ALONE WITH HAYES CARLL | NATIVES GUIDE | EAST VILLAGE EATS
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FEATURES
JANUARY 2022
‘THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS’: “Hamilton” lands at Robinson Center in February.
23 FREEDOM, SHELVED
Book banners in Arkansas and beyond are ready to pull content about transgender teens, puberty and racism from library shelves. By Austin Bailey
28 NATIVES GUIDE
JOAN MARCUS
There’s plenty to do out there if you’re ready to get out and about. Take a drive to see some of Pulaski County’s architectural gems that you might never have noticed. Grab a bite at the restaurants that opened up during the pandemic. Check out our events lineup and make some big plans.
9 THE FRONT
Q&A: With Hayes Carll, Hendrix graduate and wry bard of the country music scene. The Big Pic: Resolving to break the Amazon habit? Independent Arkansas bookstores beckon.
13 THE TO-DO LIST
Jojo Siwa and Elton John at Simmons Bank Arena, a documentary on Clarke Tucker’s hard-fought defeat, Tchaikovsky at the symphony and more.
19 NEWS & POLITICS
An explainer on exactly how you’re getting screwed by Asa Hutchinson’s “tax cut.” By Ernest Dumas
54 SAVVY KIDS
A family of five finds both challenges and blessings come with a Down syndrome diagnosis. By Katherine Wyrick
63 CULTURE
Photographer Aaron Turner, a West Memphis native, renders history and life in black and white. By Stephanie Smittle 4 JANUARY 2022
ARKANSAS TIMES
66 FOOD
Rosie’s Pot and Kettle serves up rib-sticking homemade food in Little Rock’s up and coming East Village. By Rhett Brinkley
70 CANNABIZ
Apps and websites allow Arkansas customers to research and order weed online. By Griffin Coop
74 THE OBSERVER
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ARKANSAS TIMES
THE FRONT Q&A
‘ALONE TOGETHER,’ STILL
Hayes Carll, country/Americana/rock ‘n’ roll singer-songwriter and Hendrix College graduate (‘98), has had a busy couple of years, pandemic be damned. Carll capped off 2021 with “You Get It All,” a record that jumps to the head of the line of work by a musician with an enviable reputation built over nearly two decades of recording and touring. “You Get It All” opens with a satirical peek at planet Earth from the perspective of a disappointed female God and then settles in with relationship songs: the highlight being “In the Meantime,” a duet with Brandy Clark that calls to mind peak George Jones. “You Get It All” arrives after last year’s “The Alone Together Sessions,” where quarantined Carll revisited and reimagined a selection of his old songs. No surprise, then, that when we spoke to Carll late last year, the art of songwriting came up in conversation.
DAVID MCCLISTER
HAYES CARLL ON SANITY, SONGWRITING AND CONNECTING WITH PANDEMIC-ERA AUDIENCES.
Hayes Carll CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: My 2000 Gibson J-45. I bought it the day I made my first record, and it’s still my primary guitar.
We started to raise money for the band and crew. We did a Kickstarter. Then I started to do the livestream shows — the “Alone Together” sessions, every Tuesday. We ended up doing 67 episodes. It was a huge thing for me. It was a lifesaver. Even if I couldn’t see the audience, I knew something special was happening. Now I am touring, and every night I will run into a decent part of the audience that was there on those Tuesdays. They are telling me that was their lifeline, not feeling so alone. That’s very special to me. Talk about “In the Meantime,” the Brandy Clark duet, which sounds like an old school classic country song. How did that collaboration happen? I wanted to write a country song, a double entendre, heartbreak song. I just had the phrase “in the meantime” in my mind, and I had the chorus. I’d been saving that idea. I got together with Brandy and pitched it to her. We finished it together. I loved what we did. That is an interesting thing about songwriting: If I had written with anybody else, it wouldn’t be what it is. There’s some kind of magic and mystery that comes with collaborative work. You have to sync up and get on the same page. When you do, that’s an incredible feeling.
Before speaking about the new album, you CURRENTLY READING: “How to are back on the road now, right? Does it feel Write One Song” by Jeff Tweedy. normal yet? We’ve been at it for a minute. We had a few FAVORITE TOUR FOOD: It depends gigs over the summer. The last couple of on the city, but probably sushi. months we’ve been back on the road, eating not-the-best food and staying at Holiday Inn Express. Does it feel normal? Not really. There are some things that aren’t that different. Like riding a bike, I suppose. It is different from night to night. People seem hesitant. Definitely something as a nation happened. We underwent a Is “You Get It All” a record with a preconceived theme, or is it a huge change. record of the best songs you have on hand at the time? Every record, I’m expected to have a narrative, but sometimes that Are audiences the same as they were before? doesn’t exist. With this one, I think it was afterwards that I was lookI don’t know. I went to see a friend, BJ Barham, doing an American ing over the record and realized that these are songs about relationAquarium show. It was a show I wasn’t performing in. Going out again, ships. Whatever that relationship is, that’s the thing they all have in I found I’m more of an introvert than I realize. I am not used to being common. in crowds. I was used to being in my house with my wife, friends and children. [Our circle] got much smaller. Has your songwriting process changed much over the years? I’m just trying to figure shit out these days. Todd Snider has this exBut you didn’t stop completely from performing, did you? pression, “I don’t write to change minds but to ease my own.” When I I was out on tour in mid-March 2020 with the “Alone Together” tour. started, I was just writing because it was fun to be creative. More and A solo show was the idea. We were in Seattle and we canceled a show more I take songwriting a bit more seriously. It’s more important to and then had to cancel the rest of the tour. Clubs just started shutting me to have a point. I’m a lot more intentional than I used to be. I’m 45. down. We had no idea at the time how long it was going to go on. The That is just part of growth and where I am at. question is, how to make a living and keep my sanity? It was definitely scary. It was a very strange and, in a lot of ways, troubling time. — Werner Trieschmann ARKANSASTIMES.COM
JANUARY 2022 9
THE FRONT BIG PIC
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE GUIDE When we last put together an Arkansas bookstore guide a decade ago, we worried it might soon be worthless. Brick-and-mortar book purveyors seemed moribund, soon to be devoured by ebooks and Amazon. But, hooray, not only have our favorite independent Arkansas bookstores survived, a bundle of new ones have popped up in recent years.
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ARKANSAS TIMES
WORDSWORTH BOOKS Little Rock Little Rock’s oldest and largest independent bookstore is an essential destination for Central Arkansas bibliophiles — and the place you’re most likely to run into local literary superstars Kevin Brockmeier, Ayana Gray and Trenton Lee Stewart. It’s cozy and carefully stocked with plenty of signed first editions, an extensive collection of Arkansas books and a delightful children’s nook. 5920 R St., 501663-9198, wordsworthbookstore.com
DOG EAR BOOKS Russellville Every college town needs a thriving indie bookstore; Russellville got a great one in 2016 when the Young family opened Dog Ear Books. Located next door to Retro Roasts, a coffee shop also owned by the family, Dog Ear specializes in new books with an impressive children’s section full of books and toys, including plush Dog Ear mascot pups with one bent ear and glasses. 110 N. Commerce Ave., 479-219-5123, ilovedogear.com.
THE GALLERIES & BOOKSTORE AT LIBRARY SQUARE Little Rock Our employment history in downtown Little Rock has almost entirely overlapped with the lifespan of Central Arkansas Library System’s used bookstore, which means that our bookshelves are filled with finds from its winning selection of half-priced (or more deeply discounted) used books. Open since 2001, the bookstore moved in early 2021 from its original home in the Cox Building across the parking lot to the ground floor of the Bobby L. Roberts Library of Arkansas History & Art. That meant a dramatic reduction in floorspace, but not in quality. 401 President Clinton Ave., 501-320-5790, cals.org/the-bookstore-atlibrary-square.
BOOKISH Fort Smith With two locations in downtown Fort Smith, Bookish — full name “An Indie Shop for Folks Who Read” — is a stylish and well-curated operation that celebrates local authors. The flagship store in Brunwick Place sells new and used books, gifts and has a growing children’s section. The newer spot in the Bakery District specializes in new books and local presses, and is next door to Fort Smith Coffee Co. and a food truck park. 115 N. 10th, Suite H-119-C, 479-434-2917; 70 S. 7th St., 479-434-8631; bookishfs.com.
BOOKS A PLENTY: (From left) Little Rock bestselling author Ayana Gray and a stack of signed copies of her debut novel, Russellville’s Dog Ear Books, Fayetteville’s Dickson Street Bookshop and Bentonville’s Two Friends Books.
CHAPTERS ON MAIN Van Buren A three-story shop in downtown Van Buren that sells new and used books, Chapters On Main also offers a full-service espresso bar with plenty of seating for lounging or special events. Owned by Alan and Deborah Foliart and their grandson Christian Westbrook and his wife, Malachi, Chapters has a friendly, welcoming vibe. 816 Main St., 479-471-9315, chaptersonmain.com. DICKSON STREET BOOKSHOP Fayetteville A fixture in downtown Fayetteville since 1978, Dickson Street Bookshop is a required stop for book lovers in Arkansas — and beyond. It’s massive and labyrinthine, home to more than 100,000 used books organized by subject from aeronautics to zoology, and because it’s in a college town, the stock changes often. During the pandemic, the store only buys books for cash or credit by appointment only. 325 W. Dickson St., 479-442-8182, dicksonstreetbooks.com.
PEARL’S BOOKS Fayetteville One happy byproduct of the pandemic: people are buying more books. Daniel and Leah Jordan say that their dream for Pearl’s, the bookstore just off the Fayetteville square they opened in October 2021, “became a reality as our understanding of life, work, community and connection began to shift in that fateful month of March 2020.” Pearl’s sells new books and gifts, coffee, wine and beer and pastries and charcuterie. They’ve already hosted a number of events featuring local authors in the well-appointed shop. 28 E. Center St., 479527-6984, pearlsbooks.com
ONCE UPON A TIME BOOKS Tontitown and Bentonville Literary treasure hunters, don’t sleep on Once Upon a Time Books. With a massive warehouse retail store in Tontitown (technically Springdale), a smaller storefront in downtown Bentonville and an extensive online store, it’s a power player in regional used book sales. If you have at least a box of books to sell, Once Upon a Time will consider them for purchase or trade. For more than six boxes, set up an appointment. 462 E. Henri de Tonti Blvd., 479-927-6001 (Springdale), 116 W. Central Ave., 479-367-2595 (Bentonville), onceuponatimebooks.com.
TWO FRIENDS BOOKS Bentonville Another shop that opened amid the pandemic, Two Friends draws its name from owners Monica Diodati and Rachel Slaton (“We don’t know a Phoebe, so it’s just us Two Friends,” they joke), and sells new and used books. Located downtown, the store includes a cafe that sells coffee, tea, wine, beer, pastries and a handful of tasty looking sandwiches. 234 SW 7th St., No. 106, 479-367-2442, twofriendsbooks.com.
BLYTHEVILLE BOOK COMPANY Blytheville Stepping into the void left by the closure of That Bookstore in Blytheville, a regional institution for more than 40 years that John Grisham once called his favorite bookstore, Blytheville Book Company sells new books, toys, vinyl records, gifts, Rozark Coffee, tea and beer and wine (happy hour is every day, 4-6 p.m.). Every Saturday at 11 a.m., the shop hosts story time followed by a craft related to the book. 429 W. Main St., 870-763-3333, blythevillebookcompany.com.
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BY STEPHANIE SMITTLE Booster up, mask up and support your local creatives however you can. We’re still in a pandemic, and an increasing number of shows require proof of vaccination, so make sure you have that card ready to go. Gathering safely again is a work in progress; be on the lookout for policy changes or date changes, and handle them with all the grace you can summon.
JOJO SIWA
MONDAY 1/31. SIMMONS BANK ARENA. 7 P.M. $40-$70.
COURTESY SIMMONS BANK ARENA
Wielder of gigantic hair bows, “Dance Moms” vet and, now, young queer icon, Jojo Siwa is a Nickelodeon mogul, reigning over an empire built on glitter, rainbows, TikTok and bubblegum dance pop. Siwa told People Magazine earlier this year that she considers herself “the happiest human alive,” and after watching her interview on “4D with Demi Lovato,” I 100% believe her. Siwa’s concert at Simmons Bank Arena is going to feel like walking into a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper universe in which all roads lead to Jojo, clad in a couture glitter jumpsuit, swinging her giant blonde ponytail and leading chants that every tween in your life knows by heart (#BestiesNotBullies) and imploring you to “D.R.E.A.M. with me!” Get tickets at simmonsbankarena.com.
ELTON JOHN
SATURDAY 1/29. SIMMONS BANK ARENA. 8 P.M. $70-$225. Though he’s arguably more famous these days for being “Lion King”-rich and taking phone calls from Vladimir Putin, pianist and composer Sir Elton John’s 50-plus-year partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin has yielded some of the most moving melodies of our time, even if you chose to ignore the mega-hits. Shove past “Candle in the Wind” and “Crocodile Rock” and you’ll find the virtuosic mandolin in “Holiday Inn,” the immaculate couplets of poetry in “This Song Has No Title,” and the grand operatic scale of the “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” medley, for example. Elton’s post-“Rocketman” biopic, pandemic-era playlists are packed with enough “Bennie and the Jets” to please the crowd, with plenty left for those of us who came to hear “Border Song” and “Burn Down the Mission.” ARKANSASTIMES.COM
JANUARY 2022 13
‘DESIGNING WOMEN’
TUESDAY 1/18-SUNDAY 2/6. ARKANSAS REPERTORY THEATRE. Linda Bloodworth-Thomason’s TV series “Designing Women” may have been dripping with late-’80s topical humor (and shoulder pads to match), but many of its fiery takedowns of misogyny, homophobia and redstate hypocrisy — many of them from the mouth of Dixie Carter’s inimitable Julia Sugarbaker — would feel right at home in 2022. Maybe that’s why it’s so fitting that the bold belles of the Sugarbaker interior design firm are back in a Trump-informed era, this time as characters in a two-act stage play. The Rep’s co-production of the show with Fayetteville’s TheatreSquared is directed by Bloodworth-Thomason’s husband and collaborator, Harry Thomason, and imagines Julia, Suzanne, Mary Jo, Charlene and Co. in Atlanta circa 2020. Get tickets at therep.org.
ARKANSAS SHORTS ‘A GOOD CAMPAIGN’
SATURDAY 1/22. RON ROBINSON THEATER. 6 P.M. $15. Once upon a time, a young, idealistic lawyer named Clarke Tucker ran to represent Arkansas’s 2nd District in U.S. Congress, and lost. “A Good Campaign,” made and directed by filmmakers Gerard Matthews and Kathryn Tucker — executive director of the Arkansas Cinema Society and also Clarke’s sister — documents the guts and heartbreak of that campaign during its last four days. It also paints a picture of our divisive political landscape, giving a sense of why, as Matthews said, “Democrats can’t win here anymore, not even Tucker, who has a great record, bipartisan allies in the legislature, and who ran a solid campaign.” Clarke Tucker and the directors of the film give a Q&A session after the film, moderated by Bill Vickery and Skip Rutherford. A reception at Cache Restaurant follows. “100 percent of all ticket proceeds and donations,” the release states, “will go to the Arkansas film crew who volunteered their time and talent to make the film.” Get tickets at bit.ly/agoodcampaign.
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ARKANSAS TIMES
SATURDAY 1/8-SUNDAY 1/9. MALCO THEATRE, HOT SPRINGS. There’s a lot to love about Low Key Arts’ annual short film fest — the post-holiday conviviality, the variety in the film selections, the revived vintage theater in which it’s held. This year, the one-night-only fest is doubling down for an entire weekend, the result of “a tremendous outpouring of creative energy” following two years in quarantine,” film program director Jen Gerber said. Films made during Low Key Arts’ Inception to Projection filmmaking program and its summer sketch comedy workshop, in partnership with the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival’s filmmaking boot camp, receive their premiere here, along with a handful of short films from Arkansas and otherwise — Larry Foley’s “Bass Reeves, The Invincible Black Marshal,” about the legendary Arkansas-born lawman; Luis Hernandez’s “Los Vagos,” which sees Little Rock through the lens of a VHS camera; Molly Wheat’s drama-by-way-of-voicemail “Call Me When You Can”; Samson Sorluangsana’s storm-tossed nightmare “Tempest” and more. Get tickets and a full lineup at lowkeyarts.org.
JOAN MARCUS
JAZZ AT THE JOINT ‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’
THURSDAY 1/6-SATURDAY 1/8. ROBINSON CENTER.
ESTERIO SEGURA, “HYBRID OF CHRYSLER,” FROM “EVERYONE WANTS TO FLY”
Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter took “Fiddler’s” original staging by Jerome Robbins and channeled it into this touring production from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. The musical is timeless for a reason; its themes of cultural warfare and family growing pains, as seen through the eyes of a milkman named Tevye, are intensely rendered and perennial, and tunes like “Sunrise, Sunset,” which Harnick adapted in 2011 for use in same-sex weddings, are the very reason people fall in love with Broadway musicals in the first place. Get tickets at celebrityattractions.com.
ARTE CUBANO
TUESDAY 1/18-TUESDAY 3/8. WINDGATE CENTER OF ART + DESIGN, UA LITTLE ROCK. 10 A.M.-4 P.M. MON.-FRI. FREE. This new exhibit at UA Little Rock’s Manners/Papas and Brad Cushman galleries features work from more than 25 Cuban artists — Sandra Ramos Lorenzo, Esterio Segura, Frank Mattinez and Yoan Capote among them. “The island geography and political intensity of Cuba inform the work in a way that is immediately identifiable,” a release states, “often concealing coded, even subversive, ideas while simultaneously celebrating the richness of Cuba’s cultural identity. Peeling away the layers of Cuban art often reveals a story of struggle caused by economic and political consequences, and the social upheaval that a true revolution produces.” Organized by Exhibits USA, “Arte Cubano” is supplemented by works from the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the UA Little Rock Collection and from a local private collection. The exhibition is free and open to the public or by appointment.
THURSDAY 1/13. THE JOINT, 301 N. MAIN ST., NORTH LITTLE ROCK. $30. One of the best listening rooms for music in Central Arkansas is in an Argenta storefront near the banks of the Arkansas River, with 100 seats, a full bar and a damn good coffee bar. The Joint’s wide-ranging comedy programming has reopened for business, and now its trio of music and storytelling series is back, too: Argenta Acoustic Music Series, Potluck & Poison Ivy and Jazz at the Joint. Hosted by guitarist Ted Ludwig, this installment of the Jazz at the Joint series features guitarist Peter Bernstein, whose elegant approach has decorated work by Diana Krall and Sonny Rollins. For a preview, head to YouTube and check out Bernstein’s handiwork on “Bones,” a live studio set for KNKX Public Radio. Get tickets at jazzatthejoint.org.
MARY BRIDGET DAVIES
WEDNESDAY 1/19. THE HALL. $70-$250. There is only one Janis Joplin, but vocalist Mary Bridget Davies will make you look twice. Davies won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Janis in “A Night With Janis Joplin,” and performs here — on what would have been Janis’ 79th birthday — as a guest of Opera in the Rock, whose incoming CEO Fred Owens has big ideas about connecting audiences with the beauty and diversity of the human voice. A pre-concert VIP cocktail reception precedes the fully-seated concert, as well as a private afterparty with the singer; see details on those packages at littlerockhall.com or at oitr.org.
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JANUARY 2022 15
ARGENTA ACOUSTIC MUSIC SERIES: FINGER FOOD THURSDAY 1/20. THE JOINT, NORTH LITTLE ROCK. 7:30 P.M. $30.
This Little Rock-based trio is something of a fingerstyle guitar supergroup, with sensibilities that draw from jazz, Celtic traditions and classical music. Steve Davison, Danny Dozier and Micky Rigby have been playing together for about six years, if you don’t count the two years lost to the pandemic, and this concert from the Argenta Acoustic Music Series celebrates what the series is all about: delicate guitar work heard in a pure acoustic setting, peppered with stories and introductions to custom-built and historic instruments. Get tickets at argentaacoustic. com.
FOX GREEN JUSTIN ARANHA
SUNDAY 1/23. WHITE WATER TAVERN. 6 P.M. $10.
ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: TCHAIKOVSKY’S VIOLIN CONCERTO
SATURDAY 1/29-SUNDAY 1/30. ROBINSON CENTER. 7:30 P.M. SAT., 3 P.M. SUN. Violinist Shannon Lee (pictured) made her solo debut at the age of 12 with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and it seems to have worked out pretty well since then. With a handful of prestigious competition titles, a debut recording of 20th century violin-piano works and appearances with the Nashville Symphony, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Fresno Philharmonic and Phoenix Symphony under her belt, Lee guests here on Tchaikovsky’s technical tour de force violin concerto. She’s joined by Andrew Crust, current assistant conductor at the Vancouver Symphony and former assistant conductor at the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, guest conducting for the weekend.
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ARKANSAS TIMES
When your band’s rhythm guitar player is the director of one of the largest hospital systems in the state during a global pandemic, album release parties tend to take a back seat. That’s how it went for Fox Green, anyway, whose member Dr. Cam Patterson led UAMS’ efforts to quell the virus’ surges in Arkansas. Recorded, mixed and mastered to great effect by Jason Weinheimer of Fellowship Hall Sound, “The Longest April” is polished, mature rock, with thoughtful work from guitarist Wayne Derden, upright bassist Steve Kapp, and drummer Dave Hoffpauir, plus cameos from Lisa Walker of Wussy, Adam Weiner of Low Cut Connie and Peter Stamfel of Holy Modal Rounders. This album release party has been a long time coming and is destined to be a great show. Get tickets at whitewatertavern.com.
MODELING, CHORD JOCKS, WAY AWAY
FRIDAY 1/28. WHITE WATER TAVERN. 9 P.M. $10. The utterly un-Google-able Fayetteville outfit Modeling made one of our favorite tracks of 2021 in “Nothing Unexpected,” a synth-loaded fever dream with avant-garde cellist Christian Serrano-Torres. They play at the White Water Tavern ahead of the release of their debut album, “Somewhere Before,” with opening sets from hip-hop instrumentalists Chord Jocks and beloved local dream pop weavers Way Away. Get tickets at whitewatertavern.com and bring your dancing shoes.
NEW SEASON SUNDAY JAN. 9, 8 P.M.
PREMIERES SUNDAY JAN. 2, 7 P.M.
BINGE EVERY EPISODE OF BOTH SHOWS BEGINNING THE NIGHT THEY PREMIERE
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THE JERRY KLINE COMMUNITY IMPACT PRIZE 2021 WINNER
CENTRAL ARKANSAS LIBRARY SYSTEM
The library by itself can’t do a lot of things that the community would like to have done, or address challenges the community faces. But we stand at an intersection with other folks who can do some of that work and have deeper resources and perhaps broader reach than we do. The library can be a catalyst for getting those groups together. Nate Coulter
Executive Director | Central Arkansas Library System
100 Rock Street, Little Rock | 501.918.3000 | CALS.org
18 JANUARY 2022
ARKANSAS TIMES
NEWS & POLITICS
TAX CUT FALLACIES BY ERNEST DUMAS
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lato the Greek gave us the first vision of the politics of taxes but, as the legislature and Governor Hutchinson demonstrated in December, not much has changed in 2,400 years. Regardless of what it does for the commonweal, cutting income taxes sharply for the well-to-do and not much for all the working stiffs is very good for the politicians. What the father of western political philosophy said was that, if the state has an income tax, the just man should willingly pay more taxes on his wealth. Oliver Wendell Holmes supplied the rest of Plato’s equation: However generally they may be despised, taxes are the price we all pay for civilization. In Arkansas, as in other states, taxes mostly pay for education, public health and safety, and — yes — highways. Those happen to be the poor measure of Arkansas’s civilization. If you are among the handful of Arkansans who followed the actual doings of the brief special session called by the governor to cut individual and corporate income taxes, you know that the tax cut is primarily a bonanza for people of considerable wealth, accumulated by inheritance, shrewd investments and business or professional acumen. The details of the Asa tax cuts are mindboggling, but the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy cut to the chase. The cuts will deposit an average of $10,000 a year in the pockets of each of the top 1% of taxpayers — those making more than $500,000 a year. On the other end, the working poor — those earning below $24,700 a year — may get a credit of up to 17 cents a day on their tax returns, which is not quite what he or she pays in sales taxes on a hamburger. Since taking office in 2015, Hutchinson
A LEGACY OF TAX CUTS: Governor Hutchinson has shepherded several income tax cuts that largely benefited rich people. His likely successor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, has promised to end state income taxes altogether.
and the Republican legislative branch have enacted several income tax cuts, primarily for the wealthiest people, though always a bone or two for the working poor and middle class. Every Republican candidate today campaigns on cutting taxes, and who actually gets the help really doesn’t matter politically. It’s a proven strategy. Mike Huckabee always campaigned as a tax cutter, claiming falsely that he was the only governor ever to cut taxes. He still claims the reputation of a tax cutter, although he wound up as the taxingest governor in Arkansas history. Huckabee or his daughter — almost certainly the next governor unless Donald Trump is put behind bars — will dispute this. Just for the record, here are Huckabee’s tax hikes: a 3 percent income tax surcharge on all individuals and corporations in 2003, 1/8-cent sales tax on everything for outdoor recreation in 1996, a 0.5% general sales tax in 1999, a 7/8-cent sales tax and expanded tax on services in 2003, a doubled franchise tax on corporations in 2003, a 2% excise tax on tobacco products in 1997, a 7% excise tax on tobacco in 2003, higher taxes on cigarette and tobacco permits in 1997, a wholesale tax on cigarette and tobacco products in 1997, a heavy tax on each bed of paying nursing-home patients in 2003 to benefit nursing home owners like Michael Morton, a 25 cents-a-pack excise tax on cigarettes in 2003, a 3% tax on all retail beer sales in 2001, a 3-centsa-gallon tax increase on gasoline and 4 cents a gallon on diesel in 1999, a revived tax on mixed drinks and a tax on private clubs in 2005, and an increase in the fee on drivers licenses from $14 to $20 a person in 2001. Stealing a little of Hutchinson’s thunder, Sarah
BRIAN CHILSON
GOV. HUTCHINSON AND THE ARKANSAS LEGISLATURE PUSH FORWARD ANOTHER MASSIVE GIVEAWAY TO THE RICH.
Huckabee Sanders promises that after she is governor she won’t just cut income taxes, but end them altogether, slashing government spending virtually in half, like what Gov. Sam Brownback promised to do in Kansas before people rose up and ran him off. Two earlier Republican candidates for governor, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, were promising to do that, too, but Sanders and her Trump backing chased them out of the race. So that both the benefits and the ultimate crisis from the tax cuts would not be felt quickly, Sanders later said she would string the total tax repeal out gradually, as Brownback tried to do. It would be achieved the year after she safely leaves office, in 2031. If it would be so beneficial, why not deliver the wonderful impact immediately, in 2023? I can explain that. We have a little history of tax resistance, both nationally and, contrary to Mike Huckabee’s claims, in Arkansas. Aside from the momentary deliverance for politicians, it rarely goes well for the rest of us. Almost from its inception as a state, Arkansas celebrated its refusal to tax but also had to lament its poverty, lack of services such as education, and its staggering debt, which by the depth of the Great Depression in 1934 left it a ward of the federal government with by far the greatest per-capita debt in the country and also new constitutional restrictions that would make it nearly impossible to ever again tax the rich at a higher rate than the poor. Only once, a modest increase in progressivity in 1971, has it ever happened. That tax increase, incidentally, was followed not by decline as is usually predicted, but by an unusual burst of economic growth and new jobs. The greatest champion of the income tax in ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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our or any other state’s history was Winthrop Rockefeller, the father of the modern Republican Party in Arkansas. He tried repeatedly, in 1969 and 1970, to raise the top rate on the highest incomes from 5% to 12%. Rockefeller and perhaps a few other plutocrats would have been the only people paying the top rate. He risked his political future by calling a special session before the elections of 1970 to demand again that the legislators raise the tax on high incomes like his to give Arkansas children the education and health benefits and
new ventures and create the jobs, which cause the state or the nation to grow. Give a Walton heir (name your own grandee) $100,000 off his tax bill and he will phone the Walmart headquarters in Bentonville and tell them to hire more minimumwage clerks and sackers or open a new Sam’s Club somewhere, preferably in Arkansas. If it only worked that way ... but it never has. Industrialists, merchants, contractors or institutions open new stores and new product lines or put on new shifts or just another clerk,
WHEN THE INCOME-TAX CUT WAS ROLLING THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, A LAWMAKER ASKED ONE OF THE SPONSORS IF HE COULD SUPPLY SOME EVIDENCE THAT TAX CUTS FOR CORPORATIONS AND WEALTHY PEOPLE FOSTERED ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOBS. THE SPONSOR, REPUBLICAN REP. JOHN MADDOX OF MENA, SAID HE COULD NOT, BUT THAT HE TRULY BELIEVED IT IN HIS HEART. economic opportunities they deserved. He lost the election to Dale Bumpers, who promptly, albeit moderately, raised the top tax rate, passed a few other progressive taxes and set off an economic boom. Hutchinson’s goal has been to erase Bumpers’s achievement and put the rate on the rich back at 5%, where it almost certainly can never be raised again owing to our unique constitutional bar. Bumpers, by the way, had handed Hutchinson his first political defeat, in the 1986 race for the U.S. Senate. Large budget surpluses year after year seem to give the governor and the legislature the justification for cutting taxes. The economy seems to be producing more money than the government needs for all its services. But it is mostly a mirage. For a dozen years, governors have planned the budget surpluses by administrative dicta to distribute revenues every month to produce by the year’s end big surpluses that the two branches can use for political prizes and, of course, to justify cutting tax rates for the “economic producers.” Massive federal assistance, in the form of health spending under Obamacare, health insurance premium taxes and pandemic aid have kept the state coffers overflowing for five years. That’s not going to last. We will soon be back to the Huckabee days, when the governor was scouting for ways to keep money flowing. The philosophy of tax cuts for the rich is not that they are especially deserving and needy — not even a Huckabee or a Trump would venture such a claim — but rather that they are the economy’s generators. See, the rich use the windfall to start
only because they need them to meet the demand for products and services, not because they suddenly have some spare change. A little or even a sizable tax break has nothing to do with it. After Trump and Congress drastically cut taxes on corporations and high incomes, corporations used the windfall to buy back stock and the rich bought more stock. The stock market rose a little, but for average Americans it meant nothing. More jobs? In Arkansas, the unemployment rate in the Trump years declined from 3.7 percent to 3.5 percent in 2020 before it skyrocketed again. The average Arkansan arguably benefited not at all. This month, under Joe Biden though, joblessness is down to 3.4 percent. When the income-tax cut was rolling through the legislature, a lawmaker asked one of the sponsors if he could supply some evidence that tax cuts for corporations and wealthy people fostered economic growth and jobs. The sponsor, Republican Rep. John Maddox of Mena, said he could not, but that he truly believed it in his heart. As it happens, his party has a hefty record on the question. No need to go back to Hoover. Let’s start with Eisenhower. Of the last 11 economic recessions in the United States, 10 of them started under Republican presidents. The short and light recession under Jimmy Carter was the exception. Recessions generally followed Republican tax cuts — under Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Trump. The longest sustained growth periods in American history followed modest tax increases under Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, the latter in the health-reform law Obamacare.
You may recall the Laffer Curve, the doctrine that Reagan embraced in his 1980 campaign. The more you cut corporate and individual income taxes, the more the economy grows and fills the national treasury. He was going to cut taxes and also eliminate the national debt. With some Democratic help — not our senators — he passed a big tax cut mainly for the well-to-do early in 1981, and the nation promptly fell into the deepest and longest recession since Hoover’s: big budget deficits and double-digit unemployment for almost a year. In 1982 and for most years afterward, he and Congress increased taxes (“revenue enhancements” replaced the word “taxes”) and the economy began to recuperate. That’s the only phase that the party officially remembers. A mild and brief recession set in under the first President Bush after he promised, “Read my lips: No new taxes!” and then raised taxes slightly and slashed federal spending to reduce the mammoth annual budget deficits that he had inherited from Reagan. George W. Bush, again with a few Democratic votes, cut taxes on high incomes twice early in his presidency, with the same results: a recession and a ballooning national debt. Bush’s second recession, from November 2007 until nearly 2010, nearly sent the nation into bankruptcy. No Republican and not even the conservative media in Arkansas (well, the Arkansas DemocratGazette) ever whimpered about the growing debt during the Reagan and Bush years, as they do daily now that a Democrat is in the White House and the economy is steaming along — more job creation in 11 months in Arkansas and the nation than during four years of Trump. But Arkansas is the governor’s and the legislature’s purview, right? How can we grow faster and include everyone in the rise? One thing that polls show, both nationally and in Arkansas, is that most people, including Republicans and even some of the country’s richest plutocrats, realize that the rich escape much taxation and that the distance between the very richest Americans and the rest of us has grown wildly the last 40 years and is growing monthly. Nearly everyone now recognizes that there is one old economic elixir that actually does work: stimulus. Put money back into the pockets of ordinary consumers — the poor and middle class — and the economy takes off. It worked for Obama in 2009, when he persuaded Congress to cut payroll taxes for workers for a spell and the economy bottomed and began to recover. If Hutchinson, the legislature and Sarah Sanders were genuinely interested in doing that, they could dramatically reduce sales taxes, or even eliminate them. It would produce far greater economic benefits, help people who genuinely could use it and not affect, even a whit, the lifestyles and joys of the rich. Education, public health and safety and even highways would suffer, but not as much as the elimination of income taxes. Don’t look for it to happen.
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CURIOUS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA ? Whether you currently have a medical marijuana card or are considering one. Arkansas Times & ACIA present an informative Medical Marijuana & CBD Wellness Expo that can help answer those questions for you.
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Marijuana is for use by qualified patients only. Keep out of reach of children. Marijuana use during pregnancy or breastfeeding poses potential harms. Marijuana is not approved by the FDA to treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of marijuana. 22 JANUARY 2022
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BOOKS ON GENDER, SEXUALITY AND RACE HAVE CENSORS STOKING THE FLAMES. BY AUSTIN BAILEY
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A
ny librarian can tell you book banning never goes completely out of vogue. Even in quiet years they field occasional gripes about ribald DVDs or the more comprehensive guides on sex education in the young readers’ section. This past year, however, was far from quiet. Book banning, in both public schools and public libraries, is having a moment. Uproar over Nobel laureate Toni Morrison’s masterpiece “Beloved” was arguably a deciding issue in the 2021 Virginia governor’s race. Texas conservatives are in hot pursuit of “pornography and other obscene content” in school libraries, with plans to criminally prosecute whoever put it there. Here in Arkansas, members of groups like Moms for Liberty in Northwest Arkansas, Safe Library Books for Kids in Jonesboro and Back to Basics in Conway are emailing, organizing and showing up to library and school board meetings to make their case for excising books about gender, sexuality, puberty and racism from any shelves children or teens could happen upon. Consider the position of the Arkansas-based book banning group Safe Libraries for Kids with empathy, and you’ll find some genuine anguish at the root of their campaign. Afraid that children who read about sex, gender nonconformity and drugs will have sex, gender bend and use drugs, these parents and grandparents are trying to lock it all down. “If they are reading the inappropriate books being supplied by librarians in schools and public libraries, how can we expect them to then be ‘good.’ They won’t be, and that creates a shift toward evil for society,” one of the group’s four moderators lamented on their Facebook page, which has attracted more than a thousand followers since it started up in September. The page chirps and burbles throughout the day with gotcha-style alerts about books to look out for and notices about upcoming library board meetings. (Group moderator Deanne Copeland politely declined to be interviewed for this story, and other group leaders didn’t respond to messages.) Their arguments don’t land for parents who
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would rather their kids learn about sex and drugs from books than from some guy behind a gas station. And when accusations of pedophilia enter the chat, as they inevitably do, it’s easy to roll your eyes and tune out. And arguments from groups like Conway’s secretive Back to Basics that keeping books on racism in school libraries is the gateway to revolution and the downfall of the American way seem pretty far-fetched. But this new wave of book banners in Arkansas and across the country is both loud and legion, with deep-pocketed backers, organizational know-how and the discipline to cause real headaches for defenders of First Amendment freedoms. In December 2021, the National Coalition Against Censorship put out a statement against the barrage of attempts to pull books from classrooms and school libraries. The list of cosigners, which includes authors, publishers, the American Civil Liberties Union and many others, is longer than the statement itself. “The law clearly prohibits the kind of activities we are seeing today: censoring school libraries, removing books — and entire reading lists — based on disagreement with viewpoint and without any review of their educational or literary merit. Some would-be censors have gone even farther, threatening teachers, school librarians, authors and school board members with criminal charges and even violence for allowing students access to books,” they said. Those censors are turning up the heat in community libraries, as well. The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom reports demands to scrub content from library shelves in 2021 eclipsed any other year in decades. ARKANSAS CASE STUDIES Anyone in Craighead County with a library card won’t be at all surprised at the soaring uptick. A 2021 Pride Month display in the Jonesboro Library’s children’s section, with its seemingly anodyne books about two penguin dads and a bear who felt more like a bunny, set off a months-
long battle over what content the library should offer, and where they should keep it. Tempers flared, lines were drawn, opposing Facebook groups sprung up. A political tug-of-war erupted over an open seat on the Craighead County library board, a vacancy that in normal times wouldn’t draw much notice. The nascent Citizens Defending the Craighead County Library mobilized to defeat a proposal to give the library board the chore of micromanaging what books and displays the library offers. So far no books have been pulled out of circulation, although some got shuffled to new spots. And library Director David Eckert, wrung out from standing firm against the onslaught, announced in November he was skipping town to take a job in Waterloo, Iowa. What happened in Craighead County is simply a new chapter to an old book. Works that drove defenders of morality to red-faced fits in the past warrant nary a rise anymore, a reflection of changing times. Holden Caulfield’s suicidal tendencies and juvenile raunch kept “The Catcher in the Rye” on banned book lists through the ’80s and ’90s, but cause few headaches for librarians today. Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening” met immediate scorn upon release in 1899, and the attacks didn’t let up for decades. But now? Adultery is a yawner after the Trump era, and anyway, (spoiler alert) who cares if a fallen woman flings herself into the sea? Book banners have always drawn down on content that reflected society’s anxiety flashpoints at the time. Judy Blume sat in the hot seat in the ’80s, when her books about the lived experiences and sexual curiosity of pubescent girls made parents squirm. J.K. Rowling came along in the ’90s to rile parents who feared their ensorceled children would turn their backs on the church. Today, though, Blume’s and Rowling’s largely white, heterosexual, economically secure book characters who never scrape with police get a free pass, even as they’re getting their periods or practicing witchcraft. Patty Hector, now the director of Saline County Libraries, weathered a few waves of censorship over her three decades in the library business in
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California and Arkansas. She notes a couple of key differences today. The furor over books about gender and homosexuality is a new development, largely because those books didn’t exist a decade ago. The same goes for books by and about the hardships and systemic racism people of color experience in the 21st century. “There were very, very few (if any) books on LGBTQ or race issues for most of my career,” she said. The boogeymen have changed, and so has the strategy, Hector said. “People who challenged books weren’t organized until Focus on the Family came along. That has changed greatly.” Now, Hector said, she and other librarians are seeing a lot of form emails and cut-and-paste talking points from groups mobilizing to bury schools and libraries under mounds of complaints. “I respect anyone who has an issue with a book they’ve read, and I will read it and talk to them about it. But if an organization tells you that this list of books is bad ... you’re going to have to read it yourself and tell me what it is that’s wrong with it before I can consider your challenge. It should be personal, not the opinion of some politician in another state,” she said. OUTSIDE INFLUENCES There’s no question people from outside of Arkansas are influencing the censorship debate in The Natural State. In Conway, people who came out in October for a meeting of the Back to Basics group reportedly watched a video by a Heritage Foundation fellow and conservative darling whom The New Yorker accused of inventing the controversy over critical race theory. In it, foreboding music plays as Chris Rufo argues that schools are fomenting both racial tension and Marxist revolution by indoctrinating children. Tiffany Justice, a former Florida school board member and founder of the new group Moms for Liberty, echoed Rufo’s call for schools to focus on the basics and leave the rest up to parents. Arkansas had only one chapter of Moms for Liberty at the beginning of December, but Justice said three more were coming on line before the end of the year, with the goal of advocating for parental rights. In Arkansas, school boards set policy on what students have access to. Justice said members of Moms for Liberty will play the long game, building relationships with their board members, rather than just showing up for occasional meetings. The group will push schools to home in on reading, writing and math, and ditch what Justice calls social-emotional learning, which she explained as both education as therapy and a vehicle for manipulating children’s identities. Public institutions are pushing parents aside and giving minors access to content on pedophilia, bestiality and incest without parents’ knowledge, she said. “I’m shocked at the things being found in youth books,” she said, “instances of rape and incest 26 JANUARY 2022
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and really pedophilia.” It’s at this point where we veer over the line into QAnon conspiracy territory, or perhaps it’s where we drill down to the meat of the matter, depending on your point of view. “This is not normal literature. Something’s going on here,” Justice said. “There’s a concerted effort to sexualize our children at a very young age, and parents are very concerned about that.” Turn off this spigot of information and young people are more likely to be chaste, she argues. “If we don’t want 12-year-olds having sex all the time, we should stop talking to 12-year-olds about sex all the time.” STANDING SENTINEL Claims that books in schools and libraries are the gateway to pedophilia or communist revolution don’t fly with the likes of John McGraw, director of the Faulkner County Library System. A soldier in a quiet army of First Amendment defenders, McGraw said libraries serve the community by offering content for everyone. He cites Mark Twain’s quote: “Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak just because a baby can’t chew it.” And McGraw promises that if you look hard enough through the shelves, “there’s something for everybody to get pissed about.” The goal isn’t to irritate, but to make sure the needs and interests of every person in the community are represented and addressed, he explained. “We’re not buying books just because it would be amusing to us for our enemies to be gnashing their teeth.” If the debate is really just about kids reading books their parents don’t like, the solution is simple, he said. Parents can monitor what their children check out. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. “Nobody’s putting a gun to your head and making you read ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.’” If you’re placing bets on who will win this fight over what belongs on library shelves, I’d go with the librarians. They’re well-informed, experienced in fending off the book banners, and fierce when it comes to protecting access to information. “It’s bad enough that we have to self-censor because we can’t buy everything published, but to only buy what appeals to a small segment of the community? And all other opinions are not represented? Have a library filled with stuff that’s safe and offends no one?” Saline County Library Director Hector said, incredulous. The recent dust-up over LGBTQ and racism content might be a little different from censorship attempts she’s weathered in the past, but libraries hardly ever remove books from shelves, and she doesn’t expect that to change. It’s censorship, far more than any books and curriculum about systemic racism, that threatens the health of the nation. Fighting about it, though, is good, all-American fun. “It’s not too grandiose to say that libraries are the last great bastion of democracy, is it?” Hector mused. “And that a democracy without dissent is not a democracy.”
Long gone are the days when parents targeted Judy Blume books over chaste anecdotes about menstruation and breast development. And the ebbing of a satanic panic that gripped the country at the turn of the century means even sorcery and witchcraft get a pass. Materials by and about LGBTQ, Black and brown people are what’s clogging up those banned books lists these days, although sex education, that old chestnut, continues to set Southern mamas’ hands to wringing. Here are some of the titles Arkansas’s would-be book banners are fretting about, complete with highlights on the juicy parts.
IT’S PERFECTLY NORMAL BY ROBIE H. HARRIS AND MICHAEL EMBERLEY Among the best sex education books out there for families pushing beyond heteronormativity, “It’s Perfectly Normal” is public enemy No. 1 for the group Safe Libraries for Kids. The cartoon drawings of naked people and the frank information about oral and anal sex, masturbation and homosexuality have some people shook. WAIT, WHAT? A COMIC BOOK GUIDE TO RELATIONSHIPS, BODIES, AND GROWING UP BY HEATHER CORINNA, ISABELLA ROTMAN, LUKE HOWARD This illustrated book works hard to reassure anxious young minds that masturbation is fine and normal, and that everyone’s genitals look pretty weird. BEYOND MAGENTA: TRANSGENDER TEENS SPEAK OUT Real stories about young people coming to terms with their identity and sexuality. Sometimes fairly young kids have sexual experiences, and a few anecdotes are included herein.
GEORGE BY ALEX GINO A fictional children’s book about a transgender girl struggling to establish her identity with family and friends, this book has ruffled feathers since its 2015 release. THE HATE YOU GIVE BY ANGIE THOMAS Black people suffer systemic racism in the form of police brutality. Banners object to the anti-police sentiment. HOW TO BE AN ANTI-RACIST BY IBRAM X. KENDI Schoolchildren will not read this or any other books about systemic racism in the United States if the Conway-based group Back to Basics or Arkansas’s four chapters of Moms for Liberty have anything to say about it. They classify such works as indoctrination.
AND TANGO MAKES THREE BY PETER PARNELL AND JUSTIN RICHARDSON Gay penguins in New York City (of course) attack the institution of family by hatching an egg and raising their daughter together. This was one of the books included in the Jonesboro Public Library’s 2021 Pride Month display. GENDER QUEER BY MAIA KOBABE The memoir of a nonbinary, asexual writer with nonconforming pronouns. WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME? BY ALEX FRITH AND SUSAN MEREDITH Run-of-the-mill book on puberty, or a pornographic masturbation fest? Clearly the latter, one Arkansas grandfather said. “The attack on our children is relentless and we MUST STAND AGAINST THE EVIL FORCES THAT TRY TO DESTROY OUR YOUTH!!”
JACOB’S NEW DRESS This children’s book about a boy who likes to wear dresses drew complaints this year from Arkansas parents uncomfortable with gender nonconformity.
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NATIVES GUIDE: UNEXPECTED ARCHITECTURE YOU NEVER PAID ATTENTION TO (BUT SHOULD) AND ALL THE RESTAURANTS THAT OPENED WHILE YOU WERE SHELTERING IN PLACE. PLUS, FUN THINGS TO DO IF YOU’RE MASKED, VAXED AND READY TO VENTURE OUT.
THE HINDERLITER GROG SHOP
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS HOUSE HISTORIES TELL LITTLE ROCK’S STORIES.
BY LESLIE NEWELL PEACOCK PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON
B
ricks and sticks can tell stories about how we live. Our aesthetic sensibilities, our civic histories and our priorities are embodied in the types of places we choose to shelter in, from the humble log cabin hidden by the wood framing of the Hinderliter Grog Shop to the 1 percenters’ McMansions of Little Rock. These structures, all residences with a few exceptions, are but a few guides to Little Rock and North Little Rock history, reaching back 180 years and extending to today. Many thanks to the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Facebook pages Arkansas Modernism and Jim Pfeifer’s History of the Heights for their research into many of the houses, and to architect Tom Fennell for guidance.
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Historic Arkansas Museum grounds c. 1828
At Jesse Hinderliter’s tavern, built on what was then Mulberry Street, early Arkansans could pick up their mail and get a beer from the German brewery nearby. As the National Historic Register nomination says, it is believed that the territorial legislature met there, “if only on an informal basis. This cannot be documented, nor can it be disproved.” The structure, the oldest standing wood building in Little Rock, was built of hand-hewn logs covered by cypress siding. Hinderliter and family lived on the second floor; 60 years on it became tenements, with a restaurant inside.
PIKE-FLETCHER-TERRY HOUSE Built 1840 by Albert Pike 411 E. Seventh St.
The city’s most stately antebellum residence, this Greek Revival structure has almost everything going for it: It is both a handsome building and houses a history that has helped define Little Rock. Yet, it has been singularly ignored by the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (previously the Arkansas Arts Center), the institution that, thanks to a deed from the William Terry family and an endowment of Rockefeller money and local matches, used it as the Decorative Arts Museum between 1985 and 2003 and later as the Arkansas Arts Center Terry House Community Gallery before losing interest. The structure where Adolphine Fletcher Terry and the Women’s Emergency Committee once worked to reopen Little Rock’s schools after the 1957 desegregation crisis is now in its own crisis, with crumbling walls and rotten windows — windows where the names of the WEC are etched, the AMFA having spent, rather than invested, the $1.6 million endowment on running the Arts Center. The AMFA, ostensibly a public institution but actually directed by a private foundation, now takes the cynical position that there really was no endowment and it owes nothing to a building it long occupied. Donors to the capital campaign now raising funds to endow the new AMFA might consider where their dollars will really be spent.
FRENCHMAN’S MOUNTAIN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH
1880 Camp Joseph T. Robinson, North Little Rock In 1880, residents of Frenchman’s Mountain — now the Cato community — who’d come to Arkansas for land available under the 1862 Homestead Act built a two-story frame church and Masonic lodge to take the place of the log cabin church that had burned. It has been slightly altered from its original design (the second story was removed to keep the building from falling down), but the one-room church’s cornerstone set in 1880 remains.
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THE STEPHEN G. BROWN HOUSE 52 Wingate Drive 1964
Architect Noland Blass made his mark on Mid-Century Modern design in Little Rock with several houses, including the Brown house in the Wingate subdivision off Mississippi Street. The fascinating Facebook page for Arkansas Modernism includes a writeup on the house, which features a curved front and a hexagonal glass feature that allows a tree to grow up in the middle of the living areas. How Blass overcame the challenges of the hilly and wedge-shaped lot — with a foundation of stone piers — and its design earned the house a write-up in the national magazine Architectural Record.
HANGER HILL DISTRICT 1905-1912 1500 block of Welch Street
Early 20th century Little Rock was not split by an interstate highway, but was a coherent collection of neighborhoods that included the area now east of the ever-expanding Interstate 30. (The streetcar, which helped the move to West Little Rock, was the first blow to the neighborhood’s prominence; I-30, as interstates do, dealt an almost fatal blow.) The 10 houses of the district include several built with chunky bulging blocks of ornamental concrete, then a new style of construction material. (Sears and Roebuck sold a concrete block maker for $42.50, so some blocks may have been constructed onsite.) Many of the original occupants were employed by the nearby railroad, and many of the wives worked outside the home. The district is within the larger Hanger Hill neighborhood, part of which has now been given the chic moniker “East Village.” 30 JANUARY 2022
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1949 335 Goshen St., North Little Rock This brick-and-poured-concrete house, constructed by Governor’s Mansion builder Elias for his family, is one of the few built in the Art Moderne/International styles of architecture in Pulaski County. Interesting facts: The original roof held an experimental cooling system in which water was allowed to pool (it didn’t work properly, requiring roof replacements and the addition of gutters), and the backyard had concrete furniture. Other homes in Modernist styles in Pulaski County include the Matthews House at 406 Goshen and the Werner Knoop home at 6 Ozark Point in Little Rock. The style took off in Northwest Arkansas in the 1950s, thanks to the University of Arkansas School of Architecture.
THE MCMANSION The birth of the McMansions came in the 1990s, as teardowns, the leveling of modest homes to accommodate imposing, lot-packing residences, became commonplace. Large, elegant Georgians were built in the 19th century in the Quapaw Quarter, for sure, but most do not hold a candle to the super-sized residences in the neighborhood of the Country Club of Little Rock and later in the Chenal neighborhood of West Little Rock. Chenal was developed with the sort of big digs that 1 percenters desire, so the streets don’t have the Jack O’Lantern smile of some of the roads in the silk stocking ward. The looming architecture of both eras — Little Rock young and old — testifies to the existence of extraordinary wealth among the few. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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LUSTRON HOUSE c. 1947-50
Just south of Twelfth Street in the Oak Forest neighborhood is a rare Lustron house, a prefabricated house with steel siding and enameled steel walls in the interior. The houses were fabricated from 1947 to 1950 by the Lustron Corp. of Columbus, Ohio; the Oak Forest house would have sold for $4,590 in 1947. Only 2,500 Lustron houses exist today; the Ohio manufacturer could not turn a profit and went under in 1950. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Sen. J. William Fulbright likened their appearance to a bathtub, but Lustron house owners are a proud set, including owner Michael Goodrich, who is knowledgeable about the history of the houses. Because of the home’s steel walls, Goodrich can hang his artwork with magnets. A Little Rock Lustron house nearby that was on the National Register of Historic Places was torn down by the city after it purchased the block it stood on.
2010 BLOCK OF BATTERY STREET Early 20th century
This once prominent downtown block is still the address of several historic houses, including the Tudor Revival home of banker and wholesale grocer Maxwell F. Mayer, built over three years starting 1922 at 2016 Battery. Its oversized garage is thought to have been designed to accommodate his collection of Packard automobiles. The house fronts the street’s unique feature: Flower Park, a 400-by-40-foot grassy strip that bisects Battery, built in 1916. 32 JANUARY 2022
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SCIPIO JONES HOUSE 1928 1872 Cross St.
The Craftsman home of Scipio Africanus Jones — the Black lawyer who represented the “Moore defendants” of the Elaine 12, men sentenced to die in a kangaroo court in Helena after the 1919 massacre of farmers in and around the East Arkansas town — is one of Preserve Arkansas’s Most Endangered Places. The son of a formerly enslaved mother, Jones moved to Little Rock to teach school, earn a bachelor’s degree and study law. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Elaine 12 case, that there had been grievous errors in the handling of the trials, was momentous, establishing precedent for the court to hear evidence in state criminal cases. Jones’ life will be told in the upcoming film “The Defender,” starring Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”) as the lawyer.
CHARLOTTE MOORMAN HOUSE 1915 219 Rosetta St.
The famed “topless cellist” did not live in this house when it was built in the new streetcar suburb of Stifft’s Addition, but as a child and teenager starting in the 1930s. She played the cello in the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra as a 12-year-old and was a Central High School debutante in 1950; her top didn’t come off until she moved to more avant-garde circles in New York with her roommate, Yoko Ono, and later collaborator Nam June Paik. In the 1970s, on her last visit to Little Rock, she played the cello in a hot air balloon for a downtown festival. Despite the moniker, Moorman is recognized as a revolutionary artist. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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NATIVES GUIDE
HOW TO GET HELP
A QUICK START GUIDE TO RESOURCES IN PULASKI COUNTY.
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE Call the Arkansas Crisis Center at 888-2747472 if you or someone you know is considering suicide or exhibiting warning signs. Alternatively, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 800-273-8255, or at 888-628-9454 for Spanish-speaking callers. AR-Connect, a program of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Psychiatric Research Institute, connects callers with relief for mental health issues. psychiatry.uams.edu/clinical-care/arconnect, 501-526-3563. North Little Rock’s Bridgeway Hospital offers inpatient services for children, seniors, adults and adolescents, including treatment of mood disorders, thought disorders and substance abuse issues. 800-245-0011, thebridgeway.com. Little Rock’s Centers for Youth and Families offers same-day access to outpatient counseling services for children, teens and adults experiencing emotional or behavioral problems. Bilingual counselors are available and a range of insurance coverage types is accepted. 501-666-8686, centersforyouthandfamilies.net. 34 JANUARY 2022
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f you or someone you know could use some help, here are a few resources to tap in Central Arkansas. We can’t promise it will be easy, or that this list is exhaustive, but it’s a start. The Arkansas Department of Human Services is a good jumping-off point, with connections to rental assistance, SNAP benefits and Medicaid benefits, including low- to no-cost health insurance through a program called Arkansas Works (soon to be rebranded again as ARHOME). Find DHS services at humanservices.arkansas.gov. And if you don’t find what you need there, or in our list below, Our House and C.A.R.E. (Central Arkansas Re-Entry Coalition) are among the organizations that maintain extensive directories of community relief resources.
MOVEABLE FEAST: Kathy Ainley, volunteer with The Van, makes sure shelves are stocked.
The Trevor Project offers crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth. Call 866488-7386, text START to 678-678 or visit the trevorproject.org. Little Rock-based Professional Counseling Associates operates five clinics across Pulaski, Lonoke and Prairie counties, with telehealth options available. PCA offers group and individual counseling, child and adolescent services and more. 800-592-9503, pca-ar.org. The Pointe Outpatient Behavioral Health Services operates 12 outpatient clinics across the state, treating children, teens and adults for depression, hyperactivity, anger problems, anxiety, family conflict and a range of other issues. 501-603-2147, thepointebhs.com. Methodist Family Health offers a range of psychiatric and behavioral health treatment, including the Methodist Behavioral Hospital in Maumelle, a psychiatric treatment center in Little Rock, therapeutic day treatment program in Little Rock, the Arkansas Center for Addictions Research, Education and Services in Little Rock, and more. Call 866-813-3388 anytime or visit
methodistfamily.org for more info. Arkansas AA Central Service Office connects people with times, dates, locations and contacts for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings across the state. 501-664-7303, arkansascentraloffice.org. Al-Anon and Alateen provide a support network for friends and family members of people with alcoholism. Find meeting times, digital and in-person, at arkansasalanon.org/meeting. Narcotics Anonymous connects recovering drug addicts with monthly meetings and resources. Find a list of virtual and in-person meetings at the Central Arkansas Area Service Committee chapter website at caasc.org. A variety of inpatient and outpatient mental health, detox, rehabilitation and drug treatment facilities operates in the Little Rock area. See Our House’s directory at ourhouseshelter.org/resources, and Central Arkansas Re-Entry Coalition’s (C.A.R.E.) directory at arkansasreentry.com.
HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND TEMPORARY SHELTER Jericho Way, a temporary shelter run jointly by DePaul USA and the city of Little Rock, offers day center services on weekdays, including computer access, case management, laundry services and job counseling. 501-916-9859, depaulusa.org/ programs/little-rock.
1412, Little Rock, or make an appointment by calling 844-545-5640.
Our House runs an 80-bed shelter program and a family house for a limited number of homeless and near-homeless people, plus programs in career development, mental health and early child development. 501-374-7383, ourhouseshelter.org.
The UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law offers a legal clinic for tax issues and other noncriminal matters. Call the clinic at 501-9165424 to check availability or visit ualr.edu/law/ clinical-programs/legal-clinic-services.
The Van offers street-level outreach services, delivering food, hygiene products, clothing, flashlights and more to unsheltered people in the Little Rock area, 501-955-3444, itsthevan.org.
Legal Aid of Arkansas offers free income tax assistance to low-to-moderate income people who cannot prepare their own taxes, with Spanish-speaking interpreters available. Call 1-800-952-9243 to make an appointment or visit arlegalaid.org.
The ministry-based Little Rock Compassion Center operates a men’s and women’s shelter for temporary stays, a food pantry, a kitchen that serves three meals a day and a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. The center was nearing completion in late 2021 of Awaken, a 75-bed facility for women and children. 501-296-9114, lrcompassioncenter.org. Lucie’s Place offers shelter and relief resources to LGBTQ+ people living in Central Arkansas. 501508-5005, luciesplace.org. The Veterans Day Treatment Center offers veterans access to VA programs, including residential placement at its St. Francis House. 501-257-4499 (day treatment), 501-664-5036 (St. Francis House), stfrancishouselr.org. Women and Children First offers shelter to women and children, particularly victims of domestic violence. 501-376-3219, wcfarkansas.org. See ourhouseshelter.org/resources for a more comprehensive homeless support guide. UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE Arkansas Department of Workforce Services administers unemployment benefits. Call 501682-2121 or visit dws.arkansas.gov/unemployment to check eligibility and file an unemployment claim. The Arkansas Employment Career Center provides young adults, veterans, the homeless and others in need with GED prep, college entrance assistance, resume development, job referrals and other forms of job counseling. 501-615-8922, arkansasemploymentcareercenter.com. TAX ASSISTANCE The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) connects in-person visitors with free tax preparation sites in Pulaski County. Visit 700 W. Capitol, Suite
Arkansas Community Organization (ACO) provides income tax preparation services to low-income Arkansas households, as well as credit counseling and resources for financial literacy. 501-376-7151, arkansascomm.org.
FOOD PANTRIES Visit foodpantries.org or ourhouseshelter.org/ resources for a list of open food pantries. MEDICAL, DENTAL AND EYE CARE ARCare offers general medical clinics and referrals for patients with and without insurance. 1-866-550-4719, arcare.net.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE AND ADULT MALTREATMENT If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. The Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence works to stop domestic violence and teen dating abuse. 501-907-5612, domesticpeace. com. Women and Children First, a facility that provides temporary shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children, also operates a crisis intervention line and provides court advocates to assist in filing orders of protection and accompany survivors to court, along with other forms of counseling. 1-800-332-4443, wcfarkansas.org. Dorcas House: A Division of Union Rescue Mission offers a 9- to 12-month program for women and children who are victims of domestic abuse with an adjacent substance abuse recovery program. 501-374-4022 ext. 3, urmissionlr.org/ dorcas-house. RESOURCES FOR IMMIGRANTS AND UNDOCUMENTED ARKANSANS El Zocalo Immigrant Resource Center connects immigrant individuals and families with a variety of resources and relief. 501-301-4652, zocalocenter.com.
UAMS Dental Hygiene Student Clinic allows dental students to perform routine dental care services for $30 per visit or $10 per tooth sealant needed. 501-686-5733, healthprofessions.uams. edu/clinics/dental-hygiene-clinic.
ARKids First is a medical insurance program for children administered by the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Spanish-speaking interpreters available. 888-474-8275.
River City Ministry offers general medical services, vision and dental care and pharmacy services to certain low-income patients. Call 501376-6694 Monday or Wednesday for a general adult medical appointment or call at 10 a.m. sharp on Thursdays to make a dental appointment. rivercityministry.org.
Catholic Immigration Services helps immigrant individuals and families with legislative advocacy, preparation of immigration forms and other counseling services, including counseling for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. dolr.org/catholic-charities/immigration-little-rock, 501-664-0340.
Shepherd’s Hope Neighborhood Health Center offers regular medical clinics the first, second, third and fourth Thursday of each month and the fourth Tuesday of each month. The medical clinic is open to new patients. It also operates dental and vision clinics for existing patients or referrals. Visit shepherdshopelr.org or call 501-614-9523 to make an appointment.
Center for Arkansas Legal Services provides free legal services to low-income Arkansas residents in noncriminal cases, and has Spanish-speaking interpreters available. 501-376-3423, arkansaslegal.org.
Jefferson Comprehensive Care System (JCCSI) offers medical and dental exams by appointment, with copays based on income (proof of income and Social Security card required) with locations in College Station, Little Rock, North Little Rock and a special clinic for the homeless on Springer Blvd. Visit jccsi.org for phone numbers and hours.
RESOURCES FOR CREATORS AND ARTISTS Nonprofit venture Creators’ Village seeks to connect artists, musicians and creators with mentorships, industry tools and business skills to help them make a living in Arkansas. creatorsvillage.org. The Center for Cultural Community links creative professionals with advice and resources for financial health, health care access, networking and career management. centerforculturalcommunity.org. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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NATIVES GUIDE
RHETT BRINKLEY
IT’S A BELGIAN WAFFLE UNDER THERE: Press Waffle Co.’s house waffle is topped with house-made whipped cream, Nutella, strawberries and cookie butter.
A NEW FOOD SCENE EMERGES DURING THE PANDEMIC HERE’S WHAT TO EAT WHEN YOU CLIMB OUT OF YOUR COVID CAVE. BY RHETT BRINKLEY
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here was an uncharacteristic degree of pandemic optimism in the editorial office when we first began discussing the 2022 Natives Guide a few months ago. We knew we’d likely have received our booster shots, our kids would be vaccinated, delta would hopefully be fizzling out. It’d be the Natives Guide to moving forward out of the pandemic: Here is a list of local restaurants that boldly accepted the challenge of opening during the global health crisis, defying the odds in a time of inauspicious volatility. If you haven’t yet, go try them in 2022. And although we got our boosters and our kids vaccinated, the delta variant still roared back after Thanksgiving and a new, scary, potentially more contagious variant, omicron, emerged. I won’t speak for my colleagues, but I have been reduced back to my usual pandemic cynicism. However, after two years, we have a pretty good idea of what works. Clean air, masks, distance and vaccines provide protection. And while we don’t know exactly what omicron is capable of yet, life and business won’t stop in Arkansas. The state lawmakers would be more likely to host a public mask burning rather than mandate them again. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do our part and still have some fun along the way. So vax up, mask up, open a window or spread out a bit, and if you’re uncomfortable, take your food to-go and leave a fat tip. Here is a list of local restaurants that boldly accepted the challenge of opening during the global health crisis, defying the odds in a time of inauspicious volatility. If you haven’t yet, go try them in 2022.
GET CERTIFIED: Chef Harlem Wilson preps pies for pickup.
ROSIE’S POT & KETTLE Friends Katie McDaniel, Alisha Black and Liz Maxey were set to open their new restaurant, Rosie’s Pot & Kettle, in March of 2020. They were scheduled to be cleared by the health department and fire marshal the same week Governor Hutchinson mandated dining rooms be closed to the public. “That put us back an entire month before we could actually get cleared to get open for to-gos only,” McDaniel said. Rosie’s, named after Rosie the Riveter, officially opened in April of 2020 in Little Rock’s East Village neighborhood, about a half-mile from Fidel & Co., in the building that previously housed Calvin’s Soul Food at 423 Bond Ave. Known for its plate lunch specials like meatloaf, pot roast and a cheeseburger featuring local beef sourced from Leis Creek Cattle in Clinton (Van Buren County), and a variety of scratch-made pies and cheesecakes, Rosie’s had to get through the early stages of the pandemic capacity restrictions without any help from the federal government. Being a new business without bills and payroll
from the prior year, Rosie’s did not qualify for the first round of the government’s Paycheck Protection Program [PPP] loan. Despite all the challenges, Rosie’s has grown and continues to grow, McDaniel said. “We’ve been very fortunate.” BROOD & BARLEY The owners of Flyway Brewery opened gastropub Brood & Barley on June 25, 2020, in the space that once housed Core Brewery at 411 Main St. in Argenta. Chef Brayan McFadden moved to Central Arkansas from Philadelphia in January of 2020 to head up the new restaurant, which was targeting an April opening. The team at Brood & Barley had already begun ordering inventory and started the hiring process when the dining room shutdown was issued on March 19. Brood & Barley has since become a popular food destination in Argenta and won Best New Bar in the 2021 Arkansas Times Readers Choice poll. ROCK CITY KITCHEN, RCK REVENUE CAFE, ROCK CITY TACOS Joe Vincent has opened not one, not two, but
three restaurants downtown during the pandemic. Vincent opened Rock City Kitchen on July 20, 2020, in the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration Building at 1515 W. Seventh St. The location was originally going to be a new restaurant from Flint Flenoy, who owns Flint’s at the Regions and Flint’s at the Flight Deck. “He never did kind of get it going, just due to the pandemic and him having other locations, so he asked us what we [thought] about it,” Vincent said. Vincent said timing couldn’t have been worse, but the location was ideal for the times in an area where people were still going to work. “You have the state Capitol right there, the news station [KARK], Children’s [Hospital], UAMS is not far. It sounded like a great opportunity because these people still needed to eat, they still had to wake up in the morning, they still needed coffee, breakfast, you know, the things we need to put in our body to make sure we get through a workday.” While Vincent and his team were just getting started with Rock City Kitchen, an employee at the DFA’s Ledbetter Building at 1816 W. Seventh ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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TRY SOMETHING NEW: Offerings from restaurants that opened during the pandemic include carne asada fries at Wicked Taco Factory, birria ramen at Camp Taco, catfish at Rock City Kitchen and a chopped cheeseburger at Charlee’s Good Time Drinkery. St. inquired about whether he had any interest in another space that had been used as a cafeteria/ breakroom for years. The couple who had been running the cafeteria took the pandemic as an opportunity to retire and move on to other endeavors, Vincent said. All the equipment he would need to open, like the vent hood, stovetops and refrigerators, came with the space. Aside from a cosmetic makeover, it was ready to go. Vincent opened RCK Revenue Cafe on Aug. 20, 2020, one month after Rock City Kitchen’s opening. Both Rock City Kitchen and RCK Revenue Cafe offer the same concept and menu and also provide catering services. The menu features burgers with turkey and vegan options, chicken wings, catfish, a variety of sandwiches, soups, salads and daily specials such as Soul Food Monday, fish specials on Friday and Taco Tuesdays. Taco Tuesday was so popular, in fact, that Vincent decided to base his next concept around it. Vincent opened Rock City Tacos on May 5, 2021, in the former Poke Hula at 415 E. Third St., becoming the first Black-owned, brick-and-mortar restaurant to open in the River Market in a decade. Shortly before opening, the new taco restaurant started getting a lot of attention from the media, Vincent said. Local news stations were calling, as well as the Arkansas Democrat- Gazette. “It started to spin out of control,” Vincent said. Vincent opened the store on Cinco de Mayo and “it went crazy,” he said. “So many people showed up. We ran out of everything. Everything that could’ve went wrong went wrong at the same 38 JANUARY 2022
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time,” he said. “So it wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t pretty, but in the end, it still turned out to be a great day for us. We were definitely overwhelmed, but [there] was so much support from the city of Little Rock.” Every day can’t be as busy as Cinco de Mayo, but Vincent said it helps being in a location within walking distance of the River Market and near hotels and businesses. “We’ve done pretty good over there considering the times that we’re in right now,” he said. CYPRESS SOCIAL The Keet family’s JTJ restaurant group opened Cypress Social in August of 2020 in the former Cock of the Walk building at 7103 Cock of the Walk Lane after completely deconstructing the interior of the building, from the roof to the floors. A destination restaurant by design, Cypress Social offers 8,000 square feet of indoor space with an additional 2,000-square-foot, tri-level deck. The menu is Southern-inspired, featuring items such as the Blackened Redfish Pontchartrain, Shrimp and Grit Cakes and Delta-style Tamales. Cypress Social won the 2021 Arkansas Times Readers Choice award for Best New Restaurant in Little Rock/North Little Rock. ROCK N ROLL SUSHI Jason Alley and Chris Kramolis opened Rock N Roll Sushi in West Little Rock at 12800 Chenal Parkway on May 29, during the Phase I response to the pandemic. Co-owner Alley said that de-
spite only being able to open up at 33% capacity, it went well because there was a lot of excitement and buildup to it. Alley and Kramolis opened their second location in SoMa at 1224 Main St. on Saturday, Aug. 15, in the space formerly occupied by Atlas Bar, which closed on July 1, 2020, due to the pandemic. Rock N Roll Sushi offers a variety of rock ’n’ roll-themed sushi rolls, a hibachi menu, multiple appetizers and catering services. CHARLEE’S GOOD TIME DRINKERY Charlee’s opened during Phase II of the restaurant reopening amid the coronavirus to 60% capacity in August of 2020, in the ground floor of the Prospect Building on North University. It acquired the late-night private club license from Local Union, permitting it to stay open until 5 a.m. (it was mandated along with other bars in the state to close at 11 p.m. for more than two months.) The menu largely consists of elevated bar food like wings and pulled pork smoked in-house, a chopped cheeseburger, a Cuban sandwich and a pot roast sandwich. At press time, Charlee’s was amid a move to the River Market District in the space formerly occupied by Damgoode Pies at 500 President Clinton Ave. Owner Rodge Arnold said late last year the target date for the reopening was Dec. 20. WICKED TACO FACTORY Located downtown in the Pyramid Building at 221 W. Second St., Wicked Taco Factory opened in September of 2020. Owner Melanie Aquino said
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she postponed the opening for several months because downtown workers were largely working from home. Wicked Taco is an extension of Aquino’s taco truck Grills on Wheels, which she operated for years in front of Frances Flower Shop on West Capitol Avenue. CERTIFIED PIES Husband and wife Kreg and Samantha Stewart and head chef Harlem Wilson opened Certified Pies at 9813 W. Markham St. in the first week of October 2020, becoming the only Black-owned pizza business in Little Rock. Operating out of Arkitchens, a 5,000-square-foot shared commercial kitchen space, Certified Pies built a quick following despite being limited to delivery and curbside service. The Certified Truth Wings are a must-order, my favorite wing experience of 2021. Stewart said the goal is to eventually open a brickand-mortar. BLACK ANGUS Mere hours before 2020 began, Black Angus owner Karla Creasey found out she had to vacate the restaurant’s 28-year-old Rodney Parham location. “They gave me 30 days to vacate. Agreeing to not sue gave me 90 days, so that’s what I did,” Creasey said. So while most restaurants were trying to figure out how to operate amid the dining shutdown in mid-March, Creasey was scouting new locations. Morris Harper, son of the late Oliver Harper, who opened Black Angus at the corner of Markham and Van Buren streets in 1962, still
owns the lot where Subway and Chi’s Too were located. Harper contacted Creasey and offered her the chance to put Black Angus back on the lot where it first opened. “He said when he gets to heaven he wants to be able to tell his daddy he put [Black Angus] back,” Creasey said. Known as the spot for charcoal-grilled burgers and hand-cut steaks, Black Angus opened back up in October of 2020. CINNAHOLIC Vegan bakery Cinnaholic opened Dec. 11, 2020, at 12800 Chenal Parkway, specializing in cinnamon rolls that are free of dairy, lactose, eggs and cholesterol. The expansion of the franchise began after the original owners’ successful appearance on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” Local owner Troy Hayes had his first Cinnaholic cinnamon roll over a game of Connect Four in Las Vegas. He turned in his franchise application three months later. CHEESECAKE ON POINT In May of 2021, Matcha Norwood opened a brick-and-mortar location for Cheesecake on Point at 9809 W. Markham, in the shopping center that houses Andy’s Restaurant and Fuller & Sons Hardware. Cheesecake on Point debuted as a food truck at the Main Street Food Truck Festival in 2019, selling cheesecake on a stick and a variety of flavors of cheesecake cupcakes. In addition to whole cheesecakes, personal 4-inch cheesecakes are available, as well as 6-packs or 12-packs of cheesecake cupcakes. Norwood accepts custom
cheesecake orders in 6-inch and 9-inch varieties five days in advance. PRESS WAFFLE CO. The pandemic delayed Press Waffle Co.’s opening about a year, co-owner Rosemary Compton told us. But people were clearly ready to try Press Waffle’s authentic Belgian Liége waffles, because when it opened in SoMa at 1424 Main St. the first weekend of September, long lines stretched outside the building and the restaurant sold out of dough. “There’s no way we could’ve predicted it, which is a great problem to have,” Compton said. “Little Rock showed us so much love and support.” CAMP TACO Yellow Rock Concept’s newest concept, a smallbatch brewery with tacos and playful cocktails in a vintage camp setting with decor that feels like you’ve walked into 1980-something, opened to much anticipation in October of this year and probably became the most Instagram-storied restaurant in Little Rock in 2021. There’s an old pink phone in one of the bathrooms that beckons the bathroom selfie. Camp Taco offers several taco varieties (including vegan options), birria ramen, house-made popsicles and fun cocktails, such as a pina colada served in a frozen pineapple. Similar to every restaurant we’ve covered during the pandemic, Camp Taco’s opening was delayed. “We thought we’d be open in March, but the world had other ideas,” co-owner John Beachboard said. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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NATIVES GUIDE
AHEAD IN THE ARTS
A GLANCE AT UPCOMING MUSIC, THEATER, DANCE, FILM AND MORE IN CENTRAL ARKANSAS THIS WINTER — VIRUS WILLING. BY STEPHANIE SMITTLE
COURTESY OF SIMMONS BANK ARENA
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hough the arrival of the omicron variant and the sky-high numbers of willingly unvaccinated Americans leave us wanting to hide under a rock and suggest you do likewise, here’s our reality as it pertains to the arts in Arkansas: Until we get this thing under control (or, more likely, until it becomes endemic like influenza or the common cold), we’ve got to stay engaged, stay vigilant and figure out a way to keep ourselves safely fed by the life-affirming power of theater, music and art. You want to be like those emotionally numb hordes in an episode of “Black Mirror?” Or the brainwashed ideologues of Orwell’s “1984” machinations? Didn’t think so. Our prescription for an antidote: Booster up, mask up and support your local creatives however you can. The virus will be on the move well into 2022, and an increasing number of shows require proof of vaccination, so make sure you have that card ready to go. Gathering safely for live performance is a work in progress; be on the lookout for policy changes or date changes, and handle them with all the grace you can summon. Here’s a glance at what’s planned for the upcoming weeks in Central Arkansas.
REBA MCENTIRE
SATURDAY 2/5. Simmons Bank Arena. 8 p.m. $50-$225. Fun facts about Reba McEntire include, but are not limited to, the following: Her rags-to-riches 1991 anthem “Fancy,” originally recorded by Bobbie Gentry, is mentioned in Stephen King’s novel “Duma Key” and has become bedrock repertoire at drag shows and karaoke bars across the country. She calls her boyfriend “Sugar Tot,” and they watched “Mare of Easttown” during the pandemic. She has her own custom “Redhead” shade of brow tint, created by her longtime makeup artist Brett Freedman, with the accompanying tagline “Reba kicks some major arch.” And she’s contributed over 100 singles to Billboard’s country charts, 25 of which hit No. 1. Now known mostly mononymously, Reba’s joined the company of Dolly Parton and Tanya Tucker as an enduring emblem of country queendom, iconized and adored by some of the same folks that rolled their eyes in 1991 at “Is There Life Out There?” Case in point (with a spoiler warning): Reba’s triumphant — and wholly fitting — cameo as a mythical sea spirit in “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.” Get tickets at simmonsbankarena.com.
QUAPAW PLAYS BRAHMS
ARKANSAS TIMES MARGARITA FEST
If this concert were titled “Quapaw Plays Flower Pots,” would you look twice? Because that’s what’s happening for this River Rhapsody Series performance of Caroline Shaw’s “‘Boris Kerner’“ for Cello and Flower Pots,” situated cleverly alongside Brahms’ String Quartet in A Minor and avant-garde composer Gyorgi Ligeti’s “Quartet No. 1 (Metamorphoses nocturnes). If you’re only catching the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s mainstage concerts at Robinson Center, you’re missing out on some compelling stuff at this regular Tuesday night series; get hip at arkansassymphony.org.
If you were at last year’s Margarita Fest, you know the competition was stiff. Though each station was equipped with the same smooth Milagro tequila, the resulting cocktails were myriad — watermelon margaritas, vibrantly colored sugar rims instead of the classic salt ring, fiery jalapeño-infused blends and, of course, straight-ahead takes on a classic marg. Presented by the Little Rock Zoo, this year’s fest takes the competition to Little Rock’s newest event venue, with live music, lots of lime and a VIP mezzanine serving catered food. Why margaritas in February, you ask? Because time is a human invention and so is tequila, so mark your calendars and start making your plan for getting home responsibly. See centralarkansastickets.com for tickets.
TUESDAY 2/1. Clinton Presidential Center. 7 p.m. $31.
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THURSDAY 2/3. The Hall.
HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS
FRIDAY 2/4. Simmons Bank Arena. 7 p.m. $27-$113. All sports are theater at heart, and that’s part of why exhibition basketball stars The Harlem Globetrotters have remained the undisputed ambassadors of stylized hoop shooting over the years. Initially segregated from the allwhite NBA, now intertwined with the behemoth basketball association, the Globetrotters were founded on Chicago’s South Side in 1926 as the Savoy Big Five, and the revolving team’s fancy footwork and razzle-dazzle athleticism have made them a touring attraction whose appeal extends well beyond the NBA fan demographic. Get tickets at simmonsbankarena.com.
JOANNA SHAW TAYLOR
WEDNESDAY 2/23. Rev Room. 8 p.m. $20-$25. Blues guitarist and soul singer Joanna Shaw Taylor grew up in the UK’s Black Country region, so named for the smoke and coal dust its mining and ironworking industries emitted, and she’s based in Detroit these days, working with some of Motor City’s seasoned session musicians. Her latest, “The Blues Album,” was produced and recorded by guitarists Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville, and pays homage to Albert King, Little Village and Magic Sam, among others. Check out her fierce badassery on “Let Me Down Easy,” and grab tickets at revroom.com.
THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA & CBD WELLNESS EXPO
FRIDAY 2/18-SATURDAY 2/19. Albert Pike Masonic Center. 1-5 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. With the development of the medical marijuana industry in Arkansas has come a demystifying of cannabis, and of what it has to offer across its various strains and forms. This expo, sponsored by Responsible Growth Arkansas, tackles the big cannabis questions: legislative, pharmaceutical and otherwise. For the expo’s industry day on Friday, Feb. 18, Arkansas Alcohol Beverage Control Director Doralee Chandler gives a regulatory update, and industry experts talk legislation, advertising, human resources and more. A consumer-focused day of programming on Saturday, Feb. 19, features panel discussions on cooking with cannabis, cannabis and pets, testing procedures and more, including breakout sessions on particular qualifying conditions like PTSD, seizures and pain. A cocktail network party follows the Saturday sessions. Get tickets at centralarkansastickets.com.
TODD SNIDER
THURSDAY 2/17. The Hall. 8 p.m. $30-$50. Oregon songwriter Todd Snider has been pissing people off with extended monologues, biting humor and folk rock since the ‘90s, collaborating with the likes of Loretta Lynn and John Prine and picking up where “Alice’s Restaurant” left off. His latest, “First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder,” poses its narrator as “a preacher who’s full of shit,” Snider told Rolling Stone, grasping for truth in a society “divided by infinity … racially, religiously, physically, financially.” Get tickets to that tent revival at littlerockhall.com. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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JENNI.FERBY
TURQUOISE TIGER, TROY BENNETT’S GRAVEYARD LIPS, JEREMIAH JAMES BAKER FRIDAY 2/18. Vino’s. 7 p.m.
Kyle R. Goff and Tristan Bethea’s ensemble Turquoise Tiger is bringing its “hypnagogic pop” to the hallowed backroom at Vino’s Brewpub, with a melodic set from Hammond, Louisiana, outfit Troy Bennett’s Graveyard Lips and the ethereally deep-voiced dark folk songwriter Jeremiah James Baker.
IN BRIEF Argenta Community Theater channels its penchant for Sondheim with a run of “A Little Night Music,” Tue., Feb. 1-Sun., Feb. 6. “The World of Musicals” brings a collage of Broadway hits to the stage at Reynolds Performance Hall, 7:30 p.m. Tue., Feb. 1. Joe Purdy performs from his vast folk-informed repertoire at the White Water Tavern, 7 p.m. Wed., Feb. 2, $25. “The Play That Goes Wrong” goes up at The Studio Theatre, Thu., Feb. 3-Sun., Feb. 13. Stays in Vegas plays a rock show at Vino’s Brewpub, 7 p.m. Fri., Feb. 4. MacArthur fellow and Grammy-winning mandolinist Chris Thile gives a concert at Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway, 7:30 p.m. Fri., Feb. 4. Dawson Hollow brings its Ozark folk rock to the stage at Stickyz, 8:30 p.m. Fri., Feb. 4. Weeping Gate and Delirium Effect share a bill at Vino’s Brewpub, 7 p.m. Sat., Feb. 5. The Cadillac Three commence with the “Hillbilly Hypnotized” tour at The Hall, 8 p.m. Sat., Feb. 5, $20-$35. Comedian Bert Kreischer goes for laughs at Simmons Bank Arena, 7 p.m. Sun., Feb. 6, $40-$100. Saxophonist John Ellis plays a concert for the return of Jazz at the Joint, Mon., Feb. 7, The Joint, North Little Rock. “Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom” imagines pioneer Lynda Blackmon’s story for the stage, 7:30 p.m. Tue., Feb. 8, Reynolds Performance Hall, Conway. Murry’s Dinner Playhouse
CHRIS LEE
Giovannie and the Hired Guns
GIL SHAHAM: BARBER’S VIOLIN CONCERTO
SATURDAY 2/26-SUNDAY 2/27. Robinson Center. 7:30 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. “Ethiopia’s Shadow in America,” a 1932 composition by Little Rock’s own Florence Price, opens this program from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, with Tchaikovsky’s cyclical “Symphony No. 5 in E Minor” and a guest appearance from violin superstar Gil Shaham on Samuel Barber’s romantic (and only) concerto for violin. Get tickets at arkansassymphony.org, where you’ll also find details on how to join ASO conductor Geoffrey Robson for a brown bag lunch talk at noon on Thursday, Feb. 24. 42 JANUARY 2022
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stages “The Perfect Wedding,” Tue., Feb. 8-Sat., March 12. Texas rockers Giovannie and the Hired Guns give a show at Rev Room, 8:15 p.m. Wed., Feb. 9, $15-$18. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center hosts “This Is Who I Am,” a community storytelling event, 6 p.m. Thu., Feb. 10. Elders of country harmony Alabama give a concert at Simmons Bank Arena with opener Tracy Lawrence, 7 p.m. Fri., Feb. 11. Charlotte Taylor and Gypsy Rain perform at King’s in Conway, 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 11, $5. Singer Renee Elise Goldsberry, who played Angelica in “Hamilton,” performs at UA Pulaski Tech’s Center for the Humanities and Arts, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Feb. 12, $50-$75. Midnight South takes the stage at King’s 8 p.m. Sat., Feb. 12, $5. Funk You funks it up at Stickyz, 8:15 p.m. Wed., Feb. 16. Ballet Arkansas performs a celebrated classical ballet, “Coppelia & The Toymaker,” Thu., Feb. 17-Sun., Feb. 20, UA Pulaski Tech Center for the Humanities and Arts. Fingerstyle guitar duo Eric Skye and Jamie Stillway duet at The Joint in North Little Rock for the Argenta Acoustic Music Series, Thu., Feb. 17. Maine rockers The Mallett Brothers land at Stickyz, 8:15 p.m. Thu., (continued on page 44)
GEORGE STRAIT
JOAN MARCUS
FRIDAY 3/18. Simmons Bank Arena. 8 p.m. $79-$229.
‘HAMILTON’
TUESDAY 2/8-SUNDAY 2/20. Robinson Center. $49-$149. When does two hours and 40 minutes feel like an instant? When it’s the runtime of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2015 musical “Hamilton” — the story of U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton told through rapidfire song, rap and spoken word, which Miranda described as “America then, as told by America now.” The record-breaking exercise in retrospection is on the move in 2022 as a touring production, with a much-anticipated stop in Little Rock. Get tickets at celebrityattractions.com.
Reading the lyrics to “The Weight of the Badge” and then reflecting on the popularity of “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” as a karaoke track at my liberal arts college, the demographics for this arena show from George Strait could be a little motley. Whatever’s in store, expect to hear Strait’s ‘90s wedding ballad “I Cross My Heart,” his 1982 road anthem “Amarillo By Morning,” the eminently sing-able “Oceanfront Property,” or all of the above. Justin Moore, Poyen (Grant County) native and country superstar in the making, opens the show. Get tickets at simmonsbankarena.com.
JOURNEY, BILLY IDOL
SATURDAY 3/19. Simmons Bank Arena. 8 p.m. $45-$125. Whether you’re in it for “White Wedding” or “Don’t Stop Believin’,” this ‘80s throwback bill is the stuff we dreamed about in pandemic isolation: wailing tunelessly with abandon, surrounded by a massive crowd of sweaty concertgoers. That post-pandemic utopia has yet to arrive, but if you play it safe, you may still be able to get your “Dancing With Myself” fix. Arnel Pineda, if you’ve not seen him since he stepped into the role as Journey frontman in 2007, puts on a fantastic live show, and arguably sounds more like Steve Perry than Steve Perry. Get tickets at simmonsbankarena.com.
JIM GAFFIGAN JEREMY DANIEL
THURSDAY 3/31. Simmons Bank Arena. $40$80.
‘HAIRSPRAY’
FRIDAY 3/4-SUNDAY 3/6. Robinson Center. $36-$89. In the grand tradition of Divine and Harvey Fierstein, drag performer Andrew Levitt/Nina West steps into the role of Edna Turnblad for this touring production of “Hairspray,” the beloved 2002 musical adaptation of John Waters’ 1988 film of the same name. Never have racism and fatphobia been battled with such a ridiculous confection of a Broadway soundtrack, and were this not a year when “Hamilton” was rolling into town, it’d be the main touring Broadway ticket to grab this season. Get tickets at celebrityattractions.com.
“Remember when we thought the pandemic was over? ‘We did it!’ ” comedian Jim Gaffigan quips on the preview for his new stand-up special. “The pandemic is like a TV show you thought was canceled, and then it got picked up by Netflix.” If you’re in need of a dose of levity during these endless virus variant mini-sequels, or up for some clever takes on food, fatherhood, Catholicism and political division, catch Gaffigan on this springtime tour, aptly titled “We All Deserve This.” Get tickets at simmonsbankarena.com.
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JOSEPH ROSS SMITH
YOLA
Feb. 17. Smile Empty Soul and Autumn Academy perform at 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 18, at Stickyz. King’s hosts a show from R@ndom, 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 18, $5. Vino’s hosts a show from Skreaming Skeletons, 7 p.m. Sat., Feb. 19. Hendrix Hat Trick performs at Kings in Conway, 8 p.m. Sat., Feb. 19, $5. Comedian Katt Williams greets his fans at Simmons Bank Arena on his “World War III” tour, 8 p.m. Sat., Feb. 19. Badfish, a Sublime tribute band, channel “Santeria” with a show at The Hall, with opening sets from Kash’d Out and Dale and the Zdubs, 8 p.m. Tue., Feb. 22, $20-$40. Yamato Drummers of Japan give a concert at Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway, 7:30 p.m. Wed., Feb. 23. Stephanie S. Streett, executive director of the Clinton Foundation and former staffer in the Clinton White House, speaks at The Joint in Argenta as part of the Potluck and Poison Ivy storytelling series, 6 p.m. Thu., Feb. 24, $35. Van Halen tribute band 84 “Jump” onstage at The Hall, 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 25, $25-$40. Pett, Zilla, A Civil Servant and JM Landsdowne share a bill at Vino’s, 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 25. Lane Long gives a show in Conway at Kings, 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 25, $5.
TUESDAY 3/22. The Hall. 8 p.m. $25-$50. Meet Yolanda Quartey, better known mononymously as Yola — native of Bristol, England, and current vocal powerhouse of Nashville, Tennessee. If you’ve missed her 2019 track “Ride Out in the Country” on XM radio, give it a spin and catch her later this year when Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic drops, with Yola in the role of Cotton Plant (Woodruff County) native and rock godmother Sister Rosetta Tharpe. After Yola performed at the Newport Folk Festival in 2019, word of her live performance spread like wildfire, and you’re likely to discover exactly why at this Little Rock stop on her 2022 tour. Get tickets at littlerockhall.com. William Elliott Whitmore Professional Bull Riders’ Bad Boy Mowers Mowdown pits man against beast at Simmons Bank Arena, 7:45 p.m. Fri., Feb. 25 and 6:45 p.m. Sat., Feb. 26, $19-$109. The 2022 SoMa Mardi Gras Parade goes up on South Main Street, noon-3 p.m. Sat., Feb. 26. Tupelo, Mississippi, prizefighter-turned-rock ‘n’ roller Paul Thorn takes the stage at the Rev Room, 8:30 p.m. Sat., Feb. 26. Kings hosts the dynamic Tyler Kinchen and The Right Pieces, 8 p.m. Sat., Feb. 26. Banjoist/songwriter William Elliott Whitmore sings of rural Iowa and beyond, 8 p.m. Sat., Feb. 26, $10.
ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN OF SOUL, ARETHA FRANKLIN SATURDAY 3/12-SUNDAY 3/13. Robinson Center. 7:30 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun.
Brooklyn-born singer and actor Capathia Jenkins (pictured) was the powerhouse behind “Caroline, or Change” on Broadway, and she’s landing in Arkansas in March for an Aretha Franklin tribute, joined by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and by Grammy-nominated soul musician Ryan Shaw. On the program are Aretha’s cornerstones “Respect,” “Think,” “A Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools,” “Amazing Grace” and more. Get tickets at arkansassymphony.org. 44 JANUARY 2022
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MARCH Rapper Wale gives a concert at The Hall for his “Under a Blue Moon” tour, 9 p.m. Tue., March 1, $30-$80. Stacey McAdoo and Writeous Poets cap off a performance of the Melba Patillo Beals story for “Warriors Don’t Cry” at Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway, 7:30 p.m. Wed., March 2. Trumpeter and bandleader Shamarr Allen brings his Lower 9th Ward sound to the White Water Tavern, 9 p.m. Fri., March 4, $10. Kings in Conway hosts a show from the Chris Baker Band, 8 p.m. $5. Wraith and Hate Monger get loud at Vino’s, 8 p.m. Sat., March 5. Kings in Conway hosts a show from Tyler Kinchen, 8 p.m. Sat., March 5, $5. Jazz guitarist Tom Guarna performs for the Jazz at the Joint series, The (continued on page 45)
DAVID ALLEN
Joint, North Little Rock, 7:30 p.m. Mon., March 7. Reynolds Performance Hall in Conway hosts a touring performance of “Lucy Loves Desi: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom,” 7:30 p.m. Tue., March 8. “Our Town” goes up at Argenta Community Theater, Wed., March 9-Sat., March 19. Katy Kirby & Sun June play at Stickyz, 8:30 p.m. Fri., March 11. Thirty years after the release of Gin Blossoms’ “New Miserable Experience,” the premise captures the zeitgeist more accurately than ever; catch
BEYOND THE EATS: ALTON BROWN LIVE WEDNESDAY 3/30. Robinson Center. 7 p.m.
If, like me, you learned from Alton Brown how to make beef jerky with a box fan and some air filters, or about the virtues of marinating red potatoes in a little vinegar before using them in a potato salad recipe, you’re the target audience for this Alton expansion pack, a live variety show that features, Brown’s website trumpets, “audience interaction, maybe a gameshow segment, strange devices, and other generally foodie stuff.” Get tickets at celebrityattractions.com.
‘SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY’
TUESDAY 3/1-SUNDAY 3/20. Arkansas Repertory Theatre. Before COVID-19 darkened theaters across the globe, Jocelyn Bioh’s comedy about teenage girldom in Ghana was eliciting big belly laughs from audiences in packed playhouses. Now, the tale of schoolgirls clamoring to define beauty and to seek acceptance is headed to the beloved stage at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, which charmed audiences in pandemic times with creatively staged outdoor performances of “Marie and Rosetta” and “Primating,” and a holiday return to the Main Street playhouse with “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Get tickets at therep.org.
ARKANSAS TIMES CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL FRIDAY 3/25. Argenta Plaza, North Little Rock. 6-9 p.m. $30.
One hundred and fifty craft beers await you for the tasting, with a whole section dedicated to spiked seltzer, music by DJ Mike Poe and food from Lili’s Mexican Street Food, La Casa de Mi Abuelita Maw Maw’s House, The Prickly Pickle, Twisted Fries and Tony’s Coneys. Get tickets to the sudsiest party in town at centralarkansastickets.com.
Shamarr Allen them at The Hall, 8 p.m. March 12, $25-$139. The Back Beats play at Kings in Conway, 8 p.m. Sat., March 12, $5. The two-day Hot Springs International Women’s Film Festival goes up at 2 p.m. Sat., March 12, at Central Theatre. Nineties Seattle rockers Candlebox give a concert at The Hall, 8 p.m. Tue., March 15, $27-$55. Argenta Acoustic Music Series hosts a performance from French-Algerian guitarist Pierre Bensusan at The Joint in North Little Rock, Thu., March 17. Elvis tribute artist Travis LeDoyt performs at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, March 17-19. The Stolen Faces pay tribute to Grateful Dead at Four Quarter Bar, 9 p.m. Sat., March 19. “The Marvelous Wonderettes” goes up at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, March 22-April 23. Arkansas Times’ own publisher Alan Leveritt spends an evening storytelling at the Potluck and Poison Ivy series, Thu., March 24, 6 p.m., The Joint, North Little Rock, $35. Contemporary Christian rockers Casting Crowns land at Simmons Bank Arena, with opening sets from We Are Messengers and Jonathan Traylor, 7 p.m. Thu., March 24, $20-$90. Country Music Association’s entertainer of the year Eric Church reunites with his legion of adoring crowds at Simmons Bank Arena, 8 p.m. Sat., March 26. Guest pianist Joseph Joubert joins the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra for “Fascinating Gershwin,” 7:30 p.m. Sat., March 26, and 3 p.m. Sun., March 27. Get Off My Lawn performs at Kings in Conway, 8:30 p.m. Sat., March 26, $5. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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Special Advertising Section For students seeking to make their way in the world to seniors seeking a place to retire, Central Arkansas has services for people at all stages of life.This Natives Guide list includes resources in education, providers of healthcare, real estate and your home headquarters.
natives guide:
HEALTH CARE
CARELINK
UAMS
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is committed to the health and well-being of all Arkansans. This commitment is evident at UAMS Medical Center, named one of the state’s best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. As Arkansas’s only health sciences university, the institution serves as the premier center of learning and research. For more than 140 years, UAMS has educated and trained thousands of health care professionals. Five colleges – Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health – and a graduate school are central to this effort. Accelerated nursing and medicine programs in Northwest Arkansas will help place more doctors and nurses across the state. UAMS Healthis Arkansas’s largest statewide health system, offering primary care to specialized services. Primary care services are available in central Arkansas as well as through eight UAMS Regional Campuses across the state. UAMS and its more than 1,200 physicians provide expert care for heart and vascular health, neurology, digestive health and orthopaedics, to name a few. U.S. News & World Report ranked the UAMS ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 in the country and labeled colon cancer surgery, diabetes, hip replacement, knee replacement and stroke as high-performing areas. Specialized clinical care is also available through UAMS’ seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, the Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, the Psychiatric Research Institute, the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, the Translational Research Institute and the Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. In the event of a crisis, the UAMS Emergency Department, the state’s only adult Level 1 trauma center, offers the most comprehensive facilities, technology and expertise in the state, and UAMS is home to the first and only Comprehensive Stroke Center in central Arkansas. A statewide leader in digital health, UAMS is delivering health care through technology such as smartphones and interactive live video. Five satellite training centers in Arkansas and Tennessee help coordinate and improve access for patients, especially in rural areas. 46 JANUARY 2022
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Ten thousand people turn 65 every day in the United States, increasing the need for and importance of senior services. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to isolate older people and stretch the resources of their caregivers, CareLink — a local nonprofit — is working harder than ever to ensure they have the care and information needed to live safely and independently in their homes. Headquartered in North Little Rock since 1979, Central Arkansas’s Area Agency on Aging has helped countless families and their older loved ones navigate the opportunities and challenges of aging with services like inhome care, Meals on Wheels, information and assistance, transportation, family caregiver support, fitness and wellness classes, and Medicare Part D counseling. A local nonprofit serving Pulaski, Saline, Faulkner, Lonoke, Monroe and Prairie counties, CareLink connects with the older community when and where they need it most. For more information about CareLink services for you or a loved one, call 501-372-5300 or visit CareLink.org.
METHODIST FAMILY HEALTH
For more than 120 years, Methodist Family Health has made a significant impact addressing the trauma in the lives of the Arkansas children and families we serve. Through community contributions of time, funds and prayer, the abandoned, abused and neglected children and adolescents throughout our continuum of care understand — many for the first time — their value as human beings. This legacy began in 1899, when the Methodist Episcopal Church South established the Arkansas Methodist Orphanage in Little Rock. In the next 12 decades, Methodist Family Health expanded to a statewide continuum of care for children and their families struggling with psychiatric, behavioral, emotional and spiritual issues. Today, we continue our mission of providing the best possible care to those who may need our help through our behavioral hospital, psychiatric residential treatment centers, therapeutic group homes, outpatient community- and school-based counseling clinics, the Kaleidoscope Grief Center for children and their loved ones dealing with the loss of a loved one, and therapeutic day treatment programs, the Arkansas Center for Addictions Research, Education and Services (Arkansas CARES) and the Methodist Family Health Foundation. If you or someone you love is struggling, contact us at Info@MethodistFamily.org or visit methodistfamily.org.
Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times
Charlie Henry, Class of 2022
RHEA DRUG
As a traditional pharmacy, we take care of all of your prescription needs, including delivery. We accept all major insurance coverage and Medicare Part D plans. As a neighborhood gift shop, we have something for everyone. We even throw in free gift wrapping! So after you drop off your prescription, browse for great gifts you won’t find anywhere else.
SAVE THE DATE ARKANSAS DERMATOLOGY AND SKIN CANCER CENTER
Arkansas Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center, with locations in Little Rock, Conway, North Little Rock, Heber Springs, Cabot, Stuttgart, Searcy and Russellville, provides the highest level of expertise in both general dermatology and the treatment of skin cancer. Whether we are addressing your skin cancer concerns or informing you of the latest skin care tips, our top priority is to ensure that your experience with our practice is second-to-none. Our talented team of physicians and physician assistants recognize that every patient has different needs, and we pride ourselves in the courteous service we deliver to each person who walks through our doors. With a wide range of medical and cosmetic dermatology procedures delivered by a team of skilled and experienced professionals, our patients can be confident they are receiving the highest standard of care available. We are committed to patient education and will take the time necessary to ensure you are thoroughly informed of your treatment/procedure details and the results that can be expected. We work together to provide quality care for our patients. Your skin deserves the best, and we thank you for choosing us to keep your skin healthy and beautiful for years to come! For more information, go to arkansasdermatology.com.
OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, JANUARY 30 12:30 2:30PM
ALWAYS A ROCKET The Catholic High Difference | Integrity • Duty • Faith Apply Today | LRCHS.org Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times
ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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natives guide:
BRIDGEWAY
The landscape of Arkansas is adorned with mountains and caves, rivers and streams, and spacious skies and foliage as far as the eye can see. It’s no wonder that Arkansas is known as The Natural State. And each season is painted by the trees that beautify our state. When it comes to trees, most of our attention is focused upon what grows above ground. That is, after all, the part of the tree we actually see. Yet, it’s only half of the story, as what grows below ground — the roots — is just as important. Over 35 years ago, Arkansans experienced a seminal moment in behavioral health care when The BridgeWay was established as the first free-standing psychiatric hospital in the state. What began as a seedling is now a thriving tree rooted throughout the health care system. The BridgeWay is located between Interstates 40 and 430, in the woods of the Ouachita Mountains and near the banks of the Arkansas River, affording our patients breathtaking views. In 1983, the facility comprised 60 beds and served children, adolescents and adults of all ages through inpatient hospitalization. Since then, the hospital has branched out, growing along with the needs of Arkansans to include 127 inpatient beds, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient services for people of all ages. With an empathetic approach toward providing quality patient care, The BridgeWay has been the source of strength for Arkansans crossing from unsteady soil to solid ground. Today we offer a continuum of care that is safe, secure and serene. To learn more about our programs and services, call 800-245-0011
ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Arkansas Children’s is the only hospital system in the state solely dedicated to caring for the state’s more than 700,000 children, allowing our organization to uniquely shape the landscape of pediatric care. The private, nonprofit organization includes two hospitals, a pediatric research institute, a foundation, clinics around the state, education and outreach. Arkansas Children’s Northwest is the first and only pediatric hospital in the region and home to Northwest Arkansas’s only pediatric emergency department. Our team is driven by four core values: safety, teamwork, compassion and excellence. These values inform every decision and every action, and our mission is to make children better today and healthier tomorrow. Generous philanthropic and volunteer engagement has sustained Arkansas Children’s since it began as an orphanage in 1912 and today ensures the system can deliver on its promise of unprecedented child health. Learn more at archildrens.org. 48 JANUARY 2022
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EDUCATION
CATHOLIC HIGH
Catholic High School for Boys is a college preparatory school that educates more than 700 boys in grades nine through 12 each year. The school is committed to instilling the values of integrity, duty and faith into its students by creating a tradition of achievement in academics, Class 6A sports, more than 30 clubs, an award-winning Marine JROTC program and community leadership. A fixture in Little Rock for 92 years, many of Catholic High’s graduates are influencers in the state and beyond, including hundreds of politicians (including a current U.S. representative), CEOs, entrepreneurs, physicians, lawyers, journalists, military officers and others. More importantly, Catholic High graduates are committed fathers, husbands and community leaders. The school’s tuition is kept affordable by design so that students of all walks of life can experience the Catholic High difference. Each year, Catholic High holds its open house in January, with freshmen entrance exams held in February. Learn more at lrchs.org
Little Rock School District STATE-OF-THE-ART CAMPUSES STEPS CLOSER TO REALITY:
MCCLELLAN K8 SCHOOL AND A NEW LR WEST HIGH SCHOOL With passage of the November 2021 millage extension for LRSD, another significant educational investment will be made in the southwest part of the city. The Little Rock community came together to support $300M worth of facilities upgrades for schools, including the new McClellan K-8 promised in 2016, as well as a new Little Rock West High School campus. LRSD administration says groundbreaking for the new McClellan site could happen as soon as the beginning of the new year. The state-of-the-art campus, designed by Cromwell Architects Engineers, will replace the existing structure, and combine student populations from Cloverdale Middle School, along with Baseline and Meadowcliff elementary schools. The new architectural renderings showcase innovative styling and layout, including three stories with a circular glass tower entrance that faces Geyer Springs Road. This K-8 model will become the District’s third such campus, serving approximately 1,400 students. The mascot, school colors and other details will be determined by school stakeholders, including students, parents, and staff. Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times
High school students in the western part of the city will also have an expanded option with a new full-size campus for Little Rock West High School of Innovation. Meetings are now underway to determine next steps for planning and designing a new school building and athletic facilities that will serve 1,200 students in grades 9-12, to be built on the site of the current West High School of Innovation campus. LR West is excited to grow its student, parent, and staff population, and looks forward to adding athletics and other extracurricular opportunities for students with the expansion of its campus! In the coming weeks, students, parents, and staff connected to LR West will be invited to provide input on the design and construction of their new school.
hope Is The Foundation. recovery Is The Journey. Quality Care Rooted in Arkansas
The pandemic has caused people to consume alcohol at unprecedented levels. The BridgeWay offers hope and recovery for adults struggling with alcohol or other substances. Led by Dr. Schay, a board-certified psychiatrist and addiction specialist, our continuum of care includes: • Medical detoxification • Partial hospitalization • Intensive outpatient program To learn more about our continuum of care for substance use disorders, call us at 1-800-245-0011. Physicians are on the medical staff of The BridgeWay Hospital but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of The BridgeWay Hospital. The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. Source: Journal of the American Medical Association.
Dr. Schay
Medical Director of Substance Use Disorders
For more than 40 years, Central Arkansas’s Area Agency on Aging has worked with countless families and their older loved ones to navigate the opportunities and challenges of aging with services like in-home care, Meals on Wheels, information and assistance, transportation, family caregiver support, fitness and wellness classes, and Medicare Part D counseling. If you or someone you know could benefit from a little extra help in order to continue living gracefully at home, contact CareLink’s information and assistance team today. 501 372 5300 | 800 482 6359 CareLink.org Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times
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JANUARY 2022 49
DAVID H. WILLIAMS
was included in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for DUI/DWI Defense, Personal Injury Litigation — Plaintiffs, and Professional Malpractice Law — Plaintiffs.
Recognized again.
natives guide:
ALTERNATIVE WELLNESS
When your clients need help with defective drugs, medical devices, and product liability cases, adding David H.Williams to your legal team is a strong idea. Every now and then even a good lawyer needs the name of another good lawyer. That’s why attorneys partner with us and why we’ve been recognized again among The Best Lawyers in America®.
211 S. Spring Street • Second Floor Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 372-0038 dhwilliamslawfirm.com david@dhwlaw.net
PRESERVE PRESERVE THE THE JURYJURY TRIAL TRIAL OZARK MMJ CARDS
SUBSCRIBE TODAY arktimes.com 50 JANUARY 2022
ARKANSAS TIMES
Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times
As medical cannabis was emerging as an industry in Arkansas, Ozark MMJ Cards was born out of one doctor’s desire to set a new standard for customer service, patient education, and cost effectiveness in medical card certifications. When Cannabis Clinics were first opening in Arkansas, the prices were exorbitant, the process was often confusing, and getting help on the phone was nearly impossible. Dr Daniel Whitelocke, owner and founder of Ozark MMJ Cards decided to open a different kind of MMJ Clinic, featuring cost effectiveness, customer service, and patient education. At Ozark MMJ Cards, the staff will guide you through every step from applying for an appointment to getting the medical card in your hand. It’s completely free to apply, and patients don’t pay anything until the day of the appointment. Ozark MMJ Cards provides a Medical Application Specialist, free of charge to the patient, to help them collect all necessary medical information to ensure they qualify for mmj in Arkansas, the clinic staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and the prices speak for themselves.
Helping Arkansas Children Since 1899
HIPPIE HOUNDS
“These treats have already helped my Winky with his anxiety so much. We were using other CBD treats but they just weren’t cutting it. With Hippie Hounds I know I’m getting what I paid forand supporting local.” Laurel emailed the CEO of Hippie Hounds in 2020, at the beginning of their dog-treat journey. Andrea, CEO, now receives regular emails from pet parents whose hounds suffer from seizures, anxiety, pain, arthritis, cancer, allergies and more. Her treats are sweeping the states and alleviating suffering along the way. Arkansas local, Andrea Harris, is the proud owner of the hemp dog treat company: Hippie Hounds. Andrea was working as a veterinary technician when the 2018 Farm Bill passed and CBD/ Hemp products hit the shelves in almost every store. Veterinarians were hesitant to discuss it and pet parents were left to their own research when selecting and dosing hemp products. Fearful for our furry friends, Andrea set out and obtained her certification as a Veterinary Cannabis Counselor to provide a resource for veterinary cannabis education in Arkansas. She formulated all-natural canine hemp products, made by hand with human-grade ingredients. Her high standards spread her reputation internationally and she began working with The Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) in Brazil. Hippie Hounds full-spectrum hemp products are currently being used for UFSC clinical research study on atopic dermatitis. Andrea’s thirst for education led her to be a certified instructor with the American Association of Veterinary State Boards and her lecture on veterinary cannabis is approved for continued education credits for veterinarians and technicians. Hippie Hounds offers more than just treats and tinctures. They offer one-on-one consultations for pet parents that are interested in utilizing hemp products for their household pets. Andrea can work alongside your Veterinarian to optimize your treatment plans and utilize a natural approach to common ailments. Call 479-235-0403, email andrea@hippiehoundstreats.com or visit hippiehoundstreats.com
MethodistFamily.org
OFFERING FINE ART FOR THE ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING COLLECTOR. Tues.-Fri. 10 to 5, Sat. 11 to 3 and by appointment 501-454-6969 1501 South Main Street, Suite H Little Rock, AR 72202 www.boswellmourot.com
Ray Parker, “Innocent” 96” x 72” Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times
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JANUARY 2022 51
natives guide:
HOME HEADQUARTERS KELLEY COMMERCIAL
PELLA CORPORATION
BOSWELL MOUROT FINE ART
Representing fine art by local, national and international artists for the established and emerging collector. Located in SoMa, this art gallery is a must-see when shopping for your home collection or for your business. Set up an appointment today to learn more. 501-454-6969. 1501 S.Main St., Suite H
Shopping for windows and doors just got easier and more personalized thanks to the newly redesigned Pella Windows & Doors showroom in North Little Rock. “Our goal was to completely reimagine shopping for windows and doors. We wanted to simplify the process for customers, whether they are building a new home, remodeling or needing to replace existing windows and doors,” said Mike Farquhar, owner and president of Pella Products of Arkansas and Missouri. The new Pella Experience Center is currently open to customers at Pella’s long-time location at 8740 Maumelle Boulevard in North Little Rock. “Providing central Arkansas with a retail experience that is unlike any in our market was important to us,” said Mike. “We believe in the importance of having our homeowners, designers, architects, builders and contractors touch and see the difference in performance and designs offered by Pella.” The new Experience Center is open to customers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Pella design consultants are ready to demonstrate and compare Pella’s wide breadth of windows, patio doors and entry doors and show customers what makes Pella the best choice for windows and doors in central Arkansas. Pellalittlerock.com, 501-758-5050.
natives guide:
STAYCATION
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ARKANSAS TIMES
Downtown living doesn’t get better than Gracie Mansion Apartments and Rock Street Lofts. Professionally managed by Kelley Commercial Partners, tenants can enjoy worry-free living in the lively downtown business and entertainment district. Gracie Mansion Apartments are located in the historic Quapaw Quarter of Little Rock. The 3-acre property includes the fully restored historic mansion, five apartment buildings, a swimming pool and sprawling deck. Units have been updated with beautiful, modern amenities like granite counters, combo washer/dryer, new flooring and much more. Gracie Mansion Apartments, 506 E. 6th St., Little Rock. Call 501-372-1803 for leasing information. Listed on the National Historic Register, Rock Street Lofts Building is one of the best surviving examples of 1920s-era industrial warehouse buildings in Little Rock. Floor plans are unique to maximize natural light and downtown views. Units feature concrete and hardwood floor finishes, large multi-paned windows, exposed brick walls and 10-foot ceilings. Rock Street Lofts, 308 Rock St., Little Rock. Call 501-379-8793 for leasing information.
GASTON’S
Gaston’s White River Resort began 61 years ago when Al Gaston, Jim Gaston’s father, purchased 20 acres of White River frontage with six small cottages and six boats. Present day, Jim’s grandson — Clint Gaston — will carry on the family legacy for many years to come. The resort now covers over 400 acres and has 79 cottages ranging in size from two double beds to ten private bedrooms. The airstrip has grown from 1,800 feet to 3,200 feet. The boat fleet now numbers over 70, and with a state-of-the-art dock to hold them all. The years have brought an award-winning restaurant, private club, gift shop, tennis court, playground, game room, duck pond, three nature trails, swimming pool, conference room and fly fishing school. It seems redundant, but fishing is always good here. The White River stays the same temperature year-round and therefore the trout are always active. Enjoy catching your limit. Also, fly fishing is not the only way to fish here; over 85% of everyone who fishes here is spin fishing. Either way, you’ll experience excellent results.The main thing is to have fun! Make plans now! Any season is a great season at Gaston’s White River Resort! Visit gastons.com or call 870-431-5202 for more information and to answer any questions. You’ll never forget the experience, and you’ll be back for more! 1777 River Road, Lakeview. Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times
natives guide:
STAYCATION THE ZOO
Since its beginning in 1926, the Little Rock Zoo has been an Arkansas institution for conservation education, species preservation and family fun! Starting as a small park with two animals, the zoo is now a 33-acre campus with more than 500 animals and has become a living classroom. Welcoming over 300,000 guests annually, it offers educational and entertaining animal shows, dynamic programming and events that highlight the zoo’s mission to inspire people to conserve and value the natural world. Come enjoy great food at Café Africa, take a ride on our Animal Tracks Train, shop at Safari Trader’s gift shop, play in our Blue & You Nature Play Area and Sensory Garden and interact with animals from the world over. The zoo’s accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), acknowledges that the animals in its care receive the highest standard for animal welfare, and that its practices are helping secure the survival of endangered species. Come enjoy a wonderful afternoon learning about animals and making lasting family memories at the Little Rock Zoo!
natives guide: GOOD EATS
BRAVE NEW RESTAURANT
We provide a casual, warm environment, delicious food and excellent service at a reasonable cost. It is our goal to make every meal a celebration of food and to always keep an edge of new in our work. The first step toward delicious food is to use the freshest and highest-quality ingredients, and you can count on us in this regard. With a constant rotation of fresh, flavorful specials, and favorites Atlantic salmon, and mixed grill with wild game sausage, Brave New will keep you coming back for more. Our patio overlooking the Arkansas River is heated! 2300 Cottondale Lane, 501-663-2677
CACHE
Cache Restaurant is the combined vision of Rush Harding and his son, Payne Harding. For Rush, a businessman and philanthropist, Cache is the opportunity to bring a stunning vision of the most urbane, contemporary dining experience to downtown Little Rock. For Payne, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Cache is the canvas on which to create an extraordinary dining experience where no detail is left unattended. The name Cache is rich with meaning for the restaurant’s founders. The area around the iconic Cache River on the Arkansas Delta is where Rush Harding was born and raised. The moniker also provides a nod to the dictionary definition of a cache as a place for storing valuable possessions. Rush and Payne hope that Cache becomes a destination where the people of Arkansas can gather over great food and drink and create treasured memories that last a lifetime. At Cache, there’s something for everyone, whether you are an impromptu guest, hosting a corporate event or you’ve already made a reservation for that romantic dinner for two. Cache Restaurant is the ultimate choice for the best fine dining experience in Little Rock. We are always ready for you! Our doors are open to offer you the best service in all of Arkansas. Book your reservation today for a safe, socially distanced dinner, and experience all that Cache restaurant has to offer.
Style. Crafted just for you.
Pella is the most preferred window brand by homeowners in Little Rock.* Pella Window & Door Showroom 8740 Maumelle Boulevard, North Little Rock
Windows & Doors
501-758-5050 | PellaLittleRock.com *Based on a 2020 survey of leading window brands among homeowners. © 2020 Pella Corporation
Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times
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JANUARY 2022 53
YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH IS A BIG DEAL. Our Promise: Unprecedented Child Health. Defined and Delivered. Arkansas Children’s is the state’s only health system built just for kids. By working within the communities we serve, it’s our mission to make children better today and healthier tomorrow. We are Champions for Children where they live, learn and play. 501-430-3142 | archildrens.org
#championsforchildren
MEET LAMBERT: VETERAN, RUNNER, COMMUNITY BUILDER “Seeing that people could continue on with life as an amputee was pretty encouraging.” READ MORE ABOUT LAMBERT FOSTER AND HOW HIS LIFE HAS CHANGED SINCE DESERT STORM AT SNELLARKANSAS.COM
RESTORING MOBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE SINCE 1911
800-342-5541 54 JANUARY 2022
ARKANSAS TIMES
Little Rock n Bryant n Conway n Fayetteville n Fort Smith n Hot Springs n Mountain Home n North Little Rock n Pine Bluff n Russellville
GREAT SCOTTS!
A SON WHO’S THE LIGHT OF HIS FAMILY
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2022-2023 REGISTRATION OPEN As we prepare for a new calendar year, Pulaski County
PCSSD’s mission is to provide equity and excellence
Special School District is already thinking ahead to the
for all students through rigorous college and career
2022-2023 school year! A new registration process
readiness instructional strategies. We serve 27 schools
will be implemented for the next school year.
in Maumelle, Little Rock and Sherwood. Those 26 schools include 16 elementary schools, four middle school campuses, one junior high campus, four high school
2022-2023 REGISTRATION REMINDERS
campuses and an online K-12 school. However, pursuing the school choice option opens our schools to families outside district lines allowing students to be a part of
JAN. 3 - MAY 1
our school family, no matter their neighborhood.
Arkansas School Choice applications will be accepted
JAN. 10 - 28
Letter of Intent for returning students in Kindergarten 12th grade
Beginning January 10, current PCSSD families can submit a letter of intent to return to the District next school year. Pre-K registration also opens January 10 for students
MARCH 1
new to the District. The letter of intent will replace the
Online Registration opens for students NEW to the District (Grades K-12)
need for returning students to re-register this year. The letter of intent can be found at bit.ly/PCSS-22-23LOI. For families who do not live within the PCSSD school
MAY 2
zone but wish to attend one of the schools, the Arkansas
Office of Equity and Pupil Services will begin accepting permits
School Choice Act is an option. The Arkansas School Choice program enables a student in kindergarten through grade 12 to attend a school in a nonresident district. School choice applications are being accepted through May 1 this year. If you have specific questions related to registration and school choice within PCSSD, please contact the Office of Equity and Pupil Services at 501-234-2021.
ABOUT PCSSD Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 25 schools. Every school is
REGISTER NOW
accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927. PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.
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JANUARY 2022 ACTIVITIES & FUN
Select dates in January. (1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15) GLOWILD
This magical event at the Little Rock Zoo continues through January. The array of silk-covered animal lanterns enchant and inspire all ages. Do not miss it! Visit littlerockzoo.com.
PARKS & REC The North Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department officially opened a new accessible playground at Laman Plaza, located at 2801 Orange St. in North Little Rock! It improves access to play for children with disabilities and the more than 200 children and teens from surrounding neighborhoods who use the William F. Laman Library as a community center.
Through January.
PAINTING WITH A TWIST 400 N. Bowman Road, Ste. 32 There are also classes for older kids, ages 10+ and 15+, but the following family-friendly classes are designed for ages 6 and up. All begin at noon. Jan. 1, Sparkle Unicorn-Fan Fav Jan. 8, Pick Your Puppy Jan. 15, Drip Castle Jan. 22, Magical Pandacorn Jan. 29, Animal Crackers Series Visit paintingwithatwist.com.
Jan. 31, 7 p.m.
NICKELODEON’S JOJO SIWA D.R.E.A.M. THE TOUR Simmons Bank Arena JoJo Siwa’s show was originally scheduled for August 2021 but had to be rescheduled. All tickets purchased for the original date are still valid. As she made clear on her recent “Dancing With the Stars” stint, JoJo is all grown up; that said, she’ll still likely be bringing her vibrant, besequinned outfits, unrelenting good cheer, preternatural energy, outsized hair bows and signature side pony.
Jan. 27
Jan. 4
Reynolds Performance Hall, 10 a.m. (school matinee) & 6 p.m. (public performance) Schoolhouse Rock Live explodes onto the stage, updated for a whole new generation, with imaginative image projections and a rock ’n’ roll feel. The live performance revisits hits like “Conjunction Junction,” “Just a Bill,” “Interplanet Janet” and “Three Is a Magic Number.” Sure to be a trip down memory lane for parents, and pure fun for kids. Recommended for grades 1 through 5, tickets $10 for adults and $5 for children.
Jan. 16
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!
NATIONAL SPAGHETTI DAY NATIONAL FIG NEWTON DAY Enjoy America’s favorite cookie, the Fig Newton (said no one ever).
Jan. 18
NATIONAL WINNIE THE POOH DAY
Jan. 28
NATIONAL KAZOO DAY AND NATIONAL LEGO DAY ARKANSASTIMES.COM
JANUARY 2022 57
HUNTER AND CARRIE SCOTT WITH THEIR THREE BOYS, COLTON, WESTON AND ASHER—LIFE IN FULL SWING.
GREAT SCOTTS!
A SON WITH DOWN SYNDROME WHO’S THE LIGHT OF HIS FAMILY BY KATHERINE WYRICK
W
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON
hen we first talked to Carrie Scott, her son Colton was home with a double ear infection — something that would bring most adults to their knees, but he’s not particularly out of sorts about it. (“Paw Patrol,” which was playing in the background, helps.) In general, Colton, who has Down syndrome, is an easygoing, content kind of guy with an irrepressible spirit. “He doesn’t tell you anything until it gets really bad,” Carrie said. When we see him in person a couple of days later for photos, he appeared to have thoroughly rebounded. It’s a crisp late-fall day, and an expansive view of Pinnacle Mountain serves as the backdrop. Carrie and her husband, Hunter, wrangle two of their three beautiful flaxenhaired boys with the assist of big brother Weston, age 9. His efforts prove successful, and it’s evident what a kindhearted older brother he is. Asher, age 3, described by his teacher as “spirited and determined,” has a mischievous little glint in his eye but willingly settles in to take a family portrait. Colton, who turns 6 this month, follows their lead. Carrie told us that Colton was a surprise diagnosis at birth, so the learning curve was steep. She used to teach fourth through eighth grades at Northwood Middle School and Crystal Hill Elementary but resigned after his birth to fully focus her attention on him.
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“We were so shocked in the beginning, and my husband and I were just trying to research and learn everything we could about Down syndrome and all the health complications in order to take care of Colton,” she recalled. People born with Down syndrome often have other health issues, like heart and gastrointestinal disorders. “But Colton was very lucky,” Carrie said. “He didn’t even have to go to the NICU; he came straight home.”
“His growth comes in bursts, so we might go for a really long time and feel like we’re not making any progress and then boom. We’ve learned that we have to be consistent, offer a lot of repetition, and we just have to be patient — and trust the process.”
When he was just a month old, a team from Easter Seals visited the Scotts’ home to perform an assessment. Colton was evaluated by a physical therapist, an occupational therapist and a speech therapist. “We were told early intervention is key,” Carrie said. She expressed a deep gratitude for that team and for the fact that they were able to start working with Colton as soon as they did. “At first he only qualified for PT because of his low [muscle] tone, but they gave us ideas on how to work with him at home for OT and speech. They taught us feeding techniques, how to work with his vision, get him to track ... I don’t have any regrets because we started at four weeks,” Carrie said. A therapist came to their home once a month, and between visits Carrie and Hunter would follow a program she’d given them. She said it was challenging to make him have “tummy time” because he would cry, but added, “we knew he needed to be pushed. Otherwise, he would just lie there and be content because he was the happiest baby. He never cried until you made him mad in PT!” Hard as that was to bear, they remained determined to give him the best start he could have.
A FEW OF COLTON’S FAVORITE THINGS: • Music • Singing (he got a microphone for Christmas) • Swinging
• Jumping on the trampoline • Luca (the inspiration for his Halloween costume) • School
Brotherly love
It was clear that there’s a lot of love among the brothers, and that they each have distinct personalities of their own. “When he was little, we could take Colton anywhere, and he would be so good,” Carrie said witha a laugh. “Now, our third one is not the same.” She joked that he “added the cayenne pepper to our family. He is the spice. He wants to do everything by himself. He’s the opposite of Colton.” As for his relationship with Colton, he’s assumed a kind of big brother role and that of helpmate. He encourages him with a sweet, “Come on, Coco.” Carrie said, “Colton learns a lot from him... It’s been so good for him to have a little brother.” Weston is equally attentive and shows a patience and sense of responsibility beyond his years. Whether it’s holding his brothers’ hands in the parking lot or playing a game, he’s ready to lend a hand, both figuratively and literally. Carrie made the decision not to tell Weston that Colton had DS because they wanted him to “love Colton for Colton.” At about age 5, Weston said, “Mom, it’s kind of weird that Colton is 2 and can’t walk yet.” (Colton didn’t take his first steps until he was 26 months old, which isn’t unusual for children with Down syndrome. His mother explained, “He’s very stubborn and was happy to sit. He didn’t care enough to do it, so we had to really motivate him.”) She was caught off guard by Weston’s remark and hesitated before answering. Her response was thoughtful and measured, “Little brother was born with something called Down syndrome. It won’t go away, and you can’t catch it. He can do everything you can do, it just takes him longer to learn.”
Taking the ACCESS road
In addition to family time, Colton also loves school, as do his parents. When they discovered ACCESS, it was a revelation. After touring it, Carrie and Hunter turned to each other with a knowing look. “We both felt, ‘This is where we need to be.’” ARKANSASTIMES.COM
JANUARY 2022 59
Helping Arkansas Children Since 1899
MethodistFamily.org
SAVVY kids
Colton started outpatient therapy there at 6 months old, and enrolled full time, year-round, at 18 months. It wasn’t easy for Carrie to let him go full time, but she knew she was acting in his best interest and finds comfort in the fact that he loves it and is thriving. During the pandemic, Carrie and Hunter were determined not to let Colton regress. With two other kids at home, however, and online school, she was feeling overwhelmed. She wisely realized she needed to cut herself some slack: “I can’t wear all the hats ... be a PT, OT and speech therapist.” She applauded ACCESS for its handling of the pandemic. In addition to being the right fit for Colton, ACCESS also has proved to be a real lifeline for Carrie. Her involvement with the school — specifically fundraising for their “Starry, Starry Night” event — has given her a sense of purpose. “ACCESS gave us his first steps, his first words...,” Carrie said, her voice imbued with gratitude. They also helped as Colton worked through issues like swallowing, which can be problematic for kids with Down syndrome (and a frightening ordeal for parents). “He would aspirate on liquids,” Carrie explained. “We had to thicken [his food] for years. It took him a long time to learn how to chew, and they were with us the whole time.” “That was one of the most stressful things as a mom — ‘How do you teach your kid to chew?!’” Choking was a constant concern, though having Colton’s tonsils and adenoids removed helped resolve the issue. Speech was also a concern. At age 6, Colton speaks very well, in large part due to the early measures taken by the Easter Seals team and his parents. They worked to strengthen his facial muscles, which was, in part, accomplished by forgoing sippy cups for special straws.
PLAY BALL!
His brothers and parents are Colton’s greatest cheerleaders in life and in the stands. Last year he was able to participate in Miracle League*, and his family encouraged him every step (and misstep) of the way. Foul ball? They celebrated the swing. Refusing to run? They applauded the effort it takes to just show up. “Sometimes he cooperated, sometimes he didn’t ... but he enjoyed it,” Carrie said.
PUBLISHER BROOKE WALLACE | brooke@arktimes.com EDITOR KATHERINE WYRICK | katherinewyrick@ arktimes.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE LESA THOMAS ART DIRECTOR KATIE HASSELL
FIND MORE AT SAVVYKIDSAR.COM
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Trusting the process
Carrie marveled at how Colton continues to amazes them with what he knows and understands. But she was quick to point out that the path isn’t always well-defined and linear. “His growth comes in bursts, so we might go for a really long time and feel like we’re not making any progress, and then boom. We’ve learned that we have to be consistent, offer a lot of repetition, and we just have to be patient — and trust the process. “I always tell myself, progress is progress no matter how small. I just want to keep moving forward. It doesn’t matter how fast, as long as we’re growing.” After Carrie gave birth to Colton, their pediatrician came to them in the hospital and said she was 99% sure he had Down syndrome (a blood test soon confirmed that he did). Her advice to the shocked parents was, “Don’t treat him any differently than your other children.” Carrie said, “That has always stuck with me.” They adopted this approach early on. She said their philosophy is that “Colton is a little boy and he’s going to do what his brothers do.” That doesn’t mean that there weren’t and aren’t struggles. Carrie shared that there were times she’d leave a tumble ’n’ play class in tears because of how far behind Colton was compared to the other children. “But I’d tell myself, ‘You can’t not take him because it makes you
sad. He deserves to get to go, too.” Initial milestones were very stressful, and she would despair when Colton would score low on the Ages and Stages Questionnaire at the pediatrician’s office. It taught her, however, the crucial lesson that “Colton is more than a score on a piece of paper.” She came to accept that he wasn’t going to be on the same trajectory as typically developing children, and that she couldn’t waste time worrying about it. “I knew I needed to focus on how far he’s come.” She sees her goal as a parent as this: to teach Colton to read and write and become a contributing member of society, to help him find something he enjoys and do it. She and Hunter look forward to seeing what that is. “He thrives on routine, and someday he’s going to love having a job.” She expressed her ultimate wish, however, as follows: “I just want him to be loved and accepted and feel like he belongs.” At age 6, Colton is a kid who’s bright and curious. He knows all his letters and numbers. As his mom said, “He’s just a little boy who wants to be accepted and included. And he is so much smarter than people think. Just because he can’t always verbalize what he’s thinking doesn’t mean he can’t understand.” He’s made great strides physically as well. He can walk, talk, run, jump and swim (almost) independently. He even enjoys tubing at the lake. Carrie wanted to give a big shout out to Safety Before Skill Swim School. “They are amazing!” Colton has taken lessons with a special needs instructor there since he was 2; they taught him how to hold his breath and blow bubbles, hard-won skills for a child with Down syndrome. “It’s a huge blessing because we’re water people and at the lake a lot.” Colton doesn’t have a problem keeping up with his adventurous parents and active brothers. Their attitude, Carrie said, has always been, “C’mon, Colton, you got this!” They even plan on taking him snow skiing. “We want him to do what we do. He does not limit us.
He’s happy, go with the flow, and wants to participate. He doesn’t see himself as different or special.” Carrie was quick to add, “Kids with Down syndrome are all so different from each other. Yes, they share some similarities, but they all have their own personalities.” Reflecting on Colton’s presence in their lives, Carrie said, “He is such a joy. His smile is infectious. People are just drawn to him. He makes our family happy. He teaches us to slow down.” He’s especially taught his mom how to chill out “a lot” and focus on what actually matters. “I love and appreciate all of my children for the way God made them. And they’re all different and unique. And they’re all going to do great things.” Carrie left us with this bit of wisdom, and it’s one everyone could do with heeding: “Patience is the name of the game.” And fortitude. “Don’t ever give up.”
CARRIE’S GO-TO RESOURCES:
(all have Facebook groups) • Arkansas Down Syndrome Association (ADSA) • Arkansas Down Syndrome Network (ADSN) • Buddy Talk • Down Syndrome Advancement Coalition (DSAC) of Arkansas • Gigi’s Playhouse Little Rock (Down Syndrome Achievement Center) • Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network (DSDN)
FOR DADS:
www.dadsofarkansas.org/our-mission
PROFESSIONAL BALLET COMPANY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS | 501 (C)(3) NONPROFIT
Confetti
10TH ANNUAL TURNING POINTE GALA Bob & Betty Brinkley Harrison, Chairs
March 5, 2022 ARKANSASTIMES.COM
JANUARY 2022 61
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CULTURE
UNTITLED (SELF, EXTENDED), 2020, (FROM BLACK ALCHEMY VOL. 3)
CARBON, MARS, OBSIDIAN: In Aaron Turner’s photography, black is far from being a single hue.
‘BLACK ALCHEMY’ A Q&A WITH PHOTOGRAPHER AARON TURNER. BY STEPHANIE SMITTLE
P
hotographer Aaron Turner’s “Black Alchemy” series is an enchanting hybrid of identity and darkroom chemistry, one that leaves the viewer wondering, “How did he do that?” Using archival portraits, mirrors, shadows, paper cuttings and projections, the West Memphis native creates elaborate studio installations and photographs them in black and white, each piece a statement in a grander thesis that grapples with social history, art history and life in the Arkansas/Mississippi Delta. Turner’s work, in 2021, won him the Houston Center for Photography Fellowship and made him a recipient of the inaugural Creators Lab Photo Fund from Google’s Creator Labs and the Aperture Foundation. We spoke with Turner via Zoom from his studio on the square in downtown Fayetteville. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
JANUARY 2022 63
I think the first thing that a nonphotographer might notice about your work is that your photos sometimes don’t look like photos at all. You use a lot of shadow and illusion and reflection. Without giving away any of your darkroom tricks, how do you do this? How do you construct these images? As a photographer, I like to create still-life installations in the studio. Sometimes I project on top of them, and that creates negative and positive space. I love a monochromatic color palette — so everything black, white or gray. I use a 4x5 camera to do that, and when you look through a 4x5 camera, there’s glass on the back of it — it’s called a ground glass — but what happens when you look through is the image is flipped from how you’re seeing it. If I’m seeing it left to right, you’d see it right to left. And it’s upside down. No problem! [Laughs.] Yeah. [Laughs.] But the reason I use that camera is that I don’t really like to put the camera up to my eye. I like to be in the space and be present with what I’m photographing. With people, too. When I’m photographing people with that camera, I can step to the side of the camera and look them in the eye and have a conversation instead of having this 64 JANUARY 2022
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SHIFT: HISTORY AT PLAY #2, 2020, (FROM BLACK ALCHEMY VOL. 3)
USING WHAT’S AVAILABLE: Turner’s studio installations blend paper, archival images, projection, shadow and illusion.
object in front of my face and giving them directions. So it translates into all the work that I do. But the work that I make — even though it deals with history and politics and race — what it’s really about is illusion, shadow, manipulation of light. My dad was an architect — he’s no longer living, but he got his degree in architecture from the University of Arkansas — so I’ve been coming to Fayetteville since 1998, 1997 or so. And just growing up around architects and artists and people who can draw, I had this affinity for light. How the light is bouncing off the wall behind you — I love those kinds of things. And even as I mature and get older and try different techniques, it all goes back to being a child and seeing light coming through the kitchen window and creating a triangle, or walking through downtown Memphis and seeing the way the light trickles through all the downtown skyscraper buildings and creates different patterns. I still pay attention and love that stuff to this day, and try to recreate that in the studio. And you’re making the viewer process it in a different way. I mean, we know how art works: We go to the gallery or wherever, we look at the portrait, and even if the portrait
is fabulous and interesting, I still understand immediately how I’m supposed to relate to it. How did you come to the idea that you needed to make art that displaces the viewer or makes them question what they’re seeing? That jars them out of their typical relationship with the object? It’s remarkable that you can even accomplish that feat in 2021, when everything under the sun, seemingly, is at our fingertips, and we’re so accustomed to being presented with art that’s sort of meta. I think one of the goals of every artist should be to make in a way that when people see your work, it’s associated with you in a particular way. That it’s recognizable, and people think of you first. A lot of what I do is a combination of artists I appreciate, who are working with geometric abstract painting. Minimalism. Sculpture. Installation art. I filter them through myself in the studio. I’d been doing paper cuttings in my studio for about five or six years when I came across an artist named Frederick Sommer, who does these paper cuttings with a utility knife on large strips of butcher paper, and then lights them from behind or from the front and creates these black-andwhite images of them, and now when I do paper cuttings, I think of Frederick Sommer, and of paying homage to him. That’s the challenge: to make the artwork relevant when pretty much everything has already been done. How do you speak to current events and also art history at the same time? I’m the kind of person — and this comes from my dad — who wants to understand the full context. If something happens now, I want to know: OK, what happened in 1940? What happened in 1850? Now, what happened in 1990? That’s how I do the research for my images, and why certain people are there, and certain combinations of things, so that anybody can enter them wherever they are and have questions and speculations, and then we can start having new conversations based on that. Yeah. And it’s not like, “Here’s your homework.” The art just plants a little seed. I ended up going down a little rabbit hole on Curtis Humphrey, who you reference, this Black commercial photographer in Texas. I try to get that balance, and to leave little nuggets of information. I trust the audience to have their own thoughts about it and to be able to understand it. It seems to me, too, that you’re saying something about the art world itself. About whose work gets heralded, and who gets called “an artist.” Yeah. Part of what “Black Alchemy” does is question art history: Who gets the nod? Who gets recognized? There was this group of AfricanAmerican painters and sculptors working in the 1960s all the way through the 1970s and still to this day. When they were my age or younger, the Black Arts movement was happening. They were painting grids and shapes and triangles. They
In your explanation of “Black Alchemy,” you say that you use black and white for a lot of reasons — one of them, you say, is as a metaphor for American history. What do you mean by that? It’s a metaphor for this country. It seems like everything we come from has something to do with caste, class or race. That’s the Western American perspective. Now, all three of those have different meanings in various places in the Americas — Canada and South America and Central America. But the Western perspective is kind of particular. And that’s where I was born and
THINKING ON WRIGHTSVILLE (STUDY #2), 2020, (FROM BLACK ALCHEMY: IF THIS ONE THING IS TRUE)
weren’t painting figures, and their peers who looked like them were like, “What are y’all doing? Y’all are not contributing to the cause, to the Black Arts movement,” when in reality that wasn’t true. At the time, it was hard for Black artists to get their foot in the door of an art world that was predominantly white. They’d try to present their work in these predominantly white spaces and get rejected. So, as a young artist, how do you not give in and start making figurative work? The answer is that they didn’t, and their resolve and resilience is what I’m drawn to. I’m drawn to that resolve and resilience from my upbringing in the Arkansas Delta, too. All that was ever said to me was, “You gotta get out of here to make something of yourself. There’s nothing here for you.” But the people there in the community were people I really admired. ... I said to myself one day when I was living in New York: “If I ever get a chance to work at the University of Arkansas and teach art and work as an artist in the Arkansas, I’m going to do it.” And that’s what I’m doing now. I left the University of Memphis wanting to be a photojournalist, and I interned at the Commercial Appeal for two summers and then was a freelancer, got a six-month internship after I graduated and ended up turning it down and studying art at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts. … Journalism wasn’t for me in the sense that I couldn’t really express myself the way that I wanted to. I felt like I was doing a lot of what everyone else was doing. I wasn’t doing anything unique. And then you think about Instagram and the billions of pictures that are produced every day, all the images that were produced before I came along, all the images that are produced now, and I was like, I’m just adding to this void. Not really making a difference. So I said, let me go back into archival images and find people and faces that speak to the images that I’d go out and make. I made some images of the Wrightsville massacre that happened outside of Little Rock, and when I came across those images, it was the faces of the boys that really spoke to me. That’s a little bit of my research — I’m looking through archives for certain facial expressions. These are the kinds of images that I would like to make, but they already exist. They just need to be re-contextualized. So what I tried to do is stop adding to the void of images and use the ones that were available.
‘AFFINITY FOR LIGHT’: As a kid, Turner marveled at light bouncing off buildings. Now, he recreates that phenomenon on the walls of his Fayetteville studio. raised. It’s a metaphor for that history — the civil rights movement, the Trail of Tears, slavery. Another reason I use black and white is that I want people to focus on what’s in front of them. Sometimes color is distracting. I want to treat the color black chromatically, as a color like every other color, not just as a color that’s off to the side and only used to get these other colors. There are different shades of black — carbon black, Mars black. Black is a metaphor for the absence of light. Working in the darkroom at an enlarger station where the light is above, with darkness all around me. The alchemy side is like, OK, if I put this and this in the same frame and mix and match these materials, what spits out on the other end? What happens when I use developer and fixer? Is it going to come out the way I expect it? That’s the working terminology and thought around “Black Alchemy.” There’s a lot of poetry in the idea that while you’re “only” using black and white, you’re calling attention to how much can be
expressed across the spectrum of black hues. To use the most superficial interpretation of what we mean when we say “black and white” (and when we’re not talking about race) is that somebody who sees something in black and white is seeing things as binary, and failing to see nuance. Yeah! I’m in the studio right now, and at this end of the studio, I have this black oil stick painting that’s absorbing all the light. I have black felt, velvet, white felt, white suede, seamless white paper, seamless black paper, and all of them have their different shade and tone. I make my work to be aesthetically speculative. And when I say speculative, I’m speculating about the future. What I want to see. The world that I want to see, and the aesthetics that I want to see. That goes for the artists who come after me, too. Those artists I mentioned from the 1960s and ’70s were projecting speculative aesthetics into the world, and I borrow from them all these years later. We have the ability to reflect, reframe, reflect, reframe. Find Aaron Turner’s work at aaronturner.studio. ARKANSASTIMES.COM
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FOOD & DRINK
EAST LITTLE ROCK EATS
JUST LIKE ITS NAMESAKE, ROSIE’S POT AND KETTLE THRIVES IN HARD TIMES. BY RHETT BRINKLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON
CRAVEABLE CATFISH: The lunch specials at Rosie’s will take up residence in your daydreams.
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JAN 11 – FEB 5
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n acclaimed Little Rock chef, speaking on the litany of challenges the pandemic created for food service, recently told me that if you’re weak-willed you shouldn’t open a restaurant. The three women who opened Rosie’s Pot & Kettle are anything but. Alisha Black, Liz Maxey and Katie McDaniel previously worked together as waitresses in East Little Rock and wanted to open a restaurant in the area east of I-30 offering breakfast, daily plate lunch specials and desserts. “We wanted to be out in the industry area,” McDaniel said. The concept centers around being fast and affordable “so people can afford to eat there five days a week because there’s not a lot out there,” McDaniel said. Located in the East Village neighborhood in the former Calvin’s Soul Food at 423 Bond Ave., Rosie’s was scheduled to be cleared by the health department and fire marshal in March 2020, the same week Governor Hutchinson shut down all the restaurant dining rooms in the state. “That put us back an entire month,” McDaniel said. “The fire marshals weren’t allowed to come out, the health inspector got moved into the lab doing testing, so she came on her own time.” Rosie’s was able to open for to-go service in April 2020. The three owners papered the neighborhood with flyers, and some customers from their previous gigs knew about Rosie’s opening. “We have people that have been there since day one,” McDaniel said. “We’ve got a great, grassy front yard and a beautiful tree to sit under. People would picnic and bring lawn chairs or blankets.” Eventually McDaniel filled the yard with card tables, but everything had to be served in to-go boxes due to the dining room closure. “We had to rethink all of our specials,” she said. “What would stay hot, you don’t want to send out bone-in fried chicken with plastic cutlery.” Black, Maxey and McDaniel also had help from friends and family who were suddenly unemployed. “Some were just bored from being out of work for so long,” McDaniel said. “[It] definitely helped bridge the gap until we were able to hire them on.” Without bills or payroll from the prior year, the restaurant did not qualify for the first round of the government’s Paycheck Protection Program [PPP] loan. “It was definitely different for us because we only had a month or two under our belts when the help started surfacing,” McDaniel said.
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HIDDEN TREASURE: Rosie’s offerings include adorable chili dogs, apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream and tangy pork barbecue. The greens, beans and other sides are equally good, and word is starting to get out.
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In the beginning the official staff consisted of the three owners and a friend with a little more kitchen experience to help get the daily specials going, McDaniel said. “We kept him on for as long as we could, and then it got to the point where we couldn’t afford him anymore.” McDaniel said that both Black and Maxey had no choice but to assume full responsibility for the daily specials and vegetables, taking their cooking skills to new heights. Specials such as the meatloaf and pot roast are very popular, as are the salmon croquettes, catfish and footlong chili dog, McDaniel said. Rosie’s cheeseburger features locally sourced beef from Leis Creek Cattle in Clinton (Van Buren County). We visited on a recent Friday and tried the chili dog, catfish and the cheeseburger, all excellent, piping hot and nicely plated. There’s no way you’re going to leave hungry. I found myself nearly blurting out for the first time in my life, “Aw, that chili dog is cute,” when the waitress set it down in front of me. I had to awkwardly stand over the table to photograph it, paranoid that I
and apple dumplings were on the menu when we visited. McDaniel said that they couldn’t afford to source premade desserts so Black and Maxey spent time researching and fine-tuning recipes, often spending their weekend time at Rosie’s baking pies and cheesecakes. Pie has become so popular that customers order their slices with lunch to reserve it should they sell out, McDaniel said. Rosie’s offers several dessert pies for holiday orders, including coconut cream, blueberry buttermilk, pecan and a slew of others. McDaniel said Black recently made a honey-bun-flavored cheesecake and did a Christmas tree special cheesecake that featured a layer of Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. Whole pies are available for preorder at Rosie’s year-round, McDaniel said. Despite the myriad of pandemic challenges, McDaniel said sales have increased along with Rosie’s customer base. “Knowing that we probably had the hardest year that any restaurant has ever had and corporate restaurants were closing, and here we were continuing to grow and still continuing
WHAT’S MORE ROSIE THE RIVETER THAN THREE WOMEN OPENING A RESTAURANT DURING THE MIDDLE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC TO SERVE THE INDUSTRY THAT DIDN’T SHUT DOWN OUT THERE? was catching looks from customers who were not trying to photograph footlong chili dogs. In addition to a thick beef chili, which helps keep the messiness to a minimum, the dog comes topped with cheese, mustard and fresh coleslaw. Also impressive were the vegetables; I could’ve just eaten from the veggie menu and been happy. We tried hashbrown casserole, purple hull peas, northern beans and turnip greens. The service was fast and welcoming, and I got the impression that even if you’re new to Rosie’s, you’ll never feel like a stranger. McDaniel said situations have come up where a customer will request a special, like someone asking when they could get meatloaf. “We’re like, ‘What day do you want meatloaf? Wednesday? OK, we’ll do it next Wednesday for you.’ You know things like that definitely help make people feel special, that they can ask for things. They feel like it’s their little place, too.” Often, to my disappointment, I don’t see fresh, scratch-made pie on many Little Rock menus. You can get your fix at Rosie’s. Coconut cream pie, Arkansas possum pie (a layered chocolate and cream cheese concoction, no possum included)
to grow. We’ve been very fortunate. And a lot of people that come down support us and have been supporting us, they’ll do anything for us,” she said. That includes customers donating a counter for their cash register and refrigerators (Rosie’s doesn’t have a walk-in). In the early days of the pandemic, to boost sales and also give back to the community, Rosie’s would promote its sausage biscuits for people to purchase and they would donate the biscuits to The Van [The One Inc.]. Recently, Rosie’s started donating to Potluck Food Rescue. “That was always our goal to try to help give back as well,” McDaniel said. Named after the World War II cultural icon Rosie the Riveter, the restaurant was originally going to be called Pot & Kettle Cafe, but the circumstances surrounding the opening inspired the Rosie addition. “What’s more Rosie the Riveter than three women opening a restaurant during the middle of a global pandemic to serve the industry that didn’t shut down out there?” McDaniel said. “It personified us and really clicked.”
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CANNABIZ
THE WORLDWIDE WEB OF WEED JANE, LEAFLY AND WEEDMAPS HELP ARKANSAS CANNABIS CONSUMERS. BY GRIFFIN COOP
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housands of Arkansans are hitting the web to learn about the state’s medical marijuana offerings, according to executives at three leading cannabis companies. With more than 78,000 medical marijuana cardholders and more than $447 million in sales since 2019, Arkansas has demonstrated a strong interest in medical marijuana. The state’s dispensaries have turned to web services such as Weedmaps, Leafly and Jane to advertise their products, initiate online orders and inform the state’s growing customer base about cannabis in general. Juanjo Feijoo, chief operating officer at Weedmaps, said his company’s website sees more than 100,000 total visits from Arkansas each month. “When you think about the number of cannabis consumers in Arkansas, I think it shows [Weedmaps has a] pretty high degree of penetration in the market,” Feijoo said. New medical marijuana consumers find the website’s “learn functionality” very helpful, Feijoo said, by learning more about dispensaries and products. Weedmaps typically sees a significant increase in web traffic when a state starts a new medical marijuana program and new consumers want to learn more about the marketplace and the products available, Feijoo said. Founded in 2008 in Irvine, California, Weedmaps went public in 2021 and is traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The company offers a variety of services, including the posting of dispensary product menus and other cannabis information
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on its website. Like Leafly, Weedmaps also has a strain library where users can learn about cannabis strains, offers online ordering and helps to integrate menus into dispensaries’ websites. Weedmaps lists 31 Arkansas cannabis businesses on its website, including 20 of Arkansas’s 38 dispensaries. Weedmaps’ website typically displays prices, THC percentages of cannabis products, reviews, crowdsourced tasting notes and common effects. Weedmaps also offers comprehensive services for dispensaries called “business in a box.” This service allows dispensaries to use a single vendor rather than using as many as 12 vendors for services like point-of-sale technology and customer contacts, Feijoo said. Next year, Weedmaps plans to launch a social media platform with the help of rapper and cannabis entrepreneur Berner. While more than a third of Americans get their information about cannabis primarily from social media, Feijoo said, a lot of social media platforms have a very restrictive approach to cannabis. “We want to create a safe space where consumers can really learn and discover cannabis and potentially discuss and ask questions,” Feijoo said. Weedmaps is not alone in the cannabis web services marketplace. Leafly, based in Seattle, provides web services to 25 Arkansas cannabisrelated businesses, including 19 dispensaries. A representative for Leafly said the company could not disclose its Arkansas data, but said the website has more than 125 million visitors every year. Founded in 2010, Leafly started as a strain database where consumers could learn about cannabis strains and understand their effects, according to Ross Moulton, Leafly’s vice president of strategy. The company eventually added dispensaries and clinics to allow them to showcase their products, services, hours and locations. In 2018, Leafly introduced online ordering. In 12 years, Leafly has grown to list dispensaries in 41 states and seven Canadian provinces, with around 4,600 total retailers on the site today, Moulton said. Leafly offers many similar services to Weedmaps, including menu listings, online ordering and listing of product details like THC content. The site also has a Cannabis 101 section with blog posts about cannabis and industry terms. The Releaf Center in Bentonville was the first Arkansas dispensary to receive an online order through Leafly in 2019. Kyle Campbell, manager of the Releaf Center, said the dispensary was initially on both Weedmaps and Leafly, but his customers gravitated more to Leafly where most of the dispensary’s online orders were being placed.
Last year, as much as 90% of the dispensary’s orders were coming through online orders, he said. Campbell said Leafly has been helpful for educating both his customers and his employees so they can help educate patients. “A lot of these people have never used [marijuana] in any form,” Campbell said. “It’s something that can be very intimidating and something they don’t know anything about. So, we push a lot for education on our employees so they can help educate the patients, and Leafly is a very strong platform for doing that.” Jane Technologies Inc., also known simply as Jane, is another web-based cannabis service used by 26 Arkansas dispensaries and visited by more than 10,000 unique visitors from Arkansas every month, according to a Jane representative. Founded by military veteran Socrates Rosenfeld in 2017, Jane provides similar services to those offered by Weedmaps and Leafly. Used by more than 2,500 dispensaries in 37 U.S. states and Canada, Jane offers menus, reviews, descriptions and more for dispensaries. Jane’s reviews are especially reliable, Rosenfeld said, because reviewers are required to have purchased the product they are reviewing. Jane, which can be found at iheartjane.com, allows users to sort the effect they are hoping to achieve from a cannabis product, Rosenfeld said. Using these filters can be helpful for people new to cannabis, because it can help them more easily identify products that will allow them to achieve the effects they are seeking, according to Rosenfeld. Harvest Cannabis of Conway, which was the first Arkansas dispensary to use Jane, uses all three of the web-based platforms. Robbin Rahman, executive director at Harvest Cannabis, said it’s important for his business to use all three because each one offers something a little different. Rahman called Weedmaps a leader in the industry for helping customers discover dispensaries and products. But, while Weedmaps processes online orders, the platform does not communicate with the dispensary’s seed-tosale inventory tracking system, requiring the dispensary to make manual adjustments. Jane, on the other hand, does a good job of working with the inventory system, he said, and does not require an employee to change the inventory data manually. Leafly, with its informative blog posts and definitions of cannabis terms, is a very good resource for educating people about cannabis, Rahman said. The site is so helpful at explaining cannabis and its terms that Rahman has even drawn from it when making a presentation to the state’s marijuana regulators, he said.
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THE OBSERVER
2022 RESOLUTIONS
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ew year, new Observer, new Arkansas Times. After kvetching through 2021, it’s time for the hacks at the corner of Scott and Markham to put some gratitude out into the universe and see if it doesn’t boomerang back in the form of a little joy. The strategy of showing some appreciation for the good things and building from there has never been our style. But in 2022? Live, laugh, love, baby. We’ve never uttered that phrase before, but let’s all try it, why don’t we? We’ll smile more. Seriously, we will. The first step in this journey to happiness is a lobotomy. Barring that (lack of universal health care puts frontal lobe rejiggering out of reach for working folks like us) we plan to scrub the negativity from our minds by burning dried sage bundles and dramatically curtailing our time on social media. Weed out the accounts that don’t bring you joy, is the plan. So, @ARGOP goes, Gay Cats (@gayocats) stays. WeRateDogs (@dog_rates) is a keeper, but filter out anything about Arkansas politics. Pets and babies are what we’re after. Wash away disenchantment with Little Rock Second Baptist Church pastor Preston Clegg (@CleggPreston), whose posts remind even atheists that faith can still be about peace and kindness. Wow friends and co-workers with holiday-themed snack trays
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you find on Pinterest. Watch funny TikTok videos of people falling down, but only the ones where nobody really gets hurt. Next stop: a 12-month-long schedule of movies cast entirely by CGI animals and cute pixelated beasts. Out with cerebral horror flicks, in with the plot-pausing musical numbers and voicework from Matthew McConaughey. Less Kubrick, more Pixar. Less “You,” more “Sing.” Thanks to the retrograde thinking and the shameless greed from the Repubs at the state Capitol, “Squid Game” and “Handmaid’s Tale” are our actual reality in Arkansas, y’all; we don’t need to turn to TV to get our dystopia fix. (And yes, “Monsters, Inc.” gets a pass, even though it’s 100% a metaphor for climate change, because: Cyclops-Medusa Jennifer Tilly.) We’re gonna need a less existential playlist, too. (Sorry, Mitski, it’s been real.) Sure, there’s a lot to be said for the catharsis of an hour alone in the dark with Billie Eilish on the box, but that hour’s run its course, trendsetters, and if we do any more catharting we’re gonna implode. That Pet Shop Boys LP gathering dust on the shelf? It’s lookin’ pretty damn good right now. Remove from playlist: “Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo. “Easy On Me” by Adele. “River” by Joni Mitchell. The entirety
of Tori Amos’ “Little Earthquakes.” Anything — I repeat, ANYTHING — by Soccer Mommy, Anohni, Elliott Smith or Radiohead. Add to playlist: Scissor Sisters. Lizzo. Katy Perry. Live recordings of Bobby McFerrin concerts. Jojo Siwa. The Village People. DJ Minx. Spice Girls. ABBA. RuPaul. DEVO’s a toss-up; if you can listen while you’re cleaning the house and pretend the lyrics to “Beautiful World” are sung without irony, you might be OK. The Observer will also no longer plop down in the busted 15-year-old recliner after returning home from work. There’s important work to be done, at least 30 minutes worth, maybe an hour. That sweet window just before dark could be utilized for some much-needed outdoor cardio to soak up whatever vitamin D is left, or trying to learning Spanish on the porch, or finally cleaning the seltzer cans out of the car, maybe reading something not for work, or making plans with friends to rekindle pandemic time lost over multiple backyard fires in the smokeless burn bowl the Observer’s friend purchased but hasn’t used. More doing, less what ifs. It’s 2020 too! Just kidding, no it’s not! It’s 2022, it’s finally time to address one or more of the countless goals we all think about but then ignore year after year. You know the ones. Now’s the time.
JOIN WITH YOUR YOURVALENTINE VALENTINE JOINUS USAT ATCACHE CACHE WITH JOIN US AT CACHE WITH YOUR VALENTINE CHEF PAYNE SPECIAL ONE-OF-A-KIND PRIX FIXE for MENU ththHAS CREATED February 1212 and offering SpecialPrix-Fixe Prix-Fixe Dinner for February and13 13ththwe we will willAbe offering aaSpecial Dinner 2 2 FOR AND YOUR VALENTINE. th in addition to offering our FullDinner Dinner Menu in addition our Full Menu February 12th and 13 weYOU will be a Special Prix-Fixe Dinner for 2 Reservation Only • Friday, Feb. 11, Saturday, and Monday, in addition to ourFeb. Full12,Dinner MenuFeb 14 • $75 per person Valentine’sDay DayBrunch Brunchfrom from 10am 10am until 2pm call 501.850.0265 Valentine’s 2pm || For ForReservations, Reservations, call 501.850.0265
Valentine’s Day Brunch from 10am until 2pm | For Reservations, call 501.850.0265
CacheRestaurant
425 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock | 501-850-0265 | cachelittlerock.com
CacheRestaurant
425 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock | 501-850-0265 | cachelittlerock.com
CacheRestaurant
425 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock | 501-850-0265 | cachelittlerock.com
CacheLittleRock
CacheLittleRock CacheLittleRock
