250 g milk 600 g cream 400 g sweet potato puree 260 g egg yolks 160 g sugar 25 g vanilla extract 150 g crème fraiche 400 g sweet potato puree Bring the milk, cream and first measurement of puree to a boil. Once at a boil, pass the mixture through a chinois. Mix the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Temper the hot milk into the egg yolks and mix. Add the crème fraiche and the next measurement of puree and mix well. Add 100 g per pot. Bake at 200 degrees with 50 percent steam for about 20 minutes, or until set.

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BRIAN CHILSON

SOUTH AMERICAN TWIST: Heinz Koenigsfest has a different way of stuffing the bird.

HEINZ KURT KOENIGSFEST LULU’S LATIN ROTISSERIE & GRILL

Heinz Kurt Koenigsfest recently opened Lulu’s Latin at 315 N. Bowman Road. It’s a return to his roots in Bolivia, where he lived and owned a restaurant until he and his family moved to Arkansas seven years ago. Lulu’s specializes in Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Argentine-style steaks, empanadas, fried yucca, pisco sours, caipirinhas and other food and drink from across Latin America. Below, Koenigsfest offers his take on stuffed chicken and rice pudding.

RELLENO DE POLLO 1 whole chicken — deboned 1/2 lb. bacon (chopped) 1/2 lb. smoked ham, cut into small squares (can be omitted if desired) 5 Granny Smith apples 18

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

1/2 C. raisins 1 slice bread (soaked in enough milk to cover) 1 lb. lean ground beef or pork 1 onion (chopped) 1 egg (beaten) 1 T. salt 1 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. dry mustard juice of 1 lemon Debone chicken and set aside. You may want to ask your butcher to do this for you. Stuffing: Cover the bottom of skillet with olive oil and sauté the onion, ground beef or pork, ham and bacon until all of the pink is gone from beef or pork. Drain off any grease from the meat. Add the chopped apples and raisins, the bread, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper. Let the mixture cool and then add the beaten egg and hand mix. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, mustard and one tablespoon olive oil and set aside.

Place stuffing mixture inside the chicken. Roll the chicken together and secure with kitchen string. Rub lemon juice mixture over the skin of chicken and place in an oiled, ovenproof dish. Cook at 350 for 1 1/2 hours, basting it with its own juices from time to time.

ARROZ CON LECHE 1 C. long grain white rice 3 C. whole milk 1 cinnamon stick 2 cloves 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk 1 6-oz. can condensed milk 1/2 C. port wine (optional) Put rice, whole milk, cloves and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is done. Add evaporated and condensed milk and cook for 10 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Mixture will thicken. Stir in port wine if desired. Place in a serving dish and sprinkle with powdered cinnamon.

2 01 5

Another successful Arkansas Times Hog Roast It was a huge crowd on a beautiful sunny day and warm sky at night!

TH A NK YOU LOC A L BA NDS

BROWN SOUL SHOES

Congratulations to the winners of the 3nd annual Arkansas Times Heritage Hog Roast!

PROFESSIONAL WINNER The Country Club of Little Rock AMATUER WINNER

BIG STILL RIVER

Kermit’s X

Smoke City Limit

(Butts winner)

(No Butts About It winner)

Special thanks to all participating restaurants - long hours were spent - with fabulous results from all! ARKANSAS ALE HOUSE APPLE BOTTOM BBQ

THE COUNTRY MIDTOWN CLUB OF BILLIARDS LITTLE ROCK ARGENTA BUTT SMOKE CITY RUBBERS LIMITS

KERMIT’S X

TUESDAYS

SMOKIN’ BUTZ

POP SMOKE BBQ

SO RESTAURANT BILLY BOB’S SMOKIN’ BUTTS BUFORD’S DOGTOWN SMOKERS

Thanks to our sponsors this year!

SIMPLY THE BEST CATERING

Benefiting Argenta Arts District

ONLINE PLEASE VISIT US www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

Help Homeless Neighbors

Feed Their Pets

The Pet Food Pantry provides dog and cat food to neighbors who are homeless or struggling to feed their pets. Please help by contributing: • Dry dog or cat food of any brand, flavor or type. • Empty 3 lb – 7 lb dog and cat food bags. • Plastic shopping bags. • Funds to purchase food. • Your time in setting up • and passing out food.

BRIAN CHILSON

For more info, contact Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church at office@qqumc.org or call 501-680-3436.

SOUTHERN STYLE: Pecans, pumpkin and cheesecake from Anne Wood.

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

GILBERT ALAQUINEZ AND ANNE WOOD FORTY TWO

Too many times, Thanksgiving doesn’t live up to what it should be for one reason: dry turkey. The popular holiday fowl is a very lean bird and can be easily overcooked by folks trying to get large turkeys done all the way to the bone. One method of defense against dry meat is to place the bird in a salt solution known as a brine. The action of the salt forces liquid into the bird, increasing moisture and providing some insurance against a hot oven. In addition, flavors added to a brine also penetrate the bird, so each bite will be succulent and full of flavor. Try out this recipe from Alaquinez, Forty Two’s new executive chef, along with an intriguing variation on pumpkin and pecan pie from Wood, Forty Two’s pastry chef.

TURKEY BRINE 7 quarts (28 C.) water 1 1/2 C. coarse salt 6 bay leaves 2 T. whole coriander seeds 1 T. dried juniper berries 2 T. whole black peppercorns 1 T. fennel seeds 1 tsp. black or brown mustard seeds 1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 lbs.), patted dry, neck and giblets reserved for stock, liver reserved for stuffing 1 bottle dry Riesling 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, crushed 1 bunch fresh thyme Bring one quart water, the salt, bay leaves and spices to a simmer, stirring until salt has dissolved. Let cool for five minutes. Line a five-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Place turkey in bag. Add salt mixture, remaining six quarts (24 cups) water, and the other ingredients. Tie bag. If turkey is not submerged, weight it with a plate. Refrigerate for 24 hours, flipping turkey once.

PECAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE Crust: 5 oz. graham crackers, crushed 3 T. pecans, toasted and crushed 3 T. sugar 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 8 T. unsalted butter, melted Filling: 1 1/3 C. sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp. salt

15 oz. pumpkin puree 24 oz. cream cheese, at room temp 1 T. vanilla 5 eggs 1 C. heavy cream Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with foil. Spray the inside of the pan with cooking spray. To make crust, combine the graham crumbs, spices, sugar and pecans in food processor, pulse until evenly ground. Add melted butter to the bowl and process until crumbs are evenly combined. Transfer the crumbs to the prepared springform pan and press firmly into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Bake until browned at the edges. Let cool on a wire rack. To make the filling, combine cream cheese, pumpkin puree and sugar in bowl of mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix until combined, scraping the edges midway through mixing. Next, add spices, salt and vanilla. Mix, add eggs, mix thoroughly and then add cream. Make sure everything is thoroughly combined. Next, pour the filling into the prepared crust, smooth the top. Place springform pan inside a roasting pan. Set in oven, fill the roasting pan with very hot water half way up the side of the springform pan. Be careful not to splash water into the cheesecake. Bake until the cake is slightly jiggly all around and not just in the middle, about 90 minutes. Remove from oven and set on wire rack to cool. Refrigerate for four hours or overnight, run knife along edges of pan, open the springform pan and remove. Garnish with caramel and whipped cream if desired.

AN EVENING WITH TERRENCE MCNALLY

Join us for an intimate event with one of America’s most celebrated playwrights at the President’s House on the UCA campus. Wine and appetizers will be served. Tickets are $100 each. All proceeds benefit Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre’s tenth season! TICKETS ARE LIMITED— RESERVE YOURS TODAY!

501-269-9428 or mrmarotte@arkshakes.com arkshakes.com Terrence McNally is one of American theatre’s most important playwrights. He has received Tony Awards for Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime. He was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1996.

DECEMBER 3, 2015 5:30–7PM

www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

Arts Entertainment

DAVID KOON

AND

DONA BAILEY: Centipede designer was one of the first women in gaming field.

A BUG’S LIFE

UALR professor was one of the minds behind arcade classic Centipede. BY DAVID KOON

f you’re of a certain age, the coinoperated video game arcade may still hold a special place in your heart. One game you may remember with a certain fondness — or loathing, 22

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

depending on your level of hand-eye coordination — was Centipede. Released in May 1981, controlled with a hard-to-master trackball instead of the more ubiquitous joy-

stick found on games like Pac-Man and Asteroids, the game featured a multisegmented insect that squirmed onto the screen and descended through a field of mushrooms toward the player’s avatar, requiring the player to blast every maddening bit of the beast to keep it from nibbling away a quarter’s worth of lives. As a younger woman, Dona Bailey — who now works in the Rhetoric and Writing Department at UALR — designed Centipede for Atari, taking the game from a bare bones idea, through pencil sketches on graph paper, to the pantheon of classic arcade games. In the process, she became one of the rare female pioneers of the multibillion-dollar video game industry. Bailey became fascinated by computers as an undergraduate at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in the 1970s, thanks to a statistics class she took at UALR that required what was then a marvel of modern technology: a pocket calculator. After graduating from UALR in 1975, Bailey worked for a time in Fayetteville before moving to Santa Barbara, Calif., to look for work and nice weather. She wound up getting a job at a General Motors plant in Goleta, Calif., where she helped program some of the first microprocessors used to control engine functions and digital instrument cluster displays. Her fate took a turn, however, after she heard the 1980 Pretenders song “Space Invader” and asked a friend where the name came from. The friend

eventually dragged her to a local dive bar, where they played a tabletop version of the classic video game “Space Invaders.” While Bailey killed off her three lives before she could even figure out how to work the buttons, she saw a similarity to what she’d been doing at GM. “It’s a funny feeling the first time you play, and because there was such a build up to it, I remember that first time playing,” she said. “I didn’t really like playing, but I was able to see that it looked like so many of the displays that I used at GM. I just knew from that work that there weren’t that many microprocessors it could have had.” After realizing the programming she already knew would allow her to design and program video games, Bailey hired on at Atari, the only woman in the arcade division, in June 1980. “I didn’t have as much technical experience as the people I would be working with,” she said, “but I thought I could bring a different perspective. I knew that if I could make a game at all, it would be really different. They were making mostly sports games and war games, laser games where things blow up. I knew I had zip interest in any of that.” In those days, Bailey said, the tech industry was “the Wild West,” with companies openly poaching programmers and the industry as a whole thriving on a hugely competitive spirit — and a male-dominated workforce. Atari, Bailey said, was more like a frat house than a modern tech company. “It even smelled like a frat,” she said. “Just way too many guys crammed into one place.” Bailey said the fierce competition at Atari manifested itself in a variety of frustrating ways. Many of her coworkers refused to share even simple snippets of working code. Instead, she said, many of them took an “I made mine, you make yours” approach that led to needless replication of effort. It was all very foreign to her coming from GM, she said, where the spirit was always one of having a common goal. “I never want to give the wrong impression,” she said. “It was really fun, but it was also really awful, all at the same time, all wrapped up in one. … A lot of the guys were competitive

A&E NEWS

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

and ambitious. They wanted money and they wanted to move up the food chain. They wanted to be a name in technology.” Another way Atari differed from her previous employment, Bailey said, was that while she’d had the benefit of careful mentoring at GM, it was very much sink or swim at Atari. “When I started, it was basically, ‘Here’s your cubicle, now make your game,’ ” she said. “I had no idea what to do. I didn’t have an idea. I didn’t know how to make a game. I didn’t know how their procedures worked. I didn’t know anything. I just remember thinking, ‘Don’t look like you’re panicking,’ but I was inside.” With little guidance, she struggled trying to come up with an idea. The games at Atari, she said, were often geared toward men. She was determined to do something different. “There was always the internal argument, ‘a football game is good enough. All the guys at the bar are going to love a football game.’ But I was always like, ‘What if movies had been like that? What if movies had only been for men?’ ” Finally, after weeks of struggling, a colleague took pity and gave her the company’s “game notebook,” a list of vague ideas for games gleaned from brainstorming sessions. “It turned out to be about 40 game ideas, and 39 of them had lasers in them, and laser was spelled with a Z in every one of them,” she said with a laugh. “I was dreadfully offended by that. I’ve always been a big reader and have always valued good writing skills, and seeing all those ‘lazers’ spelled with a Z just pissed me off.” There was, however, one idea that was different from the others: a multi-segmented insect crawls onto the screen and is shot by the player. Bailey took the idea and ran with it, becoming part of a team that went from that vague idea to machines rolling off the production line and headed for arcades in just 11 months. Bailey said the machine originally used buttons to control movement. They tried the more familiar joystick, but found that the movements needed to play the game were so large that the stick made a clunking sound as the player moved their character from side to

THE LITTLE ROCK-BASED OXFORD American magazine has released the cover to its annual music issue, which this year focuses on Georgia. The issue includes stories on Little Richard, Outkast, the Allman Brothers, Gram Parsons, the famous Athens music scene and more, and comes with a 25song accompanying CD. The magazine will be on newsstands Dec. 1 and can be pre-ordered at oxfordamerican.org/ music. South on Main will host a release party on Dec. 3 featuring Georgia “music in the round” performed by Patterson Hood and the Indigo Girls.

side. Finally, they settled on a trackball, which allowed for quick movements from one side of the screen to the other. When Centipede came out, it quickly became a hit with arcade gamers, so much so that Atari was forced to run two shifts of their Centipede production line to keep up with demand. Bailey worked on one other game for Atari before leaving the company in September 1982. She bounced around in tech companies on the East and West Coasts before moving back to Arkansas to take care of her aging parents, securing a job teaching at UALR. Even though she’s not as well known as some pioneers in the tech industry, the success of Centipede still makes her feel that she’s a part of gaming history. “I was proud of making something people liked,” she said. “It was cool to see. Over and over, women told me, ‘It’s the only game I’ll play. When I go with my boyfriend to the arcade, I used to just stand around, but now I like to play your game.’ Guys played it, too. Everybody played it and they liked it. And that was very validating.”

THE LITTLE ROCK PICTURE SHOW, the genre-film showcase formerly known as the Little Rock Horror Picture Show, has announced that it will continue despite the dissolution of its sponsor, the Little Rock Film Festival. It will be presented in the future by the River City Comic Expo. TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE FOR Celebrity Attractions’ Christmas production, Neil Berg’s “Broadway Holiday,” a musical revue that includes songs from “Dreamgirls,” “West Side Story” and many other popular shows

and holiday standards. The show will be at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center on Dec. 18-20. Tickets range from $35 to $60 and are available by phone at 501-244-8800 or online at ticketmaster.com. SOUTH ON MAIN WILL PRESENT its annual holiday arts and crafts market Art of the Bar on Sunday, Dec. 13, with work from 15 vendors from around the state, signature cocktails and food, plus live music from Bonnie Montgomery and Amy Garland.

Ring in the New Year NEW YEAR’S EVE OVERNIGHT PARTY PACKAGE

$235.89 per couple • Includes two champagne flutes, dinner for two, admission to the party and lodge accommodations at DeGray Lake Resort State Park Wake up to beautiful lake views, and enjoy a New Year’s Day breakfast, guided 1st Day Hike and Eagle Lake Cruise. (Reservations required for Lake Cruise. Space is limited.)

DANCE PARTY

Stop Looking. Start Living. 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. • Thursday, December 31

Live music by Redd Tape, heavy hors d’oeuvres, champagne toast and more • $35.52 per person • Wine & Beer Bar (at additional cost) Guests must be 21 and older.

RSVP at 800-737-8355

I-30 Exit 78 at Arkadelphia • DEGRAY.com

Stop Looking. Start Living.

• Professionally Licensed Agents • Professionally Licensed Agents Specializing in Apartments, Corporate Suites, • • Specializing in Apartments, Corporate Suites, Rental Homes, and Condos Rental Homes, and Condos • Personalized Property Tours Available • Personalized Property andand CityCity Tours Available Little Rock Ranked #1 of America’s 10 Great Places to Live in 2013 by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

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501.219.2787 / 800.644.APTS (2787) www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

THE TO-DO

LIST

BY BENJAMIN HARDY AND WILL STEPHENSON

GEARED TO OVERHAUL SCHOOLS: Film “Most Likely to Succeed,” a look at American school system, comes to the Ron Robinson Theater.

THURSDAY 11/19

‘MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED’ 7 p.m. Ron Robinson Theater.

For this month’s installment of our film series, the Arkansas Times is partnering with Noble Impact and the Clinton School of Public Service to show “Most Likely to Succeed,” a documentary arguing the American school system requires a fundamental overhaul to meet 21st century economic realities. I’m eager to see it. Let me also get this out there: I’m pretty skeptical of the premise. It’s true that K-16 education is saddled with its share of anachronisms — an extended summer break, for example, is a wasteful

relic of an agrarian age — but I’m not sure the Silicon Valley-tinted vision of reform extolled by the film is where our schools need to be heading. After the screening, we’ll have a panel Q&A about public education; the panel will include executive producer Ted Dintersmith, an assistant commissioner from the Arkansas Department of Education, a University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff professor and former superintendent, and myself. It should be a lively discussion. Dintersmith, a former venture capitalist who conceptualized and funded the film, appears to not be cut from quite

the same cloth as other “entrepreneurial philanthropists” who’ve waded into public education, a la Jim Walton or Bill Gates. He’s loudly critical of high-stakes standardized testing, acknowledges the mixed record of charter schools, and avoids demonizing unions. But at the same time, he excoriates traditional education with the same alarmist hyperbole one hears from folks like Gates and Walton. “Almost all … U.S. high school and college science classes, even at top-rated institutions, remain locked into a broken pedagogy whose main purpose is weeding kids out of these career paths,” Dintersmith opined in a recent Wash-

ington Post op-ed. Because the American reading public has an endless appetite for rhetoric confirming our national paranoia that everything is going straight to hell — especially The Kids — that sounds like hard-nosed truth-telling, but it doesn’t square with the fact that the number of bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering awarded by colleges and universities in the U.S. has grown by 19 percent in the past five years. Nonetheless, I’m going into “Most Likely to Succeed” with as open of a mind as I can muster, and I’m looking forward to the conversation to follow. Come join in. BH

millennials that, yes, violins and sheet music can be cool, too. Witness the rash of orchestral pop cover albums in the 2000s, those string quartet tributes to Radiohead or Nine Inch Nails or Incubus or whatever. One problem with those albums is that they were terrible. Another is that the format itself seemed doomed — in terms of cultural production, it’s the equivalent of tying both hands behind your back and swallowing

sedatives: You’ve lost before you even started. It’s easy to get this impression from Brooklyn Rider, which the Washington Post has described as “the string quartet from Brooklyn everybody talks about.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called them “a Beethoven-goes-indie foray into making classical music accessible,” which is about as bleak as it gets, blurb-wise. Luckily, this is a misleading way to describe what turns out to

be a fascinating group, the members of which are firmly in the tradition of 21st century classical ensembles, if perhaps better-dressed. Like the crowdpleasing Kronos Quartet, they embrace avant-garde classics and new commissioned pieces, working with forwardthinking young composers and indie rock-world figures alike (Wilco’s Glenn Kotche, Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier, David Byrne, etc.). WS

THURSDAY 11/19

BROOKLYN RIDER

7:30 p.m. Wildwood Park for the Arts. $30.

Every so often a group of young, classically trained musicians — as invested in the cultural present as they are in the canon — will come up with a formula they’re convinced will finally, once and for all, usher classical music into the digital age, persuading plugged-in 24

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

IN BRIEF

THURSDAY 11/19 Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen will be presented with the 2015 Community Truth Teller Award at a reception held by the Arkansas Community Institute at the Main Library’s Darragh Center, 5:30 p.m. Acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist Muriel Anderson performs at The Joint as part of the Argenta Arts Acoustic Music Series, 7:30 p.m., $20. Comedian James Johann is at the Loony Bin at 7:30 p.m., $7 (and at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, $10). Eighties hair metal band Autograph (“Turn Up the Radio”) plays at Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $12. Local jazz group TwiceSax plays at the Afterthought, 9 p.m., $7.

FRIDAY 11/20 TO THA X-TREME: Devin the Dude comes to Juanita’s.

TUESDAY 11/24

DEVIN THE DUDE

8:30 p.m. Juanita’s. $15. BACK TOGETHER AGAIN: The Cate Brothers reunite for a performance at Ron Robinson.

FRIDAY 11/20

THE CATE BROTHERS BAND

7 p.m. Ron Robinson Theater. $20.

Twin brothers Earl and Ernie Cate were born in Fayetteville and grew up in Springdale. As teenagers, their musical idols were hometown hero Ronnie Hawkins, and especially his band — Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm. The things that people would come to love about The Band — that blend of old, weird American regionalism and ’70s blues-rock sentimentality, of literary imagination and rugged plain-spokenness, the mandolin and the organ, humor and religious intensity — those things became the Cate brothers’ template. Through their association with Helm (look up the great video of the group backing him on “Sweet Peach Georgia Wine”), the Cate Brothers Band traded local prominence for L.A. and David Geffen, and released a string of albums in the

1970s that are, if not overlooked classics, well worth revisiting (for fans of Poco and The Eagles, et al). Their biggest hit, “Union Man,” is a four-on-the-floor dancefloor stomp — it would be at home on a playlist of late ’70s disco-ish rock singles (a gritty, working-class counterpart to Boz Scaggs’ “Lowdown” or the Rolling Stones’ “Miss You”). In the ’80s, the Cate brothers joined The Band on world tours, filling in after the departure of Robbie Robertson. These days Earl Cate plays regularly under the name Earl & Them, along with Helm’s nephew, Terry Cagle, and other longtime collaborators. Ernie, who doesn’t play as often (“He’s kind of more or less enjoying his retirement,” his brother told No Depression), will rejoin the Cate Brothers lineup this weekend for a “special performance of their biggest and best songs.” WS

SATURDAY 11/21

ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD 7:30 p.m. Juanita’s. $10.

The Phoenix, Ariz., natives that make up Andrew Jackson Jihad specialize in a kind of hyper-literate acoustic punk that sometimes sounds like the Violent Femmes and other times sounds a lot (a lot!) like The Mountain Goats. Their latest record, “Christmas

Island,” features songs like “Getting Naked, Playing With Guns,” “Linda Ronstadt,” and “Temple Grandin,” in the latter of which front man Sean Bonnette sings things like, “Open up your murder eyes and see the ugly world that spat you out.” They sing about politics and social issues with outrage and real earnestness, and with the self-lacerating passion of leftist Protestant-apostates. WS

There have been whole months in my life for which Houston’s Devin the Dude was my favorite rapper. This isn’t one of those months — it’s been a while — but it doesn’t matter: I take his greatness for granted, as we all should. I spent a long depressing winter once listening to his third record, 2004’s “To tha X-Treme,” more than almost anything. It’s one of the all-time-great, sad, drug albums, I think — up there with Pink Floyd’s “Meddle,” Marvin Gaye’s “Here, My Dear,” John Martyn’s “Solid Air.” Even the samples are harrowing: “Cooter Brown,” with its sad-sack Willie Hutch hook (“Our life used to be so wonderful, but oh, look at me now”); “Right Now,” built from a plaintive James Taylor loop. Album highlight “Anythang” is a brutally poignant, self-help anthem. “Really ain’t no need for self-pity,” he sings, “Cryin’ when there’s no one else around.” The song’s refrain is the distilled essence of Devin the Dude, the humble, humane through-line to his work minus all the stoner trappings: “Anything is plenty, man, and is better than nothing at all.” He’s the Willie Nelson of Southern hip-hop — you come for the good vibes and stay for the sensibility. WS

Former U.S. ambassador, congressman and civil rights leader Andrew Young will speak at the “Civil War to Civil Rights” Social Conscience Gathering, presented by the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site at the Embassy Suites (an event that continues through Nov. 22), 8:30 a.m., $25-$100. Also speaking will be Baltimore essayist D. Watkins (12:15 p.m.), author and commentator Dr. Julianna Malveaux (1 p.m. Saturday) and many others. Avant-metal band Pinkish Black plays at Vino’s with Sumokem, Iron Tongue and Mainland Divide, 8 p.m., $6. Cereus Bright performs at Stickyz at 8:30 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of. The 2015 Arkansas Times Musicians Showcase winner, Ghost Bones, plays at Maxine’s in Hot Springs with Nervous Curtains. Revolution hosts a Neon Splash Paint Party, 9 p.m., $25 adv., $30 day of. The Sideshow Tragedy plays at the White Water Tavern with Collin vs. Adam, 9:30 p.m. Big Piph and Tomorrow Maybe plays at South on Main, 10 p.m., $15.

SATURDAY 11/21 The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center hosts “Turkey-lympics,” featuring games and family activities, 2 p.m. Texas country legend Robert Earl Keen plays at Revolution at 8:30 p.m., $25 adv., $30 day of. Kentucky country singer Jeremy Pinnell plays at White Water, 9:30 p.m.

SUNDAY 11/22 The 2015 Arkansas Ale Run, featuring live music, games and beer (to benefit the ALS Association), is at the Pleasant Ridge Town Center, 2 p.m., $30. Opera singer Kristen Lewis will perform a program of classics — including works by Gershwin, Puccini, Verdi and Gounod — at Wildwood Park for the Arts to support a vocal foundation scholarship, 4 p.m., $15-$50.

www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 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, NOV. 19

MUSIC

Autograph. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $12. Juanita’s, 8 p.m., $12. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-3721228. www.juanitas.com. Brooklyn Rider. Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m., $30. 20919 Denny Road. Chris Long. Kent Walker Artisan Cheese, 6 p.m. 1515 E. 4th St. 501-301-4963. www.kentwalkercheese.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. Karaoke. Zack’s Place, 8 p.m., free. 1400 S. University Ave. 501-664-6444. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-3724782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com. Muriel Anderson. The Joint, 7:30 p.m., $20. 301 Main St. No. 102, NLR. 501-372-0205. thejointinlittlerock.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. Songwriter Night with Joshua Asante and Amyjo Savannah. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m., $5. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www. whitewatertavern.com. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 8 p.m., free. 111 W. Markham St. 501-370-7013. www. capitalbarandgrill.com. Thunder Dreamer, Dead Balloons. Maxine’s. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. www.maxinespub.com. Tony Furtado. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 8 p.m., $7-$12. 107 River Market Ave. 501-3727707. www.stickyz.com. Traigkly White (headliner), Ben Byers (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf. com. TwiceSax. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $7. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbistroandbar.com.

COMEDY

James Johann. The Loony Bin, 7:30 p.m., $7. 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-228-5555. www.loonybincomedy.com.

EVENTS

Antique/Boutique Walk. Shopping and live entertainment. Downtown Hot Springs, third Thursday of every month, 4 p.m., free. 100 Central Ave., Hot Springs. Arkansas Community Institute’s Community Truth Teller Award Reception. Main Library, 5:30 p.m. 100 S. Rock St. www.cals.lib.ar.us. #ArkiePubTrivia. Stone’s Throw Brewing, 6:30 p.m. 402 E. 9th St. 501-244-9154. 26

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

THE WAY COUNTRY SOUNDS: Kentucky country singer Jeremy Pinnell plays at White Water Tavern 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

CARTI’s 2015 Festival of Trees. Statehouse Convention Center, through Nov. 21. 7 Statehouse Plaza.

FILM

“Most Likely To Succeed.” Presented by the Arkansas Times Film Series (along with Noble Impact and the Clinton School for Public Service), a film screening followed by a panel discussion. Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., free. 1 Pulaski Way. 501-320-5703. www.cals.lib.ar.us/ron-robinsontheater.aspx.

POETRY

POETluck. Literary salon and potluck. The Writer’s Colony at Dairy Hollow, third Thursday of every month, 6 p.m. 515 Spring St., Eureka Springs. 479-253-7444.

FRIDAY, NOV. 20

MUSIC

All In Fridays. Club Elevations. 7200 Colonel Glenn Road. 501-562-3317. Big Piph & Tomorrow Maybe. South on Main, 10 p.m., $15. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. southonmain.com. The Cate Brothers Band. Ron Robinson Theater, 7 p.m., $20. 1 Pulaski Way. 501-320-5703. www. cals.lib.ar.us/ron-robinson-theater.aspx. Cereus Bright & Family and Friends. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 8:30 p.m., $10 adv., $12 day of. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com. Ghost Bones, Nervous Curtains. Maxine’s. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. www.maxinespub. com. Good Foot. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $7. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www. afterthoughtbistroandbar.com. Katmandu (headliner), Richie 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. Neon Splash Paint Party. Revolution, 9 p.m., $25 adv., $30 day of. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www.rumbarevolution.com/new. Route 66. Agora Conference and Special Event Center, 6:30 p.m., $5. 705 E. Siebenmorgan, Conway. The Sideshow Tragedy, Collin vs. Adam. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-3758400. www.whitewatertavern.com. Sumokem, Pinkish Black, Iron Tongue, Mainland Divide. Vino’s, 8 p.m., $6. 923 W. 7th St. 501-375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 8 p.m., free. 111 W. Markham St. 501-370-7013. www. capitalbarandgrill.com. Upscale Friday. IV Corners, 7 p.m. 824 W. Capitol Ave.

COMEDY

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

DANCE

Contra Dance. Park Hill Presbyterian Church, 7:30 p.m., $5. 3520 JFK Blvd., NLR. arkansascountrydance.org. “Salsa Night.” Begins with a one-hour salsa lesson. Juanita’s, 9 p.m., $8. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.littlerocksalsa.com.

EVENTS

CARTI’s 2015 Festival of Trees. Statehouse Convention Center, through Nov. 21. 7 Statehouse Plaza.

Efren G and the Earthtones. Kent Walker Artisan Cheese, 7 p.m. 1515 E. 4th St. 501-301-4963. www.kentwalkercheese.com. LGBTQ/SGL weekly meeting. Diverse Youth for Social Change is a group for LGBTQ/SGL and straight ally youth and young adults age 14 to 23. For more information, call 501-2449690 or search “DYSC” on Facebook. LGBTQ/ SGL Youth and Young Adult Group, 6:30 p.m. 800 Scott St.

LECTURES

Civil War to Civil Rights: Social Conscience Gathering. Embassy Suites, Nov. 20-22, $50$100. 11301 Financial Centre. 501-312-9000.

SATURDAY, NOV. 21

MUSIC

Andrew Jackson Jihad, Jeffrey Lewis and Los Bolts, Rozwell Kid. Juanita’s, 7:30 p.m., $10. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www. juanitas.com. Brian Nahlan Band (headliner), Karen Jr. (happy hour). Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 and 9 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf.com. Foulplay Cabaret, Quaker City Nighthawks. Maxine’s. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. www. maxinespub.com. Good Time Ramblers. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 9 p.m., $7. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbistroandbar.com. Jeremy Pinnell. White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.com. Karaoke at Khalil’s. Khalil’s Pub, 7 p.m. 110 S. Shackleford Road. 501-224-0224. www.khalilspub.com. Karaoke. Casa Mexicana, 7 p.m. 7111 JFK Blvd., NLR. 501-835-7876. Zack’s Place, 8 p.m., free.

1400 S. University Ave. 501-664-6444. Karaoke with Kevin & Cara. All ages, on the restaurant side. Revolution, 9 p.m.-12:45 a.m., free. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www.rumbarevolution.com/new. 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. Mark Currey. Kent Walker Artisan Cheese, 7 p.m. 1515 E. 4th St. 501-301-4963. www.kentwalkercheese.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. Robert Earl Keen. Revolution, 8:30 p.m., $25 adv., $30 day of. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-8230090. www.rumbarevolution.com/new. Ted Ludwig Trio. Capital Bar and Grill, 8 p.m., free. 111 W. Markham St. 501-370-7013. www. capitalbarandgrill.com.

COMEDY

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

EVENTS

CARTI’s 2015 Festival of Trees. Statehouse Convention Center, 7 Statehouse Plaza. Falun Gong meditation. Allsopp Park, 9 a.m., free. Cantrell and Cedar Hill Roads. Family Fun Saturday: “Turkey-lympics.” Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 2 p.m. 501 W. 9th St. 501-683-3593. www.mosaictemplarscenter.com. Hillcrest Farmers Market. Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. 2200 Kavanaugh Blvd. Historic Neighborhoods Tour. Bike tour of historic neighborhoods includes bike, guide, helmets and maps. Bobby’s Bike Hike, 9 a.m., $8-$28. 400 President Clinton Ave. 501-613-7001. Pork & Bourbon Tour. Bike tour includes bicycle, guide, helmets and maps. Bobby’s Bike Hike, 11:30 a.m., $35-$45. 400 President Clinton Ave. 501-613-7001.

LECTURES

Civil War to Civil Rights: Social Conscience Gathering. Embassy Suites, through Nov. 22, $50-$100. 11301 Financial Centre. 501-312-9000.

SUNDAY, NOV. 22

MUSIC

2015 Singers Extravaganza. Revolution, 8 p.m., $5-$20. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www.rumbarevolution.com/new. Al White and Friends. Kent Walker Artisan Cheese, 4 p.m. 1515 E. 4th St. 501-301-4963. www.kentwalkercheese.com. Irish Traditional Music Session. Hibernia Irish Tavern, 2:30 p.m. 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road. 501-246-4340. www.hiberniairishtavern.com. Karaoke. Shorty Small’s, 6-9 p.m. 1475 Hogan Lane, Conway. 501-764-0604. www.shortysmalls. com. Karaoke with DJ Sara. Hardrider Bar & Grill, 7 p.m., free. 6613 John Harden Drive, Cabot. 501-982-1939. Kristin Lewis. Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts, 4 p.m., $15-$50. 20919 Denny Road. Live music. No cover charge Sun.-Tue. and Thu. Ernie Biggs. 307 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-

4782. littlerock.erniebiggs.com.

EVENTS

Arkansas Ale Run. Pleasant Ridge Town Center, 2 p.m., $30. Cantrell Road, just west of I-430. www. schickels.com/directory.htm. Artist for Recovery. A secular recovery group for people with addictions. Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, 10 a.m. 1601 S. Louisiana.

LECTURES

Civil War to Civil Rights: Social Conscience Gathering. Embassy Suites, $50-$100. 11301 Financial Centre. 501-312-9000.

MONDAY, NOV. 23

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.

TUESDAY, NOV. 24

MUSIC

Devin the Dude. Juanita’s, 8:30 p.m., $15. 614 President Clinton Ave. 501-372-1228. www.juanitas.com. Jeff Ling. Khalil’s Pub, 6 p.m. 110 S. Shackleford Road. 501-224-0224. www.khalilspub.com. Jim Dickerson. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7 p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-324-2999. www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com. Karaoke Tuesday. Prost, 8 p.m., free. 322 President Clinton Blvd. 501-244-9550. willydspianobar.com/prost-2. Karaoke Tuesdays. On the patio. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 7:30 p.m., free. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.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. UCA Jazz II Ensemble. South on Main, 7 p.m. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. southonmain.com.

COMEDY

LECTURES

Science Cafe: “Mysteries of Polymer Chemistry.” Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 7 p.m. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbistroandbar.com.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 25

MUSIC

Acoustic Open Mic. Afterthought Bistro & Bar, 8 p.m., free. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-1196. www.afterthoughtbistroandbar.com. Brian and Nick. Cajun’s Wharf, 5:30 p.m. 2400 Cantrell Road. 501-375-5351. www.cajunswharf. com. Castle, Apothecary. Vino’s. 923 W. 7th St. 501375-8466. www.vinosbrewpub.com. Drageoke with Chi Chi Valdez. Sway. 412 Louisiana. 501-907-2582. Friendsgiving: Bonnie Montgomery and Friends. South on Main, 10 p.m., $10. 1304 Main St. 501-244-9660. southonmain.com. Indie Music Night. Revolution, 9 p.m., $10. 300 President Clinton Ave. 501-823-0090. www.rumbarevolution.com/new. Jim Dickerson. Sonny Williams’ Steak Room, 7 p.m. 500 President Clinton Ave. 501-324-2999. www.sonnywilliamssteakroom.com. Karaoke at Khalil’s. Khalil’s Pub, 7 p.m. 110 S. Shackleford Road. 501-224-0224. www.khalilspub.com. Karaoke. MUSE Ultra Lounge, 8:30 p.m., free. 2611 Kavanaugh Blvd. 501-663-6398. 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. The Revolutioners, DeFrance. Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 9 p.m., $7. 107 River Market Ave. 501-372-7707. www.stickyz.com. Runaway Planet. White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. 2500 W. 7th St. 501-375-8400. www.whitewatertavern.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.

POETRY

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

Wednesday Night Poetry. 21-and-older show. Maxine’s, 7 p.m., free. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs. 501-321-0909. maxineslive.com/shows. html.

DANCE

ARTS

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

EVENTS

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

NO SKINNY STEAKS!

Piano Bar Tue– e Bar Martini & Win Sat

e • 35 By The Gla ss 33 5 Sel ect ion s Of Win The Wo rld oss Fin e Spi rits Fro m Acr ion Of Sco tlan d Reg ry Eve m Fro t Lis Sco tch Op en unt il 10 pm • ns rbo Bou 6 Sin gle -Ba rrel

THEATER

“God’s Man in Texas.” The Weekend Theater, through Nov. 22: Fri., Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m., $16. 1001 W. 7th St. 501-374-3761. www. weekendtheater.org. Marvelous Misfits Variety Show. The Public Theatre, Thu., Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m., $10 adv., $13 day of. 616 Center St. 501-374-7529. www.the-

In The River Market District 501.324.2999 sonnywilliamssteakroom.com

Free Valet Parking www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

MOVIE REVIEW

DINING CAPSULES, CONT. publictheatre.com. “Out of Order.” Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, through Dec. 27: Tue.-Sat., 6 p.m.; Sun., 5:30 p.m. 6323 Col. Glenn Road. 501-562-3131. murrysdinnerplayhouse.com.

NEW GALLERY EXHIBITS, EVENTS

‘TRUTH’: Robert Redford stars.

Good night and tough luck Dan Rather, Mary Mapes and the ‘Truth.’ BY JAMES MATTHEWS

here was a time when televised national news came into American homes only once a day, at a set time. You had your choice of three major networks. At the anchor desk of each was a middle-aged, clean-shaven white man. When I was a child in the early 1980s, the only thing that differentiated the anchors was their accents. It was Dan Rather’s slight Texas drawl that brought foreign words and places and names — Sandinista, Grenada, Moammar Gadhafi — into my family’s living room every evening. Dan Rather had come to national attention when, as a Dallas reporter, he first announced the news of President Kennedy’s assassination, and he would become the longrunning anchor for the “CBS Evening News,” winning seven Peabody Awards along the way. By the time of Rather’s fall from grace, in late 2004, I no longer paid any attention to the nightly news, and the storm was little more than a blip on my radar, yet another media dinosaur fallen prey to slack journalistic standards, new technology and the rise of infotainment. The rough outline of Rathergate is this: In the lead-up to the 2004 presidential election, “60 Minutes” aired a piece by Rather and his team about then President George W. Bush’s time with the Texas Air National Guard in the early 1970s. 28

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

It accused Bush of using political connections to skip out on Vietnam and also claimed he had been AWOL for months. Rather’s team presented documents that seemed to corroborate what had until then only been an Internet rumor. But in the days after the report aired, the veracity and provenance of the documents were called into question. Even though they could not be verified, Rather and his team, including his producer Mary Mapes, stood by the story even as it crumbled around them. By early 2005, Mapes had been fired and Rather had retired. But that’s not the full story, if the new movie “Truth” is to be believed. (It shouldn’t be.) “Truth” is a creative retelling of the fall of Rather, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why this movie was made. In part, it feels like a rehab vehicle for Rather’s tarnished image. And then at times, the movie is an overly pedantic screed against corporatism, for-profit media and the Bush political machine. And finally, it’s an apology for sloppy journalism. That last one is always a bad idea. People will applaud a movie about great journalism (think “All the President’s Men”) and will abide movies about bad journalism so long as it lays the blame where it belongs (think “Shattered Glass”), but make a movie about egre-

gious journalistic practices that then tries to sanctify the offenders, as “Truth” does? No way. Moviegoers will find it inauthentic, and journalists will find it offensive. Now you’ve offended both the audience and the reviewers. All of which is why I wanted to describe “Truth” as a movie that shouldn’t have been made, about a news story that shouldn’t have been aired. But somehow, the movie kept me watching (although the only other person in the theater left halfway through). The narrative conceit — Mapes is retelling the story to her lawyer before facing an investigative panel — works. The movie is well directed, shot and paced. Even at 125 minutes, it does not feel flabby. But what makes the movie worth watching is Cate Blanchett, who pulls Mapes from behind the scenes and places her at the heart of the movie. I almost found myself siding with her scrappy, bully-hating, stick-to-your-guns, working mother. Almost. And Stacy Keach, who plays Lt. Col. Bill Burkett, the source of the discredited documents, should get a mention here, too. “Truth,” like any other movie, could have been made better with more screen time from Keach. As much as it pains me to say it, Robert Redford is the weak link in this movie. There was not a moment when I felt like I was watching Dan Rather, or even an actor portraying Rather. Redford’s portrayal of Rather felt more like a reprisal of his decades-old role as Bob Woodward, minus the integrity and enthusiasm. But don’t you worry about Redford. I hear he’s signed on to play Brian Williams in a new movie. Apparently, he gets to fly a helicopter and save the world. It’s got Oscar written all over it.

ARGENTA GALLERY, 413 Main St., NLR: Glass by Ed Pennebaker, turned wood by Gene Sparling, reception 5-8 p.m. Nov. 20, Argenta ArtWalk. 912-6567. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER, MacArthur Park: “Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art,” 93 works by 72 artists from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, through Jan. 17, screening of episode 4 of “Latino Americans: 500 Years of History,” Episode 6: Peril and Promise (1980-2000), 2 p.m. Nov. 22; “Life and Light: Photographic Travels through Latin America with Bryan Clifton,” through Feb. 14. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. 372-4000. GREG THOMPSON FINE ART, 429 Main St., NLR: “Charles Harrington — The Journey,” landscapes, reception 5-8 p.m. Nov. 20, Argenta ArtWalk, show through Jan. 9. 664-2787. LAMAN LIBRARY ARGENTA BRANCH, 420 Main St: Arkansas Art Educators Association show, through Nov. 25, reception 5-8 p.m. Nov. 20, Argenta ArtWalk. 665-0030. MUGS CAFE, 515 Main St., NLR: “Blue Lines and Black Ink,” original comic book art by John Lucas and Dusty Higgins, opens with reception 5-8 p.m. Nov. 20, Argenta ArtWalk, show through Jan. 13. 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 960-9524. STEPHANO AND GAINES FINE ART, 1916 N. Fillmore St.: Carved wood sculpture by actor Tony Dow, opening reception 6:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 21, show through Feb. 8. 563-4218. THEA FOUNDATION, 401 Main St., NLR: “Girl Talk,” sculpture by Mia Hall and Morgan Hill, part of The Art Department series of shows of works by young professionals, through November, reception 5-8 p.m. Nov. 20, Argenta ArtWalk. 9 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. 379-9512. CONWAY UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS: “BA/BFA Juried Senior Art Exhibition,” works in graphic design, photography, sculpture, fibers, drawing, painting and printmaking by 14 graduating art students, Baum Gallery, reception 2-4 p.m. Nov. 22, show through Dec. 3. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Wed. and Fri., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thu. 501-450-5793. 48 SOUTHSHORE LANE: “Fascinations and Fol-der-ol,” art objects, Christmas items, serving bowls by Barbara Satterfield, handwoven metal jewelry by Michele Fox, 2-4 p.m. Nov. 21. No debit cards.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Department of Arkansas Heritage is taking applications for grants for Heritage Month events in May 2016. The year’s theme is “Arkansas Arts: Celebrating Our Creative Culture.” Deadline to apply for the grants of up to $5,000 is 4:30 p.m. Dec. 7. The arts theme was chosen in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Arkansas Arts Council. Application packets and more information are available at www.arkansasheritage.com or from the agency, 323 Center St., Suite

1500, fax 501-324-9154, randy@arkansasheritage.org. The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and the Arkansas Humanities Council are sponsoring a filmmaking contest for high school students. Films must be between five and 15 minutes long and be about an historic site (including archeological sites, buildings, or other places with historic significance at least 50 years old or older) for AETN’s “Student Selects: A Young Filmmakers Showcase.” Winning films will be screened in May 2016 at the Ron Robinson Theater. Find more information at www.aetn. org/studentselects. The Arkansas Arts Council is accepting applications for Arts in Education and Arts for Lifelong Learning minigrants to schools and other institutions for 10-day residencies. For more information, contact Cynthia Haas, Arts in Education program manager, at 324-9769. The Ozark Foothills FilmFest in Batesville is accepting submissions for the 15th annual festival scheduled for April 1-2 and 8-9 next year. Cash prizes will be awarded in several categories; entry deadline is Dec. 15. For more information, go to filmfreeway.com/ festival/ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.

CONTINUING GALLERY EXHIBITS ARKANSAS CAPITAL CORP., 200 River Market Ave., Suite 400: “Longevity,” paintings by Emily Wood, printmaking by Melissa Gill, photographs by Joli Livaudais and sculpture by Sandra Sell, through Jan. 1. 374-9247. BUTLER CENTER GALLERIES, Arkansas Stud-

ies Institute, 401 President Clinton Ave.: “Earth Work: Photographs by Gary Cawood”; “Arkansas Pastel Society National Exhibition,” both through Feb. 27; “Photographic Arts: African American Studio Photography,” from the Joshua and Mary Swift Collection, “Gene Hatfield: Outside the Lines,” both through Dec. 26. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 320-5790. BOSWELL MOUROT FINE ART, 5815 Kavanaugh Blvd.: “Drawing Value,” trompe l’oeil charcoal drawings by Trevor Bennett, 20 percent of sales benefit the Friends of Contemporary Craft. 664-0030. CANTRELL GALLERY, 8206 Cantrell Road: “In Arkansas Territory,” paintings by John Deering, through Dec. 24. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 224-1335. COX CREATIVE CENTER, 120 River Market Blvd. “Art Connection: Imagination Uncrated,” through December. 918-3093. DRAWL, 5208 Kavanaugh Blvd.: “The Flatlander,” depictions of the Delta by Norwood Creech. 240-7446. GALLERY 221, Second and Center streets: “Fall into Art Show and Sale,” annual gallery artists exhibition. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. 801-0211. GALLERY 26, 2601 Kavanaugh Blvd.: 21st annual “Holiday Art Show,” work by 66 Arkansas artists, through Jan. 9. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tue.-Sat. 664-8996. GALLERY 360, 900 S. Rodney Parham Road: “Pressure,” printmaking by Nora Messenger, Christian Brown, Kristin Karr, Amery Sandford, Slade Bishop, Alli Thompson, Jack Sims, Emily Brown and Jennifer Perren, through Dec. 24. GINO HOLLANDER GALLERY, 2nd and Center: Paintings and works on paper by Gino Hollander. 801-0211.

7 P.M. THURSDAY, NOV 19

We’re Showing “Most Likely to Succeed” With a panel discussion by;

CO-SPONSORED BY

• Ted Dintersmith, executive producer • Dr. David Rainey, former superintendent, state representative, and visiting professor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. • Dr. Debbie Jones, assistant commissioner Learning Services, Arkansas Department of Education • Benjamin Hardy, associate editor, Arkansas Times.

NOBLE IMPACT FREE ADMISSION RESERVATIONS REQUESTED. GO TO ARKTIMES.COM/ MOSTLIKELY

RON ROBINSON THEATER 100 RIVER MARKET

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NOVEMBER 19, 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’

The Fold: Botanas & Bar

RESTAURANT DELIVERY service Chef Shuttle is teaming up with the Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative to get Thanksgiving turkeys to family tables. Chef Shuttle will take orders for turkeys until 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, and guarantees delivery by the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The turkeys are raised in Arkansas, they’re all freerange birds, and each bird is fed on Arkansas grown GMO-free corn and soybeans. The frozen turkeys range in price from $75 (for a 10- to 12-pound bird) to $100 (16- to 18-pound bird). MOODY BREWS, ARKANSAS’S premier gypsy-brewed line of tasty beer, is staging a tap takeover at Colonial Wines & Spirits from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Colonial will be sampling some of Josiah Moody’s latest concoctions, and customers will be able to fill growlers with their favorites. Here’s what’s going to be on tap: Katchiri’s Beer (10.1 percent abv): Strong, hoppy wild ale. Weizenbock (7.9 percent abv): Wheat ale. Milk Stout (5.5 percent abv): Stout brewed with lactose sugar. Dunbar Gardenhouse Ale: Ale brewed with locally isolated yeast from Dunbar Community Garden. Vino’s Cream Ale (5.5 percent abv): Golden ale.

DINING CAPSULES

AMERICAN

1620 SAVOY Fine dining in a swank space. 1620 Market St. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-221-1620. D Mon.-Sat., BR Sun. FORTY TWO Solid choice for weekday lunch, featuring entrees and sandwiches from around the world. 1200 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, all CC. $-$$. 501-537-0042. L Mon.-Sat. HILLCREST ARTISAN MEATS A fancy charcuterie and butcher shop with excellent daily soup and sandwich specials. Limited seating is available. 2807 Kavanaugh Blvd. Suite B. No alcohol, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-671-6328. L Mon.-Sat. JASON’S DELI A huge selection of sandwiches (wraps, subs, po’ boys and pitas), salads and spuds, as well as red beans and rice and chicken pot pie. Plus a large selection of heart healthy and light dishes. 301 N. Shackleford Road. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-954-8700. LD daily. JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES Illinois-based sandwich chain that doesn’t skimp on what’s between the buns. 4120 E. McCain Blvd. NLR. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-945-9500. LD daily. 700 S. Broadway St. No 30

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

3501 Old Cantrell Road 916-9706 thefoldlr.com

QUICK BITE The Fold has become a Little Rock hot spot for cocktails for a very good reason: The drinks are fantastic. Rum, tequila or bourbon — just pick your poison and there’s something tasty waiting for you. The craft beer selection is respectable, too. HOURS 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. OTHER INFO All major CC, full bar.

CREAMY DELICIOUSNESS: Mexican street corn at The Fold.

Into The Fold The Riverdale Mexican restaurant has it figured out.

hen last we visited The Fold in Riverdale for a review, the place hadn’t been open for very long — and it showed. We left less than impressed with our meal, although we found the converted garage setting of the restaurant to be quirky and fun. We always hoped that The Fold would get on steady footing and turn into a Little Rock great. Three years after that initial review, we’re here to say that they’ve done that and more. From tacos to tamales to a lineup of killer appetizers, The Fold has developed one of the most flavorful menus in Little Rock, wiping away our initial impression and replacing it with a great deal of respect. On a recent lunch trip, we started with an order of the Habanero Queso ($6), and the creamy, spicy cheese dip had us sweating in the best way pos-

sible. This is queso like we like it: thick enough to coat a chip and spicy. There are other things to dip your chips into at The Fold, but with queso this good it’s hard to branch out and order them. We followed up the queso with a Steak Torta ($11.50), and when the monster sandwich hit the table, we wished we hadn’t filled up so much on chips. The sandwich was a perfect combination of tender steak, chimichurri, pickled onions and pico de gallo, all piled so high on a toasted roll that it took a bit of study to figure out how to eat the thing. The ample ingredients and large portions are a theme that carries through the entire menu, making The Fold one of the best values for lunch or dinner in the area. On a return trip for dinner, we opted to begin our meal with the Mexican Street Corn ($6), and once

we took the first bite of roasted corn coated in Mexican crema, cheese and a splash of lime, we were glad we did. Again, the portion here was enormous: seven pieces of corn, all well roasted and covered in cheese and spices. It’s a messy dish to eat, but when it tastes this good, it’s worth having to mop your entire face with a napkin. To go along with our corn, we ordered two tacos from the a la carte menu: the Puerco Verde ($3.25) and the Cholula Pescado ($3.25). The former was a tasty mix of crispy shredded pork, topped with onions, cilantro and green salsa. The flavor was nice, if a touch under-salted, but a quick visit from the shaker on the table made everything just fine. The pescado taco was a spicy mix of fish and mango slaw, and while normally sweet and spicy aren’t our thing, we enjoyed every bite. Both tacos came in soft corn tortillas that didn’t disintegrate on us like we feared. For our main course, we first sampled the Chicken Burrito ($10), and while there was nothing groundbreaking about it, it was delicious. The shredded chicken was well seasoned and moist, and we thought it was a nice touch that the kitchen toasted the burrito on either side, adding a bit of crunch to the tortilla. Like everything else, this was a massive dish, and we were impressed that The Fold doesn’t cheat on its burritos by overstuffing them with rice. The highlight of the night, though, was the Beef Tenderloin Tamales ($11), which placed three handmade tama-

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

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664-6900 les atop a bed of black beans and rice, then drenched everything in more of that tasty habanero queso. After eating about half of the dish, we were stuffed, but everything tasted so good that we just kept eating until every bite of those tamales was gone. Chicken, vegetarian and barbecue tamales are available, and our experience with the beef choice gave us extremely high hopes for the rest of the selection. We never mind having to go back on

a review and change our tune. The restaurant business is one where kitchens can rise and fall over the years, and it’s always nice to see a kitchen really come into its own. The Fold has certainly done that in the past few years, developing a repertoire of solid, unique Mexican-inspired cuisine that delights with both flavors and portion size. We’ve turned from skeptics into believers — and it’s been a tasty and wonderful experience being proven wrong.

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323 Cross St. Little Rock Ph 501.375.2257

DINING CAPSULES, CONT.

alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-372-1600. LD daily. MARIE’S MILFORD TRACK II Healthy and tasty are the key words at this deli/grill, featuring hot entrees, soups, sandwiches, salads and killer desserts. 9813 W Markham St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-225-4500. BL Mon.-Sat. MARKETPLACE GRILLE Big servings of steak, seafood, chicken, pasta, pizza and other rich comfort-style foods. 11600 Pleasant Ridge Road. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-221-3939. LD daily. SUFFICIENT GROUNDS Great coffee, good bagels and pastries, and a limited lunch menu. 124 W. Capitol. No alcohol, CC. $. 501-372-1009. BL Mon.-Fri. 425 W. Capitol. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-372-4594. BL Mon.-Fri. SUGIE’S Catfish and all the trimmings. 4729 Baseline Road. No alcohol, all CC. $. 501-5700414. LD daily. T.G.I. FRIDAY’S This national chain was on the verge of stale before a redo not long ago, and the update has done wonders for the food as well as the surroundings. The lunch combos are a great deal, and the steaks aren’t bad. It’s designed for the whole family, and succeeds. Appetizers and desserts are always good. 2820 Lakewood Village Drive, NLR. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-758-2277. LD daily. THE TAVERN SPORTS GRILL Burgers, barbecue and more. 17815 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, all CC. $-$$. 501-830-2100. LD daily. TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE Smoothies, sandwiches and salads in an art deco former YMCA. 524 Broadway. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 246-3145. BLD Mon.-Fri. (closes at 6 p.m.) 10221 N. Rodney Parham Road. No alcohol, all CC. $$. 501-224-2233. BLD daily 12911 Cantrell Road. No alcohol, all CC. $$. 501-376-2233. BLD daily. TWIN PEAKS ‘Hearty man food,” such as “wellbuilt sandwiches” and plenty of cleavage on the side. 10 Shackleford Drive. Full bar. 501-224-1729. VICTORIAN GARDEN We’ve found the fare quite tasty and somewhat daring and different with its healthy, balanced entrees and crepes. 4801 North Hills Blvd. NLR. $-$$. 501-758-4299. L Mon.-Sat. WHITE WATER TAVERN Good locally sourced bar food. 2500 W. 7th St. Full bar, all CC. $-$$. 501-375-8400. D Tue., Thu., Fri., Sat.

ASIAN

BENIHANA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE Enjoy

the cooking show, make sure you get a little filet with your meal, and do plenty of dunking in that fabulous ginger sauce. 2 Riverfront Place. NLR. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-374-8081. LD Sun.-Fri., D Sat. KOBE JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI Though answering the need for more hibachis in Little Rock, Kobe stands taller in its sushi offerings than at the grill. 11401 Financial Centre Parkway. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-225-5999. L Mon.-Sat. D daily. NEW FUN REE Reliable staples, plenty of hot and spicy options and dependable delivery. 418 W. 7th St. No alcohol, all CC. $. 501-664-6657. LD Mon.-Sat. PANDA GARDEN Large buffet including Chinese favorites, a full on-demand sushi bar, a cold seafood bar, pie case, salad bar and dessert bar. 2604 S. Shackleford Road. Beer and wine, all CC. $-$$. 501-224-8100. LD daily. PEI WEI Sort of a miniature P.F. Chang’s, but a lot of fun and plenty good with all the Chang favorites we like, such as the crisp honey shrimp, dan dan noodles and pad thai. 205 N. University Ave. Beer and wine, all CC. $$. 501-280-9423. LD daily. VAN LANG CUISINE Terrific Vietnamese cuisine, particularly the way the pork dishes and the assortment of rolls are presented. Great prices, too. Massive menu, but it’s user-friendly for locals with full English descriptions and numbers for easy ordering. 3600 S. University Ave. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-570-7700. LD daily.

BARBECUE

CAPITOL SMOKEHOUSE AND GRILL Beef, pork and chicken, all smoked to melting tenderness and doused with a choice of sauces. The crusty but tender back ribs star. Side dishes are top quality. A plate lunch special is now available. 915 W. Capitol Ave. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-372-4227. L Mon.-Fri. CROSS EYED PIG BBQ COMPANY Traditional barbecue favorites smoked well such as pork ribs, beef brisket and smoked chicken. Miss Mary’s famous potato salad is full of bacon and other goodness. Smoked items such as ham and turkeys available seasonally. 1701 Rebsamen Park Road. Full bar, all CC. $-$$. 501-265-0000. L Mon.-Sat., D Tue.-Fri. SIMS BAR-B-QUE Great spare ribs, sandwiches,

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NOVEMBER 19, 2015

DINING CAPSULES, CONT. beef, half and whole chicken and an addictive vinegar-mustard-brown sugar sauce unique for this part of the country. 2415 Broadway. Beer, CC. $-$$. 501-372-6868. LD Mon.-Sat. 1307 John Barrow Road. Beer, all CC. $-$$. 501-2242057. LD Mon.-Sat. 7601 Geyer Springs Road. Beer, all CC. $$. 501-562-8844. LD Mon.-Sat.

EUROPEAN / ETHNIC

ALI BABA A Middle Eastern restaurant, butcher shop and grocery. 3400 S University Ave. No alcohol, all CC. 501-379-8011. BLD Mon.-Sat. BANANA LEAF INDIAN FOOD TRUCK Tasty Indian street food. 201 N Van Buren St. No alcohol, CC. $-$$. 501-227-0860. L Mon.-Fri. KHALIL’S PUB Widely varied menu with European, Mexican and American influences. Go for the Bierocks, rolls filled with onions and beef. 110 S. Shackleford Road. Full bar, all CC. $$. 501-224-0224. LD daily. BR Sun. STAR OF INDIA The best Indian restaurant in the region, with a unique buffet at lunch and some fabulous dishes at night (spicy curried dishes, tandoori chicken, lamb and veal, vegetarian). 301 N. Shackleford. Beer and wine, all CC. $$. 501-227-9900. LD daily.

ITALIAN

DAMGOODE PIES A somewhat different Italian/pizza place, largely because of a spicy garlic white sauce that’s offered as an alternative to the traditional red sauce. Good bread, too. 2701 Kavanaugh Blvd. Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-664-2239. LD daily. 6706 Cantrell Road. Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-664-2239. LD daily. 10720 Rodney Parham Road. Beer and wine, all CC. $$-$$$. 501-664-2239. LD daily. 37 East Center St. Fayetteville. Full bar, all CC. $$-$$$. 479-444-7437. LD daily. GUSANO’S They make the tomatoey Chicagostyle deep-dish pizza the way it’s done in the Windy City. It takes a little longer to come out of the oven, but it’s worth the wait. 313 President Clinton Ave. Full bar, all CC. $-$$. 501-374-1441. LD daily. 2915 Dave Ward Drive. Conway. Full bar, all CC. $$. 501-329-1100. LD daily. JAY’S PIZZA New York-style pizza by the slice. 400 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-374-5297. L Mon.-Sat.

VESUVIO Arguably Little Rock’s best Italian restaurant. The cheesy pasta bowls are sensational, but don’t ignore the beef offerings. 1315 Breckenridge Drive. Full bar, all CC. $$$. 501-246-5422. D daily.

LATINO

CANTINA CINCO DE MAYO Friendly, tasty American-ized Mex. 3 Rahling Circle. Full bar, CC. $$. 501-821-2740. LD daily. EL PORTON Good Mex for the price and a wide-ranging menu of dinner plates, some tasty cheese dip, and great service as well. 12111 W. Markham St. Full bar, all CC. $$. 501-223-8588. LD daily. 5021 Warden Road. NLR. Full bar, all CC. $$. 501-753-4630. LD daily. ELIELLA You’ll find perhaps the widest variety of street-style tacos in Central Arkansas here — everything from cabeza (steamed beef head) to lengua (beef tongue) to suadero (thin-sliced beef brisket). The Torta Cubano is a belly-buster. It’s a sandwich made with chorizo, pastor, grilled hot dogs and a fried egg. The menu is in Spanish, but the waitstaff is accommodating to gringos. 7700 Baseline Road. Beer, all CC. $. 501-539-5355. LD daily. MEXICO CHIQUITO Some suggest cheese dip was born at this Central Arkansas staple, where you’ll find hearty platters of boldly spiced, inexpensive food that compete well with those at the “authentic” joints. 13924 Cantrell Road. No alcohol, all CC. $-$$. 501-217-0700. LD daily. 1524 W. Main St. Jacksonville. No alcohol. $$. 501-982-0533. LD daily. 4511 Camp Robinson Road. NLR. Full bar, all CC. $$. 501-771-1604. LD daily. 11406 W. Markham. No alcohol, all CC. $$. 501-217-0647. LD daily. MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL A “build-your-ownburrito” place, with several tacos and nachos to choose from as well. Wash it down with a beer from their large selection. 12312 Chenal Pkwy. Beer, all CC. $-$$. 501-223-3378. LD daily. SUPER 7 GROCERY STORE This Mexican grocery/video store/taqueria has a great daily buffet featuring a changing assortment of real Mexican cooking. Fresh tortillas pressed by hand and grilled, homemade salsas, beans as good as beans get. Plus soup every day. 1415 Barrow Road. Beer, No CC. $. 501-219-2373. BLD daily.

PEARLS ABOUT SWINE, CONT.

the beleaguered defensive line set the tone and lustily embraced the challenge of trying to thwart Fournette’s march toward the Heisman Trophy. A week after being limited to 31 yards against the Crimson Tide, Fournette ran with determination and power again, but the Hogs commonly pierced the wall up front and leveled him in the backfield, too. And most importantly, that attack mode that Robb Smith deployed finally, at long last, paid dividends in the form of quarterback pressure. Brandon Harris was a serviceable 21 of 35 throwing but sacked five times by a team that had only eight total sacks previously. It was a coming-out party, in particular, for Deatrich Wise, Jr. who punished Harris on 2.5 sacks, stuck him a couple of other times on scrambles, and generally

made life a living hell for Vadal Alexander and his other less regarded mates on the Tiger front. Every time the Hog defense had the appearance of buckling — that LSU pair of scores to close one half and open the next did remind us of the Auburn game, natch — it instead buckled down, pushed the Tigers beyond the chains, and developed a big-play mentality. If it wasn’t a sack, it was a pass well defended, or a tackle well made. It was, in a word, perfect. The Hogs didn’t even pay dearly for a couple of turnovers, punted well, got a nice kick return from Reed, and a short but critical field goal from Cole Hedlund. Now those who suspected this team was capable of eight or nine wins are being proven right as quickly as they were dismissed.

LYONS, CONT. more bellicose in expressing what we’re doing, that that would make a difference, because that seems to be the only thing that they’re doing, is talking as if they’re tough.” Mother Jones blogger Kevin Drum went down the list of the GOP candidates’ suggestions, but found nothing new: “There’s a lot we can do to defeat ISIS, and most of it we’re already doing. Airstrikes? Check. Broad coalition? Check. Working with Arab allies? Check. Engage with Sunni tribal leaders? Check. Embed with the Iraqi military? Check. There’s more we could do, but often it’s contradictory. You want to arm the

Kurds and create a partnership with the Iraqi government? Good luck. You want to defeat Assad and ISIS? You better pick one. You want to avoid a large American ground force and you want to win the war fast? Not gonna happen.” Yes, Obama’s “red line” in Syria was a strategic blunder; his “junior varsity” remark was cocky and illadvised. Also, Vladimir Putin is right. The Assad government is bad, but ISIS is far worse. However, ISIS has turned to terror because it’s gradually losing the ground war, and the Caliphate is shrinking. La belle France is not.

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ARKANSAS TIMES

2 Freeway Dr Little Rock AR 501-666-7226 • pettusop.com

DONKEYS VS. KONG, CONT.

at issue: the narrow 9-acre, half-mile-long sliver of property taken for the power line in the northernmost portion of the park; the 109-acre “quadrant four” in which the 9 acres were located; and the park as a whole, which covers about 300 acres. “The harm done to the remaining portion of the property, aside from that which was taken, was critical to showing the true impact of the taking on the whole property,” McMath said. “It’s called severance damage.” McMath said the acreage that SWEPCO condemned and eventually built its line across was “critical” to the park because it was on a portion of land set aside for those species that are the most vulnerable to human contact, including wild Asian donkeys, sables and Pere David deer. He said the project required moving those animals because of the heavy construction traffic and noise, including clearing the right of way and bringing in what McMath said were “large, hammering derricks” to sink the footings for the transmission towers. “The right of way is not just stringing up lines,” he said. “This is a 345-megavolt transmission line ... [The right of way is] 150 feet across from one side to the other, and these pylons are over 150 feet high. Some of them are over 200 feet.” SWEPCO originally offered the Wilmoth family a settlement of $37,000 for the 9 acres taken for the project. At trial in October, witnesses called by the Wilmoth family, including a veterinarian who has overseen the animals in the park for several years, argued that the Safari Park had been developed and planned over the past 50 years as a wildlife refuge, and that construction had upset that balance. “They carefully collected these animals over time, and they assigned each one to a

particular area of the park,” McMath said. “As time went by, they were able to see where best to put each species and where not to put them. Quadrant four became sort of the backup repository for those that were most endangered, most sensitive, most vulnerable to human contact. If [SWEPCO] had looked to try to put it across the most damaging part of the park, that’s where they would have done it.” The jury in the case appears to have agreed, though McMath said the award wasn’t actually that large, given evidence that the most vulnerable animals of quadrant four would have to be permanently moved because they couldn’t co-exist with the power line right-of-way. McMath said the Wilmoths were precluded from asking for funds to buy more acreage to provide sanctuary for the displaced animals. Though McMath said the process of condemning land for large infrastructure projects is sometimes necessary, it must be done fairly and wisely. He said in the Safari Park case, SWEPCO had not given enough thought to the impact on the park from construction and the power line itself. “The jury, I think, saw that the park had been damaged in a great way by the intrusion of the line into this very fragile sanctuary habitat,” he said. “This is not just a farm. This is not just pasturage. This was a very carefully nurtured and developed zoological sanctuary for 85 species of wild animals, about 15 of which were up there [in quadrant four]. A lot of effort had gone into building this up and making it a refuge. The jury saw that losing that was a real blow in value to the property as a whole.”

MUSEUM SCHOOL

Photograph by Mandy Yelvington

DUMAS, CONT. if they were president they would be decisive and eliminate this scourge forthwith. The strength of arms and men and the will to deploy them, they say, are all that are needed. It is indeed comfort food, but it will not do the job, just as Reagan sensed that it wouldn’t do the job in 1983 and subsequent presidents and European leaders figured out that heavy arms and men couldn’t accomplish it. If ISIS and all the other jihadist groups formed a traditional military force, one battalion of Marines and a little air cover would rid the world of terrorism in two days. Whole cities and the homelands of all the refugees fleeing ISIS and the vengeance of a dictator can be destroyed, but the terrible idea that religious ends can be

AT THE

FOLLOW YOUR ART

achieved by random murder and that God condones it does not surrender to conventional arms. What might work no one has yet figured out. The attacks on the United States starting in 1993 produced a highly accomplished security state. It was accomplished with a considerable loss of individual liberty, but it has at least produced by now an intelligence apparatus that keeps us marginally safe and gives important but obviously not foolproof help to allies in more dangerous zones. Combating an evil but fetching idea for the world’s downtrodden is the hardest task of our time. Boots on the ground, massive firepower and no-fly zones aren’t the solution.

CLASSES START JANUARY 4 • • • • •

Jewelry Drawing Printmaking Woodworking Painting

• • • • •

Ceramics Photography Fused Glass Textile Arts And more!

REGISTER TODAY AT arkansasartscenter.org/art-classes 501-372-4000 • 501 East 9th Street • Little Rock, AR 72202 www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

LITTLE ROCK

REST OF STATE

Overall New Italian Chinese Japanese Mexican “Fun” Indian Other Ethnic Food Truck Vegetarian/Vegan

Y L N O ! G S N I E L T U O V R E G N N I I L T N O O EW V N

Bakery

Barbecue

Sandwich

Breakfast Brunch Catfish

Fried Chicken

6 1 s t n a r u a t s e r / m o c . s e m i t k ar

Deli/Gourmet to go Hamburger Pizza

Seafood Buffet Steak Since 1981, Arkansas Times has asked readers to vote for their favorite restaurants. Our annual Readers Choice Restaurant Awards are the first, and most renowned restaurant awards in the state. We’re introducing new rules for the survey this year: From Nov. 19 through Dec. 16, vote online at arktimes.com/restaurants16 for your favorite restaurants in Central Arkansas and around the state in the 35 categories listed here. You may only submit your votes once, but you can return to your ballot as often as you need during the voting period. Only online votes will be accepted. After Dec. 16, we will determine the top four vote getters for each category. Those four and last year’s winners will then advance to a final round of voting that will run Jan. 12 through Jan. 30. The winners will be announced in the March 17 issue of the Arkansas Times, and the awards party will be held on March 15 at the Pulaski Technical Culinary and Hospitality Institute. We’re excited about this new voting system and look forward to your participation and the final results. 34

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES

31 NOVEMBER 9, 2011 ARKANSAS TIMES

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About The Cover Artist

CAROLE KATCHEN Carole Katchen has been a professional artist for nearly 50 years. Her whimsical paintings of chefs, musicians, dancers and socialites have sold in 30 countries. She has also written 3 children’s books and 14 art instruction books, total sales over 1 million copies. Her art can be seen in Hot Springs at Legacy Gallery and in Bentonville at Gallery Two25. For more information visit her website carolekatchen.com or fineartamerica.com.

HANDMADE & DELICIOUS: Dumplings are the star at Three Fold Noodles and Dumpling Co.

One of the biggest

(and best!) reasons dining out is such a big part of our social life is the number of great restaurants in our area. Our annual Neighborhood Dining Guide is a great collection of dining establishments — some old, some new — that gives you some ideas on places to choose from for a romantic dinner for two, a place to meet up with friends, festive family dinners and more.

DOWNTOWN

COPPER GRILL — Whether you’re looking for a casual dinner, a gourmet experience or the perfect business lunch, Copper Grill is the choice urban restaurant for Little Rock’s food enthusiasts. It’s where you can let go and relax in the comfortable dining room, enjoy a glass of wine at the lively bar or share a spread of appetizers outside on the street-side patio. No matter if you’re on the go or off the clock, Copper Grill is your downtown dining destination. Located at the corner of Third and Cumberland Streets, 300 E. Third St., 375-3333, coppergrilllr.com. DEMPSEY BAKERY — This bakery serves up gluten-free, soyfree, vegan and nut-free breads, pastries and desserts. Their expanded lunch menu means those with dietary restrictions can have any of their favorite sandwiches any day of the week. Check out their freezer case for delicious take-home meals and more. Those with food sensitivities don’t need to despair around the holidays. The folks at Dempsey’s have

Be sure to check out page 34 for the sample ballot for the 2016 Readers ChoiceRestaurantAwards.RoundonevotingrunsNov.19-Dec.16.Vote for your favorite restaurants online at arktimes.com/readerschoice16. Round two voting is from Dec. 24-Jan. 31 and will include the 2015 winner in each category plus the top four vote getter from round one. Winners will be announced in the March 17 issue of Arkansas Times.

you covered with delicious gluten-free fixins. Check out the “holiday” button on their website to view available options. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. 323 Cross St., 375-2257, dempseybakery.com

this hip spot. A large tequila selection will help you round out your evening. Open Tue.-Sun. at 11 a.m. Kitchen closes at 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weeknights. 300 President Clinton Ave., 823-0090 rumbarevolution.com.

DOE’S EAT PLACE — A Little Rock landmark of national renown, Doe’s Eat Place has its origins in the unlikeliest of models, a no-frills diner deep in the delta. Nothing about Doe’s is quite what one would expect from a world-class steakhouse -- except fabulous steaks, that is. Another favorite on the menu is tamales from their sister restaurant, The Tamale Factory. They never disappoint. 1023 West Markham St., 376-1195, doeseatplace.net.

SONNY WILLIAMS’ STEAK ROOM — Steaks are what Sonny Williams’ Steak Room is all about. The restaurant serves only the finest steaks cut from aged Angus beef, fresh seafood and game all complemented by a Wine Spectator awardwinning wine list. Renowned Chef Bryan Masters creates a new menu seasonally. Located in the hip downtown River Market District, Sonny’s has a grand piano bar that features some of Little Rock’s finest piano players and a patio with great views of the area. Complimentary valet parking is right at the front door. A night of fine wine and fine dining at Sonny Williams’ Steak Room is a night you’ll never forget. Dinner reservations recommended. 500 President Clinton Ave., 3242999, sonnywilliamssteakroom.com

REVOLUTION TACOS AND TEQUILA LOUNGE — Located at the start of the River Market District, this eclectically-chic dining room will get your taste buds jumping. Tacos, fajitas and other specialty items, like the Chorizo Burger, are the mainstay in

BEST STEAK

DOE’S

KNOWS LUNCH & DINNER

Lunch: Mon- Fri 11am-2pm Dinner: Mon-Thur 5:30-9:30pm • Fri & Sat 5:30-10pm FULL BAR & PRIVATE PARTY ROOM 1023 West Markham • Downtown Little Rock 501-376-1195 • www.doeseatplace.net

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ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

STICKYZ ROCK â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ROLL CHICKEN SHACK â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A live music and tasty food joint located in the heart of the River Market. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re known for their chicken fingerz and rightly so. With 11 different varieties and sauces, these hand-cut fingerz are sure to get you rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Fingerz not your thing? Their menu will suit all tastes. We love the musically-inspired names of all the menu items. Stickyz opens daily at 11 a.m. and then kitchen serves food until midnight Tue.-Sat., Sun.-Mon. until 10 p.m. 107 River Market Ave., 372-7707, stickyz.com. THREE FOLD NOODLES AND DUMPLING CO. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; One of the newest arrivals in the downtown dining scene, Three Fold continues to wow its customers with traditional Chinese dishes served up in a fresh, modern space. The handmade dumplings delight and the robust noodles and steamed buns are always a hit. They also offer up seasonal menu items like this fallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pumpkin soup. A bonus to the exceptional food? Three Fold is now serving beer. Vegans and vegetarians (even the gluten-free) wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a problem enjoying the tasty cuisine here. We like that Three Fold uses only eco-friendly packaging â&#x20AC;&#x201D; each bowl, bun, slaw and drink container is made from high-quality, sustainable materials such as bamboo and corn plastic. Open Mon.-Sat. from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 215 Center St., 372-1739, eat3fold.com.

here the perfect choice. Watch out for their Sunday Brunch menu starting soon. Skinny Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also has locations in Jonesboro and Paragould. 314 Main St., NLR, 916-2645, skinnyjs.com.

RIVERDALE

CAJUNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WHARFâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; The perfect combo for a night on the town! Cajunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is famous for its fabulously fresh seafood, aged Angus beef and full-flavored good times. Come enjoy the great food and fun atmosphere, including the famous deck overlooking the Arkansas River. 2400 Cantrell Rd., 375-5351, cajunswharf.com.

A CLASSIC: Faded Rose has been bringing New Orleans-inspired dishes to the table for over 30 years.

VINOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S â&#x20AC;&#x201D; As Little Rockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original brewpub, Vinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handcrafted ales, pizzas, calzone and salads are some of the most popular items on their menu. They make their fresh, stonebaked pizza dough daily, and are a popular lunch spot for many who come to enjoy one of the many delicious pizzas offered by the slice. Beer lovers flock here to try the unique flavors of one of Vinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brews, which are handcrafted using only the finest natural ingredients. They are also Arkansasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier alternative entertainment venue, making Vinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of downtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best known party spots and a great place to go for live alternative music. Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to Midnight Friday and Saturday. 923 W. Seventh St., 501-375-8466,

vinosbrewpub.com.

ARGENTA

SKINNY Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The first thing you should know about Skinny Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not the average steakhouse. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a burger joint, a meeting place, somewhere to celebrate or a favorite place to relax and enjoy the company. From their appetizers (weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re partial to the Reuben eggrolls!) to the desserts, your taste buds will delight in dining at Skinny Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. While theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re known for their hand-cut steaks, their menu covers a full range of choices from chicken and beef, fish and oysters, wraps and salads and a full range of sandwiches and burgers. Nightly drink specials make dining

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Neighborhood Dining Guide ■ 2015

NEW YEARS EVE WITH RAMONA SMITH

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Ease into the new year with the sultry jazz vocals of Ramona Smith at Copper Grill. Enjoy a special holiday menu accompanied by JYegfY k e]ddgo j`ql`e Yf\ Zdm]k kgmf\& Performance from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. =fbgq gf] g^ Dalld] Jg[c k Z]kl oaf] daklk&

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ARKANSAS TIMES ARKANSAS TIMES

A WINNER: The food at Conway’s Pasta Grill earned them the top spot for Best Italian - Around the State in the 2015 Readers Choice Awards.

HILLCREST

THE OYSTER BAR — Open for business since 1975, The Oyster Bar continues to thrive in Little Rock’s historic Stifft Station/Hillcrest neighborhood. They serve shrimp, oysters, Cajun soups, po’boys, catfish, chef salads and non-seafood items in their family-friendly restaurant. Play a tune on the jukebox, order a mug of the coldest beer in town and find out why loads have been dining at The Oyster Bar for 40 years. Private party room and catering is available. 3003 W. Markham St., 666-7100, lroysterbar.com.

ROSALIA’S FAMILY BAKERY — A great place to relax and drink great coffee, imported and herbal teas, Italian sodas, while noshing on fresh baked breads, pastries, desserts, cookies or Brazilian and European confections. Brazilian imported soft drinks, cheeses and seasonal candies are unique offerings not found anywhere else in Little Rock. Enjoy gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan treats. Be sure to try the soup and sandwich specials. 2701 Kavanaugh Blvd., 319-7035, rosaliasfamilybakery.com.

BOULEVARD BISTRO AND BAR — It all makes perfect sense. Boulevard opened in 2000, and immediately those who had noshed in Europe knew their baguette and ciabatta was the equal of what you find there. Who didn’t love those fabulous meats and cheeses, the selection and quantity of which, at that time, we’d not had available here? Next the store shelves were stocked with high-end sundries, and there was a soup of the day, and sandwiches, and then the meals to take home. Soon the cafe expanded, wine and beer were added, and it quickly became a popular hangout. They might not have gotten the order of all that right, but it made perfect sense when, 15 years after first opening, Boulevard Bread spawned Boulevard Bistro and Bar, the place where so much of that great food — and that same commitment to quality — comes together for dinner. 1920 N. Grant St., 663-5951, boulevardbread.com

THE FADED ROSE — As Little Rock’s most award-winning restaurant, this 33 year-old jewel has an authentic New Orleans-inspired menu that never disappoints. Not only do they serve up Cajun and Creole staples, but their steaks and soak salads are legendary. There is something for everyone! Be sure to check out their Facebook page for regular contests. Full bar. 1619 Rebsamen Park Rd., 663-9734, thefadedrose.com.

CAFÉ BOSSA NOVA — The place that introduced the taste of authentic Brazilian dining to Little Rock. From the moment you enter, the delicious aromas and soft, pleasing sounds of background Bossa Nova music will awaken your senses to the unique and enjoyable casual dining experience ahead of you. 2701 Kavanaugh Blvd., 614-NOVA (6882), cafebossanova.com.

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MIDTOWN

I LOVE JUICE BAR — Healthy living is the mission at the newly opened I Love Juice Bar. They use 100 percent raw fruits and vegetables and offer fresh fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies daily, fresh-made soups, salads and spring rolls, plus a range of glutenfree and locally produced natural snacks from Dempsey Bakery, Geek Eats, Wheat Grass Express and Barnhill Orchards. In a hurry, the staff keeps fresh menu items ready to grab-and-go in the cooler. Have special dietary needs? They’ll be happy to make a customized version of any menu item while you wait. Vegans, vegetarians and people following gluten-free diets won’t find a better of selection of foods in town. Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sat. Midtowne Shopping Center, 201 N. University Ave., Ste. 210A, 744-5842, ilovejuicebar.com. TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ — For the last seven years, Taziki’s has brought central Arkansas delicious Mediterraneaninspired dishes that are easy on the waistline and the pocketbook. Service is quick and friendly and the casual atmosphere is perfect for enjoying a great meal. Chicken, lamb, pork tenderloin, shrimp, tilapia, and salmon are grilled to juicy perfection and served with classic Greek salads or as feasts with Basmati rice or roasted new potatoes. All the food is super fresh, made-to-order, healthy and scrumptious. The menu includes Greek favorites like gyros, dolmades and hummus

along with a yummy assortment of unique house-made sandwiches. Luscious marinades, sauces and dressings are all made on-site from original recipes. Taziki’s offers catering/special events, an excellent wine list, night specials and lunch specials. All Taziki’s central Arkansas locations are family owned and operated. 8200 Cantrell Rd., 227-8297, tazikiscafe.com.

2701 KAVANAUGH BLVD HILLCREST

Mondays – KIDS EAT FREE!

WEST LITTLE ROCK

1620 SAVOY — Some people think 1620 Savoy is only for special occasions. That must be because they make even a boring weekday feel special as soon as you walk through the doors. 1620 Savoy exemplifies class and elegance in an ideal setting in the heart of West Little Rock. Most Arkansans know 1620 Savoy for their award winning dishes. Come enjoy your holidays in the casual atmosphere of their lounge, their heated patio or enjoy the elegant atmosphere of the main dining area. The team at 1620 Savoy is ready to give you an exceptional dining experience. 1620 Market St., 221-1620, 1620savoy.com. CAPERS — Capers is notable in the circles of food and wine enthusiasts. A mainstay in West Little Rock, they’ve won many accolades for Best Outside Dining, Most Romantic, Best Wine List and many more. Their wine list shouldn’t be missed. Capers has been the recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 14 years running. 14502 Cantrell Rd., 868-7600, capersrestaurant.com.

Tuesdays - $2 Draft Beer & $2 off Large Pizza Wednesdays – 1/2 Price Bottles of Wine

PRIVATE PARTY ROOM AVAILABLE • MAUMELLE | 758.8800 • LAKEWOOD | 753.0081 • LITTLE ROCK | 225.1900

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Neighborhood Dining Guide ■ 2014

WARM UP WITH OUR FALL MENU

1620 Market St • Little Rock 501.221.1620 www.1620SAVOY.com

GROW grow LOCAL ARKANSAS TIMES

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and full bar 1920 N. Grant St. | 501.663.5951 www.boulevardbread.com

SANTO COYOTE — Known for excellent authentic Mexican fare, Santo Coyote serves up some of the best Mexican Cuisine in the city with the freshest ingredients and essential spices blended together in perfect proportions, leaving each morsel packed with flavor. The margaritas are phenomenal and shouldn’t be overlooked as one of the best in the state. The large variety of tacos are a must-try. Santo Coyote patrons love its ambiance. Diners can choose between a seat at a cozy table, the perfectly lit bar area with one of the most impressive tequila selections statewide or dine on the sizable covered patio. Stop by for their $2 Taco and Tecate Monday; or on Tuesday, where kids eat free; or try Thursdays for ladies night for $3 margaritas, cosmopolitans and house wines. Happy hour is from 2-6 p.m. Mon.Fri. 11610 Pleasant Ridge Rd., 225-1300, santo-coyote.com. TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ — At Taziki’s, you’ll find an original assortment of delicious Mediterranean-inspired dishes that are easy on the waistline and the pocketbook. Service is quick and friendly and the casual atmosphere is perfect for enjoying a great meal. Chicken, lamb, pork tenderloin, shrimp, tilapia, and salmon are grilled to juicy perfection and served with classic Greek salads or as feasts with Basmati rice or roasted new potatoes. All the food is super fresh, made-to-order, healthy and scrumptious. The menu includes Greek favorites like gyros, dolmades and hummus along with a yummy assortment of unique house-made sandwiches. Luscious marinades, sauces and dressings are all made on-site from original recipes. Taziki’s offers catering/special events, an excellent wine list, night specials and lunch

specials. All Taziki’s central Arkansas locations are family owned and operated. 12800 Chenal Pkwy., 225-1829, tazikiscafe.com.

SOUTHWEST LITTLE ROCK

AMERICAN PIE PIZZA –Recognized by the readers of the Arkansas Times as one of the most family friendly restaurants in Central Arkansas for two years in a row, American Pie Pizza is the only place where kids can eat for free on Monday while playing in the kid’s room or being dazzled by the magician that performs at the Lakewood location. American Pie Pizza has great handmade pizzas on a perfect thin crust with a large assortment of toppings made from the freshest ingredients. Stop by for $2 Tuesdays, when you can get $2 Pints of beer or $2 off your 14-inch pizza, or for Wacky Wine Wednesdays, where all bottles of wine are half off. This pizzeria is also friend to gluten-free folks and offers up some great gluten-free crust along with gluten-free beer. American Pie Pizza is also a great place to throw or cater you holiday party. Call them to book their party room or find out about their catering menu. Online ordering is now available at ampiepizza.com. 10912 Colonel Glenn Rd., #700, 225-1900, ampiepizza.com. MURRY’S DINNER PLAYHOUSE — How about dinner and a show? Chef Larry Shields has been in the industry for 30 years. As a former saucier, he uses his sauces to give many of his dishes an unexpected twist. Buffet food often lacks seasoning and can be bland, but Larry ensures that every dish is seasoned to perfection. Chef also has a little fun by creating themed menus to go with the shows. Check their website for the latest shows and menus. 6323 Colonel Glenn Rd., 562-3131, murrysdp.com.

Nyootur average

steak & burger JOINT!

314 Main St. North Little Rock | 501.916.2646 skinnyjs.com Butcher Shop @skinnyjsAR 40 40

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ARKANSAS TIMES ARKANSAS TIMES

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NORTH LITTLE ROCK

AMERICAN PIE PIZZA –Recognized by the readers of the Arkansas Times as one of the most family friendly restaurants in Central Arkansas for two years in a row, American Pie Pizza is the only place where kids can eat for free on Monday while playing in the kid’s room or being dazzled by the magician that performs at the Lakewood location. American Pie Pizza has great handmade pizzas on a perfect thin crust with a large assortment of toppings made from the freshest ingredients. Stop by for $2 Tuesdays, when you can get $2 Pints of beer or $2 off your 14-inch pizza, or for Wacky Wine Wednesdays, where all bottles of wine are half off. This pizzeria is also friend to gluten-free folks and offers up some great gluten-free crust along with gluten-free beer. American Pie Pizza is also a great place to throw or cater you holiday party. Call them to book their party room or find out about their catering menu. Online ordering is now available at ampiepizza.com. 4380 North Hills Blvd., 753-0081 or 9709 Maumelle Blvd., Maumelle, 758-8800, ampiepizza.com. OLD CHICAGO — Your beer authority, with 100+ beers and new craft beers every week. They pair that with delicious taproom fare, resulting in an experience you won’t want to miss. There’s something on the menu for everyone including Chicago-style deep-dish pizzas, pastas, calzones and salads. Old Chicago is committed to being the best place to share a world-class pie and great craft beer. Don’t forget about their heated patio and reservation-only banquet room. Come in for the upcoming charity benefit for Shop With A Cop on Nov.

19 and their “Drink Local”TasteFest on Nov. 21. 4305 Warden Rd., 812-6262, oldchicago. com or facebook.com/ocnlr SANTO COYOTE — Known for excellent authentic Mexican fare, Santo Coyote serves up some of the best Mexican Cuisine in the city with the freshest ingredients and essential spices blended together in perfect proportions, leaving each morsel packed with flavor. The margaritas are phenomenal and shouldn’t be overlooked as one of the best in the state. The large variety of tacos are a must-try. Santo Coyote patrons love its ambiance. Diners can choose between a seat at a cozy table, the perfectly lit bar area with one of the most impressive tequila selections statewide or dine on the sizable covered patio. Stop by for their $2 Taco and Tecate Monday; or on Tuesday, where kids eat free; or try Thursdays for ladies night for $3 margaritas, cosmopolitans and house wines. Happy hour is from 2-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri. 2513 McCain Blvd., 7539800, santo-coyote.com. 11610 Pleasant Ridge Road, Little Rock; 501-225-1300; santo-coyote.com.

We Have The #1 Customers In The State! BEST RESTAURANT HOT SPRINGS

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Open Daily at 11am 7 Days A Week • 210 Central Avenue • Hot Springs 501.318.6054 • rolandosrestaurante.com

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN: The tacos and margaritas at Santo Coyote shouldn’t be missed.

Full Bar With A Ful TThrowback Drink Menu D Book Boo Bo oo your Holiday Party Today! P 210 10 Ce Central Cent t Ave • Hot Springs Above R Rolando’s Nuevo Latino Restaurante ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT www.arktimes.com www.arktimes.com

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Neighborhood Dining Guide ■ 2015

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501.205.8751 915 Front Street in Downtown Conway

TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ — At Taziki’s, you’ll find an original assortment of delicious Mediterranean-inspired dishes that are easy on the waistline and the pocketbook. Service is quick and friendly and the casual atmosphere is perfect for enjoying a great meal. Chicken, lamb, pork tenderloin, shrimp, tilapia, and salmon are grilled to juicy perfection and served with classic Greek salads or as feasts with Basmati rice or roasted new potatoes. All the food is super fresh, made-to-order, healthy and scrumptious. The menu includes Greek favorites like gyros, dolmades and hummus along with a yummy assortment of unique house-made sandwiches. Luscious marinades, sauces and dressings are all made on-site from original recipes. Taziki’s offers catering/ special events, an excellent wine list, night specials and lunch specials. All Taziki’s central Arkansas locations are family owned and operated. Inside McCain Mall at 3929 McCain Blvd., 218-8822, tazikiscafe.com.

making everything from scratch and relying on food’s natural beauty to speak for itself. The café’s menu is changed monthly. 1217 Malvern, #B, 318-1094, café1217.net.

HOT SPRINGS

TACO MAMA — All food at Taco Mama is hand prepared and made daily with the finest and freshest ingredients available. Careful attention to detail is what sets Taco Mama apart from many others. Their delicious selections melt in your mouth leaving you wanting more and more. They also have happy hour drink specials daily with some of the coldest Margaritas & draft beer in town. Visit for a taste of old Mexico at Taco Mama in beautiful Hot springs. It’s hand-made Mexican food...the old fashioned way! 1209 Malvern Ave., 624-6262, tacomama.net

CAFÉ 1217 — Café 1217’s fresh ideas are inspired by California cuisine and Diana’s deep South Texas roots. Fresh, unpretentious, comfort food, simply presented is what keeps the locals and dedicated out-of-town patrons coming back year after year. Café 1217 has been a hotspot for the likes of Beau Bridges and Bob Hoskins. Diana credits the many awards that Café 1217 has received to creating everything that comes from the kitchen from only the freshest, finest ingredients,

ROLANDO’S RESTAURANTE — Rolando’s was the inspired creation of partners, Rolando, a native of Ecuador, and Sherri Cuzco. To realize their dream, they began with their unique backgrounds to produce the exciting foods of Latin America in a setting of southern hospitality. The cuisine is unique and his artistic talent is found in the beautiful presentation of the entrees, as well as in the golden walls of the restaurant. The murals on the wall were hand carved from the crumbling plaster by Rolando himself to give diners this pleasant atmosphere. Rolando and Sherri appreciate every customer that comes in and express “Muchas Gracias” for making Rolando’s a reality. 210 Central Ave., 3186054, rolandosrestaurante.com

CONWAY

PASTA GRILL — After only a few years of being open, people in central Arkansas know that Pasta Grill is the real deal. As the 2015 winner for Best Italian Around the State in the Arkansas Times Readers Choice Awards, Pasta Grill is serving up some tasty fare. They’re not just focusing on Italian. With New Orleansinspired dishes like the Crawfish Dip and Omaha choice and prime steaks that are hand-cut in house, Pasta Grill is a hit. Prime rib is on the menu every Friday and Saturday nights and most everything on the menu is made from scratch. A Russellville location is opening in December. 915 Front St., 205-8751, pastagrillrestaurant.com. TAZIKI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ — At Taziki’s, you’ll find an original assortment of delicious Mediterranean-inspired dishes that are easy on the waistline and the pocketbook. Service is quick and friendly and the casual atmosphere is perfect for enjoying a great meal. Chicken, lamb, pork tenderloin, shrimp, tilapia, and salmon are grilled to juicy perfection and served with classic Greek salads or as feasts with Basmati rice or roasted new potatoes. All the food is super fresh, made-to-order, healthy and scrumptious. The menu includes Greek favorites like gyros, dolmades and hummus along with a yummy assortment of unique house-made sandwiches. Luscious marinades, sauces and dressings are all made on-site from original recipes. Taziki’s offers catering/special events, an excellent wine list, night specials and lunch specials. All Taziki’s central Arkansas locations are family owned and operated. 724 Oak St., 327-1829, tazikiscafe.com.

pastagrillconway.com BEST ITALIAN

ride Ride LOCAL ARKANSAS TIMES

42 42

NOVEMBER 19, 2015 NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES ARKANSAS TIMES

AWAKEN THE SENSES: From the dishes to the decor to the music, the dining experience at Cafe Bossa Nova gives you a taste of Brazil. ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

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43 43

Tis the Season

he Holiday Shopping Season is upon us and we’re looking forward to highlighting local businesses (and cool finds) over the next few weeks leading up to the big day. We know you’ll be able to find something unique and memorable for everyone on your list – includingg yyou, of course! Happy ppy Shopping! pp g

2015 Holiday Gift Guide Luxe Finishes

Dobbs hat

Nothing says sharp-dressed more than stylish accessories from Mr. Wicks.

Johnstons of Elgin cashmere scarves

Hilts-Willard luxury driving gloves “ANGELETI” Watercolor painting by Freda Angeletti, Benton, Ar.

Original Art Get Cooking

There is something delightfully personal about a local Junior League cookbook – as a gift, in a home, as a guide – offering a taste of Little Rock’s rich history and culture.

44 44

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ARKANSAS TIMES ARKANSAS TIMES

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Works by local artists make unique gifts. Find these and other works at the Arkansas Crafts Guild Annual Showcase Dec. 4-6 at the Statehouse Convention Center

“KEEFE” Painted gourd by Kathleen Keefe, Little Rock, Ar.

Cambria Chardonnay, Reg. $23.99, Sale: $18.99

Cambria Pinot Noir Reg. $26.99, Sale: $21.99

Wine is Fine

A nice bottle of wine is always a welcome gift. #theeverydaysommelier at O’looney’s Wine & Liquor can help you in making your selection. t on.

Chop, Chop

SIX GENERATIONS of Southern family recipes.

Prep work is a breeze with this Rain® 8” Cook’s Knife, exclusively designed by Ken Onion and Boos® Block American black walnut cutting board from Krebs Brothers.

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Almost 600 recipes all originating in Arkansas. Delicious pie, ice cream and biscuit recipes. Also recipes for wild game, frog legs and bear. Find it at: loripleggeauthor.weebly.com

For more than four decades, the Junior League of Little Rock’s awardwinning cookbooks have nourished the community efforts and mission of our League. Each book is beloved in our community and beyond, serving up the Southern tradition of cooking in Little Rock at the time of its publication. There is something delightfully personal about a local Junior League cookbook – as a gift, in a home, as a guide – offering a taste of Little Rock’s rich history and culture.

(501) 687-1331 4310 Landers Road, NLR M-F 8-5 Sat. 9-5

Get yours at www.jllr.org or by calling 501-375-JLLR ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT www.arktimes.com ANOVEMBER 19 2015 www.arktimes.com NOVEMBER 19, 2015

45 45

2015 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Some Good Eatin’

Home cooking and The South go handin-hand. This cookbook is full of all Arkansas recipes.

Baubles Rock NOW OPEN

Artisan Goods

in Historic SoMa

Find unusual, one-of-a-kind items from jewelry, home decor, collectibles and other gifts at South Main Creative.

ANTIQUES Art INDUSTRIAL

“PERSPECTIVE” textile collage by Antzee Magruder

artisan made

Give Culture

vintage

UPcycled Art, craft, & DIY classes (501) 414-8713 1600 Main Street Little Rock, AR 72206 Tue – Sat 10 – 5:30 Sun 10 – 3 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram!

Shop The Southern Fox for trendy jewelry, bath & body products, homemade jellies and more. It’s a one-stop shop for all your holiday needs.

Season tickets to the theater are the perfect gift for loved ones. Murry’s Dinner Theater brings many varied shows throughout the year.

Buy it! Find the featured items at the following locations: MR. WICKS 5924 R St., 664.3062 JUNIOR LEAGUE OF LITTLE ROCK’S online store at jllr.org Get more information at the ARKANSAS CRAFT GUILD’S CHRISTMAS SHOWCASE online at facebook.com/ChristmasShowcase

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

SOUTH MAIN CREATIVE 1600 Main St., 414.8713

KREBS BROTHERS RESTAURANT STORE 4310 Landers Rd., NLR, 687.1331

MURRY’S DINNER PLAYHOUSE 6323 Colonel Glenn Rd. 562.3131, murrysdp.com

“WELL BUTTER MY BUTT & CALL ME A BISCUIT” cookbook can be found online at loripleggeauthor.weebly.com

THE SOUTHERN FOX Inside Galaxy Furniture 304 Main St., NLR, 375.DESK (3375)

Scarves

in stock for the

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304 MAIN ST. (INSIDE GALAXY FURNITURE) 375-DESK (3375) 46 46

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5924 R STREET LITTLE ROCK 501.664.3062

•• ADOPT••

Abundant love, unconditional devotion for your babies future is my promise to you EX PD - Karen 877-492-8811

ACXIOM CORP. – CONWAY, AR PRINCIPAL SOLUTION ARCHITECT (#JR001670) Apply online w/ job code above www.acxiom.com EEO/AA/W/M/Disability/Vet

ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHRISTMAS TREE SALE! Frasier furs and Virginia pines are all fresh at the Arkansas school for the blind and visually impaired Christmas tree sale. All proceeds directly benefit the students of the school for the blind and visually impaired. November 27 sales begin and continue until all trees are gone.

ARKANSAS TIMES MARKETPLACE TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION, CALL LUIS AT 501.375.2985

2600 WEST MARKHAM ST.

One Nation.

HIRING MAUMELLE ENTRY LEVEL POLICE OFFICERS The CITY OF MAUMELLE is hiring entry level Police Officers. The first step in joining this Team is to take and pass the Civil Service examination. The next scheduled examination is Saturday, November 21, 2015.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR TAKING THE EXAM ARE: 1. Be a United States Citizen 2. Be the age of 21 on date of the exam (Police Exam) 3. Be able to pass a background check, a drug test, and/or physical examination 4. Possess a high school diploma or equivalent 5. Possess a valid Arkansas driver’s license Beginning salary is $30,334.00 per year; the City offers an excellent employee benefit package which includes employee paid health and dental insurance, life and AD&D insurance, generous retirement program and many more benefits. The application process will begin immediately. For additional information visit www.maumelle.org. “EOE – Minority, Women, and disabled individuals are encouraged to apply.” This ad is available from the Title VI Coordinator in large print, on audio, and in Braille at (501) 851-2784, ext. 233 or at vernon@maumelle.org.

OneOne Nation. Mission. OneOpportunities. Mission. Many Many Opportunities.

The Transportation Security Administration is now hiring Transportation Security Officers at Little Rock National Airport (LIT) Be part of a dynamic security team protecting airports and skies as you proudly secure your future. Your dedication to protecting America’s traveling public will earn you federal benefits, including ongoing paid training, part-time opportunities with full-time benefits, a retirement plan, paid time off and more.

Part-time pay rate starting at $14.95 per hour (Includes 14.16% locality pay)

Federal benefits • Paid, ongoing training Please apply online through December 1st, 2015 at: https://tsajobs.tsa.dhs.gov or text “TSO” to 95495 or call 1.877.872.7990 Follow us on Twitter @CareersatTSA U.S. Citizenship Required Equal Opportunity Employer Standard Messaging and Data Rates Apply

MATH TEACHER (Sherwood, AR) Teach Math at secondary sch. Bachelors in Math, Math Edu. or Engineer.+1 yr exp as Math tchr at mid or high sch. Mail res.: Lisa Academy, 21 Corporate Hill Dr. Little Rock, AR 72205, Attn: HR, Refer to Ad#HC

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, (AACF) is looking for a new communications director. AACF is a non-profit advocacy organization whose mission is to promote better public policy to improve the lives of children and families and help them realize their full potential. We are seeking a communications director to lead our communication strategies, media relations, social media, website, and publication design. Experience with InDesign preferred. Requirements include a bachelor’s degree in communications or related field, and at least five years of related experience. Competitive salary and benefits. Send cover letter, resume, and references to cneal@aradvocates.org. The complete job description can be found at: www.aradvocates.org

sip LOCAL ARKANSAS TIMES www.arktimes.com

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

MOVE Central Arkansas Plan Modern Public Transit Service for Central Arkansas The MOVE Central Arkansas project is a comprehensive planning effort involving a variety of stakeholders in public transit. The project goal was to develop a vision for Rock Region METRO that addresses service improvements and support central Arkansas’ economic development and efforts to provide a dynamic, desirable place to live, work and play. MOVE Central Arkansas focuses on three key areas: service expansion and improvements, comprehensive and consistent branding and exploring funding opportunities to support the former. Learn more at rrmetro.org/move.

THE PLAN Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Bus rapid transit is best described as “light rail on tires.” It features bigger buses, platforms instead of shelters, pre-paid fares, and fewer stops with more frequency, with buses arriving every 10-15 minutes (5-7 minutes where route overlap occurs). It has demonstrated value in encouraging economic development, especially along its corridor. Central Arkansas BRT would begin with two heavy-demand corridors: • Downtown Little Rock, State Capitol Complex, Markham, UAMS, CHI St. Vincent, University/Midtown, 12th Street (Clinton Children’s Library, Little Rock Central High School, Arkansas Children’s Hospital) • Downtown Little Rock, State Capitol Complex, Markham, UAMS, CHI St. Vincent, University/Midtown, UALR Eventually, a third corridor could include North Little Rock’s Main Street-JFK_McCain corridor. Two North Little Rock Cross-Town Routes (North of I-40, South of I-40) Eliminates need to travel from NLR, to River Cities Travel Center (bus station in LR) and back to NLR for NLR-only departure and destination routes, benefits Pulaski Technical College, Levy/Amboy neighborhoods and other areas Improved Frequencies on Important Routes Rather than operating on up to one hr, 15-minute frequencies, buses would arrive and depart at 15-, 30-, 45- and 60-minute intervals Community Shuttles Would provide local fixed route service for the first time to Maumelle, Sherwood and Jacksonville; would provide additional service to West Little Rock Flex Zones Would provide on-demand service for less-densely populated areas and feed into nearby mini-hubs West Little Rock Express Would provide express bus service for West Little Rock residents commuting to downtown Little Rock from a park and ride location near Chenal Promenade and provide access to growing job markets in West Little Rock Pulaski County Express Routes Enhancements Would improve services on county express routes, including mid-day service Modernized Passenger Experience New buses, free WiFi, GPS-based mobile app, bus stop signs with texting system, more shelters Cost $36.9 million, based on existing funding from all funding partners and a quarter-cent sales tax

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

ARKANSAS TIMES