Arkansas Times | December 2024 by Arkansas Times

FEATURE

29 BEST & WORST OF 2024

Our annual roundup of Arkansas’s highs and lows. By Arkansas Times staff

8 THE FRONT

The Vault: The Best & Worst from the past five decades.

Q&A: Eleventh hour with St. Nick and Mrs. Claus.

Big Pic: Mountain Valley Spring Water is king of the cameo.

THE TO-DO LIST

Razorbacks vs. Bears at Simmons Bank Arena, S.G. Goodman at Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Arkansas Times Film Series screens “Tokyo Godfathers” and more.

24 NEWS & POLITICS

A massive state prison is slated for Franklin County, and residents are pushing back. By Matt Campbell

SAVVY KIDS

Where to channel some of that holiday goodwill. By Tricia Larson

60 CULTURE

Author Kevin Brockmeier on the virtues of making a list. By Daniel Grear

70 FOOD & DRINK

Peeking into Arkansas Times publisher Alan Leveritt’s fridge. By Rhett Brinkley

80 CANNABIZ

Meet Renee Clay-Circle — coroner, deputy sheriff and marijuana magnate. By Matt McNair

90 THE OBSERVER

Things overheard after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad election.

ON THE COVER: Arkansas's year of missed opportunities, new beginnings, surprises and disaster, illustrated by @oatmealgoth.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: This is the year that Arkansas welcomed coach John Calipari, formerly of Kentucky, to head up Hogs hoops.

PUBLISHER Alan Leveritt

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Austin Gelder

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mandy Keener

MANAGING EDITOR Benjamin Hardy

PRINT EDITOR Dan Marsh

FOOD EDITOR Rhett Brinkley

CANNABIZ EDITOR Griffin Coop

DAILY EDITOR Lara Farrar

CULTURE EDITOR Daniel Grear

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER Matt Campbell

AGRI AND ENVIRONMENT REPORTER Phillip Powell REPORTER Milo Strain

VIBE CHECKER Stephanie Smittle

EDITOR EMERITUS Max Brantley

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Mara Leveritt

PHOTOGRAPHER Brian Chilson

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Madeline Chosich

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Wythe Walker

ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Mike Spain

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Katie Hassell

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING/ SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS PUBLISHER Brooke Wallace

WATCH SEASON 5 NOW

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Terrell Jacob, Kaitlyn Looney, Evan Ethridge and Mechelle Winslow

ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER Roland R. Gladden

SPECIAL SECTION MANAGING EDITOR Caleb Patton

EVENTS DIRECTOR Donavan Suitt

DIRECTOR OF CANNABIS SALES AND MARKETING Lee Major IT DIRECTOR Robert Curfman

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Anitra Lovelace

CONTROLLER Weldon Wilson

BILLING/COLLECTIONS Charlotte Key

CHAIR MAN Lindsey Millar

PRODUCTION MANAGER Ira Hocut (1954-2009)

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CATFISH CHRONICLES

THE BEST OF ARKANSAS TIMES BEST AND WORST LISTS.

BY MATT CAMPBELL

This year marks the 47th iteration of the Arkansas Times’ annual Best and Worst compilation, a concept that launched in 1977 as The Arkansas Times Catfish Awards. The name changed to Best & Worst of Arkansas in 1984, but the bottomfeeder theme remains as we scour and scavenge the best tidbits for every December issue.

Scanning decades of lists gives a Cliffs Notes version of recent history, and a reminder that Arkansas is never boring. At least we have that going for us!

Here are some of our favorite vintage entries.

1970s

Gov. David Pryor was dishonored with a Catfish Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil Award for appointing a task force to investigate abuses at the Children's Colony, a state mental health facility for youth, then refusing to heed its recommendations.

Tom Kelly, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, nabbed The Catfish One-Liner Award for his description of Gov. Pryor, our next senator, as “Arkansas’s Pet Rock.”

The State Department of Education scored The Catfish Square Deal Award for recommending as much as 42% in raises for the top brass and only 7.5% for teachers.

1980s

Gov. Bill Clinton was recognized with the Catfish Bureaucrat of the Year Award for winning the governor's race then promptly handing the job of running the state to three other men — Rudy Moore, Steve Smith and John Danner — all of whom earned more in salary than he.

Don Mehlburger, the Little Rock city director and former mayor, could not wriggle out of The Catfish Good, Better and Best Award for writing in the Arkansas Democrat that he was the best mayor Little Rock ever had.

Infamous Pulaski County Sheriff Tommy Robinson got a Catfish Tommy Gun Award for pulling over a motorist who had given him the finger on Highway 107 in Sylvan Hills, approaching him with a drawn .38 revolver and warning him that he’d better keep his fingers to himself — or words to that effect. Robinson later got another one, a Catfish Party Pooper Award, for raiding a late-night swingers social gathering at the Sam Peck Hotel in Little Rock on May 15, 1982, arresting 24 men and women and charging them with various offenses including public display of sex and performing “obscene” acts.

State Sen. Jim Holsted of North Little Rock suffered The Catfish Neanderthal Award for sponsoring a bill to require the teaching of “Creationism,” a theory of creation set (by Biblical timetables) at approximately 4,004 years B.C., one which overlooks the scientific contributions of geology, paleontology, ethology and the Darwinian Theory of Evolution.

Best Example of Something Being Lost in Translation: from a Chinese fortune cookie in 1985 at Fu Lin restaurant in Little Rock: “You will attend a gay party with serious consequences for you.”

Worst Complainers: Little Rock television stations received more than 135 calls in January [1986] from irate soap opera fans complaining that the networks had preempted their favorite programs to relate news of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.

Best Example of Self-Confidence in a County Coroner: Coroner Kenneth Melton of Stone County ruled in June [1986] that a Mountain View man who died after receiving five .45-caliber gunshot wounds to the chest committed suicide.

Worst Example of Practicing What You Preach: As the Arkansas Times was advocat-

ing the use of the word “Arkansawyer” to refer to the people of our state, the magazine’s circulation department was sending out a subscription letter referring to “today’s busy Arkansan.”

Worst New Disease: It was revealed in August [1988] that Lyme disease, an infection that can cause arthritis, heart palpitations and other serious effects, is carried by Arkansas ticks.

Worst Epitaph: When the University of Miami beat the Arkansas Razorbacks 51-7 at Little Rock in October [1987], Coach Ken Hatfield started his postgame television review of the game with the Bible verse, “Jesus wept.”

1990s

There Oughta Be, But …: Circuit Judge John Langston ruled, in acquitting a teacher accused of fondling a student, that there is no law in Arkansas against touching a woman’s breast.

Worst Development on the Retail Scene: The closing of River City CD, the only place where you could find the Kronos Quartet, a wide selection of Miles Davis, and the new Peter Gabriel album.

Courage in the Face of Sure Defeat: Sen. Mike Everett, urging passage of a bill to decriminalize sodomy in Arkansas, spoke movingly to his colleagues of his love and regard for his son, 24, a college student and homosexual. Despite Everett’s powerful speech, the bill was defeated.

Before the Warranty Ran Out, We Hope: It was revealed in June [1993] that Secretary of State Bill McCuen, who is divorced, apparently mail-ordered an 18-year-old fiancee from Poland in 1991 but sent her back soon after she arrived.

Best New Cold Cut: The squirrel salami made by Billy Baltz of Pocahontas, as reported in the Pocahontas Star Herald.

All-Time Best or Worst Phony-Baloney Artsy-Fartsy Newspaper Column Lead: The opening paragraph of Philip Martin’s Nov. 19 [1995] column in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: PARIS — I am looking out my window at the towers of Notre Dame on a clear cool morning and thinking about Rilke and Chekov and the limits of desire.

Worst Attitude Toward His Fellow Man: When a newspaper investigated irregularities in his payment of taxes in previous years, Gov. Mike Huckabee wrote a note of protest saying: “My family and I should not be the only ones forced to incur this scrutiny or the

unnecessary emotional and financial expense associated with it.” He didn’t say who else he thought ought to be subjected to the painful experience.

Worst Metaphor: This is how a Page 1 feature story in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette — a story about the murder of a Madison County woman — began: “Billie Jean Phillips rode life like a sexual Jet Ski. Death seemed to trail in her wake.”

Worst Column: Philip Martin of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette — a winner in years past with his purple, incomprehensible column-lead descriptions of Paris and New Orleans — wins hands down this year [1997] with his purple, incomprehensible column-lead description of Los Angeles. Here’s how it started: “When pearly smog roils off the mountains, it diffuses the insistent California sunlight and lends this vista a certain erotic inexactness, like a camera shooting through gauze.”

Best Slush Fund: It was revealed in an Arkansas Times article in October [1998] that Huckabee has regularly plundered a $5,000-a-month Governor’s Mansion maintenance fund to pay for personal and family expenses, including pizza and tacos, pantyhose, dog food, flowers and dry-cleaning.

Best (foiled) Escape: After the project was publicized and publicly ridiculed, Huckabee abandoned a plan in January [1999] to build for himself a secret escape route, a la “To the Batcave!”, from his second-floor state Capitol office by way of an abandoned elevator shaft to the waiting Huckstermobile.

Best Pasties: Several exotic dancers from a Fayetteville club treated the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to a free strip show in April [1999], hoping to convince the board to overturn an obscenity judgment against the club that threatened its liquor permit. After the show, which included some close-up inspection of the dancers’ pasties and what was underneath, the five-member all-male board voted to overturn.

Worst Hair: In one of his first directives, new Arkansas State Police Director Thomas Mars ordered state troopers to get military-type haircuts, eliminating what he called “curb feelers” (that is, hair long enough to creep down over one’s collar) and also any chest hair that might become visible while the policemen are on duty.

2000s

Best Poetic Justice: The president of the conservative legal foundation that spearheaded the effort to have President Clinton disbarred in Arkansas for moral offenses was arrested in Atlanta in October [2000] and charged with public indecency after a park officer in Georgia claimed to have seen him masturbating in public and said he tried to fondle the officer’s groin.

Worst Practicing of What He Preaches: The Arkansas Supreme Court in May [2001] reprimanded state Sen. Doyle Webb of Benton, the lawyer and high-profile crusader for higher ethical standards in the legislature. It fined him $1,000 for three legal-profession ethical violations, all related to his having arranged to have himself named the beneficiary (of more than $300,000) of an elderly client’s will.

Best Payback: Gov. Huckabee commuted a prison sentence of embezzler David Hale, the man most responsible for Huckabee having become governor in the first place. Hale had testified against former Gov. Jim Guy Tucker in a 1997 case that resulted in Tucker’s resignation of the governorship and Huckabee’s ascension. Huckabee denied the commutation was political payback. He said he was afraid that if Hale were sent to prison he might experience medical problems the state would have to pay to treat.

Best Escort Service: Gov. and Mrs. Huckabee turned an entire wing of the state police into a luxury limousine service ushering them to and from campaign appearances, shopping trips, pizza runs and other outings, or buzzing them about in a state-owned airplane diverted from law-enforcement work, always maintaining the fiction they were “on official state business” so that you, rather than they, would have to pay for it all. (Editor’s note: Here it is 2024 and the Huckabee clan is still flying high on Arkansans’ dime, thanks to daughter Sarah Sanders’ ascension to the Governor’s Mansion.)

Best Imposter: Within minutes of the collapse of the Interstate 40 bridge just over the state line in Oklahoma in May [2002], a man named William Clark, dressed in fatigues and saying he was a U.S. Army Special Forces captain, arrived on the scene and assumed command

of the rescue and recovery operation. He borrowed automobiles from a Searcy dealer for his “rescue workers” and took a block of rooms at a Van Buren motel, promising to make them the hub of the operation. He disappeared after a few days and was arrested later in Canada on fraud and impersonation charges.

Best Lawsuit: A 73-year-old Lead Hill preacher filed suit in September [2003] after he was banished from the Boone County Senior Center, whose director accused him of several offenses, according to the Harrison Daily Times, including “eating an extra donut, drinking an extra glass of milk, losing some of the dominoes, getting extra ice cream toppings, and challenging other elderly men at the pool table to step outside and fight.” The preacher was also accused of “causing all of the elderly patrons at his table to get unauthorized toppings on their bowls of ice cream.”

Best Tallywhacker: The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette began a feature story in April [2005] about a Red Cross blood drive in Searcy with this lead: “With a small prick, Three Rivers residents are asked to save a life.”

Worst Specter: State GOP chairman Doyle Webb of Benton warned in May [2009] that if voters keep electing Democrats to the Legislature, the prospect looms of a lesbian takeover of state budgeting.

Worst Tunnel: In these belt-tightening, penny-pinching times, the Legislative Council in September [2009] approved building a 100foot pedestrian tunnel costing $28,000 per foot to connect state legislators’ offices in the state Capitol with staff offices in the building next door. Gov. Mike Beebe holds the pursestrings, though, and isn’t tunnel-friendly. (Editor’s note: A lazy and self-indulgent Legislature finally pushed the project through. It’s set to be completed in 2025, at a cost of about $4 million.)

2010s

Best Confederate: That would have to be Loy Mauch, who was elected in November [2010] to represent Arkansas House District 26. A former commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans post in Hot Springs, Mauch has called the Confederate flag “a symbol of Jesus Christ,” and belongs to a group that believes the South should re-secede from the Union.

Worst Swap: In November [2010], the voters of Arkansas’s 2nd Congressional District gave the seat previously occupied by the reliably liberal and courageous U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder to Republican Tim Griffin, a former aide to Karl Rove who has spent the last 10 years up to his eyeballs in Republican dirty tricks, including vote suppression in Florida and the Bush ad-

ministration’s politically motivated firings of several U.S. attorneys (including former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas H.E. “Bud” Cummins, who was forced out so Griffin could have his job).

Worst Confederate: The mayor of Marshall decided to honor the birthday of Gen. Robert E. Lee in January [2010] by flying the Confederate flag over city hall through the long MLK Day weekend, including on the holiday devoted to King.

Best Marsupial: After several days of crawling through ceilings, crapping in the stairwell, stealing snacks, and uprooting potted plants in the Little River County Courthouse in Ashdown in September [2013], a large possum that courthouse workers had nicknamed Juror No. 13 was finally brought to justice after a jail administrator cornered and captured the beast near a judge’s chambers. The animal was later released outside of town.

Best Deputy: The day after Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza’s ruling [in 2014] that legalized same-sex marriage in Arkansas, the deputy county clerk at the Carroll County Courthouse in Eureka Springs — which normally issues marriage licenses on Saturdays — closed the doors on around 50 same-sex couples waiting in line, with the clerk saying her boss was out of town and she couldn’t get an opinion from the attorney general on how to proceed. Minutes later, Deputy Clerk Jane Osborn, who was only there to handle early voting that day, took her place in Arkansas history by reopening the courthouse, eventually issuing 15 marriage licenses, the first issued to same-sex couples in the state. Several hundred more would follow in the next week before a stay was issued.

Best Bluff Calling: In early 2014, Pine Bluff police said that a 36-year-old man was shot twice in the legs at an apartment complex after, police said, he responded to a gunman firing a handgun near his feet by saying, “Well, are you gonna hit me or not?”

Worst Hypocrisy: Rep. Josh Miller, a Republican from Heber Springs, repeatedly voted against the private option this spring [2014] even though Miller himself has received millions in health care assistance from the federal government. After he suffered a devastating auto accident 11 years ago that confined him to a wheelchair (he was uninsured at the time), Medicaid and Medicare covered most of his trauma bills and health insurance in the years that followed. Providing coverage to 200,000 low-income Arkansans, though, he characterizes as a “handout.” It’s hard to know what to say to that.

Best Disappointed: In January [2015], the Knights Party of the Ku Klux Klan said in a press release they were disappointed in state Rep. Nate Bell (R-Mena) for filing a bill in 2015 that would abolish the state holiday in honor of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s birthday, with a KKK spokesman saying, in part, that Bell was part of “a growing trend toward the vilification of white heroes.” We’d call that a mark in Bell’s favor, but the bill eventually failed in committee on a voice vote.

Worst Glass-House Residing Stone Thrower: In May [2015], InTouch magazine published a story revealing that Josh Duggar — who spun his family’s reality show fame into a career as a professional morality scold and well-paid Washington lobbyist for the far-right Family Research Council — had been investigated by police in Northwest Arkansas after he molested several young girls as a teenager, including his own sisters.

Worst Irony: In August [2016], Central Arkansas champion for the homeless Aaron Reddin said in a Facebook post that the Compassion Center, a shelter in Little Rock, had allegedly evicted a man because he wouldn’t stop crying.

Worst Teflon Don: On his visit to Little Rock in February [2016], his only stop in the state during the campaign, Donald Trump showed up two hours late, blatantly lied about maxing out the capacity of Barton Coliseum even though the fact the coliseum was only partially full was immediately apparent to anyone who wanted to look, and apparently forgot what state he was in, given that he told the crowd that Alabama “has a hell of a football team.” Nonetheless, Trump won Arkansas in the GOP primary, and carried the state in November by almost 27 percentage points.

Best Not Sticking to the Script: At a 2017 ceremony celebrating the 60th anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School, dubiously dubbed by city leaders as “Reflections of Progress,” Little Rock Nine member Minnijean Brown Trickey delivered a speech in which she said, “We’re not stupid. We know what’s going on in this town,” alluding to ongoing school divisions in Little Rock, including the state takeover of the Little Rock School District.

Worst Logic: When asked by a reporter in August [2018] why posters donated by the American Atheists society shouldn’t be hung in classrooms alongside “In God We Trust” placards allowed by a recent law approved by the state Legislature, Rep. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville) said that hanging the atheist posters would be a violation of the First Amendment’s separation of church and state.

2020s (so far)

Best Delivery: Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced in March [2020] that Arkansas liquor stores would be allowed to make home deliveries of booze to patrons bunkered up to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Best Partisan Payday: Attorney General Leslie Rutledge hired former Arkansas Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb to supervise her office’s redistricting efforts to the tune of a $150,000 salary. A bumper sticker once seen around Benton, Webb’s hometown, said, “Where there’s a will, there’s a Webb,” a reference to his reputation as an ambulance-chasing estate lawyer. Max Brantley, on the Arkansas Blog, offered a new tagline: “Where there’s a dole, there’s a Doyle.”

Best Pastry as Protest: Mark April 8, 2021, as the day the donuts went up on Kavanaugh and the curvy girls had their say. The sweet little protest came in response to fat-shaming and anti-vax social media posts by Tulips dress shop owner Emily Hay Brown. “It was just a bash on body images and I think women

bash themselves enough,” organizer Sharon Boehm-Hussman said. So she brought donuts and donut-themed accessories, situated herself across from Brown’s shop, and threw a delicious party.

Worst ‘L’ for the Arkansas Travelers: A Central Arkansas Pride event at an Arkansas Travelers game was canceled after the Travs reportedly refused to allow a drag queen to throw the first pitch. The Travs had offered to let a member of the LGBTQ+ community throw the first ball at a special Out Days event at the ballpark, but when the Travs found out the pitcher would be a drag queen, they told Central Arkansas Pride organizers they weren’t ready for all that, Pride organizers Zack Baker and Dolores Wilk said. “If they want to come to the table and include everyone in our community, we’re open to that,” Wilk said. “We’re not gonna go back in the closet to appease anyone.”

Worst Bathroom Blunder: In August [2022], Little Rock mayoral candidate Steve Landers confessed to the Arkansas Times that he’d left his loaded handgun in the bathroom of The Root Cafe. Landers said he’d had a concealed carry license for years because he often worked odd hours and had to move money around, and that it’s his practice to remove the gun from his holster when he uses public restrooms. He put the gun on the back of the sink at The Root and forgot to retrieve it. By the time he called to arrange to pick it up, The Root had turned it over to Little Rock police, who returned the gun to Landers. Twitter sleuths joked that the only way Landers could forget his gun on the sink of the one-person bathroom at The Root was if he didn’t wash his hands.

Best Mentor: Longtime Arkansas Times editor Max Brantley expertly tagged out of the daily journalism game right before the start of the 2023 Arkansas legislative session, a move we both resented and admired. While Brantley left us to suffer through it without him, he’s as generous as ever with advice, tips, contacts and the wisdom that comes with five decades of serving up Arkansas news.

POWER COUPLE

A Q&A WITH SANTA AND MRS. CLAUS.

Santa and Mrs. Claus have been visiting the Capital Hotel in Little Rock for 18 years, dropping in on annual events like the tree lighting ceremony, Storytime with Santa, Teddy Bear Tea, and Lunch with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Ahead of the big day, they took some time out of their busy schedule to chat with the Arkansas Times

What’s the best part of Christmas? Santa: Sharing with children the message that it is better to give than to receive.

Are the children thrilled to see you? Santa: The suit’s magical. The lights are magical. The children are just enjoying it. I try to be very low-key so that I don’t scare the children, but when I come in I guarantee you can hear me without a P.A. That first “ho, ho, ho” lets the children know Santa is in the house. We spend two or three hours taking pictures, just as fast as we can take them. We try not to cut it short when talking to a child. I really have a fear of not letting them say what they want to say. Everyone who wants to have pictures or talk to Santa can do so.

Mrs. Claus, what is your role?

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE? Both: Chocolate chip.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG? Santa: “White Christmas.” Mrs. Claus: “Jingle Bells.”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MARRIED? 51 years.

Mrs. Claus: I’m in the background, but if there is a child who needs comforting, they will usually come to me first and then they will begin talking with Santa. Santa: By nature, small kids have a fear factor of Santa. They come in, and you never know how they are going to greet you. I’ve had them run from all the way across the room and jump in my arms. Others, their parents bring them kicking and screaming and put them in my lap. You know, it’s the parents driving the train. We try to be as caring and gentle as we possibly can.

What kinds of things do kids ask for? Mrs. Claus: Most of them are techies. They like technology. Sometimes they want skateboards or things you might expect, but some of them come out with these games and toys and we don’t know what they’re talking about. We used to know what every toy was.

Do kids ever ask for animals? Santa: All the time. Horses and puppies. We once delivered a puppy in a convertible Corvette to

a little girl’s birthday at Christmas. She was so overwhelmed she couldn’t speak.

How do you handle expensive requests? Santa: We’ll say, “OK, we’ll see, but you’ve got to be good.” We’ll tell them that some of these things Santa has to speak with their parents about and make sure it’s not a problem. Kids will ask for these expensive things but then just play with the box.

It sounds like you try to be reasonable. Mrs. Claus: No unrealistic answers. There are a few kids that still ask about the chimney. The only way we know how to handle it is: It’s just magic. He comes down and it’s magic and he leaves and it’s magic. Santa: One little boy asked me to bring back his grandmother who had died. I told this little guy, “There are things Santa can’t do, but some day we will all be together and you can enjoy that.” Mrs. Claus: We know that’s a fine line for us to walk. We try to be delicate.

How do you deal with a child who’s really scared? Santa: We’re looking for a signal from the parents to either stop or to not worry about it.

How do you guys get around? Mrs. Claus: When we fly in from the North Pole and it’s not Christmas, we use a farm where the reindeer can eat and rest for the trip home.

Santa: We’ll get to events using antique cars or a horse and buggy. When we visit Pleasant Valley Country Club, we fly in on a helicopter. It's the only time I feel like a rock star.

How important is it for kids to leave out milk and cookies?

Santa: I think it gives them a sense of giving back. It puts in their little minds the idea that “I’m giving something to Santa.”

What age range of children do you see? Mrs. Claus: We see a lot of kids well beyond knowing what it’s all about, but they still want to see Santa. There’s one family whose children are in college or beyond and they all come for that one picture. The senior of the group always wants me to stand by him. That’s what he wants and that’s what he gets. — Dan Marsh

DAN

MARSH

FROM HOT SPRINGS TO HOLLYWOOD

MOUNTAIN VALLEY SPRING WATER SPARKLES AMONG THE STARS.

BY DANIEL GREAR

There’s something about that bottle — eye-catching yet understated, timeless yet of the moment. Whoever decided to package Mountain Valley Spring Water in emerald glass, a tradition that’s been upheld for the majority of the Hot Springs company’s 153-year tenure, was a marketing genius, able to see into the future and know that a seemingly endless stream of celebrities and athletes would one day proudly carry and consume the product.

The company has a history of finding its products in the hands of famous people. Founded in 1871, Mountain Valley has, through the years, attracted such luminary devotees as Elvis Presley, Muhammed Ali, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Secretariat, the champion thoroughbred racehorse.

Contemporary enthusiasts include Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, Jay-Z, Brat Packer Emilio Estevez and tough-as-nails Shiv Roy from HBO’s “Succession.” Are the folks at Mountain Valley product placement gurus? According to Stephan Williams, the company’s vice president of marketing, this “new renaissance of showing up in pop culture” is mostly organic.

“We can typically count on our own brand fans to light the fuse,” Williams said. Even the Mountain Valley appearance at Gwyneth Paltrow’s much-buzzed-about skiing accident trial in March 2023 came as a surprise to Williams. The Washington Post wrote an entire article speculating that Paltrow chose the drink strategically, arguing that Mountain Valley — by virtue of being "relatively affordable … but still telegraph[ing] status” — was shorthand for saying that Paltrow is both downto-earth and sophisticated, relatable but perhaps also deserving of special treatment.

1. Even Elvis Presley drank Mountain Valley. 2. Gwyneth Paltrow’s infamous ski accident trial, fueled by Mountain Valley. 3. Shiv Roy (actress Sarah Snook) takes sips of Mountain Valley in a season 4 episode of HBO’s “Succession.” 4. Chloe Troast, James Austin Johnson and Ramy Youssef serenade alongside Mountain Valley on an SNL set mimicking NPR’s Tiny Desk. 5. “My wife has turned me onto rich people water,” Jelly Roll said of Mountain Valley. 6. Only Jeremy Allen White could look this cool toting Mountain Valley. 7. OK, maybe Jay-Z gives Allen White a run for his money. 8. Mountain Valley keeps Emilio Estevez hydrated during the 2024 “Brats” documentary.

MOUNTAIN VALLEY SPRING WATER TASTE

THE HOTEL HOT SPRINGS

A CONTEMPORARY, CENTRALLY LOCATED HOTEL IN HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

Celebrate the Holidays in Hot Springs with us. Enjoy our Complimentary Shuttle Service to the many wonderful shops and attractions around town. Then visit our perfect place for dinner, the Inside Track Grill & Sports Lounge, or to just relax after an exciting day in Hot Springs.

The Hotel Hot Springs is the ideal choice for a memorable time during the holiday season.

LET THE FEAST BEGIN!

ARKANSAS VS. UCA

SATURDAY 12/14. SIMMONS BANK ARENA. 3 P.M. $40-$50.

The John Calipari era is underway, and the No. 18 (as of this writing) Arkansas Razorbacks’ upcoming clash against the University of Central Arkansas Bears will be the first chance for many Central Arkansas fans to see the group of highly touted athletes the Naismith Hall of Fame coach has brought together after having zero scholarship players on the team when he arrived in Fayetteville in April. The former Kentucky coach is known for his ability to recruit some of the best high school players in the country, and this year’s squad features the highly ranked freshmen trio of Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond. The roster also includes Kentucky transfers Zvonimir Ivišić (sophomore), DJ Wagner (sophomore) and Adou Thiero (junior); Florida Atlantic senior transfer Johnell “Nelly” Davis; Tennessee senior transfer Jonas Aidoo; and returning junior Trevon Brazile, who committed to Calipari after previously announcing his intention to transfer. The UCA Bears of the Atlantic Sun Conference are led by head coach John Shulman, who came to Conway this season after going 112-39 in five seasons at Alabama-Huntsville. Before you write this one off as a potential blowout, remember Scottie Pippen went to UCA before winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls. Get tickets at simmonsbankarena.com. RB

BY DANIEL GREAR, RHETT BRINKLEY, OMAYA JONES, DAN MARSH AND STEPHANIE SMITTLE

CAROLS AT THE CAPITOL

WEDNESDAY 12/4. ARKANSAS STATE CAPITOL. 5 P.M. FREE.

Did you know that for an ephemeral hour each holiday season since the pandemic era, members of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra have rounded up their violin (and viola, et al.) students and played a short set of pan-holiday carols in the cavernous limestone dome of the Arkansas State Capitol? And that you — a worldweary Scrooge in whose chest the holiday spirit’s warmth shriveled up and died somewhere in pre-adolescence — can just park your car, walk through Capitol security, find yourself a folding chair and sing along with them for a bit? Garlanded with cameos from local classical singers like Nisheedah Golden and Shannon Webb, the whole affair — organized by longtime ASO concertmaster Andrew Irvin — is entirely volunteer, mostly unrehearsed, totally free and absolutely charming. If you’re in dire need of something, anything, off the well-beaten path of Christmas calendar commercialism, here’s a great way to spend an hour after work. SS

HOLIDAY HANGOUT

FRIDAY 12/6-SUNDAY 12/8. WHITE WATER TAVERN. $150 WEEKEND PASS.

The only bad thing about the White Water Tavern’s 2024 Holiday Hangout, a wintertime tradition for more than a decade, is that it happens this year on the same weekend as the Gar Hole-idays Winter Showcase. It’s otherwise an essentially perfect gathering, the kind of affair that could make you seriously wonder whether live music and reuniting with old friends might be the true meaning of Christmas. This year’s festival lineup of locals, visitors, veterans and newcomers includes Aaron Lee Tasjan, Adam Faucett, Billy Allen and the Pollies, Brent Best, Cary Hudson and the Piney Woods Players, Emily Fenton, Heartbreak Hill, Isaac Hoskins, Jon Snodgrass, Micah Schnabel, Olive Klug (at left), Piñata Protest, Shane Sweeney, Slobberbone and Two Cow Garage, with more to be announced. Weekend passes, available at whitewatertavern.com, will almost certainly sell out, but historically the White Water has offered a handful of lastminute tickets at the door. DG

ARKANSAS TIMES FILM SERIES: ‘TOKYO GODFATHERS’

TUESDAY 12/17. RIVERDALE 10 VIP CINEMA. 7 P.M. $12-$14.

Inspired by the 1948 Western “3 Godfathers,” Japanese director and writer Satoshi Kon’s adult anime "Tokyo Godfathers” takes place on Christmas Eve and is the story of three unhoused people (an alcoholic, a trans woman and a runaway teenager) who happen upon an abandoned baby while dumpster diving for presents for one another. The trio then take it upon themselves to reunite the child with its parents. Kon’s filmography is fairly short, having only directed four feature films and a TV series before dying in 2010 at the age of 46, but his influence is undeniable, showing up explicitly in the work of directors like Darren Aaronofsky and Christopher Nolan. Get tickets at riverdale10.com. OJ

‘555 COMPACTS’

THROUGH SUNDAY 1/26/25. ESSE PURSE MUSEUM. $8-$10.

The makeup industry’s preoccupation with packaging is undoubtedly at a fever pitch, the annals of TikTok filled with “unboxing” videos and #getreadywithme posts from cosmeticians and celebrities alike. The latter, often clamoring to paint the masses with their new line of creme eyeshadows or “peel and reveal” lip stains, ship their wares to consumers in pristinely padded bottles and boxes designed to evoke some shiny middle ground between cleanliness and candy. But this ain’t a new thing! Upper-class ancient Egyptians, famously fond of bold eyeliner, were big on cosmetic packaging, too, sporting elaborate applicators and storage containers as status symbols. Here, at this exhibit from ESSE Purse Museum, a collection of 555 compacts donated by Louisianabased muralist Chris Opp is on display, illustrating the history of makeup through its 20th century artifacts, “from enamel foundations to electric rouge and beyond,” ESSE’s description says. The museum is open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue.-Sun., and you can get tickets in person or at essepursemuseum.com. SS

GAR HOLE-IDAYS WINTER SHOWCASE

FRIDAY 12/6-SATURDAY 12/7. AMERICAN LEGION POST 27 AND GEORGE’S MAJESTIC LOUNGE, FAYETTEVILLE. 8 P.M. $15 FRIDAY; $25-$30 SATURDAY.

If, even briefly, you’ve turned a blind eye to Gar Hole Records, you’ve probably missed out on at least one new addition to the Fayetteville-based label’s ever-expanding collection of forward-thinking folk musicians. Following a marathon year that landed four of the record company’s releases on Paste Magazine’s list of best folk, country and Americana albums, the Gar Hole roster has grown by 50% in 2024 alone. If you count artists signed to Tape Dad, Gar Hole’s cassette-based sister imprint, that number is much higher. For a comprehensive look at what this pair of remarkable labels has been up to lately, the third annual Gar Hole-idays Winter Showcase, split across two nights and two venues in Fayetteville, is a no-brainer. Dylan Earl, Mr. Sam and Maddy Kirgo play Friday at American Legion Post 27; Nick Shoulders, The Lostines (pictured above), Sabine McCalla, Desiree Cannon, Chris Acker and Adam Faucett play Saturday at George’s Majestic Lounge. Get tickets at eventbrite.com and georgesmajesticlounge. com. DG

MIKE COOLEY

FRIDAY 12/20-SATURDAY 12/21. WHITE WATER TAVERN. 8 P.M. $40.

It’s in songs like “Loaded Gun in the Closet” and “Cottonseed” that Drive-By Truckers co-lead vocalist Mike Cooley explores such issues as domestic violence, criminality and the often mystifying nature of relationships between men and women in a spare, guitar-driven setting. These tracks and others on his 2012 debut solo album, “The Fool on Every Corner,” show off Cooley’s way with words and his laidback way of connecting with a boisterous barroom crowd. Cooley will bring his acoustic set to the White Water Tavern for two performances, one of which was already sold out by the time this magazine went to press. Expect a few “fuck yeahs!” from the audience as Cooley digs into his gritty stories of Southern sin and desperation. Get tickets, if you can, at whitewatertavern.com. DM

S.G. GOODMAN

THURSDAY 12/12. ARKANSAS MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. 7:30 P.M. $35-$39.

With a warmly acidic voice, a knack for melody and a songwriting range roomy enough to encompass both biting tributes to heartbreak and brutally honest excavations of the opioid crisis, Kentucky folk rocker S.G. Goodman is the whole package. Who else is simultaneously capable of lyrics like “I prayed over dead birds in your city park / I held your hand as I crossed my heart” (“Teeth Marks”) and “Corporate money in this town / Fills my plate ’til I fucking frown” (“Work Until I Die”)? Icing on the cake: Goodman is uncommonly funny and disarming, too. During her sold-out 2023 appearance at the White Water Tavern, she told stories about her recent experience on a cruise (“I’ve never seen so much soft-serve ice cream in my life”), shamelessly implored attendees to buy loads of merch (“We got too much shit in my van right now. The boys can’t put their feet down!”) and riffed about the supposed cult behind the Yellow Deli sandwich franchise. Get tickets at arkmfa.org. DG

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA

SUNDAY 12/8. SIMMONS BANK ARENA.

$63.99-$123.99. 3 P.M. AND 7:30 P.M.

Confession: “Christmas Eve and Other Stories,” the 1996 holiday release by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, was handsdown my mother’s favorite Christmas album. Hell, it might have been her favorite album of all time (aside from all those hammered dulcimer recordings she collected). I could walk into her house in the middle of August and hear such tracks as “An Angel Came Down,” “A Mad Russian’s Christmas” and “Good King Joy” playing on her stereo at a volume better suited to “Brown Sugar.” I’m still sentimental for their sound today. Though I’m not quite as familiar with the album namesake of this tour, “The Lost Christmas Eve,” I’m willing to bet it’s got blazing guitars, howling vocals and all the sonic pyrotechnics we’ve come to expect from a group that treats “O Holy Night” like a Def Leppard B-side. Get tickets at simmonsbankarena.com. DM

‘COMMANDING THE SCREEN: THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY IN FILM AND TELEVISION’

THROUGH SUNDAY 3/23/25. WILLIAM J. CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUM. FREE-$12.

For much of its existence, the U.S. presidency has been tasked with defining itself through media, whether beholden to the algorithms of smartphones, to radio broadcasts or to the family television set. And maybe now more than ever, Americans are asking themselves what it means when their media sensibilities — say, a predilection for a low-brow reality TV show featuring a would-be business tycoon who yells, “You’re fired!” once an episode — bleed into their actual civic and economic lives. Here, the Clinton Presidential Library & Museum examines the presidency as represented on screen, “inviting visitors to explore cinematic performances of fictional and non-fictional commandersin-chief” and examining “how America's spirit, values, and history are cast in movies and television,” sampling from the likes of “Veep,” “Amistad,” “Dr. Strangelove,” “Don’t Look Up,” “American Horror Story,” “Deep Impact” and more. Get tickets at tickets.clintonpresidentialcenter.org. SS

LETUSDELIVERYOUR HOLIDAYSPIRITS.

BOURBON BASH 2024

The first 3 Saturdays in December! 12/7, 12/14 and 12/21 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

• ALLOCATION BOTTLE DROP RAFFLE

• $5 WAYBACK BOURBON BACON BURGER

PAPPY VAN WINKLE • BLANTONS • EAGLE RARE • STAGG MIDWINTER NIGHTS DRAM • BOOKERS OLD FITZGERALD 10 AND MORE! Mon-Thu 9 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri-Sat 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. Same day delivery cutoff is 8 p.m. 501-821-3700 | legacylr.com DON’T MISS THIS!

DECEMBER AT RON ROBINSON THEATER

The Normal Noises: A Tribute to Tom Petty

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 | 8:00 P.M.

The Normal Noises: A Tribute to Tom Petty

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 | 8:00 P.M.

RON ROBINSON THEATER | 100 RIVER MARKET AVENUE

The Normal Noises: A Tribute to Tom Petty

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 | 8:00 P.M.

The Normal Noises: A Tribute to Tom Petty

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 | 8:00 P.M.

RON ROBINSON THEATER | 100 RIVER MARKET AVENUE

Join us for a rock-filled night honoring Tom Petty, featuring talented musicians from BAD HABIT and Tragikly White. Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Wildflowers with classic hits and fan favorites.

RON ROBINSON THEATER | 100 RIVER MARKET AVENUE

Join us for a rock-filled night honoring Tom Petty, featuring talented musicians from BAD HABIT and Tragikly White. Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Wildflowers with classic hits and fan favorites.

Don’t miss this authentic tribute to a rock legend!

TICKETS $25 | DOORS OPEN AT 7:00 P.M.

Don’t miss this authentic tribute to a rock legend!

TICKETS $25 | DOORS OPEN AT 7:00 P.M.

Don’t miss this authentic tribute to a rock legend!

Don’t miss this authentic tribute to a rock legend! TICKETS $25 | DOORS OPEN AT 7:00 P.M.

TICKETS $25 | DOORS OPEN AT 7:00 P.M.

See the full December schedule and buy tickets at RonRobinsonTheater.org.

ee the full December schedule and buy tickets at RonRobinsonTheater.org.

SOAK UP OVER 1 MILLION LIGHTS IN HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK THIS SEASON.

EVENTS

LOCKED IN

FRANKLIN COUNTY RESIDENTS GOT AN UNWELCOME SURPRISE WHEN THEY LEARNED LAND WAS ALREADY IN THE STATE’S HANDS TO BE USED FOR A NEW PRISON. RESISTANCE IS, SO FAR, FUTILE.

BY MATT CAMPBELL

Late last month, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders surprised Franklin County residents and local officials with her announcement that the state had purchased 815 acres near Charleston on which to build a new, 3,000-bed prison.

Sanders presented the location and the prison as net positives for the state, touting the potential jobs from the construction and operation of the facility and presenting the prison as a matter of public safety. She also sent out a press release full of fawning quotes from legislators — none of whom represent Franklin County — praising her choice.

Despite Sanders’ braggadocio, reaction to the prison within Franklin County was swift and near-unanimous in its opposition. This was due in large part to a lack of transparency in the location-selection process: Though the governor had been discussing building a new prison since at least March 2023, there had been no public discussion regarding a location for the facility, which would be the state’s largest.

According to Cody Sosebee, a Franklin County justice of the peace who represents the area, local officials were told nothing about the prison until the week of the announcement.

Sosebee took to Facebook Live on Oct. 30 to

address constituents shocked by the news. “I didn’t know about it. I called state Rep. Jon Eubanks (R-Subiaco), and he didn’t know about it. … Nobody wants this in our area,” he said. (Eubanks’ district includes Charleston.)

Community opposition had not waned by the following Thursday, when Franklin County residents packed the Charleston High School gymnasium to voice opposition to the project and seek answers from prison officials and the governor’s office about how the location was chosen.

Over the course of two hours, residents heard legislators offer support and pushback against the controversial project, while representatives of the governor’s office dodged questions and corrections officials doubled and tripled down on moving forward with the plan, despite overwhelming community opposition.

Mark Dietz of KDYN Radio served as emcee of the event and asked the panel questions previously submitted by community members.

Dietz made two requests at the outset: that the crowd be respectful to the officials in attendance and that the officials give “straightforward answers” to the questions asked.

Members of both groups struggled to comply.

PACKED HOUSE: Franklin County residents fill the Charleston High School gymnasium on Nov. 7, 2024, to voice opposition to a new prison slated to be built nearby.

Rosemary Underwood, a retired Charleston teacher, gave her opening remarks. She said the prison would be within 27 miles of six separate school districts. She also pointed out that other prisons — specifically Tucker and Cummins — were on much larger parcels of land than the proposed Franklin County prison would be, and those larger prison plots were nowhere near any schools or businesses, unlike the Franklin County site.

Underwood outlined the community’s specific concerns with the proposed location: 1. The state has not properly assessed the environmental impact of building the prison in that location, including studying whether it was feasible to dig a well on the site without damaging or depleting the water available for adjoining property; 2. The prison will strain existing police, fire and medical services in the county; 3. An influx of students from families who relocate either for employment at the prison or to be close to relatives who are incarcerated will stress school districts and require millage increases; 4. The prison threatens to “shatter the quiet, peaceful existence” that people who own land around the site “cherish.”

Two of the biggest rounds of applause came during Underwood’s opening. The crowd erupted first when Underwood said a formal

MATT

CAMPBELL

public hearing should have been held “before the state paid millions” for the Franklin County land. They gave her a standing ovation after Underwood called for a “comprehensive study” of all environmental, economic and social concerns before the Board of Corrections held a vote.

Dietz’s first question from community members was about when legislators and local officials first learned about the plan to put a prison in Franklin County. Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R-Branch) said he heard about it “two days before they closed on the location,” saying he’d been called by the governor’s staff. Eubanks said he heard “a week ago Tuesday,” the same as Stubblefield, adding, “I understand no conversations about this were held [with legislators].” Franklin County Judge Rickey Bowman said he’d been on vacation, so he only learned of the location at 3 p.m. the day before Sanders’ announcement. State Sen. Bryan King (R-Green Forest) said he didn’t hear anything “until it was announced in the paper.” The crowd audibly bristled at the lack of communication with legislators.

The next question was for Joe Profiri, the former secretary of the Department of Corrections and current corrections adviser to the governor, and his answer immediately made the crowd turn on him.

Asked when the governor’s office started considering the Franklin County site, Profiri obfuscated. The governor “wanted to keep it quiet to avoid a bidding war” on the property, Profiri said, to groans and derisive laughter from the crowd. “We’re going to be very transparent with you [in the future],” Profiri added, eliciting another round of grumbling and a smattering of boos from the crowd.

Dietz, who did an admirable job all evening of trying to get straight answers out of Profiri, pressed further, asking if the property was considered “weeks before” the decision was made.

“Yes,” Profiri said, “several months before.”

Profiri’s unwillingness to provide actual answers to the community’s questions quickly became a theme.

Dietz asked whether there were studies done to gauge the adequacy of utilities and other infrastructure. “We clearly understood that every possible location will require investment in infrastructure,” Profiri said. “That’s true whether you’re talking about building 3,000 houses or 3,000 beds.”

“That’s not an answer,” someone in the crowd yelled.

Shelby Johnson, the state’s Geographic Information Officer, explained that the main criteria when looking for a location for the prison was that the new site be at least 60 miles from an existing corrections facility, so there was no risk of having to pull takers for hard-to-fill jobs from the same employee pool.

According to Johnson, that 60-mile requirement left the state with part of Clay and Union counties, plus a stretch from Harrison down to the River Valley, then down toward Mena. Once they cross-ref-

“WE’RE

GOING TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.”

—JOE PROFIRI, CORRECTIONS

ADVISER TO THE GOVENOR

erenced these locations with available workforce data, the Franklin County location seemed like the best choice.

Dietz asked why land at Fort Chaffee — “some 80,000-odd acres already available” — was not chosen, since it would pull from the same workforce pool as the Franklin County location. “We evaluated multiple sites across the state,” Profiri said. “Ultimately, this one stood out as the best choice.”

Profiri, Johnson and Lindsay Wallace, Profiri’s replacement as secretary of the Department of Corrections, repeatedly referenced the workforce available for the Franklin County site. Dietz pointed out, however, that “places here are already looking for employees.” (Franklin County’s unemployment is among the lowest in the state at 2.7% as of September 2024.) Dietz asked if the prison would pull employees from existing law enforcement jobs or other employers that already struggled to find workers.

Benny Magness, chairman of the Board of Corrections, said that the prison in Calico Rock did not impact local law enforcement employment “after a few years,” but said it did impact law enforcement employment in the first few years after Calico Rock opened.

At the risk of putting too fine a point on it, it was here that the questions first turned from standard NIMBY fare to more overt isolationism, or even darker tendencies.

Dietz asked if there was any concern about crimes being committed by people who come to Franklin County to visit incarcerated relatives. Several in the crowd murmured agreement.

“Normally,” Magness said, “that is not a concern.” They “aren’t coming here to do crimes” if they are coming to visit relatives, he said.

Following a few questions about utilities and infrastructure, Dietz asked what would happen if the property values around the prison declined. “It is believed there will be no diminishment,” Profiri said. The crowd erupted in disbelieving laughter.

Sen. King burst into the conversation to say he “tried to work on this issue in 2017,” but was unsuccessful due to pushback in the Legislature. He said Arkansas has a “crime crisis” and that 67% of the Arkansas prison population comes from just eight of the 75 counties in the state. (That these eight counties are also population centers with far more people than rural counties was not mentioned.)

King also brought up the projected cost of the prison, saying it “doesn’t add up” that the state thinks it can build a 3,000-bed prison for $470 million when that is roughly half the cost of similarly sized prisons built in other states. The $470 million figure refers to Sanders’ 2023 request that the Legislature set aside that much for future prison construction as part of Sanders’ Protect Arkansas Act, a massive prison-overhaul bill that was hurried through the Legislature in early 2023. On this point, King appears to be correct. Among the most recent prisons and large jails

“I SENT AN EMAIL TO THE KIDS THAT WORK IN THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE. I WANT SPECIFICS.”

—STATE SEN. BRYAN KING

built or currently under construction around the country, the average per-bed cost for building a new facility has been around $300,000. The lowest per-bed cost in a comparable facility is $286,000 in Indiana, while South Dakota’s new prison is already slated to cost $500,000 per bed. Even on the low end of those figures, Arkansas’s 3,000-bed facility would cost $858 million. If Arkansas’s new prison price tag was closer to what South Dakota is paying, the final tally would be $1.5 billion.

“I sent an email to the kids that work in the governor’s office,” King said, “asking how they came up with $470 million,” but got no answer. “I want specifics,” King told Profiri. Profiri nodded, but did not provide any further information regarding the potential cost, saying he could not speak on the cost of prisons built elsewhere.

Stubblefield took issue with the process, more than the specific costs being quoted. He said the biggest mistake the state made was not having a town hall meeting a month ago. “Mr. Profiri said they kept it secret to keep out of a bidding war,” Stubblefield said, “but they are not concerned about other property values.”

Dietz again asked Profiri why legislators were kept in the dark. “To avoid the price of the land going up,” Profiri said, triggering another round of jeers and groans from the decidedly anti-Profiri crowd. “Is that a common practice?” Dietz asked.

“I think it can be a common practice; we want to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars,” Profiri said. Boos and groans rang out in response.

“Your relatives will work at the prison, and you’ll interact with inmates [on work release] in parks and in society,” Magness said, garnering the loudest boos of the night. But Magness continued.

“Calico Rock is begging us to stay,” he said, referring to plans to close the North Arkansas prison. Boos rained down and several people

in the crowd yelled out some form of “then build it there!”

“Before this can even proceed,” Stubblefield said, “the board needs to check with the attorney general” to see if any laws have been broken. “I’m not sure why you’re forcing something on a community that doesn’t want it,” Stubblefield said, but making sure the law is followed on the front end seems preferable to “four to five years of litigation.” The crowd gave him a standing ovation.

As the meeting began to wind down, Dietz asked Magness if there was any way to postpone the board’s Friday morning vote on the prison site. Magness said, as chairman, it was his prerogative when to hold such meetings and that the meeting would go ahead as scheduled at 9 a.m. the next day. This rankled some of the legislators.

King accused the board and the governor’s office of “trying to have this done before the session because they can’t answer questions” about the cost estimates or explain the prison budget.

Eubanks tossed in a bit of a threat. “The Legislature will have to approve the transfer of property from the Department of Finance and Administration to the Board of Corrections” before anything can be built on the land, he said, before adding, “this is not over.”

After the meeting in Charleston, Bill Hewitt said he had hoped to hear more about how the land was purchased by the man who sold it to the state, Aaron Geissinger. “He bought it for $2.1 million only two years ago,” Hewitt said, “then sold it for $2.9 million?”

“My front door is 600 feet from the property line” of the prison site, said Joe Bearce. Describing himself as a “dues-paying NRA member,” Bearce said state law prohibits having a firearm within 1,000 feet of prison property. “I have probably 50 guns at my house,” Bearce said, “and they aren’t going to make me get rid of them.”

Bearce lays the blame at the feet of the governor. “She’s not going to get reelected,” he said, “and she’s already shown she’s an idiot when it comes to money. Look at that $20,000 podium they bought!”

Carla, a mother of two who did not want to provide her last name out of fear of retaliation, said her concern was increased crime coming from relatives of inmates and the impact on the schools.

“If someone from Pine Bluff is sent to prison out here, and their family moves to Charleston to be near the prison, that’s going to make our crime rates go up,” she said. When asked why she believed the relatives

TURNING IT OUT: Franklin County residents filled the bleachers at Charleston High School for a town hall meeting about the new prison.

MATT CAMPBELL

of inmates were more likely to commit crimes than other residents, she said, “Well … I mean … look at their situation.” She did not elaborate further, pivoting instead to school athletics.

“If there are a bunch of city kids coming to our schools because their families have relocated out here, that’s going to change the football and basketball teams out here quite a bit,” she said. “It’s just — I don’t think it’s fair to put something on our community that is going to increase crime and impact our schools without giving us a chance to speak against it.”

Barely 12 hours after the town hall in Charleston, the Arkansas Board of Corrections met to discuss the proposed Franklin County location. Board members engaged in about 20 minutes of discussion before voting. Lee Watson said that about 32% of the prison population comes from the Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas area, and the board has known for at least four years that a prison was needed in western Arkansas.

“At the same time,” Watson said, “the board should make well-reasoned, well-informed decisions.”

Watson specifically took issue with the fact that the property had been under consideration for at least 90 days, but he and other board members were only informed a couple of days before the announcement. Watson also said he and others received site survey information “late yesterday,” and, “given the magnitude of the decision at hand,” Watson said he felt like he needed more time to make a decision.

He was alone in that position among the board members. Following some additional platitudes about having been surprised by the announcement but ultimately believing the location was a good choice, the board voted 5-0 to accept the location for the new prison and move forward with the design process. Watson abstained from the vote.

And that is likely where things will continue to stand, at least publicly, until the Legislature is gaveled into session in January. Any chance Franklin County voters have of stopping the prison construction likely comes down to whether elected officials will make good on Eubanks’ threat and delay transferring the Franklin County property to the Board of Corrections.

Unfortunately, given the stranglehold Sanders has over the Arkansas Republican Party, the smart money is on any delay being more about a dog-and-pony show to appease the folks in Franklin County, rather than a goodfaith discussion on whether to actually build the prison in that location.

WHERE ARE WE GOING AND WHY ARE WE IN THIS HANDBASKET?

BY ARKANSAS TIMES STAFF ILLUSTRATIONS BY @OATMEALGOTH

This year’s headline makers bring to mind senior superlatives, those coveted titles for the prettiest and wittiest among the high school graduating class. Awarding the grown-up equivalents of Best Dressed and Biggest Flirt is what we aim for every December in the Arkansas Times’ annual Best and Worst issue. Unwitting and sometimes unwilling students of history as it unfolds, we always find plenty of class clowns to throw in, too.

If 2024 was our collective senior year, a lot of us starry-eyed progressives spent every lunch period in the library, doodling unicorns in our composition notebooks and daydreaming about the first woman president. Meanwhile, our lettermen conservative classmates were hurling cafeteria trays at immigrants and trans kids. What happens when the Most Likely to Succeed gets beaten out for the presidency by the Most Likely to Shit His Pants on the Golf Course? This last bit is where the analogy ends and reality begins. Progressives elsewhere are closing out the year winded by a devastating, disappointing blow, and with genuine fear for what the future holds. In Arkansas, the bittersweet reality is that Donald Trump’s agenda rolled out here years ago, and solidified when his former press secretary took the governor’s office. Blue dots in red states might be voted Most Likely to Bitch and Moan, but at least we’re still here.

There’s no humor like gallows humor, and Arkansas always offers up plenty to laugh about.

Times reporter Griffin Coop was a contender for the Most Buff category after spending a good chunk of 2024 trying out fringe health and exercise routines in the name of journalism. To no avail, though; the Biggest Jock moniker goes to Jimmie Cavin of Conway, who dropped a fellow Republican man half his age and twice his size to defend the honor of a nose-ring-wearing woman at the Saline County Republican Committee’s September meeting. Country rapscallion Jelly Roll is 2024’s Most Popular after he invited us all to a pre-concert chicken dinner at Gus’s, on him. Speaking of chicken, the “Most Likely to Ghost the Reunion” title goes to the driver of a truck that disgorged a load of chicken renderings on Interstate 30 during a May rush hour and kept on going, leaving unsuspecting commuters to slide through the slime and gag on the stench.

Bleaker titles go to drunk-driving Conway School Board member Linda Hargis (“Most Likely to Run Someone Over”), Arkansas State Police Director Mike Hagar (“Best Keeper of the Governor’s Secrets”) and two-time winner Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin (“Worst Hendrix Grad," "Most Likely to Trample Democracy”).

The superlative for 2024 as a whole may simply be “Least Super.” Let 2025 commence.

WorsT door knock

When Little Rock Airport executive Bryan Malinowski opened fire at federal agents breaking his door down during a predawn raid, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shot back, fatally. There with a search warrant after a monthslong investigation indicated Malinowski was selling guns illegally, the agents who used deadly force became the subject of yet another investigation after Malinowski’s death. It’s been nice to see conservative white guys taking a stand against bully law enforcement tactics.

BesT WorkouT series

2024 was the year of the glow-up for Arkansas Times reporter Griffin Coop, who subjected himself to a series of unusual health and wellness regimens. The lineup included saucy pole dancing, a Zen sound bath and a surprisingly incapacitating turn at the barre. The biggest crowd pleaser was Manduu, a newfangled workout that required Coop to don an electrified bodysuit and endure 15 minutes of muscle-activating zaps.

BesT fudging The numBers

Touting hundreds of arrests in East Arkansas in just eight hours, the Arkansas State Police was patting itself on the back and crediting its officers for a job well done. But a closer look at the so-called arrests sparked some questions, specifically about what it means to be “arrested.” Despite ASP claiming 245 arrests, just 36 people were actually booked at the county jail. The other numbers were mostly traffic violations.

WorsT failure To check a resume

Did the governor know, when she appointed Jamol Jones to the state Board of Corrections, that he was fired from the Benton police force for having sex with a 17-year-old and then lying to cover it up? When the news broke, her administration tried to spin it with accolades for his bravery as an Army veteran and police officer. Lying in a police investigation is kind of brave, maybe? Regardless, Jones resigned.

BesT reminder ThaT

snoW is only fun for a

day or TWo

In mid-January, three storm systems moved into the state, ushering in what meteorologists called the Arctic Hammer. Heeding Todd Yakoubian’s time-tested weather prophecies, Arkansans rushed to the grocery store, frantically googled “frozen pipes” and sent roses and love letters to their plumbers.

BesT PrognosTicaTor

Asa Hutchinson finally threw in the towel on his longshot presidential bid after finishing a distant sixth place in the Iowa Republican caucuses. He announced that his message “did not sell in Iowa” after scoring just under 200 votes in the caucuses, in which Donald Trump — in an unfortunate sign of things to come — trounced the competition.

WorsT dry sPell

An aging water system left thousands in Helena-West Helena without water multiple times throughout the year. The city doesn’t have the millions of dollars needed to drill new wells or replace leaky pipes, and it has so far made do with a series of patches to its clunky old system. In response, the Arkansas National Guard sent potable water trucks, online benefactors offered donations and nonprofit organizations delivered pallets of water to see residents through a dry spell.

BesT geneTic muTaTion

At 10 years old, Madeline Landecker of Benton — an aspiring veterinarian — was checking on her family’s chickens when she came across a rare pink grasshopper, whom she named Millie. The pastel grasshopper has a recessive gene that results in erythrism, a mutation that causes her to produce too much red pigment. Flashy though it may be, her pink complexion also makes her more visible to predators, and therefore more likely to be eaten. Thank goodness Madeline came to the rescue!

BesT BlackouT

Arkansas state agencies, Airbnb hosts and eclipse chasers alike spent the months leading up to the April 8 total solar eclipse preparing for an influx of visitors. Estimates about the size of the throngs that might flood into the path of totality varied wildly, with the Arkansas House of Representatives expecting 2 million visitors, 40/29 News reporting an expected 3 million, and the governor hedging her bets at a cool “300,000 to 1.5 million.” When all was said and done, the tourism swell was underwhelming. Decidedly more whelming: the cosmic phenomenon itself.

BesT goTcha

An April Fools’ story warned Arkansas Times readers to change their eclipse-watching plans for the next week after NASA realized they’d miscalculated the path of totality. We assumed the hokey illustration of the Earth wearing eclipse glasses would tip everyone off to the prank. Alas, the joke was on us. “Cosmic miscalculation: Corrected map reveals eclipse will cut through Dumas, Marked Tree” was our most-read story of 2024.

BesT ’machine learning sensaTion’

Little Rock Central High graduate and Georgia Tech freshman Anu Iyer was only 18 when her clever work detecting Parkinson’s disease by analyzing voice recordings was published in a medical journal. Iyer’s jam is bioinformatics, which she described as the intersection of computer science and medicine. Her colleagues at UAMS hype her as a “machine learning sensation.” Hear, hear!

WorsT Tail of Woe

“Show us the puppies!” became a rallying cry in a battle between the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and would-be animal rescuers over a family of stray dogs living under a vacant house in Altus slated for demolition. Three people faced misdemeanor charges after rescuing the injured dog and one of her puppies. Animal lovers and skeptics of law enforcement protested Sheriff Johnny Crocker’s handling of the situation, demanding to see the puppies that he said were being kept in a private location. “I’m never gonna give you the location of these puppies, or where they’re at, because I’ve received probably 300 death threats,” Crocker said.

BesT holy War cosPlay

In a move that would make John Locke weep, Arkansas awarded more than $200,000 in public money to religious institutions to make security upgrades. Called “Right to Worship Safely” grants, these handouts seemed more aimed at fanning the fiction that religion is under attack in the U.S. than actually securing anything. None of the threats cited by the winning grant applicants were considered credible by law enforcement. And at Subiaco Academy — the only applicant that suffered an actual attack on its property — law enforcement did not consider the vandalism to be ideologically driven.

WorsT grifT

In March, Mike Huckabee — former Arkansas governor, current first dad, future ambassador to Israel — released “The Kids Guide to President Trump, 2024 Edition,” one of the latest installments in his “Kids Guide” series of conservative children’s books. Operating like an ultra-capitalistic, bizarro-Republican version of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which sends millions of books to kids across the world every month for free, Huckabee charges $21.90 every three weeks or so, plus $7.95 a month for a magazine subscription.

BesT exPerimenT

Fully aware that if we do what we’ve always done, we’ll get what we’ve always got, Pulaski County Sheriff Eric Higgins opted to try something new. He gave inmates in one section of the county jail significantly more freedoms and (unbeknownst to others in county government) allowed a camera crew to film the “experiment” for reality TV. The Netflix series “Unlocked” was a hit. Conservatives freaked out, but the experiment showed promising results.

WorsT dePicTion of arkansas as a dog

In a seemingly harmless but nevertheless disturbing feat of AI deployment, a pet website called PetLab Co. used artificial intelligence to imagine every state in the country as a dog. And, with all respect to The Bots That Be for dodging tired old barefoot moonshiner tropes, the resulting “Southern Comfort Hound” left us with more questions than answers. Namely: How does that silky fur hold up in the tick-laced undergrowth of Arkansas forests? And speaking of those forests, where are the oaks and maples and hickory and hawthorn? Does Canva not have a kudzu background? (Just kidding, we checked, it doesn’t.)

BesT menTor

David Pryor, described by the Encyclopedia of Arkansas as “arguably the most popular Arkansas politician of the modern era,” died at 89. His 34 years in politics included stints as governor and in both houses of Congress. Bill Clinton, who drew inspiration from the “young Turk” lawmaker, said Pryor “fought for progressive politics that helped us put the divided past behind us and move into a brighter future together.” If only we had more like him today.

BesT moonlighTing

Once we got word that Tony Phan — the soft-spoken manager at Mike’s Cafe in Little Rock — spent his off-time being a viral fishing phenom on YouTube, we were hooked, line and sinker. The social media superstar behind @tonystayfishin, an Instagram account with more than 17,000 followers, gave us his tips on best fishing holes (the Dumas area, by Pendleton Bend), best bait (shad, fresh-caught) and what he eats at the beloved Vietnamese diner (Number C20, fried rice with steak, with an added fried egg on top).

BesT froTh

Congrats and solidarity to the unionized baristas of Starbucks, especially the ones in Arkansas. Staff at two stores in Little Rock and one in North Little Rock voted to join the 400+ union shops nationwide. They join the two Starbucks in Fayetteville that unionized in 2023.

BRIAN CHILSON

BesT consolaTion Prize

Bedazzled pink cowboy hats were ubiquitous; dresses, skirts and tops made of denim, satin and tulle commingled; and compliments gushed generously between strangers-turned-fast friends. Such was the scene at Chappell Roan’s June show in Little Rock, where 1,300 lucky fans — many of whom proudly belong to the LGBTQ+ community in a state where they’re frequently targeted — got a vanishingly rare opportunity to see the queer pop icon in an intimate fashion; just a month later, Roan’s October concert at the 11,000-seat Walmart AMP in Rogers sold out within hours to presale subscribers, well before ticket sales opened to the public.

WorsT ramBo fanTasy

In a Fox News appearance, Sen. Tom Cotton encouraged vigilante violence against protestors by encouraging annoyed motorists to chuck them off the Golden Gate Bridge. And the senator didn’t stop there. Cotton went on to muse about the vicarious pleasure of ripping the skin straight off those pesky protestors. “It would probably be pretty painful,” he remarked, imagining one whose hands had been glued to a car. (Good thing Cotton’s ideology wasn’t affirmed by a majority of voters — oh, wait.)

WorsT Tangled WeBB

mosT emBarrassing unauThorized use of Jay-z’s music

Audit results for Lecterngate, the inquiry into the governor’s shady purchase of a mysterious $19,000 lectern, were meaty enough to egg on suspicions of corruption and coverup, but spinnable enough that the governor once again got off scot-free. Sanders celebrated with a social media smackdown remix that made liberal use of Jay-Z’s “Public Service Announcement.” Consider us burned. As writer David Ramsey noted, “Haters, including here at the Arkansas Times, can’t come back from a diss track like this. It’s just too cold.”

WorsT geTaWay

Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Barbara Webb was unsuccessful in her bid for chief justice, but never fear. Her husband, longtime grifter and Public Service Commission Chairman Doyle Webb, has connections. Employees of Entergy, a company over which Webb exercises great power, came through with donations after the fact to help the Webb family zero out leftover campaign debt. As Arkansas Times Editor Emeritus Max Brantley said: Where there’s a dole, there’s a Doyle!

A North Little Rock attorney who maced the driver of an armored truck in an attempted robbery had a very bad morning. Loomis driver John Martin shot Chad Green during the apparent attempted robbery on Geyer Springs Road the morning of April 25. Green then fled the scene on a bicycle. Police later found him bleeding in his car on the shoulder of Interstate 430. They took him to the hospital, then to jail.

BRIAN CHILSON

WorsT inTerneT Purchase

Emails revealed mortuary worker Candace Chapman Scott of Little Rock harvested parts from bodies donated for medical research, then sold them. An inventory list included “2 brains, one with skullcap, 3 hearts one cut, 2 fake boobies, one large belly button piece of skin, one arm, one huge piece of skin, and one lung.” She pleaded guilty in April.

WorsT Brush-off

Inmates in Arkansas prisons often don’t get the mental health help they ask for, according to a study released in April that examined 49 prison suicides between 2017 and 2022.

BesT Trash Talk

After the Arkansas House squad’s five consecutive losses to the Senate, the annual legislative basketball fundraiser “Hoops for Kids’ Sake” saw a change of format from the traditional full court 5-on-5 match to a 3-on-3. State Sen. Clarke Tucker (D-Little Rock) speculated on Roby Brock’s “Capitol View” that the tweak was made on account of all the injuries House members sustained on the court in years past, and their pitiable record. “At this point, the House just can’t handle the physical rigor of running up and down the court,” Tucker said. The trash talk paid off when the House suffered its sixth straight loss to the Senate.

WorsT ParTy foul

A train transporting cases of Modelo Especial derailed in Southwest Arkansas, and the beer that spilled into a nearby creek killed 400 fish. Sadly for those hoping to party, the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement advising folks to stay away from a local feed mill where any salvaged cases of the flavorful, full-bodied pilsner were rumored to be stored after the cleanup.

WorsT offal mess

Little Rock drivers heading eastbound during a springtime rush hour caught wind of disaster after a truck transporting raw chicken parts somehow expelled its contents all over the innard lanes of the highway. No injuries were reported, but a Polaris Slingshot lost traction on the chicken renderings and flipped. Commuters took to social media to describe the putrid stench.

BesT geT

Arkansas basketball Twitter was in the midst of a full-scale meltdown after news of Razorback basketball coach Eric Musselman’s departure for Southern California broke in April. On the eve of the national championship game (and the total solar eclipse), the unexpected news dropped that Kentucky coach John Calipari, one of the biggest names in college basketball, was heading south. An estimated 7,000 people filed into Bud Walton Arena for his introductory press conference, where Tyson Foods chairman John H. Tyson earned rousing applause for his role in luring the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach to Fayetteville.

WorsT missed oPPorTuniTy

Gov. Sanders took time out of her schedule in July to insult the “far-left abortion crowd,” calling them “both immoral and incompetent.” The attack came after Secretary of State John Thurston threw out the Arkansas Abortion Amendment on a technicality. It was a giant disappointment, especially for the statewide network of volunteers who hustled and bustled through the summer with clipboards in hand, collecting the signatures of 102,730 registered voters who supported putting abortion on the ballot.

BesT imPression of iceland

In a fortuitous turn of cosmological events, Arkansans got to witness the spectacular Northern Lights in mid-May, thanks to a G4 solar storm that scattered light far beyond its typical northerly scope. And then — what luck! — it happened again in October.

BesT douBling TriPling doWn on queer visiBiliTy

If you thought queer Arkansans were oversaturated and overbooked by longstanding Pride fests in North Little Rock and Fayetteville, you’d be wrong. This year saw a major addition to Pride celebrations with the introduction of a new SoMa Pride festival. South Main Street popped as a runway of rainbow attire, with pop-up shops, drag shows and powerful margaritas.

WorsT signaTure move

Wet sigs? Damp Hancocks? Whatever you want to call pen-to-paper signatures, they’re now officially required on voter registration applications in Arkansas. Voter advocacy group Get Loud Arkansas launched a bid to bring the state’s rules into the modern age by allowing would-be voters to fill out and electronically sign their registration forms online, in hopes of boosting our dismal registration and voter participation stats. No one will be surprised to learn that state officials blocked such efforts.

BesT caTBird seaT for a mass cicada maTing Bacchanale

In a year where The Natural State had front row tickets to the total solar eclipse and the Northern Lights, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that the entomological world, too, put on a show not seen since Thomas Jefferson was president. Namely, a mass mating bacchanale for two broods of cicadas, in which a trillion or so of the exoskeleton-shedding creatures emerged from their underground lairs and wailed at nearly 100 decibels in hopes of laying eggs and perpetuating the species. If you got anywhere near northern Arkansas — or Fourche Creek, for that matter — you likely heard the din of at least one of the two broods. Isn’t evolution neat-o?

BesT couP

The Arkansas Republican State Convention went off the rails right fast when delegates temporarily but dramatically dethroned Republican Party of Arkansas Chairman Joseph Wood for the day, choosing Saline County attorney Jennifer Lancaster to lead the conference instead. The rabble-rousers voted to close GOP primaries to registered Republicans only, a move that would require a change to state law and therefore didn’t take.

WorsT neWs

Joyce Elliott, Arkansas Democrats’ grande dame, suffered a stroke in June, taking her temporarily out of the ring in the ongoing fight for ballot access. The former teacher, longtime state legislator and personification of everything that is good and right about the Democratic Party, gets all of our best wishes for a full recovery.

WorsT Bald-faced lie

A report from the state health department that there were no abortions in the state of Arkansas in all of 2023 would have been big news if true. Of course, it was not. But ever since a trigger law went into effect banning nearly all abortions in Arkansas, even in cases of rape and incest, people have been understandably hush-hush about this common medical procedure. In October, a study by a national group that supports reproductive rights found that at least 970 Arkansans ordered abortion pills through the mail during a six-month period in 2023 and another 1,280 traveled out of state for procedures.

BesT Blaze of glory

A fracas in Eureka Springs over a drag queen’s vanishingly brief cameo in a tourism spot ripped a chasm in city leadership. The half-second glimpse of Blaze Duvall in a promotional reel about the Ozark town’s culinary offerings was nixed at the direction of City Advertising and Promotion Commission Chair Chris Clifton — a dicey choice in a town where roughly a third of the population identifies as queer. An uproar ensued, Clifton resigned, and Duvall’s half-second of fame was restored.

BesT BraWl

MAGA provocateur and FOIA ally Jimmie Cavin launched the punch heard around the state when he dropped big man Jon Newcomb for making a snide remark about a woman’s nose ring at a Saline County Republican Committee meeting. Cavin emerged from the melee with a torn pink T-shirt — his signature color — and a busted shoulder that would require surgery. The debacle was another indication of rising Republican infighting in Saline County and beyond.

BesT firsT BuffeT

Our most ancient imperatives — to feed ourselves, to multiply — intertwined in May when the Woodfork family of Mississippi stopped into North Little Rock’s Golden Corral on their way home from a weekend getaway in Hot Springs. Tayvia Woodfork excused herself to the ladies’ room, where she was as surprised as anyone to find out she was not only pregnant, but in labor. The baby, born slightly early at 37 weeks, was named Tamaar Kylon Corral Woodfork.

BesT dinner inviTe

A well-known Central Arkansas street preacher was shot in an attempted robbery of his microphone while he was spreading the gospel in front of a Starbucks at the intersection of JFK and McCain boulevards on a Sunday morning in North Little Rock. Rev. Larry Walker survived the shot to the stomach, telling KARK-TV, Channel 4, that he forgives the man who shot him. “I hope they let him come to the house where I can cook him some brown beans and cornbread,” Walker said. Walker fully recovered and returned to street preaching.

WorsT scene

Attorney Jennifer Waymack Standerfer was handcuffed and escorted out of the Arkansas Bar Association meeting at the Hot Springs Convention Center simply for having petitions in hand lest anyone wanted to sign their support to enshrine Freedom of Information Act protections in the state constitution. Getting arrested for being a badass defender of democracy seems baller to us, but it wasn’t actually much fun. Standerfer said, “This is the only time I’ve ever been arrested. I don’t plan to do it again.”

WorsT negligence

A March shooting in the parking lot of the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library & Learning Center in Little Rock pulled back the curtain on a web of neglect and demonstrated how the social safety net can fail, leaving children in free fall. Ahmad Waheed survived after being shot by his 11-year-old son, who was driving the family vehicle that morning, his sister in the backseat. Police and court records revealed the son often drove when his father was high. Waheed has an extensive history of addiction and abuse, and his children suffered for it. Regardless, the son was charged in the shooting.

WorsT on-The-nose deTail

A shooter at a grocery store in the South Arkansas town of Fordyce killed four and injured 10 more in June. The name of the store: The Mad Butcher.

BesT neW chicken

nuggeT shaPe, same frozen chicken

Just a couple months after Tyson Foods chairman John H. Tyson helped lure former Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, the university partnered with Tyson on the launch of the all-new Razorback-shaped frozen chicken nuggets. “When Arkansas fans cheer on our teams this season they will be inspired by their passion for the Hogs and fueled by the new Tyson Razorback Nuggets,” UA Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek said. Pass the ranch.

WorsT ’emergency’ ’soluTion’

Arkansas lawmakers approved an emergency rule to enshrine the gender binary at the DMV. Since 2010, trans and nonbinary Arkansans had been allowed to use an “X” in place of “M” or “F” on driver’s licenses and other state-issued IDs. Hearings about a rule change to take that “X” option off the table revealed that it’s never caused a problem for law enforcement or anyone else. The supermajority Republican Legislature, however, does what Gov. Sanders says, and what she said was this: “Only women give birth, men shouldn’t play women’s sports, and there are only two genders. As long as I’m governor, Arkansas state government will not endorse nonsense.”

BesT comeBack

In the wake of several reunion shows and a double vinyl reissue of their entire discography by archival label Numero Group, the impressively abiding ’90s Little Rock tweemo band Everyone Asked About You put out an EP called “Never Leave” this year — their first new release in a quarter-century. Lush, bittersweet and slightly clumsy, the heart-on-sleeve music emanating out of this group of 40-somethings sounds just as fresh and urgent as it did when they were teenagers.

WorsT deBaTe in The hisTory of ever

Joe Biden and Donald Trump offered mainly just shenanigans during what would prove to be Biden’s swan song. The president’s age-related decline was evident; the once and future president’s craven racism was, too. (Fact check: Haitian immigrants are not, in fact, eating the dogs, eating the cats). Eventually, the dodderers got into an argument about golf, which honestly seemed like the only moment when both men were truly engaged.

BesT olymPic vicTory

Many Arkansas-connected athletes made an appearance at the Summer 2024 Olympics in Paris, but only one — Farmington resident and Razorback volunteer assistant track and field coach Ryan Crouser — flew home as the first shot putter in history to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals. He completed a throw of 22.9 meters using a novel technique he conceived while training in The Natural State. Sometimes sporting a voluptuous mullet, he also holds the shot putting world record of 23.56 meters.

BesT culT leader shouT-ouT

An internet search of a curious quote engraved on the newest statue in downtown Little Rock’s Riverfront Park revealed that its credited author, Andrew Cohen, is a former cult leader and self-described spiritual guru accused by dozens of his former followers, including his own mother, of financial manipulation and physical and mental abuse. Longtime City Director Dean Kumpuris’ wife had chosen the quote, but said she could not remember where she found it. The parks department said it would change the quote to be credited to “Anonymous,” but at the time of this writing, Cohen’s name remains.

DANIEL BERGERON

SHAWN PRICE/ARKANSAS

BesT Pizza husTle

Arkansas Times culture editor Daniel Grear took a day off from work and showed up early to the grand opening of Pizza Hut in Riverdale with a chess board and a bestie to be one of 25 people to score free pizza for a year.

BesT redemPTion arc

After struggling with addiction and living on the streets for “eight or nine years,” an eccentric Little Rock resident and artist best known as Punk Rock Ian checked into a rehab facility in April, prompting a group of local musicians to get involved in his recovery. Thanks in part to the efforts of Walt Peterson and Alex Cash, who organized multiple benefit concerts on his behalf, Ian is now living in chem-free housing. His new band, the aptly named Lords of Rock Bottom, even played at some of the shows.

WorsT driver

Linda Hargis, the radical-conservative grandma on the Conway School Board who helped orchestrate book bans and fanned the flames of transphobic hysteria in her district, was arrested Aug. 25 in Cabot and charged with a DWI after she failed field sobriety tests during a traffic stop. Hargis spouted off her bigoted views to the arresting officer, at one point referring to transgender students as “these transgenders” and asserting her opposition to “LGBTQ” and “Black Lives Matter” posters in classrooms. Despite numerous calls for her resignation, Hargis remains on the school board.

WorsT red scare

Turns out the Chinese aren’t trying to buy up Fort Smith after all. The governor and attorney general suggested enemies of the state might be behind the land purchase when Olivet International, a California-based manufacturer, bought industrial property in the Sebastian County seat this summer. Such was not the case. While some of the company leadership is of Taiwanese descent, Olivet is an American company — and a big supplier for Walmart.

BesT free meal

Rapper-turned-country music star Jelly Roll pulled up to North Little Rock for a show at Simmons Bank Arena, and surprise! He fed the people. Arkansas Times reporter Phillip Powell joined hundreds in line for a free meal at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken for which the tab came out to $11,268.12. Mr. Roll even left a $7,500 tip for the staff.

WorsT liBrarian

Book-banning Christian nationalist Jason Rapert won an appointment to the State Library Board, where his boorishness made him immediately unpopular. Rapert has so far spent his tenure attempting to cut funding to libraries that offer books he thinks are too sexy.

BRIAN CHILSON

BesT Bacchanal

Those European sophisticates got predictably arty with their Olympic opening ceremony, leaving low-information American evangelicals agape. The show included such delights as a beheaded Marie Antoinette cosplay; LeBron James valiantly braving a rainstorm on the Seine River with Old Glory in his fist; and some saucy behavior by a blue-skinned Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, and a band of drag queens. Gov. Sanders was among those who accused the French of blasphemy: “I cannot believe they incorporated a drag show mocking Christians and the Last Supper!”

WorsT firsT Week of school

The Little Rock School District had a rough spell when Superintendent Jermall Wright offered his resignation during the first week of the 2024-25 school year. Wright cited tensions with some members of the school board. The crew eventually patched it up, with Wright rescinding his resignation, and board member Vicki Hatter was formally censured for being openly disrespectful to Wright during public meetings.

BesT Bon voyage

Alexa Henning, notorious PR henchwoman for Gov. Sanders, shipped out to D.C. after two years of snarky tweeting and not responding to emails from journalists. Two weeks after her departure, Henning reemerged in her new role at a D.C. PR firm, where one of her clients is the Canada-based Standard Lithium, one of the companies clamoring for rights to extract lithium-rich brine from Arkansas’s Smackover formation.

WorsT Judicial TemPeramenT

Hyperpartisan and untethered by any rules they don’t like, the Arkansas Supreme Court dissolved into a pack of hyenas over a FOIA request gone sideways. Justice Courtney Hudson’s lawsuit aiming to shield her emails from public disclosure, in concurrence with state law, was dismissed before it could even get to trial. It was a frighteningly authoritarian position and another self-inflicted black eye for a high court that continues to put partisan politics first.

BesT rePresenTaTion of arkansas in d.c

Following over a century of questionable Arkansas representation in the National Statuary Hall Collection in D.C. — where each is state is allotted space for two statues honoring esteemed natives — monuments to prominent lawyer Uriah Milton Rose (a Confederate sympathizer) and Gov. James Paul Clarke (a vocal white supremacist) were replaced by sculptures of civil rights icon Daisy Gatson Bates and country music legend Johnny Cash, whose towering likeness was crafted by North Little Rock artist Kevin Kresse.

BesT BirThday Boy

In September, the Arkansas Times turned 50, and founder and Publisher Alan Leveritt bared it all for the cover of our anniversary issue. We threw a big party, reminisced about decades gone by and set our sights on the next 50 years.

BesT TruTh or dairy

A raw milk revolution is coming to a farmers market near you, thanks to a collection of foodie originalists demanding the right to sell raw, unpasteurized milk to the public. A mixture of libertarians, small farmers, health gurus and anti-corporate agriculture advocates drank the raw milk Kool-Aid and ruled it tasty. We’ve found the RFK Jr. voters!

BesT local Boy done good

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences named John M. Jumper and his colleagues as the winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for a project using artificial intelligence to study proteins. A Pulaski Academy graduate, Jumper is the youngest chemistry laureate in more than 70 years.

WorsT Pachyderm neWs

Sophie, an Asian elephant at the Little Rock Zoo, was humanely euthanized after three months of hospice care. The female elephant was diagnosed more than seven years ago with a uterine infection and also suffered from arthritis. She was estimated to be 55 or 56 years old.

BesT ProsPecTs

The U.S. Geological Survey did a study showing that south Arkansas could meet global demand for lithium, an element needed for the production of electronics and electric cars. But first the massive multinational lithium extractors need to get through regulatory hurdles, including a prolonged battle over royalty payouts.

WorsT elecTion ever

A resurgent Donald Trump won the popular vote and a convincing electoral college victory to return to the presidency on his darkest message yet. Arkansas was called for Trump as soon as the polls closed, the only saving grace for Arkansas Democrats being a pickup in a Springdale-based state House district. Diana Gonzalez Worthington will join the slim number of statehouse Democrats, but Republicans will continue to dominate state, and now federal, politics.

WorsT gamBle on voTers

A casino won’t be built in Pope County after all, thanks to Arkansas voters’ passage of a constitutional amendment revoking the casino’s license. Ironically, considering the measure was framed as a vote for “local control,” voters in Pope County itself cast their ballots against Issue 2, meaning they voted to keep the casino on track. Three other casinos have opened in the state, while the Pope County casino was held up in a legal kerfuffle. Issue 2 was part of a proxy war between rival casino groups from Oklahoma. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma funded the ballot measure as a way to derail the Cherokees’ plans. Any future casino in the state will need the approval of voters statewide and separately in the county where it would be located. So, take that, Pope County!

WorsT emPloyee

Congressman Rick Crawford, representing Arkansas’s 1st Congressional District, is suing the United States on the grounds that his six-figure salary isn’t enough. In Arkansas, where the median individual income is less than $32,000 and the median household income is $56,335, Crawford might have to do some convincing.

WELL-EQUIPPED: Ed Johnson stands amid a collection of football equipment stored in his garage.

BesT flex By an ocTogenarian

Thirty years in, doyenne Joan Adcock remains undefeated. Little Rock’s longest-serving city director won her ninth term to the City Board over young progressive Blake Tierney by fewer than 3,000 votes.

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ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

Matthew C. Bell, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Hedberg Allergy & Asthma Center

1585 East Rainforest Road Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 464-8887

Allergy & Immunology, Asthma, Urticaria

Jenny M. Campbell, MD

Hedberg Allergy & Asthma Center

1585 East Rainforest Road Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 301-8887

D. Melissa Graham, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Advanced Allergy & Asthma

500 South University Avenue, Doctors Building, Suite 215 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 420-1085

Asthma, Allergy

Stacy S. Griffin, MD

Little Rock Allergy & Asthma Clinic

18 Corporate Hill Drive, Suite 110 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 224-1156

Drug Allergy, Food Allergy, Asthma, Skin Allergies

Teresa R. Jeffers, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

Four Seasons Allergy and Asthma Clinic 11614 Huron Lane, Suite A Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 221-1956

Allergy & Asthma

Akilah A. Jefferson, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Outpatient Center

Allergy and Immunology Clinic

4110 Outpatient Circle Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-1020

Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, Asthma

Stacie M.Jones, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Lori M. Kagy, MD

Arkansas Allergy And Asthma Clinic

5 Executive Center Court Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 227-5210

Asthma, Rhinitis, Pediatric Allergy & Immunology

Joshua L. Kennedy, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Tina Merritt, MD

Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Northwest Arkansas 1900 South Walton Boulevard Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 254-9777

Tamara Perry, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Robert D.Pesek, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Allergy & Asthma, Food Allergy, Eosinophil Disorders

Blake G. Scheer, MD Little Rock Allergy & Asthma Clinic 18 Corporate Hill Drive, Suite 110 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 224-1156

Allergy Testing & Treatment, Allergy-Adult & Pediatric, Asthma

Amy Scurlock, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way

Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Eddie W. Shields, MD

Arkansas Allergy And Asthma Clinic

5 Executive Center Court Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 227-5210

Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, Allergy Testing & Treatment, Asthma Food Allergy

Adesua O. Wejinya, MD

Hedberg Allergy & Asthma Center

700 South 52nd Street Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 464-8887

Allergy Testing & Treatment, Rhinitis, Hives

ANESTHESIOLOGY

Terry G. Fletcher, MD

Pain Treatment Centers of America

118 Central Avenue Searcy, AR 72143 (501) 203-9078

Pain-Chronic, Trauma, Pain-Back & Neck

BARIATRIC SURGERY

Jonathan P. Ferrari, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic General Surgery

7001 Rogers Avenue, Suite 600 Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 274-5100

Robotic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery

Bariatric/Obesity Surgery

Joshua E. Roller, MD

Northwest Medical Center-Springdale

Roller Weight Loss & Advanced Surgery 1695 East Rainforest Road Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 445-6460

Bariatric/Obesity Surgery

Adeel A. Shamim, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic General Surgery

7001 Rogers Avenue, Suite 600 Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 274-5100

Bariatric/Obesity Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery

CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

Scott L. Beau, MD

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Arkansas Heart HospitalEncore Medical Center

Arkansas Heart Hospital Clinic in Little Rock

7 Shackleford West Boulevard Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 664-5860

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

A. Nasser Adjei, MD

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

Baptist Health Cardiology Center

1500 Dodson Avenue, Suite 60 Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 709-7325

Zubair Ahmed, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Walker Heart Institute

Cardiovascular Clinic

3211 North Northhills Boulevard, Suite 110

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 463-8740 Interventional Cardiology

Charles R. Caldwell, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Baptist Health Medical Center-Heber Springs

Baptist Health Heart Institute/ Arkansas Cardiology Clinic

3343 Springhill Drive, Suite 1035 North Little Rock, AR 72117 (501) 975-7676

Nuclear Cardiology, Cardiac CT Scanning, Angioplasty & Stent Placement, Echocardiography, Preventive Cardiology

B. Scott Chism, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Walker Heart Institute

Cardiovascular Clinic 3211 North Northhills Boulevard, Suite 110 Fayetteville, AR72703 (479) 463-8740

David A. Churchill, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Walker Heart Institute

Cardiovascular Clinic 3211 North Northhills Boulevard, Suite 110 Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 463-8740

Nephertiti Efeovbokhan, MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

NEA Baptist Clinic 4802 East Johnson Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 936-8000

Cardiac Catheterization, Hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease, Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Failure

Amr G. El-Shafei, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest

Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Cardiology

2708 South Rife Medical Lane, Suite 220

Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-4400

Carl Leding, MD

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Arkansas Heart HospitalEncore Medical Center

Arkansas Heart Hospital Clinic in Little Rock

7 Shackleford West Boulevard

Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 664-5860

Allison M. Shaw-Devine, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Outpatient Center

Cardiology Clinic

4110 Outpatient Circle Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-1000

Donald E. Steely, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Conway Regional

Cardiovascular Clinic

525 Western Avenue, Suite 202

Conway, AR 72034 (501) 358-6905

Sports & Exercise Cardiology

Robert J. Stuppy, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest

Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Cardiology

2708 South Rife Medical Lane, Suite 220

Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-4400

Srikanth Vallurupalli, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Cardiology Clinic 4110 Outpatient Circle Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Muhammad Waqas, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

Arkansas Heart Hospital

CHI Saint Vincent Heart Clinic

Arkansas 10100 Kanis Road

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 255-6000

Heart Failure, Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), Transplant Medicine-Heart

COLON & RECTAL SURGERY

Jonathan A. Laryea, MD

UAMS Medical Center

4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8211

Laparoscopic Surgery, Robotic Surgery, Colon & Rectal Cancer & Surgery

Jason S. Mizell, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Baptist Health Surgical Clinic Of Central Arkansas 9500 Kanis Road, Suite 501 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 227-9080

Colon & Rectal Cancer

Lee C. Raley, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock Little Rock Surgery 701 North University Avenue, Suite 203 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-2434

Colon & Rectal Cancer & Surgery, Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Irlna I. Tantchou, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas Highlands Oncology 3901 Parkway Circle Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 316-7746

Colon & Rectal Cancer, Minimally Invasive Surgery

DE RMATOLOGY

Kattie J. Allen, MD

Premier Dermatology 901 Southeast Plaza Avenue, Suite 5

Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-3376

Mohs Surgery, Skin Infections, Skin Cancer

Rebekah Baltz, MD

Premier Dermatology 1651 East Stearns Street, Suite 110 Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 273-3376

Medical Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery

Eric E. Belin, MD

Premier Dermatology 14 Riordan Road

Bella Vista, AR 72714 (479) 273-3376

Courtney Book, MD

Premier Dermatology

901 Southeast Plaza Avenue, Suite 5 Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-3376 Mohs Surgery

Randall L. Breau, MD Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Arkansas Dermatology

9601 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 860 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 975-7455 Mohs Surgery

Robert D. Brown, MD Washington Regional Medical Center

Ozark Dermatology

901 Southeast 22nd Street Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-7006

Medical Dermatology

John M. Carney, MD 11321 Interstate 30, Suite 201 Little Rock, AR 72209 (501) 455-4700 Mohs Surgery Skin Cancer

Mildred M. Clifton, MD

Premier Dermatology 901 Southeast Plaza Avenue, Suite 5 Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-3376

Scott M. Dinehart, MD Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Arkansas Dermatology 9601 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 860 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 975-7455 Skin Cancer

Patrick M. Hatfield, MD 299 Eagle Mountain Boulevard

Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 698-9100

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Medical Center-Springdale

Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center

1444 East Stern Street, Suite 11 Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 718-7546

Dermatologic Surgery

Jennifer L. Jacks, MD

Jacks Dermatology 1718 West 42nd Avenue Pine Bluff, AR 71603 (870) 534-7546

Acne & Rosacea, Actinic Keratosis, Psoriasis/Eczema, Hyperhidrosis, Melanoma Botox & Fillers

Scott M. Jackson, MD Washington Regional Medical Center

Ozark Dermatology 901 Southeast 22nd Street Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-7006 Mohs Surgery

Matthew K. Kagy, MD Little Rock Dermatology Clinic 500 South University Avenue, Suite 301 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4161

Medical Dermatology, Skin Cancer, Mohs Surgery

Jay M. Kincannon, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way, Floor 2 Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Dermatology, Pigmented Lesions, Acne, Vascular Malformations/Birthmarks

Natalie Lane, MD

Russell Dermatology of Conway 2425 Dave Ward Drive, Suite 202 Conway, AR 72034 (501) 328-5050

Dermatology, Skin Care

Andrea Mabry, MD

Medical Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery, Skin Cancer Lance B. Henry, MD

Pinnacle Dermatology 16115 Saint Vincent Way, Suite 300 Little Rock, AR 72223 (501) 817-3923

Cosmetic Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery

Michael F. Osleber, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Arkansas Dermatology

9601 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 860

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 975-7455

Skin Cancer, Mohs Surgery, Dermatologic Surgery

Ray Parker, MD

Dermatology Group of Arkansas

9601 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 690

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 227-8422

Skin Cancer, Dermatologic Surgery

Shelley White Russell, MD

Russell Dermatology Of Conway 2425 Dave Ward Drive, Suite 202 Conway, AR 72034 (501) 328-5050

Medical Dermatology

Christopher P. Schach, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Ozark Dermatology

4375 North Vantage Drive, Suite 305

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 443-5100

Mohs Surgery

Daniel F. Smith, MD

Dermatology Group of Arkansas

9601 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 690

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 227-8422

Skin Cancer, Acne

Eric Stewart, MD

Ozark Dermatology

4375 North Vantage Drive, Suite 305

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 443-5100

Medical Dermatology, Contact Dermatitis

P. Craig Stites, MD

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

The Dermatology Center 7900 Dallas Street Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 242-6647

Brian S. Wayne, MD

Little Rock Dermatology Clinic

500 South University Avenue, Suite 301

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4161

Medical Dermatology, Cosmetic Dermatology, Skin Cancer

Blake A. Williams, MD

Premier Dermatology 901 Southeast Plaza Avenue, Suite 5

Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-3376

Marla L. Wirges, MD

Pinnacle Dermatology 16115 Saint Vincent Way, Suite 300 Little Rock, AR 72223 (501) 817-3923

Medical Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery, Cosmetic Dermatology

DEVELOPMENTALBEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS

Jill J. Fussell, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Dennis Developmental Center 1301 Wolfe Street Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-1830

Developmental & Behavioral Disorders

DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY

Gwendolyn M. BryantSmith, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Breast Center 449 Jack Stephens Drive, Floor 3 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-6100

Breast Imaging, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer-Early Detection, Mammography Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism

Donald Bodenner, MD/ PhD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Head and Neck Oncology Clinic

4018 West Capitol Avenue Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Thyroid Cancer, Thyroid Disorders, Parathyroid Disorders

Jason Glenn Daily, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas (MANA)

Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic

3344 North Futrall Drive

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 582-7330

Thyroid Disorders, Diabetes

Kevin D. Ganong, MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

NEA Baptist Clinic 4802 East Johnson Avenue

Jonesboro, AR 72405 (870) 936-8000

Joseph A. Henske, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Health Endocrinology Clinic

Outpatient Center 4110 Outpatient Circle Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 214-2400

Diabetes, Thyroid Disorders, Parathyroid Disorders, Adrenal Disorders, Pituitary Disorders

Prajesh M. Joshi, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Endocrinology

3333 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Suite 300B

Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-4600

Thyroid Disorders, Diabetes, Osteoporosis

Teresa Nimmo, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI St. Vincent

1 St. Vincent Circle, Suite 410 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 762-8056

Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes-Adult & Pediatric, Endocrinology

Jonathan A. Stringer, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Endocrinology 4600 Mercy Lane, Suite 210 Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 338-4600

Endocrinology

Robert S. Weinstein, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Medical Center 4110 Outpatient Circle Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1220

Osteoporosis, Paget’s Disease of Bone

FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY/ OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Jennings R. Boyette, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5878

Facial Reconstruction, Skin Cancer/Facial Reconstruction, Trauma-Face, Rhinoplasty Revision

Lance Manning, MD Northwest Medical Center-Springdale Washington Regional Medical Center

Ear, Nose and Throat Center of the Ozarks 6823 Isaac’s Orchard Road Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 750-2080

Head & Neck Cancer & Surgery, Sleep Medicine, Facial Reconstruction, Pediatric & Adult, Otolaryngology, Thyroid & Parathyroid Surgery, Sinus Disorders

Gary M. Petrus, MD

Baptist Health Medical CenterNorth Little Rock CHI St. Vincent Infirmary The Petrus Center for Aesthetic Surgery & Hair Transplantation 4137 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite A North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 614-3052

Cosmetic Surgery-Face & Neck, Hair Restoration/Transplant, Rhinoplasty, Botox

Suzanne W. Yee, MD Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock Cosmetic & Laser Surgery Center

12600 Cantrell Road, Suite 100 Little Rock, AR 72223 (501) 222-7204

Cosmetic Surgery, Laser Surgery, Botox & Collagen Therapy, Facial Rejuvenation

FAMILY MEDICINE

Sean Blair Baker, DO

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic Primary Care 7800 Dallas Street

Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 314-4940

Preventive Medicine

Luc Guy Gabriel Balis, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic Primary Care 3700 Cliff Drive

Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 274-6000

Preventive Medicine, Hypertension, Diabetes, Cholesterol/Lipid Disorders, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Anxiety & Depression

Shawn P. Brown, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

MANA Family Medicine 2523 East Huntsville Road Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 442-2822

Preventive Medicine, Chronic Illness, Diabetes

Michael W. Callaway, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic Primary Care 3700 Cliff Drive Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 274-6000

Preventive Medicine, Hypertension, Diabetes, Cholesterol/Lipid Disorders, Bronchitis

Bryan H. Clardy, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

UAMS Family Medical Center 1301 South E Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 785-2431

Preventive Medicine, Chronic Illness, Obstetrics

Jason B. Cobb, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Jefferson Regional Medical Center

UAMS Health Family Medical Center

1601 West 40th Avenue Pine Bluff, AR 71603 (870) 541-6000

Primary Care, Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine

Raj Dondeti, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest

Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Primary Care 4100 SW I Street, Suite 200 Bentonville, AR 72713 (479) 268-7640

Preventive Medicine, Wellness Care, Chronic Illness

Hugh G. Donnell, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest

Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Family Medicine and Obstetrics

2708 South Rife Medical Lane, Suite 130 Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-5555 Obstetrics

Nick W. Guinn, MD

St. Bernards Medical Center

St. Bernards First CareParker Road 1001 West Parker Road Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 972-8181

Preventive Medicine, Immunizations, Wellness Care

Karl W. Haws, DO Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas (MANA) 4401 South Thompson Street Springdale, AR 72764 (479) 756-1300

Preventive Medicine, Chronic Illness, Cardiovascular Disease, Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Immunizations

Kevin C. Hiegel, MD Little Rock Family Practice 701 North University Avenue, Suite 100 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4810

W. Scott Hoke, MD NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital NEA Baptist Woodsprings Clinic

2205 West Parker Road Jonesboro, AR 72404 (870) 936-7612

Jamie D. Howard, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Family Medical Center 521 Jack Stephens Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Preventive Medicine

William R. Hurst, DO

St. Bernards Medical Center

St. Bernards First CareParker Road 1001 West Parker Road Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 972-8181

Preventive Medicine, Diabetes, Hypertension

Tabasum Imran, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

UAMS Family Medical Center 1301 South E Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 785-2431

Preventive Medicine

Katherine A. Irish-Clardy, MD UAMS Medical Center

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

UAMS Family Medical Center 1301 South E Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 785-2431

Preventive Medicine, Women’s Health

Kenneth R. Johnston, MD Little Rock Family Practice 4208 North Rodney Parham Road Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 228-7200 Preventive Medicine

Larisa Kachowski, MD

Jefferson Regional Medical Center

1726 West 42nd Avenue Pine Bluff, AR 71603 (870) 619-4516 Preventive Medicine

David L. King, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

UAMS Family Medical Center 1301 South E Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 785-2431 Preventive Medicine, Diabetes, Hypertension, Hospital Medicine

Ann-Marie Magre, MD Washington Regional Medical Center

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas (MANA) 2523 East Huntsville Road Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 442-2822 Preventive Medicine

Craig McDaniel, MD

Family Physicians of Jonesboro 1670 Hill Park Cove Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 932-2499

Toni L. Middleton, MD

UAMS Medical Center Jefferson Regional Medical Center

UAMS Health Family Medical Center 1601 West 40th Avenue Pine Bluff, AR 71603 (870) 541-6000 Preventive Medicine

Aaron Jay Mitchell, MD

Baptist Memorial HospitalCrittenden

Mitchell Family Medicine 924 State Highway 77 Marion, AR 72364 (870) 739-8670

Daniel K. Pace, MD

Unity Health - Searcy Medical Center

2900 Hawkins Drive Searcy, AR 72143 (501) 278-2800

Nicole Scally, MD

Northwest Arkansas Family Medicine and Obstetrics 5302 West Village Parkway, Suite 3 Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 282-2737

Preventive Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health

David Barton Sills, MD

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith Sills Family Medicine 8101 McClure Drive, Suite 203 Fort Smith, AR 72916 (479) 242-2577 Concierge Medicine

Rachel Beth Sing, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Family MedicineBooneville 128 Daniel Avenue Booneville, AR 72927 (479) 675-2455

Preventive Medicine

John T. Smiley, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest

Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Family Medicine

- Lowell

325 South 6th Place Lowell, AR 72745 (479) 770-0700

Preventive Medicine, Hypertension, Diabetes

Matthew G. Steed, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Family Medicine and Obstetrics

2708 South Rife Medical Lane, Suite 130 Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-5555

Preventive Medicine, Obstetrics

Brad Tilley, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Tilley Family Medicine 495 Hogan Lane, Suite 1 Conway, AR 72034 (501) 327-1150

Lance E. Tuetken, MD

St. Bernards Medical Center

St. Bernards First CareMatthews 415 East Matthews Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 972-8181

Preventive Medicine

Aaron E. White, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic Family Medicine 20 North Aster Street Greenwood, AR 72936 (479) 996-4111

Preventive Medicine, Hypertension, Diabetes

GASTROENTEROLOGY

Terence L. Angtuaco, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Premier Gastroenterology 10915 North Rodney Parham Road Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 747-2828

Angelo G. Coppola Jr., MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Premier Gastroenterology

10915 North Rodney Parham Road Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 747-2828

Weight Management, Colon Cancer Screening, Endoscopy & Colonoscopy, Endoscopic, Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography, Incontinence-Fecal

C. Brian Cross, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith Mercy Clinic Gastroenterology 6801 Rogers Avenue, Floor 2 Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 274-3200

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Matthew G. Deneke, MD

UAMS Medical Center UAMS Health Gastroenterology Clinic

Outpatient Center 4110 Outpatient Circle, Floor 3 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 603-1900

Liver Disease, Steatohepatitis, Transplant Medicine-Liver

Ian T. Gaillard, MD

Jefferson Regional Medical Center

Jefferson Regional GI Associates 1609 West 40th Street, Suite 401 Pine Bluff, AR 71603 (870) 541-7201

Colon Cancer Screening

Otis T. Gordon, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary CHI Saint Vincent Gastroenterology Clinic 417 North University Avenue Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 666-0249

Interventional Endoscopy

Ihab Herraka, MD

Arkansas Liver and GI 3416 Old Greenwood Road Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 242-2888

Brian T. Hughes, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Premier Gastroenterology 10915 North Rodney Parham Road Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 747-2828

Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis/Crohn’s, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Chad E. Paschall, MD Northwest Medical CenterSpringdale GI Alliance of Arkansas 3901 Parkway Circle, Suite 550 Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 346-1850

Hrair Simonian, MD River Valley Gastroenterology, PLLC 9001 Jenny Lind Road, Suite 2 Fort Smith, AR 72908 (479) 444-3566

R Paul Svoboda, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Premier Gastroenterology 10915 North Rodney Parham Road Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 747-2828

Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Capsule Endoscopy, Colon Cancer Screening, Endoscopy & Colonoscopy, EnteroscopySmall Bowel

Robert T. Wells, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Gastroenterology

2708 South Rife Medical Lane, Suite 300 Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-3030

W. Chad Wigington, DO Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Gastroenterology

2708 South Rife Medical Lane, Suite 300

Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-3030

Gastrointestinal Disorders

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY

Alexander F. Burnett, MD

UAMS Medical Center

4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8522

Laparoscopic Surgery, Fertility, Preservation in Cancer, Gynecologic Cancers

Randall D. Hightower, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Washington Regional Gynecologic Oncology Clinic 3 East Appleby Road, Suite 201 Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 404-1070

Laparoscopic Surgery, Gynecologic Cancers

Joseph J. Ivy, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center Northwest Medical CenterSpringdale Highlands Oncology 3901 Parkway Circle Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 587-1700

Gynecologic Cancers, Ovarian Cancer, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Robotic Surgery

Monique A. Spillman, MD/PhD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute 449 Jack Stephens Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Gynecologic Cancers, Ovarian Cancer

HAND SURGERY

G Thomas Frazier, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway UAMS Orthopaedic Clinic 600 Autumn Road Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 526-1046

Microvascular Surgery, Hand & Wrist Injuries, Arthroscopic Surgery, Elbow Injuries, Fractures

C Noel Henley, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Ozark Orthopaedics

3317 North Wimberly Drive

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 521-2752

Hand & Wrist Surgery, Elbow Surgery, Arthritis, Reconstructive Surgery, Nerve Compression, Hand & Wrist Injuries

Theresa Wyrick, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

UAMS Orthopaedic Clinic 600 Autumn Road Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 320-7776

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Mary Burgess, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Conway Regional Infectious Disease Center

525 Western Avenue, Suite 301 Conway, AR 72034 (501) 513-5295

Transplant Medicine

Ryan K. Dare, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Outpatient Center

Infectious Diseases Clinic

4110 Outpatient Circle, Floor 2 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Clinical Trials

Hazel Kathy Liverett, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Health Infectious Diseases Clinic

Outpatient Center

4110 Outpatient Circle, Suite 2P

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV/AIDS, Viral Infections, Meningitis, Lyme Disease, Endocarditis, InfectionsCNS, Tick-borne Diseases, Osteomyelitis

Michael Saccente, MD

UAMS Medical Center

4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV/AIDS, Meningitis, Endocarditis, Fungal Infections, Osteomyelitis

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Mary N. Ford, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas (MANA) Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic 3344 North Futrall Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 582-7350

Preventive Medicine, Diabetes, Hypertension

I. Torin Gray, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary MDVIP

500 South University Avenue, Suite 804

Little Rock, AR 72205 (866) 402-1802

Concierge Medicine, Preventive Medicine

Blair Greenwood, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Conway Regional Mayflower Medical Clinic

606 Highway 365 Mayflower, AR 72106 (501) 470-7413

Robert Hopkins Jr., MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Outpatient Center

Internal Medicine Clinic 4110 Outpatient Circle, Floor 2 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-1000

Preventive Medicine

Kristy Lynn Jones, DO

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Primary Care 2900 Southeast Moberly Lane Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-1550

Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine

Anna Kendrick , MD

Pinnacle Internal Medicine

1400 Kirk Road, Suite 210 Little Rock, AR 72223 (501) 404-2384

Concierge Medicine, Women’s Health, Menopausal Management, Complementary Medicine

Raymond B. Mahan, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest

Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Internal Medicine

1002 South 52nd Street Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-3750

Karen S. Merle, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic Primary Care 7003 Chad Colley Boulevard Barling, AR 72923 (479) 431-3500

Preventive Medicine

Rachel R. White, MD

CHI St. Vincent North CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI Saint Vincent Family Clinic 1110 West Main Street Jacksonville, AR 72076 (501) 982-2108

Pediatrics

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

Yuba R. Acharya, MD

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

CHI Saint Vincent Heart Clinic

Arkansas

200 Heart Center Lane Hot Springs, AR 71913 (501) 625-8400

Nuclear Cardiology

F. Dwight Chrisman, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock

Baptist Health Medical Center-Heber Springs

Baptist Health Heart Institute/ Arkansas Cardiology Clinic

9501 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 600

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 227-7596

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), Carotid Artery Angioplasty & Stent, Heart Attack

Matthew Haustein, MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

NEA Baptist Clinic

4802 East Johnson Avenue, Floor 4

Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 936-8000

David G. Jones, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock

Baptist Health Heart Institute

9501 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 600 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 227-7596

Congenital Heart Disease, Heart Attack

Ernesto Ruiz-Rodriguez, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock

Baptist Health Heart Institute

9501 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 600

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 227-7596

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Structural Heart Disease, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE

Nafisa Dajani, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Health Women’s Center 6119 Midtown Avenue Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-1000

Diabetes in Pregnancy, Prenatal Diagnosis

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Isam Ali Abdel-Karim, MD

St. Bernards Medical Center

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

St. Bernard’s Cancer Center 225 East Washington Avenue

Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 207-8177

Konstantinos Arnaoutakis, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

UAMS Medical Center

4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Lung Cancer, Head & Neck Cancer, Genitourinary Cancer

Hello to healing.

We know from experience that treating every patient with kindness, empathy, and respect is key to their healing. We call this power humankindness and it has driven us for more than 135 years.

Thank you for recognizing many of our providers as a Top Doctor!

Dr. Jerry Lorio Dr. Paul Edwards

Dr. Brad Thomas

Joel Smith

Omar T. Atiq, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Head & Neck Cancer, Breast Cancer

Joseph M. Beck II, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI Saint Vincent Cancer Clinic 10001 Lile Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 552-6100

Peter D. Emanuel, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI Saint Vincent Cancer Center

10001 Lile Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 552-6100

Myeloproliferative Disorders, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Leukemia-Chronic Lymphocytic, Leukemia & Lymphoma

Issam Makhoul, MD

CARTI Cancer Center

8901 Carti Way, Floor 1 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 906-3000

Gastrointestinal Cancer, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer

Muthu Veeraputhiran, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Hematology and Oncology Clinic 449 Jack Stephens Drive, Floor 7 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Hematology, Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplant, T-cell Immunotherapy, Leukemia & Lymphoma, Myelodysplastic Syndromes

NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE

Misty L. Virmani, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Breathing Disorders, Prematurity/Low Birth Weight Infants, Neonatal Cardiology

NEPHROLOGY

John M. Arthur, MD/PhD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Kidney Disease

Sushma Bhusal, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Health Kidney

Transplant Clinic

Outpatient Center 4110 Outpatient Circle Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 614-2168

Transplant Medicine-Kidney, Kidney Disease

James Bruton, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

Renal Care Associates

1500 Dodson Avenue, Suite 280 Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 709-7480

Michael Moulton, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Renal Specialists of Northwest Arkansas

813 Founders Park Drive, Suite 203

Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 463-2440

Charles Moussallem, MD

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

Baptist Health Renal Care

1500 Dodson Avenue, Suite 280 Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 709-7480

Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis Care, Glomerulonephritis

Avin D. Rekhi, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Renal Specialists of Northwest Arkansas

813 Founders Park Drive, Suite 203

Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 463-2440

Dumitru Rotaru, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic Nephrology

7303 Rogers Avenue, Suite 200

Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 274-4300

Kidney Disease

Aparna Sharma, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Health Kidney

Transplant Clinic

Outpatient Center

4110 Outpatient Circle

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 614-2168

Kidney Disease, Transplant Medicine-Kidney

Manisha Singh, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Central Arkansas Veterans

Healthcare System

UAMS Health Renal Clinic

Outpatient Center

4110 Outpatient Circle

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 661-7910

Dialysis Care, Kidney Tumors, Kidney Disease, Kidney Failure

NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY

Tarek Abuelem, MD

CHI St. Vincent North

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI Saint Vincent Arkansas

Neuroscience Institute 6020 Warden Road, Suite 100 Sherwood, AR 72120 (501) 552-6428

Endovascular Surgery, Vascular Neurosurgery

Ali F. Krisht, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI St. Vincent North Arkansas Neuroscience Institute

6020 Warden Road, Suite 100 Sherwood, AR 72120 (501) 552-6415

Skull Base Surgery, Meningioma, Vascular Neurosurgery

T. Glenn Pait, MD

UAMS Medical Center

4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5270

Knee & Shoulder Pain, Spinal Disorders-Degenerative, Spinal Cord Tumors, Spinal Trauma

Erika A. Petersen, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Neurosurgery Clinic

501 Jack Stephens Drive, Floor 2

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5270

Neuromodulation, Deep Brain Stimulation, Pain-Chronic, Spasticity & Movement Disorders, Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Analiz Rodriguez, MD/PhD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Neurosurgery Clinic

501 Jack Stephens Drive, Floor 2

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5270

Neuro-Oncology, Clinical Trials, Brain Tumors

Brad A. Thomas. MD

Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Little Rock Neurosurgery Clinic

5 Saint Vincent Circle, Suite 502 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 558-0200

Spinal Surgery

Degenerative Disc Disease, Pain-Low Back & Neck

NEUROLOGY

Rohit Dhall, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Movement Disorders Clinic

501 Jack Stephens Drive, Floor 1

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5838

Parkinson’s Disease/ Movement Disorders, Neurodegenerative Disorders, Deep Brain Stimulation

Erika S. Horta, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

449 Jack Stephens Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Neuro-Oncology

Sukanthi Kovvuru, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Jackson T. Stephens

Spine and Neuroscience Institute

501 Jack Stephens Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5838

Stroke Neuromuscular Disorders

Scott A. Lucchese, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Jackson T. Stephens

Spine and Neuroscience Institute

Neurology Clinic

501 Jack Stephens Drive

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5838

Headache, Migraine, PainSpine

Krishna C. Nalleballe, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neuroscience Institute

501 Jack Stephens Drive

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5838

Stroke

Sanjeeva Reddy Onteddu, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neuroscience Institute

Neurology Clinic

501 Jack Stephens Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5838

Vascular Neurology

Tonya L. Phillips, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic Neurology 2713 South 74th Street, Suite 401 Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 314-7590

Margaret Tremwel, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Washington Regional J.B. Hunt Neuroscience Institute 3 East Appleby Road, Suite 402

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 404-1250

Stroke

Tuhin Virmani, MD/PhD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neuroscience Institute

Movement Disorders Clinic

501 Jack Stephens Drive

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5838

Movement Disorders, Tremor, Parkinson’s Disease

Salman Zahoor, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Epilepsy and Neurology Clinic

Freeway Medical Tower 5800 West 10th Street

Little Rock, AR 72223 (501) 686-5838

Epilepsy, Neurophysiology

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

Scott A. Bailey, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Medical CenterWillow Creek Women’s Hospital

Parkhill The Clinic for Women 3215 North Northhills Boulevard, Suite 3 Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 521-4433

Brian Burton, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock The Woman’s Clinic 9601 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 1200 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4131

Pregnancy, Gynecologic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery

Kay Chandler, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary Cornerstone Clinic for Women 9500 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 100 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 224-5500

Gynecologic Surgery, Endometriosis, Hormonal Disorders

Andrew A. Cole, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Conway OBGYN 2180 Ada Avenue, Suite 300 Conway, AR 72034 (501) 327-6547

Charles Dunn, MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

NEA Baptist Clinic

4802 East Johnson Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 936-8000

Gynecology Only

Jennifer S. Gregory, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Arkansas Women’s Center 9500 Kanis Road, Suite 200 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 224-6699

Marcus Eugene Gunter Jr., MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic OB/GYN

3333 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Suite 600

Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-4000

Menopausal Management, Gynecologic Care, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Stuart D. Haraway, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Mercy Clinic OB/GYN

7001 Rogers Avenue, Suite 403 Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 785-2229

Obstetrics, Gynecologic Care

Mary P. Hardman, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Washington Regional HerHealth Clinic

3215 North Hills Boulevard, Suite B Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 463-5500

Clinton H. Henson, MD

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

CHI St. Vincent Women’s ClinicHot Springs 118 Women’s Center Lane, Suite B Hot Springs, AR 71913 (501) 609-2229

Gynecologic Care, Menopausal Management, Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair

Clinton T. Hutchinson, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Arkansas Women’s Center 9500 Kanis Road, Suite 200 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 224-6699

Pregnancy, Gynecologic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Robotic Surgery, Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair

Jill K. Jennings, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

The Woman’s Clinic

9601 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 1200 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4131

Pregnancy

Dianna Lea Juarez, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic OB/GYN

3333 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Suite 600

Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-4000

Menopausal Management, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Vulvar & Vaginal Disorders, Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair, Incontinence-Urinary

Mary Luann Racher, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Women’s Center

Midtown Medical Park 6119 Midtown Avenue Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-1050

Vulvar & Vaginal Disorders, Diabetes in Pregnancy, Pelvic Floor Disorders, Uterine Fibroids

Adam T. Sandlin, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Women’s Center

Midtown Medical Park 6119 Midtown Avenue Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-1050

Maternal & Fetal Medicine, Diabetes in Pregnancy, HighRisk Pregnancy, Contraception

Lawrence E. Schmitz, MD Northwest Medical CenterBentonville

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Lifespring Women’s Healthcare 1200 Southeast 28th Street, Suite 2

Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 271-0005

Lindsey B. Sward, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Women’s Center

Midtown Medical Park 6119 Midtown Avenue

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-1050

Obstetrics, Pain-Pelvic, Pregnancy, Uterine Fibroids, Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Amy C. Wiedower, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock Central Clinic for Women 9601 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 500

Little Rock,AR 72205 (501) 227-5885

Pregnancy

Julie A. Wilkie, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Renaissance Women’s Healthcare

3302 North Northhills Boulevard Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 582-3366

Gynecology Only, Menopausal Management, Hormone

Replacement Therapy, Gynecologic Surgery

Heather R. Williams, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

449 Jack Stephens Drive, Floor 2

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Gynecologic Cancers, Cancer Diagnosis & Treatment

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Serrhel G. Adams Jr., MD/PhD Northwest Medical CenterSpringdale

Retina Partners of Northwest Arkansas

601 West Maple Avenue, Suite 205A

Springdale, AR 72764 (479) 326-9400

Retina/Vitreous Consultation

David L. Baker Jr., MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway

Baker Eye Institute 810 Merriman Street Conway, AR 72032 (501) 329-3937

J. David Bradford, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Retina Associates

9800 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 200

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 219-0900

Retina/Vitreous Surgery

Wade Brock, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Arkansas Oculoplastic Surgery

9800 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 500

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 223-2244

Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Eyelid Surgery/ Blepharoplasty, Brow Lift

Christian C. Hester, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Little Rock Eye Clinic

201 Executive Court, Suite A Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 224-5658

Cataract Surgery, Laser Refractive Surgery

Paul M. Hruby, MD

Retina Associates

9800 Baptist Health Drive, Suite 200

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 219-0900

Retinal Disorders, Retinal Detachment, Retina/Vitreous Surgery

Lydia F. Lane, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Little Rock Eye Clinic

201 Executive Court, Suite A Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 224-5658

Glaucoma

Matthew Margolis, DO St. Bernards Medical Center

Southern Eye Associates 601 East Matthews Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 935-6396

LASIK-Refractive Surgery, Cataract Surgery, Oculoplastic Surgery

Thomas M. Stank, MD

St. Bernards Medical Center

Southern Eye Associates

601 East Matthews Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 935-6396

LASIK-Refractive Surgery, Cataract Surgery, Oculoplastic Surgery, Glaucoma

Phillip J. Suffridge, MD

Chambers Memorial Hospital

Saline Memorial Hospital

Ophthalmology Associates of Benton

3 Medical Park Drive, Suite 300

Benton, AR 72015 (501) 778-1113

Cataract Surgery

Monica Verma , MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Children’s Eye Care and Surgery of Arkansas 11825 Hinson Road, Suite 103 Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 747-1625

Pediatric Ophthalmology

Steven D. Vold, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Vold Vision 2783 North Shiloh Drive Fayetteville, AR 72704 (479) 442-8653

Cataract-Complex, Glaucoma

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

C. Lowry Barnes, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Orthopaedic Clinic 2 Shackleford West Boulevard Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 614-2663

Hip & Knee Replacement, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Arthritis-Hip & Knee

Robert Bryan Benafield Jr., MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Ozark Orthopaedics 3317 North Wimberly Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 521-2752

Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, Fractures

Grant W. Bennett, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Conway Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic

550 Club Lane

Conway, AR 72034 (501) 329-1510

Sports Injuries, Sports Medicine

Jason C. Brandt, MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

NEA Baptist Clinic

4802 East Johnson Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 936-8000

Sports Medicine, Hip & Knee Replacement

Thomas Day, MD

Unity Health - White County Medical Center

Unity Health - Searcy Medical Center

2900 Hawkins Drive Searcy, AR 72143 (501) 278-2868

Christopher Dougherty, DO Northwest Medical CenterBentonville

The Agility Center 1504 Southeast 28th Street Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 273-1111

Arthroscopic Surgery

Paul K. Edwards, MD

Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Baptist Health Medical CenterNorth Little Rock

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics 5 Saint Vincent Circle Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 663-6455

Arthritis-Hip & Knee, Hip Replacement & Revision, Knee Replacement & Revision

Charles Kristian Hanby, MD Washington Regional Medical Center

Ozark Orthopaedics

3317 North Wimberly Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 521-2752

Hip & Knee Surgery, Sports Injuries

James L. Head, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Conway Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic

550 Club Lane Conway, AR 72034 (501) 329-1510

Foot & Ankle Surgery

Jeffrey W. Johnson, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Ozark Orthopaedics

3317 North Wimberly Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 521-2752

Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery

Jerry Lorio, MD

Saline Memorial Hospital

Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Arkansas Bone & Joint 2010 Active Way Benton, AR 72019 (501) 315-0984

Knee Replacement

Corey O’Neal Montgomery, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Bone Cancer, Sarcoma, Orthopaedic Cancers

Jason H. Pleimann, MD Washington Regional Medical Center

Ozark Orthopaedics 3317 North Wimberly Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 521-2752

Foot & Ankle Surgery, Sports Medicine, Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery

Regis L. Renard, MD UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Orthopaedic Trauma Clinic

Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital 801 Cottage Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-6067 Trauma

Joel N. Smith, MD

Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock

Martin Orthopaedics

2504 McCain Boulevard, Suite 101

North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 406-7640

Sports Injuries, Arthroscopic Surgery, Shoulder Replacement, Hip & Knee Surgery, Elbow Injuries

H. Scott Smith, MD Conway Regional Medical Center

Conway Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic

550 Club Lane Conway, AR 72034 (501) 329-1510

Hip & Knee Replacement, Shoulder Replacement

John L. VanderShilden, MD

UAMS Medical Center

4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-7823

Sports Medicine

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Stephen W. Cashman, MD Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Medical CenterSpringdale ENT & Allergy Center 2100 North Green Acres Road Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 521-0455 Sinus Disorders, Allergy

John L. Dornhoffer, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-5878

Hearing & Balance Disorders Neurotology, Hearing Disorders/Tinnitus

Adam Johnson, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000 Otolaryngology

Alissa Kanaan, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Health - Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Clinic

Jackson T. Stephens Spine and Neuroscience Institute

501 Jack Stephens Drive

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Sinusitis, Nasal Obstruction, Allergic Fungal Sinusitis, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Bryan K. Lansford, MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

NEA Baptist Clinic

4802 East Johnson Avenue, Floor 4

Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 936-8000

Tonsil/Adenoid Disorders, Nasal & Sinus Disorders, Ear Infections, Allergy

John R. Lee, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic ENT 5204 West Redbud Street Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 636-0110

Airway Disorders

David M. Lewis, MD

St. Bernards Medical Center

Saint Bernard’s Medical Group 621 East Matthews Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 932-6799

Christine Mirabal, MD

Jefferson Regional Medical Center

Jefferson Regional Ear, Nose and Throat Associates 1801 West 40th Avenue, Suite 1B

Pine Bluff, AR 71603 (870) 541-6055

Ear Disorders

Nasal & Sinus Disorders, Throat Disorders

Mauricio A. Moreno, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute 449 Jack Stephens Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery

Gresham T. Richter, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000 Otolaryngology

James Y. Suen, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic in Little Rock

Jack T. Stephens Spine and Neuroscience Institute 501 Jack Stephens Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Head & Neck Cancer, Vascular Lesions-Head & Neck, Laryngeal Disorders, Thyroid Cancer & Surgery

Jumin Sunde, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Head & Neck Cancer & Surgery

Ozlem Tulunay, MD

UAMS Medical Center UAMS Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic

501 Jack Stephens Drive, Floor 3 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Head & Neck Surgery, Voice & Swallowing Disorders

PAIN MEDICINE

Ahmed Ghaleb, MD Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock Advanced Spine and Pain Center

11220 Executive Center Drive Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 219-1114

Sameer Jain, MD

Pain Treatment Centers of America

148 Sawtooth Oaks Street Hot Springs, AR 71903 (844) 215-0731

Interventional Pain Management, Pain-Chronic, Headache, Pain - Cancer, Pain Management

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

Sylvia Angtuaco, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 737-3092

Echocardiography

Thomas H. Best, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Echocardiography, EchocardiographyTransesophageal, Fetal Echocardiography

Eudice E. Fontenot, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

PEDIATRIC CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE

Michele Moss, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-1479

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY

Jon D. Oden, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Diabetes

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY

Travis Ayers, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Northwest UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way

Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Very Early Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease (VEO-IBD)

Megan W. Butler, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Northwest

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way

Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-1100

Alejandro Ramirez, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Northwest

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Digestive Disorders

PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGYONCOLOGY

David L. Becton, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Charles Bower, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Northwest 2601 Gene George Boulevard Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 725-6880

Airway Disorders, Sleep Disorders/Apnea, Sinus Disorders/Surgery

Larry Hartzell, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Cleft Palate/Lip, Hemangiomas, Hearing Loss, Voice Disorders

Abby Nolder, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Airway Disorders, Ear Infections

Graham M. Strub, MD/PhD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 263-2621

Vascular Malformations/ Birthmarks

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY

Erhan Ararat, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way

Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Ariel Berlinski, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

PEDIATRIC RADIOLOGY

Charles M. Glasier, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Medical Center

Laureen L. Benafield, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics 3380 North Futrall Drive, Suite 3

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 442-7322

Pediatric Care, Adolescent Medicine, Child Development

Orrin J. Davis, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics 3383 North MANA Court, Suite 101

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 442-7322

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-1175

Charles A. James, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-1175

PEDIATRIC SURGERY

Pediatric Care, Child Development, Adolescent Medicine

Congratulations to our physicians who have been selected as 2024 Top Doctors in Arkansas.

Lance A. Faddis, MD Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Conway Regional has been the community’s hospital for more than 100 years, providing high-quality, compassionate care. When your family needs care, you can trust our award-winning team to provide the comprehensive care you deserve. Learn more at ConwayRegional.org.

Mercy Clinic Primary Care 1225 East Centerton Boulevard Centerton, AR 72719 (479) 795-1301

Andrew M. Koehler, MD

M. Sid Dassinger III, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way

Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-4000

Neonatal Surgery, Chest Wall Deformities, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Congenital Anomalies, Hepatobiliary Surgery

PEDIATRIC UROLOGY

Ashay Patel, DO

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Arkansas Children’s Hospital 1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-2632

Kidney Stones

PEDIATRICS

Hannah L. Beene-Lowder, MD

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

1 Children’s Way Little Rock, AR 72202 (501) 364-1202

Congratulations to our physicians who have been selected as 2024 Top Doctors in Arkansas. Conway Regional has been the community’s hospital for more than 100 years, providing high-quality, compassionate care. When your family needs care, you can trust our award-winning team to provide the comprehensive care you deserve. Learn more at ConwayRegional.org.

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics 3380 North Futrall Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 442-7322

Pediatric Care, Child Development, Adolescent Medicine

Misty D. Nolen, MD

Saline Memorial Hospital Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock Central Arkansas Pediatric Clinic

2301 Springhill Road, Suite 200 Benton, AR 72019 (501) 847-2500

Josephine Ta Park, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics 3380 North Futrall Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 442-7322

Congratulations to Keith Mooney, M.D., Xiang Gao, M.D., Sam Makhoul, M.D. and Christopher C. Ross, M.D. for being named Arkansas Times Top Doctors.

At CARTI, our compassionate team of experts are with you every step of the way—from benign conditions to leading-edge cancer care. Ask for trusted care when it matters most, ask for CARTI.

William Patton , MD

Forrest City Medical Center

East Arkansas Children’s Clinic

901 Holiday Drive Forrest City, AR 72335 (870) 633-0880

Daniel E. Rasmussen, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics 3380 North Futrall Drive, Suite 1

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 442-7322

Pediatric Care, Adolescent Medicine, Child Development

Christopher A. Schluterman, MD

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Pediatric Partners

7303 Rogers Avenue, Suite 201

Fort Smith, AR 72903 (479) 478-7200

Brentley J. Silvey, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics 3380 North Futrall Drive, Suite 1

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 442-7322

Pediatric Care, Child Development, Adolescent Medicine

John P. Simmons, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics 3380 North Futrall Drive

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 442-7322

Pediatric Care, Adolescent Medicine, Child Development

David Slay, MD

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

CHI St. Vincent Primary & Community Care Clinic 100 McGowan Court

Hot Springs, AR 71913 (501) 318-6199

Preventive Medicine, Vaccines, Obesity

James S. Swindle, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics 3380 North Futrall Drive

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 442-7322

Pediatric Care, Child Development, Adolescent Medicine

Julie L. Tate, MD

Northwest Medical CenterBentonville

Living Tree Pediatrics 1110 Southeast 30th Street

Bentonville, AR 72712 (479) 282-2966

David M. Weed, MD

Saline Memorial Hospital

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Central Arkansas Pediatric Clinic

2301 Springhill Road, Suite 200 Benton, AR 72019 (501) 847-2500

PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION

Rani H. Gardner, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Orthopaedic Clinic 801 Cottage Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 221-1311

Brain Injury-Traumatic, Stroke Rehabilitation

Kevin Means, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

UAMS Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 801 Cottage Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 221-1311

PLASTIC SURGERY

David H. Bauer, MD Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Arkansas Plastic Surgery 9500 Kanis Road, Suite 502 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 219-8388

Breast Augmentation, Breast Reconstruction, Liposuction & Body Contouring, Facial Rejuvenation

Adam G. Newman, MD

Baxter Health

Northwest Medical CenterBentonville

Newman MD Plastic Surgery

130 East 9th Street

Mountain Home, AR 72653 (870) 425-6398

Cosmetic Surgery, Facial Rejuvenation, Reconstructive Plastic Surgery

Melanie D. Prince, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

Prince Plastic Surgery

8201 Cantrell Road, Suite 150 Little Rock, AR 72227 (501) 225-3333

Breast Reconstruction & Augmentation, Liposuction & Body Contouring, Facial Cosmetic Surgery

Kristopher B. Shewmake, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Shewmake Plastic Surgery 11220 Executive Center Drive, Suite 201 Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 492-8970

Robert G. Taylor, MD

Taylor Plastic Surgery 4803 West Highland Knolls Road

Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 521-1500

Breast Reconstruction, Breast Lift, Breast Augmentation, Facelift, Eyelid Surgery/ Blepharoplasty, Rhinoplasty, Tummy Tuck/Abdominoplasty

PSYCHIATRY

Kathryn A. Panek, MD

Methodist Behavioral Hospital

Methodist Family Health Counseling Clinic 74 West Sunbridge Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 582-5565

Shona L. Ray-Griffith, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Women’s Mental Health Clinic

4224 Shuffield Drive, Floor 4 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-8201

Psychiatry in Pregnancy, Reproductive Psychiatry, Pregnancy & Mood Disorders, Addiction/Substance Abuse, Postpartum Depression

PULMONARY DISEASE

Kyle Hardy, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas (MANA) Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic 3344 North Futrall Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 521-8200

Samer Homsi, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI Saint Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic 10001 Lile Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 552-0500

Edward L. Jackson, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas (MANA) Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic 3344 North Futrall Drive Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 582-7330

Emily G. Kocurek, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Outpatient Center

Pulmonary Clinic

4110 Outpatient Circle, Floor 2 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Critical Care, Asthma, Interstitial Lung Disease

Jason M. Mckinney, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine

2708 South Rife Medical Lane, Suite T20 Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-3080

Arturo Meade, MD

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

Baptist Health Lung Center 1001 Towson Avenue Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 709-7433

Sleep Disorders

M. Allen Moseley Jr., MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas (MANA)

Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic 3344 North Futrall Drive

Fayetteville, AR 72703 (479) 582-7330

Critical Care, Asthma & Emphysema, Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD), Lung Cancer, Pulmonary Infections, Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease

Shahla G. Naoman, MD

White River Medical Center

Stone County Medical Center

Batesville Pulmonology Clinic 1215 Sidney Street, Suite 201 Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 262-1660

Sleep Medicine, Sleep & Snoring Disorders, Asthma & Emphysema, Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD)

Daniel S. Paul, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine

4600 Mercy Lane, Suite T20 Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 338-3080

Preventive Medicine, Lung Disease

Glauber Bruno Pereira, MD/PhD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine

2708 South Rife Medical Lane, Suite T20 Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-3080

Critical Care

Meredith M. Walker Jr., MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

NEA Baptist Clinic

4802 East Johnson Avenue, Floor 2 Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 936-8000

RADIATION ONCOLOGY

Richard L. Crownover, MD/PhD

UAMS Medical Center

University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences

Radiation Oncology Center

4130 Shuffield Drive

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4568

Breast Cancer

Leslie M. Harrell, DO UAMS Medical Center

University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences

Radiation Oncology Center 4130 Shuffield Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4568

Proton Beam Therapy, Pediatric Cancers, Breast Cancer, Central Nervous System Cancer, Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)

Gary D. Lewis, MD UAMS Medical Center

University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences

Radiation Oncology Center 4130 Shuffield Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4568

Head & Neck Cancer, Gynecologic Cancers, Lymphoma, Clinical Trials

Sanjay Maraboyina, MD

UAMS Medical Center

University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences

Radiation Oncology Center 4130 Shuffield Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4568

Prostate Cancer, Lung Cancer, Bone Cancer

Christopher C. Ross, MD Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock CARTI Cancer Center

8901 Carti Way, Floor 1 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 906-3000

Lung Cancer, Gastrointestinal Cancer, Breast Cancer

Fen Xia, MD/PhD

UAMS Medical Center

University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences

Radiation Oncology Center

4130 Shuffield Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 664-4568

Clinical Trials, Central Nervous System Cancer

REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/ INFERTILITY

Dean M. Moutos, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock Arkansas Fertility & Gynecology

9101 Kanis Road, Suite 300 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 534-3764

RHEUMATOLOGY

James Abraham III, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI Saint Vincent Little Rock

Diagnostic Clinic

10001 Lile Drive

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 552-0500

Tamer Alsebai, MD

CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

CHI St. Vincent Little Rock

Diagnostic Clinic 10001 Lile Drive

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 552-0500

Inflammatory Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoporosis

Leslie McCasland, MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

Arthritis & Rheumatism

Association

2231 Hill Park Cove Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 333-2721

Charles Mills, MD

ARcare 14558 Highway 412 Huntsville, AR 72740 (479) 351-0973

Walton Toy, MD

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Rheumatology Specialties

1002 South 52nd Street Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 338-3722

Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus/ SLE, Autoimmune Disease

SURGERY

Nabil Akkad, MD

Baptist Health-Fort Smith

Arkansas Surgical Group 1500 Dodson Avenue, Suite 250 Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 573-7940

Vascular Surgery, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer, Melanoma, Hernia

Chris M. Cate, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Baptist Health Surgical Clinic of Central Arkansas 9500 Kanis Road, Suite 501 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 227-9080

Laparoscopic Surgery, Endocrine Surgery, Vascular Surgery

Ronda Henry-Tillman, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Arkansas Children’s Hospital UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Breast Surgery

Brock King, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Surgical Associates of Conway 525 Western Avenue, Suite 203

Conway, AR 72034 (501) 327-4828

Danny G. Lister, MD

Baptist Health Medical Center-Heber Springs

Arkansas Heartburn Treatment Center 1716 West Searcy Street Heber Springs, AR 72543 (501) 250-2020

Gastrointestinal Surgery, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Barrett’s Esophagus, Diverticulitis, Esophageal Surgery

Kyle Joseph Mackin, MD Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas

Mercy Clinic General Surgery 1001 South Horsebarn Road Rogers, AR 72758 (479) 273-7700

HOSPITAL MEDICINE

Daniela Ochoa, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

449 Jack Stephens Drive

Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 296-1200

Breast Cancer & Surgery, Breast Disease

Ronald D. Robertson, MD

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Outpatient Center

Surgery Specialties Clinic

4110 Outpatient Circle, Floor 4 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-6086

Trauma

SURGICAL ONCOLOGY

Michael J. Cross, MD

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Medical CenterWillow Creek Women’s Hospital

Highlands Oncology

3901 Parkway Circle Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 587-1700

Breast Cancer & Surgery

THORACIC & CARDIAC SURGERY

Jay K. Bhama, MD

St. Bernards Medical Center

Saint Bernards Heart and Vascular

201 East Oak Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 935-6729

Cardiac Surgery-Adult Heart Valve Surgery-Mitral Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Transplant-Heart & Lung

Daniel Richard Stevenson, MD

NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

NEA Baptist Clinic 4802 East Johnson Avenue Jonesboro, AR 72401 (870) 936-8260

THORACIC SURGERY

Matthew Steliga, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock

UAMS Medical Center

Surgical Oncology

449 Jack Stephens Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 526-1000

Lung Surgery, Thoracic Cancers, Esophageal Cancer, Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery

UROLOGY

Nirmal K. Kilambi, MD

Northwest Medical CenterSpringdale

Washington Regional Medical Center

Northwest Arkansas Urology Associates 5401 Willow Creek Drive Springdale, AR 72762 (479) 521-8980

Minimally Invasive Surgery, Robotic Surgery

Timothy D. Langford, MD UAMS Medical Center

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

CHI St. Vincent North UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-8000

Prostate Benign Disease (BPH), Prostate CancerCryosurgery, Robotic Surgery

Jeffrey B. Marotte, MD

Conway Regional Medical Center

Arkansas Urology 1375 Superior Drive Conway, AR 72032 (501) 219-8900

VASCULAR & INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

James C. Meek, DO

UAMS Medical Center

UAMS Medical Center 4301 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 686-6124

Interventional Radiology

VASCULAR SURGERY

Mohammed M. Moursi, MD

UAMS Medical Center

Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System 4300 West 7th Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 257-6917

Congratulations to the Top Doctors in Arkansas

At UAMS, we are honored to work alongside these expert UAMS College of Medicine physicians who practice at the UAMS Medical Center, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and Baptist Health.

In addition to Castle Connolly Top Doctors recognition by their peers, our doctors are highly rated by the patients they serve. Using our online tool, you can see reviews and comments from UAMS patients. Providing information to help you choose the best doctor is one of the ways we are ensuring you have what you need to make informed decisions about your health care.

From common injuries and illnesses to the most complex conditions, our specialists are highly trained and skilled to provide the best in medical care.

To see our list of Top Doctors or to find a doctor using our online search tool, visit UAMS.Health/TopDocs24 or call 501-686-8000.

HERE TO HELP: Aaron Reddin is the founder and executive director of The Van, a volunteer organization helping the unsheltered.

HOLIDAY CONNECTIONS

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WORTHY OF SUPPORT.

BY TRICIA LARSON

The holiday season is a great time to take stock of your blessings, share your abundance and spread joy to others. Whether you have a few hours to spare or extra resources to share, local organizations are working tirelessly to meet the needs of our neighbors. Here are some incredible groups that could use your help to spread hope and kindness this holiday season — and beyond.

PROVIDENCE PARK

Providence Park is an innovative housing initiative in Central Arkansas dedicated to uplifting and empowering individuals transitioning out of chronic homelessness. In partnership with Pulaski County, the project plans to develop a 50-acre master-planned community featuring 400 tiny homes. This community will offer comprehensive support services, including medical, mental health and dental care, as well as income-generating opportunities, all aimed at fostering dignity and self-sufficiency among residents.

Providence Park is actively seeking volunteers and donors to help transform houses into homes. Providence Park welcomes individuals and groups; however, volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and groups must have a minimum of five 5 volunteers and maintain an adult-tochild ratio of 1:5.

To check on volunteer opportunities, call 501515-7700, email errin@providenceparkhome. com or visit providenceparkhome.com.

IMMERSE ARKANSAS

Immerse Arkansas provides a variety

of supports like housing, meals, clothing, education, employment coaching, mentoring, therapy and transformational and growth experiences. In 2023, Immerse Arkansas served nearly 400 young people working to overcome abuse, neglect or other early-life traumas.

Volunteers and donors are needed to support Immerse Arkansas’s Holiday Palooza throughout the month of December. On Dec. 18, the organization will hold its youth Christmas party, and donations of the following are welcomed: coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, socks, hats, gloves, blankets, hand warmers and pantry bags.

Call 501-303-4697 or email jmiddleton@ immersearkansas.org for details.

MAUMELLE PHILANTHROPISTS

Dedicated to promoting the welfare of neighbors, the all-volunteer, nonprofit organization operates a foodbank and provides other ongoing services to individuals in the community.

While they welcome all volunteers, younger helpers under 15 must bring a parent.

Call 501-712-3005, visit mphelps.org or email mdhollis@live.com to schedule your shift.

PALARM CREEK FARMS

Palarm Creek Farms is dedicated to fostering mental health and wellness through holistic healing practices and educational support. Nestled on 40 acres in Central Arkansas, the farm provides peaceful trails, meditation spaces and programs aimed at empowering individuals to navigate life’s

challenges with resilience and hope.

As a new nonprofit, Palarm Creek Farms relies on volunteers to help establish and grow its programs. They are seeking adults to assist with outdoor property projects such as clearing trails and preparing land for their future Zen and community gardens. Visit palarmcreekfarms.org for more details.

COMPASSIONATELY CONNECTED FOR VETERANS (CC4V)

CC4V’s mission is to provide support and resources to veterans, active service members and their families, fostering dignity and respect and self-sufficiency through community connections. The organization operates in food deserts, offering crucial services such as a compassion pantry, resource referrals and programs aimed at holistic well-being.

Volunteers can assist with assembling and distributing food boxes during the holiday season.

Visit cc4vinc.org to learn more and sign up to volunteer via an online form.

OUR HOUSE

This Little Rock institution empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard work and smart programming. It provides comprehensive services, including housing, childcare, education and job training to help clients achieve self-sufficiency.

This holiday season, Our House invites you to participate in its Adopt-a-Family Holiday Drive, where you can fulfill wish lists for

BRIAN CHILSON

SHOP LOCAL

(p.s.: And tell your friends,

DENA: ARTIST,

ENTHUSIAST, DRIVEN WOMAN

families in need. Volunteers under the age of 18 are welcome but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

For more information, visit ourhouseshelter. org or email volunteer@ourhouseshelter.org.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS FREE MOM HUGS

Here's a chance to be part of a national movement that provides unconditional love and support to the LGBTQ+ community. Through advocacy, education and celebration, it strives to empower and uplift individuals while fostering inclusive environments for all.

Central Arkansas Free Mom Hugs is always looking for volunteers to grow its network of support and be ready to activate when opportunities arise. Volunteers play a crucial role in spreading its mission and making a difference at these gatherings.

Visit freemomhugs.org, email arleaders@ freemomhugs.org or find their Facebook page for more information.

“When I overheard that women my age don’t really walk again after this type of injury, I thought: Just watch me.” READ MORE ABOUT DENA PECKHAM AT SnellArkansas.com

THE VAN

The Van is committed to serving Central Arkansas’s unsheltered population wherever they may be. The organization delivers food, water, clothing and hygiene products directly to those in need. By building relationships within the homeless community, The Van aims to identify and help overcome barriers to obtaining income and housing, fostering a path beyond homelessness.

As temperatures drop, The Van urgently needs volunteers to help sort incoming donations for distribution to the unsheltered. All ages are welcome to volunteer, but children under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult.

Email aaron@theoneinc.org for more information.

POTLUCK FOOD RESCUE

This nonprofit organization is dedicated to fighting hunger, reducing food waste and protecting the environment. By rescuing surplus perishable food from local businesses and redirecting it to agencies serving those in need, Potluck addresses food insecurity while minimizing environmental impact. Its efforts not only provide fresh, nutritious meals to the community, but also prevent thousands of pounds of food from ending up in landfills, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Potluck offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities for both individuals and groups. Children under the age of 16 need to be accompanied by an adult.

Visit potluckfoodrescue.org/volunteer and fill out the online form, or email volunteer@ potluckfoodrescue.org.

Thank you for recognizing these champions for children as the “Top Docs” in 2024.

As the only health care system in the state solely dedicated to caring for children, Arkansas Children’s statewide network of care ensures children have access to pediatric health care close to home in all four corners of our state, and beyond.

Sylvia Angtuaco, M.D.

Erhan Ararat, M.D.

Travis Ayers, M.D.

David Becton, M.D.

Hannah Beene-Lowder, M.D.

Matthew Bell, M.D.

Ariel Berlinski, M.D.

Thomas Best, M.D.

Charles Bower, M.D.

Megan Butler, M.D.

Sid Dassinger, M.D.

Eudice Fontenot, M.D.

Charles Glasier, M.D.

D. Melissa Graham, M.D.

Larry Hartzell, M.D.

Charles James, M.D.

Adam Johnson, M.D.

Stacie Jones, M.D.

Joshua Kennedy, M.D.

Jay Kincannon, M.D.

Corey Montgomery, M.D.

Michele Moss, M.D.

Abby Nolder, M.D.

Jon Oden, M.D.

Ashay Patel, D.O.

Tamara Perry, M.D.

Robert Pesek, M.D.

Alejandro Ramirez, M.D.

Gresham Richter, M.D.

Amy Scurlock, M.D.

Graham Strub, M.D., PhD

‘CHAOS AND ABUNDANCE’

WHY WRITER KEVIN BROCKMEIER IS OBSESSED WITH KEEPING LISTS.

BY DANIEL GREAR PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON

Kevin Brockmeier is, first and foremost, a writer. In addition to 2021’s “The Ghost Variations,” the Little Rock-based author’s most recent book of spectral-themed flash fiction, he has written three novels, two short story collections, two children’s novels and a memoir, many of which “probe the fantastical,” as Arkansas Times contributor Wesley Beal once put it.

A persistent activity that occupies Brockmeier’s mind when he’s not writing, however, is listkeeping. For years, he’s been meticulously documenting his favorite media, amassing an online archive (kevinbrockmeier.com/lists) of more than 700 lists — some predictably broad, others hilariously narrow — that give order to the books, albums, movies and TV shows that have made the largest impact on him. To complement a season when many are compiling year-end lists of the art they find most dear, Brockmeier spoke with the Arkansas Times via email about this fascinating obsession.

How long have you been making lists?

Pretty much always. I can hardly remember a time when I wasn’t organizing the world into lists or considering some aspect of my experience and transforming it into a preference set, dating back to my very early childhood. At age 3, for instance, I came home from a family trip to Disney World with a complete seven-figure collection of the dwarfs from “Snow White.” I remember that it seemed very important to me to line them up in rank order on my dresser, starting with my favorite — Happy — and ending with my least favorite — Grumpy. In middle school, I used to lie awake at night making mental lists of the 10 people I would save in the event of a nuclear holocaust. (How I went from being the 3-year-old whose favorite dwarf was Happy to the 12-year-old tracing the schematics of some imaginary apocalypse, I couldn’t tell you.) In college, I kept a list of my 10 favorite books, albums and movies tucked in my wallet. So, obviously, as an inward habit, the impulse has always been with me.

What do you like about lists? What motivates you to maintain the habit of keeping them?

The neatness of them, for one thing. There’s something very satisfying to me about taking the chaos and abundance of the world and bringing a little order to it. It’s the same part of my character that finds Oulipean writing constraints liberating rather than imprisoning — the part that’s gratified to construct a novella using only 10-word sentences, say, or to produce an entire book of 100 two-page ghost stories. Exercises like this have always activated my imagination. Whenever I manage to create something without violating the rules I’ve established for myself, I have this sparkling little job-well-done reaction, as if I’ve completed an assignment, and each list I make feels like a kind of micro-assignment I’ve given myself: a thousand tiny jobs well done.

A-LISTER: When he's not writing novels and short stories, Little Rock author Kevin Brockmeier meticulously chronicles popular culture.

habit, the selfish side, but there’s also a generous side: I’m an evangelist for the things I love, which means I use my lists as handy little recommendation engines. I enjoy considering them and perfecting them, recalibrating them whenever my enthusiasm shifts or diminishes or grows, but I also enjoy being able to share them with other people.

Some of the lists in your archive have a general, almost canonical quality, like “Fifty Favorite Books” and “Fifty Favorite Movies.” Others are hyper-specific, like “Top Ten (Non-Evangelical) Novels About Angels” and “A Dozen CDs that Enchant as Art Objects.” How do you decide what subjects warrant a list?

Frequently — and this probably constitutes the majority of the archive — I’ll realize that I’ve been pursuing a particular line of interest and feel compelled to formalize my impressions: “Twenty Favorite Works of Biblical Fiction” or “Top Ten Depressing Christmas Songs” or “Ten Favorite Novels Set in Little Rock” or “Twenty Favorite TimeTravel Movies.” Sometimes I’ll produce a list in response to some provocation I’ve stumbled across, like “Ten Great Books With No Sense of Humour” (inspired by a post on an acquaintance’s Substack) or “Twenty Favorite Singers” (inspired by a Rolling Stone list). Sometimes I’ll sense a need for a very particular set of recommendations when I’m teaching, and I’ll go home and make a list to share with my students: “Ten Books Written in the Ecstatic Register,” for instance, or “A Dozen Dangerous Writers.” Quite a few of the lists are just designed to be fun or amusing,

FINE PRINT: Brockmeier's lists of his favorite books, music, movies and TV shows range from broad and canonical to idiosyncratic and peculiar.

like “Ten Favorite Muppets” or “Fifty Favorite ’80s Pop Songs With Saxophone Solos.” Finally, I take requests. That’s how the “Top Ten (Non-Evangelical) Novels About Angels” list you mention came into being, and why I posted “A Complete List of All the Love Notes in ‘The Illumination.’”

How frequently does a robust, endlessly evolving list like “Fifty Favorite Books” get tweaked? Are you someone for whom a decision like that is difficult or is it usually obvious when you encounter a new piece of media that’s going to bump off the weakest link?

Most often it’s the latter: I’ll read something and know instantly (or at least before too much time has passed) that it matters to me and I need to make room for it. Looking at my “Fifty Favorite Books” list, I can see that the last time I updated it was Oct. 4, 2023. I must have added “White Cat, Black Dog” by Kelly Link. Ordinarily, it would be hard for me to remember which book I ended up removing to make way for the new one, but this time it’s easy: I bumped off an earlier Kelly Link collection, “Magic for Beginners,” because I decided I liked her latest book better. Very occasionally, though, something will keep fascinating or provoking me, percolating in the far, far back of my mind, gradually working its way up through the ranks of my appreciation until I belatedly recognize that it’s essential to me. One example is the movie “The Eclipse” — the Irish one from 2009, with Ciarán Hinds, not the “Twilight” sequel — which I probably added to my “Fifty Favorite Movies” list a full decade after I originally saw it. And then there are what I’ll call my “micro-lists,” which periodically demand reconsideration, too. Take my “Five Favorite Cure Albums”: “Disintegration” and “The Head on the Door” are my firm numbers one and two, but their new album, “Songs of a Lost World,” is the best thing they’ve recorded in 30 years, so does it deserve a place in the top five?

Does being a serious listkeeper affect the way that you engage with media? Is there a voice in your head that’s always asking whether the art you’re currently taking in is going to make the cut?

I’m able to avoid that, for the most part, except when it comes to my dedicated yearend lists — the best books I’ve read over the calendar year, the best albums I’ve discovered

or movies I’ve seen, etc. — along with a few other lists that are ongoing by design. I have a list of my “Favorite Books By Year,” for instance, with “by year” in this case meaning year-by-year as I’ve progressed through my life: my favorite book from age 1, age 2, age 3, etc. Usually, though, the process runs in the opposite direction. In the tug of war between reading and list-making, reading wins. And so does viewing. And so does listening. In other words, it’s the art that muscles out a list, not the lists that muscle out the art. For instance, I’ll find myself listening to a lot of minimalist electronica, and it will inspire a list of my “Ten Favorite Minimalist Electronic Albums,” or I’ll read a book like “Faithful Ruslan” by Georgi Vladimov, which adopts the point of view of a prison-camp guard dog, and out will pop a list like “Fifty Impressive Novels with Prominent Animal Characters.”

When I attended Arkansas Governor’s School over a decade ago, you were a guest speaker and handed out printed lists to the kids. What was the thinking there? What you’re asking about is the stagecraft of my lists — list-keeping as a kind of magic trick or sleight-of-hand. That’s actually where the outward-facing aspect of all this began. When I published my first book, the question I received most frequently at public events was “What are your favorite books?” or “Who are your favorite authors?” I always ended up chastising myself afterward for forgetting to mention one author or another, so I decided to formalize a list of my 50 favorite books, with no more than one per author, in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. I restricted myself to 50 books mainly so that I could fit the list neatly onto a single sheet of 8.5-by-11 paper, and I began carrying a whole stack of them around in my satchel. The readers I met seemed to enjoy having copies to take home from my events, as keepsakes or curiosities if nothing else, and it gave them an excuse to approach me at the signing table, too, even the ones who didn’t feel free to buy a book from me. Before long, I began building other lists: of my favorite movies and albums, short stories and graphic novels, etc. (Also of my 50 least favorite books, though I’ve never shared that list with anyone.) Once, at a public lecture, a friend of mine introduced me as “the Latter-Day Saint of touring writers” since I’m always trying to distribute my literature. A few weeks later, I mentioned this at another event, and someone in the audience said, “Or the Johnny Appleseed, maybe,” which I like even better.

John L. Krimmel, The Village Politicians (detail), ca. 1819, oil on canvas, 35 1/2 × 48 1/4 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2007.5.

Photography by Edward C. Robison III.

Here are some of our amazing organizations that are able to make an impact thanks to your help. Explore fundraising opportunities, learn about their missions and get involved.

ARKANSAS SHERIFFS’ YOUTH RANCHES

Nancy Fulton, LCSW, CEO

Founded: January 1976

Mission: The ASYR’s mission is to address, remedy and prevent child abuse and neglect by creating safe, healthy and permanent homes for children.

Fundraisers: ASYR receives 20 calls per week looking for beds for foster children, and it always has a waiting list. To accommodate these children and do its part to fight the Arkansas foster care crisis, ASYR is expanding and recently opened a new home. This increases ASYR’s capacity to provide homes for more children each year. Make a gift or learn more at YouthRanches.com.

Giving Opportunities: Raising children is expensive, especially when you raise as many as we do at the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches. But you can’t put a price tag on changing a child’s life. The ASYR has helped raise more than 2,300 boys and girls from every corner of the state and is 100% privately funded. Please consider investing in Arkansas’s future by supporting our most vulnerable children. Together we can help break the cycle of abuse and neglect devastating so many families.

Donate online at YouthRanches.com or mail your gift to:

Arkansas Sheriffs' Youth Ranches

P.O. Box 3964

Batesville, AR 72503

ALZHEIMER'S ARKANSAS

Stephanie Cooke, Executive Director

Established: January 1984

Mission: We create a compassionate, welcoming, and restorative community for family caregivers across the state who are caring for those with dementia, chronic illness or debilitating disease.

Fundraisers:

Champions Celebration May 1, 2025

Golf Tournament September 2025

Taco ‘Bout It Taco Contest Sept. 20, 2025

Amp Out Alz 11 October 2025

Giving Opportunities

Donate online at alzark.org; text alzark40 to 44321 or call us.

THE CENTERS

Melissa Dawson, President and CEO

Jamie Higgins, Foundation Executive Director

Established: 1884

Mission: The Centers is committed to meeting the unique and evolving needs of individuals by providing comprehensive, integrated care that promotes physical, emotional, and social wellness for all.

Fundraisers:

Evolve Gala – Dare to Dream

May 10, 2025

6 p.m.

Statehouse Convention Center

BrunchFest

June 14, 2025

Rusty Tractor Vineyards

10 a.m. Very Important Bruncher (VIB)

11 a.m. General Admission

Centers Classic 2025

Pleasant Valley Country Club

September 2025

8 a.m. and 1 p.m. tee times

Giving Opportunities:

• Christmas gifts for a child in our residential program, $200

• Hygiene kit for a victim of human trafficking, $60

• Stuffed animal for a victim of abuse and neglect, $25

Ways to Give:

TheCentersAR.com/donate

Venmo: @TheCentersArkansas

Mail: The Centers Foundation P.O. Box 251801

Little Rock, AR 72225

501-666-9436

succeed. Support our work at DisabilityRightsAR. org/donate/.

Giving Opportunities:

Online silent auction

“Silent Night, Empowering Rights” ends Dec. 13 at 8:30 p.m. 32auctions.com/DRA-Silent-Night-2024

This past year, we’ve received more requests for special education assistance than ever before. In fact, special education support has become our most requested service, as families reach out for help in navigating a complex educational system. Your gift this holiday season could change that. By supporting DRA, you can help ensure that every child in Arkansas has a chance to thrive in an inclusive, supportive educational environment. Bid on an item, support special education assistance.

Donate:

400 W. Capitol Ave., Suite 1200 Little Rock, AR 72201 DisabilityRightsAR.org/donate/

FINISHING STRONG IS OUR FOUNDATION

Add to your charitable fund at Arkansas Community Foundation or contact us to get one started.

The Foundation has a vision for communities in Arkansas – to become the places your kids will want to raise their kids. As 2024 comes to an end, we want to thank all the Arkansans who shared our vision this year and invested in our communities through their contributions.

Founded: 2016

Mission: Arkansas Abortion Support Network’s mission is to empower Arkansans in their right to bodily autonomy and reduce barriers to abortion access by providing funding and necessary resources. While our organization is primarily focused on supporting abortion rights, we recognize the importance of ensuring safe and healthy conditions for families— and how those two things are interconnected.

Fundraisers:

Upcoming online events

Giving Tuesday Dec. 3, 2024

Upcoming in-person events:

Screen & Soiree Friday, Jan. 10, 2025

Wreck & Rally Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025

Our full schedule of upcoming events is available on our website at arabortionsupport.org

Giving Opportunities:

• Giving Tuesday

• Become a monthly donor. This helps our organization plan for the future OR give a one time donation. Any amount helps!

• Sponsor an upcoming event!

• Buy tickets to our upcoming events

• Purchase our merch from Bonfire

To send a donation via mail, address it to:

Arkansas Abortion Support Network P.O. Box 56727, Little Rock, AR 72215 arabortionsupport.org

ARKANSAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Heather Larkin, President and CEO

Established: 1976

Mission: Arkansas Community Foundation engages people, connects resources and inspires solutions to build community.

About: Arkansas Community Foundation works statewide to provide resources, insight and inspiration to build stronger Arkansas communities – communities where our kids will want to raise their kids. Serving local communities through a 29-affiliate network along with statewide initiatives, the Foundation staff works directly with donors, professional advisors and nonprofits to help strengthen Arkansas communities through strategic philanthropy and focusing on local needs. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided more than $493 million in grants to nonprofits. Its assets rank among the top 60 community foundations in the United States with more than $740 million in charitable assets under management.

Grantmaking: In the last year, the Foundation has made more than $52.9 million in grants. The affiliate network awarded more than $19 million in scholarships and grants locally. By making grants and sharing knowledge, the Foundation supports organizations and partners with others to create new initiatives that address gaps in service. Through our affiliate network, we encourage local boards to make local decisions for local causes, trusting communities to best understand their own needs.

Ways to Give: Charitable gifts can be made on our website, through a Donor Advised Fund, or also through securities, real estate and other assets. The Foundation encourages anyone seeking to leave a legacy or to support a nonprofit in perpetuity to establish an endowment. Gift plans, including charitable trusts and charitable gift annuities, can provide attractive tax advantages and increase retirement income. These and many other options, including deferred gifts/endowments can be established by contacting Ashley Coldiron at 501-3721116 or visiting arcf.org.

LEARN MORE

Karen Musick, Executive Director

Make an Impact That Matters

Ways to Give Your Impact

$1000

$200

$25

We are excited to invite you to The Signal, an unforgettable evening of insightful journalism, engaging discussions, and community celebration, hosted by Little Rock Public Radio.

JEET YET?: Arkansas Times publisher Alan Leveritt contemplates his favorite lunch at Copper Grill, but said he doesn't usually tipple during business hours.

EAT ARKANSAS

ALAN LEVERITT’S FOOD DIARY.

EDITED BY RHETT BRINKLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON

When Alan Leveritt founded the Arkansas Times in 1974, his first team of editors would meet up every morning for breakfast at The Shack, a legendary barbecue restaurant on Third and Victory streets.

“The smoked ham was the star of the show,” he recalled recently. Leveritt famously sold a three-quarter-page ad to The Shack in order to stay in business after the magazine went broke nine months after launching.

Fifty years later, fueled by an inconceivable amount of caffeine, an off-menu salad at Copper Grill and occasional bourbons over large ice cubes, Leveritt continues to defy the odds, tenaciously keeping this rag going while also growing an annual bounty of tomatoes on his farm in north Pulaski County. But he no longer eats breakfast.

“I come to work,” he said. “I make coffee.”

MONDAY, NOV. 4

I make six cups of Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s blend in the morning first thing. I come to work and drink more coffee — probably 20 cups a day. At work I just drink the everyman office coffee.

Salmon niçoise was taken off the menu at Copper Grill sometime pre-COVID, but you can still order it “off menu.” I eat at Copper Grill two or three times a week, and I nearly always order this healthy, great-tasting salad. Think grilled salmon fillet, green beans, spinach, candied roast whole pecans, pine nuts and a creamy Italian mustard vinaigrette. Ask for “Alan’s salmon niçoise” and the waiter will probably know. My favorite lunch in town. Runs about $17.

For supper I made my baked chicken. Like a horse, I am a creature of habits. Salmon niçoise is one and my baked chicken, another. I take bone-in chicken thighs and marinate them for a couple of hours in cheap grocery store Italian vinaigrette. In a heavy iron skillet I arrange them with fresh rosemary from my garden and thin slices of elephant garlic tucked under the skin. My great-grandfather planted our elephant garlic in 1920 and it is available nearly all year. Regular garlic or even garlic powder will also do. I place onion slices on top of the thighs, and then chug a little Worcestershire and Louisiana hot sauce on the skin. Finally, I add salt and pepper and sprinkle torn up Gypsy red bell peppers from the garden on top. Give it 50 minutes at 400 degrees and you have a pretty fair one-skillet dinner.

While I worked on supper, I poured a glass of Knob Creek bourbon over a large ice cube from a rubber ice cube tray my girlfriend, Suzanne Boscarolo, gave me for my birthday one year. Well, that first drink the ice cube is taking up most of the room in the glass. I pour the second one over the same cube, but by this time it’s been reduced by half. It's the second one you gotta watch out for. The servings are substantial. Retired restaurateur Mark Abernathy once described my portions as a “Leveritt pour.” You have to train.

TUESDAY, NOV. 5

I went to North Little Rock to get my eyes dilated — first time I’ve been to get my eyes checked in 10 years. So for lunch I had pork ribs at Rich Cosgrove’s Whole Hog North Little Rock. I like their ribs and

never changed the original sauce recipes or ingredients going back to the beginning. Nice people, too. Little Rock is a good barbecue town, think about the brisket at Ol’ Bart’s and Wright’s and the pork ribs at Sims on Broadway and Smokin’ Buns out Highway 107.

Election night found us at Wythe Walker and Louise Terzia’s house watching CNN. She had picked up four “Take and Bake” pizzas from Pizza Cafe. They were really good. Pizza Cafe does all the work, and Louise just put them in the oven. We had the Deluxe, pepperoni, artichoke chicken and Mediterranean. Hold the election.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6

I grow about 1,000 heirloom tomato vines, and since I don’t use chemical pesticides I wind up with a lot of No. 2, unsellable tomatoes. There really is no such thing as an effective organic pesticide. Each weekend, I will collect about 100 pounds of bug-bitten but delicious heirlooms and commence to canning. A good portion of my net worth is in quart Mason jars. Canning tomatoes using the boiling water bath method is a breeze and something I find hugely satisfying. When I have the time, I will spend a rainy Sunday filling my kitchen with wonderful smells while cooking down and canning spaghetti sauce. After removing the skins, I will fill a big canner with tomatoes, along with wads of fresh Genovese basil, elephant garlic, onion, soy sauce, shiitake mushrooms, red bell peppers and brown sugar. I am usually able to source everything except the sugar from my market garden. I will cook it down uncovered for about four hours or until nearly half the liquid has evaporated. Each batch varies a little because the ingredient proportions vary. I just keep tasting. When it is right, I fill the jars and pressure cans for about 40 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure. That was a long way of saying I had spaghetti Wednesday night. In September, I bought half a steer from my neighbor and converted much of it into ground beef. I cook a pound of the beef in the sauce for about 20 minutes. Canning lets me do all the slow, time-consuming simmering all at once so that a great weekday meal is waiting in the quart Mason jar. It’s easy and quick.

Yarnell’s Real Vanilla Ice Cream is the best ice cream in Arkansas. I know I am not telling you anything you didn’t already know. I usually skip dessert, but Suzanne

WHEN I HAVE THE TIME, I WILL SPEND A RAINY SUNDAY

FILLING

MY KITCHEN WITH WONDERFUL SMELLS WHILE COOKING DOWN AND CANNING SPAGHETTI SAUCE.

had bought me a loaf of pumpkin bread from DolceLuna's Bakery at Hillcrest Farmers Market the day before. Nothing comes close to my grandmother’s banana bread except DolceLuna's pumpkin bread. Debauchery is the best description. Yarnell’s, DolceLuna's pumpkin bread and fresh raspberries from Edwards Food Giant. Take me, Lord.

THURSDAY, NOV. 7

Salmon Niçoise, again at Copper Grill.

For supper, I attended the Arkansas Times’ Pig & Swig Premium Bourbon and Pork Tasting. I could drink my dinner here, but the food is too delicious. I also know better now. This is an event the Times has put on in Argenta for a decade or more. Restaurants bring every imaginable type of pork bites and we pour Knob Creek, Basil Hayden Rye and Jim Beam Black Bourbon.

I wasn’t prepared for Millionaire’s Bacon from Copper Grill. Man, it’s good. Think perfect bacon with brown sugar, spices and pepper flakes. They put it on one of their hamburgers. Just looking at it will clog an artery.

One of my favorites was porchetta pan pizza from Problem Child pizza, which will open soon where the old Count Porkula’s was at Cantrell and Keightley. If memory serves, the couple is moving here from up north and will open after the first of the year. I will be there.

The Spot, formerly Press Waffle in SoMa, had an amazing pulled pork with barbecue sauce and bacon. It is still a great breakfast spot, but they are expanding their menu.

Fassler Hall came with pork schnitzel sliders on pretzel rolls, and Dust Bowl Lanes downtown came armed with chorizo queso with mac and cheese. Delicious.

Michael Dampier, aka “The Burger Chef” out at Brady Mountain Grill, is also the consummate social media chef. I loved his pork belly, also with mac and cheese.

Brick & Forge out of Conway had a savory pulled pork roll, and Draft & Table killed it with their bourbon-glazed pork tenderloin on sweet potato chips and whipped goat cheese.

Afterward, we went over to Suzanne’s and Dan Kovach from Copper Grill and his partner joined us. I’d already had a little bourbon before I went there. I didn’t have to drive anywhere, and we had two bottles of wine and just kind of hooted and hollered. Whew, it was an excessive evening — did a toll on me the next day.

NEIGHBORHOOD THE DINING GUIDE

Sometimes we choose where to eat based on location. Just mention any part of town and tons of restaurants come to mind. Here’s a tidy list of standouts in Central Arkansas and beyond, including favorites in Heights/Hillcrest/Riverdale, Downtown/ SoMa, Argenta, Hot Springs and Pine Bluff.

HEIGHTS/HILLCREST/RIVERDALE

BRAVE NEW RESTAURANT

After 34 years in the business, Brave New Restaurant has continued to be an institution in Little Rock, offering beautiful river views, remarkable service and fantastic cuisine while providing customers with an upscale yet familial dining experience. As one of the original farmto-table restaurants in the city, Brave New uses the freshest and highest-quality ingredients, including a constant rotation of adventurous and flavorful specials while continuing to feature longtime favorites. Without question, Brave New will keep you coming back for more! 2300 Cottondale Lane, 501-663-2677

THE FADED ROSE

DOWNTOWN/SOMA

BIG BAD BREAKFAST

The brainchild of James Beard award-winning chef John Currence, Big Bad Breakfast gives the proper respect to “the most important meal of the day.”

Enjoy Big Bad Breakfast staples such as custom-created meats, fresh biscuits and preserves, locally roasted coffee and some of the best cocktails you’ll find anywhere. They can bring Big Bad Breakfast deliciousness to events large and small with their catering as well! 306 Main St., 501-387-1158

CACHE

Ed David, a New Orleans native, his wife, Laurie, and their son, Zac, have been serving great New Orleans cuisine since 1982 in a casual and friendly atmosphere. They are widely known for their steaks and Creole and Cajun dishes. They blend their own spices, cut their own steaks and make their own sauces, right down to the housemade mayo. They have gladly served Arkansans and guests from around the world for over 40 years and invite you to come try The Rose tonight. 1619 Rebsamen Park Road, 501-663-9734

This one-of-a-kind fine-dining venue is set in the heart of the River Market district and is perfect for corporate events, private dinners or simply for people who love to have memorable meals. Well-presented plates of lobster, steak, chops and duck in a sleek, with a slightly more casual lunch of pizza, sandwiches, fish and the like. 425 President Clinton Ave., 501-285–8381

BIG BAD BREAKFAST

CACHE

THE CROISSANTERIE

Croissants, brunch, catering, and more! The Croissanterie is a must-visit for breakfast and brunch enthusiasts. Their flaky croissants are a local legend, and their menu boasts a variety of savory sandwiches and sweet pastries. Whether you're craving a classic butter croissant or a unique flavor like pistachio or cookie dough, you're sure to find something to satisfy your taste buds. 417 S Main St., 501-442-5046. 14710 Cantrell Road. 501-412-4244

DOE’S EAT PLACE

What has become a Little Rock landmark of national renown, Doe’s Eat Place has its origins in the unlikeliest of models, a no-frills diner deep in the Delta. But then, nothing about Doe’s is quite what one would expect from a worldclass steakhouse — except fabulous steaks, that is. 1023 W. Markham St., 501-376-1195

MIDTOWN BILLIARDS

Celebrating 84 years! This late-night favorite has been operating since 1940, serving hamburgers, brats, turkey, spam and egg, grilled cheese and BLTs. Midtown’s hamburger has been voted “Best Hamburger in Arkansas.” The Burger Challenge is back by appointment on Sundays, because you need the Good Lord’s help to eat it! Happy Hour is 3-8 p.m., and Tuesday is live trivia. 1316 Main St., 501-372-9990

DOES'S EAT PLACE

A HOLIDAY IN FAY

THE INSIDE TRACK

THE ROOT CAFE

The local SoMA spot is known for fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a cozy atmosphere. They feature a variety of delicious sandwiches, salads and breakfast items that will satisfy any craving. The Root Cafe is a great option whether you're in the mood for a hearty breakfast or a light lunch. 1500 Main St., Little Rock, 501-4140423

NORTH LITTLE ROCK/ARGENTA FOUR QUARTER BAR

This Argenta favorite doesn’t serve your average bar food. The menu features locally sourced pork, handmade sauces and famous handpattied burgers along with weekly specials that you won’t find anywhere else. Even better, the kitchen is open until 1:30 a.m. every night. Four Quarter also offers a great selection of rotating craft beers on draft. With great live music, a hidden patio, shuffleboard and dominoes, Four Quarter Bar has it all. 415 Main St., North Little Rock, 501-313-4704

HOT SPRINGS

HOTEL

HOT SPRINGS

The Inside Track Grill and Sports Lounge is a great place to watch sports and enjoy some delicious food. Taking the sports bar to a new level, their on-site restaurant features an elevated pub menu and a selection of draft beers. With a comfortable outdoor patio and 40” TV screens, Inside Track Grill & Sports Lounge is the perfect place to watch the game or catch up with friends. 305 Malvern Ave., Hot Springs, 501-623-6600

TACO MAMA/TACO MAMA SIDE TOWN

Hot Springs’ premiere Mexican restaurant offers a culinary experience for every taste, from classic Mexican fare, green chile cheeseburgers to potato-wrapped, cream cheese-filled jalapenos. The menu also includes an assortment of health-conscious and diet-friendly plates.

Saturday brunch features favorites like Shane’s Special: two jalapeno corn cakes topped with carnitas and poached eggs. For catering inquiries, call or text 501-625-1408. 1209 Malvern Ave., 501-624-6262; Taco Mama Side Town: 510 Ouachita Ave., Hot Springs, 501-781-3102

MAMA | SIDE TOWN

Ouachita Ave., Hot Springs

781-3102

VENETIAN DINING ROOM AT THE ARLINGTON RESORT HOTEL AND SPA

The Venetian Dining Room at the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa has been the place to see and be seen for almost a century! Join us for a Friday Night Seafood Buffet, Sunday Brunch or one of our grand holiday buffets. The dining room is open for breakfast Sunday-Thursday, 7-9 a.m. and Friday-Saturday 7-11 a.m. Lunch and dinner are served Thursday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Make reservations online at ArlingtonHotel.com or by calling 501-623-7771. *Hours of operation are subject to change based on seasonality and occupancy. 239 Central Ave., Hot Springs.

—VIRGINIA WOOLF

PINE BLUFF

SARACEN RESTAURANTS

Though the Saracen Casino Resort upped the stakes for gaming in Arkansas, they’ve had an equally impressive impact on Arkansas’s culinary landscape, as is evident in the property’s best-in-state offerings. At the Red Oak Steakhouse, you’ll dine in a venue recognized as the state’s best for four years running. Expect to enjoy Kobe beef from the South’s only restaurant licensed by the Japanese Beef Council, or choose prime-grade beef, bison and seafood alongside a carefully curated menu in the property’s flagship restaurant. Red Oak’s signature cuisine is presented in a class of its own, with Saracen’s focus on offering the best steaks in the South, carefully managed from pasture to plate, and a wine list celebrated by Wine Spectator. Legends Sports Bar is a must-try, with a constantly updated menu offering the best of what you can expect in casual dining. Or try The Post, serving more catfish than any restaurant in the state. Saracen Casino Resort, 1 Saracen Resort Drive, Pine Bluff, 870-686-9001

LAKEVIEW

GASTON’S RESTAURANT

Gaston’s wants to make sure you experience everything in Lakeview, including their award-winning restaurant. The restaurant sits on the White River, with amazing views and a quiet atmosphere you are sure to love. The chef, Rick Gollinger, has weekly specials that start on Thursday nights and last the entire weekend. Also, there is a buffet on Sundays that you do not want to miss. Due to limited seating, Gaston’s Restaurant operates on a reservation-only basis. Open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. 1777 River Road, Lakeview, 870-431-5203

LOCAL EATS

STIFFS AND SPLIFFS

ARKANSAS'S MOST INTERESTING CORONER/ SHERIFF'S DEPUTY/ DISPENSARY OWNER.

BY MATT MCNAIR

What do a coroner, a deputy sheriff and a marijuana magnate have in common?

Not much, unless you live in Sharp County, where they’re all one and the same.

And so meet Renee Clay-Circle, owner and operator of Spring River Dispensary in Hardy, and to the best of our knowledge the only person in the entire state that could possibly fit into our little groaner of a joke up there. But while the exact combination of vocations might raise an eyebrow or two — especially that of law enforcement and marijuana purveyor, a juxtaposition that would have read like a southern-fried fever dream of a crime novel just a few short years ago — the mix of entrepreneurship and civil service Clay-Circle embodies is more or less in line with that breed of folks having a mind for business and a heart deeply rooted in their community.

Oh, and she also appeared — under nom de télévison “The Baroness” — in a History Channel reality series called “Clash of the Ozarks” some years ago, about which she spills not too many beans but will allow that she and the principal cast, friends all, had “a lot of fun” during the filming.

Yes, Clay-Circle’s resumé is, to put it lightly, something.

Born and raised in Hardy, Clay-Circle got an early start and a real-world education in the realm of local business. Her parents opened a grocery store in Hardy shortly after World War II, and that experience — “I grew up in the grocery business,” she said — set her on a path of entrepreneurship and community involvement. (For those who grew up in the city or even a fairly large town, be assured that, in the hinterlands, the local grocer tends to be a pretty big deal.) After heading off to Jonesboro and earning a business degree from Arkansas State University, ClayCircle returned to Hardy to manage the family grocery business — Price Chopper — which had grown to include multiple locations. By the time they sold the business to a larger chain in December 2000, it had grown into a 22-store operation with some 1,250 employees.

After the sale of the grocery stores, ClayCircle embarked upon a path of serial entrepreneurship, starting and/or operating a dozen businesses over the last 24 years in and around Hardy, including three funeral homes.

The funerary profession is one requiring a skill set that happens to dovetail with the duties of the county coroner, a post she has held in Sharp County for a decade now.

“In rural Arkansas,” she said, “people that own funeral homes typically are the county coroner.” While that definitely makes a certain kind of morbid sense, Clay-Circle thinks of the relationship between the burial business and the public office of coroner in more civic terms. When coroners use the skills for which they are paid in their business life to deal with the myriad tragedies that occur in the daily life of any town or county, Clay-Circle sees that as an obligation of citizenship, “a way to serve and give back to the community.”

Clay-Circle also gives back by serving as a reserve deputy for the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office (13 years and counting), and sits on the Sharp County Sheriff Foundation’s Board of Directors. She is also in her 18th year serving on the Highland School Board, although that stint might come to an end when her youngest child graduates in a couple of years.

“I plan on my current term to be my last,” she said, despite evidence pointing to a strong streak of not-quit in her makeup. “I probably will not run again.”

SPRING RIVER DISPENSARY

Despite feeling the need to give back to the community that has allowed her to build a substantial string of businesses over the years, Clay-Circle is first and foremost

GROW BIZ: Renee Clay-Circle balances her law-enforcement career with owning and operating Spring River Dispensary in Hardy.

BRIAN CHILSON

“LISTEN, I’M A MONEY-DRIVEN PERSON. I DO BUSINESS AND I’M ALL ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE MONEY.”

a businesswoman, and should one be tempted to scry tenderhearted motivations for her investment in the medical marijuana industry, Clay-Circle will disabuse the wouldbe sentimentalist in short order. Medical marijuana is the same color as money and smells like it, too, and when it became clear that Arkansas was set to legalize medical cannabis, Clay-Circle — ever the entrepreneur — saw opportunity coming down the pike.

“Listen, I’m a money-driven person. I do business, and I’m all about trying to make money,” she said matter-of-factly when asked if any of her other vocations or callings — groceries, public service, what have you — influenced her to make a foray into the startup medical marijuana industry.

“I opened the dispensary to try and make money.”

A no-nonsense answer from a woman who is undeniably a businessperson to the core (and a successful one at that), and a person for whom “no-nonsense” is a laughably apt descriptor.

But it doesn’t take very long — two beats, three beats — before a caveat comes, one that speaks to the civic-minded community leader residing alongside the resolute capitalist in the personage of Clay-Circle.

“But I also want to help people,” she continued. “Now I see that this helps people.”

The idea of an enterprise both profitable and helpful seems to have manifested early in the process.

Spring River Dispensary was initially a partnership, with Clay-Circle’s friend Kathy Cooper making up the other half of the 50/50 enterprise. Cooper, a pharmacist, was convinced that medical marijuana could help people with chronic pain. Just as importantly, she believed that treating patients with cannabis would allow those who were already being prescribed opioids — a considerable overlap — wean themselves off the powerful and addictive drugs that have been a public health scourge in the United States for years. It was, in fact, Cooper who initiated the partnership — they had been friends for years, but never business partners — and began the licensing process, with Clay-Circle bringing her considerable business acumen to the enterprise.

Again, Clay-Circle freely admits that her primary concern at the outset was the business

of medical marijuana. With the skeptical eye of both a salty dealmaker and veteran law enforcement professional, she presumed the profits would come from folks looking to get more high than healthy, remembering that, whatever her friend Cooper might believe, it would be “a lot of young people trying to ‘be legal’” constituting the bulk of their customer base.

It is also not unreasonable to imagine Clay-Circle’s notion of just who would be frequenting her dispensary — and for what reason — was bolstered by yet another interesting fact about Clay-Circle: She did not then, and does not now, have a medical marijuana card.

“I don’t personally use marijuana,” she said matter-of-factly when presented with the possibility folks might find the idea of a marijuana dispensary owner that does not use marijuana herself just a bit surprising. “I don’t have any health issues that warrant me to do so.”

Cooper, however, who along with being convinced, as a pharmacist, that medical marijuana was one of the best hopes rural and urban communities might have for combating the prescription opioid epidemic, was herself a cancer survivor who could benefit from the legalization and availability of marijuana. Experience made her a believer in the benefits of cannabis, and now the voters of Arkansas and her business-savvy friend had given her a unique opportunity to effect the change she wanted to see in the world.

Sadly, Cooper never saw the fulfillment of her dream or the fruition of her and ClayCircle’s efforts.“She had cancer a long time ago, but it went into remission,” intoned ClayCircle when telling the story of Spring River Dispensary’s beginnings and the friend that joined her in this latest venture. “Right when we were in the middle of building this thing it came back. Kathy passed away in May of 2021 and never got to work in the dispensary like she wanted to.”

Clay-Circle offers up nothing maudlin nor boastful voluntarily, but when prodded she does allow that, by seeing through the business venture that is Spring River Dispensary, she is doing something to honor the memory of her late friend and validate Cooper’s work and conviction. Along with

profits — still a requirement for any business, whatever civic benefits might flow from it — Clay-Circle has done an about-face from her initial read on the dispensary’s likely patrons. Far from a parade of weed-trawling youngsters with shaky claims to the “be legal” cards in their pockets, she instead sees grateful folks of all stripes from her community with legitimate reasons for their medical marijuana card along with tangible, positive results that can be directly attributed to the products available at Spring River Dispensary.

Addressing her initial concerns about the clientele and what she has seen since opening the business’ doors, Clay-Circle didn’t hesitate, avowing that she was “dead wrong on that point.”

“Most of our customers are elderly people,” she continued. “They use marijuana to treat chronic pain, anxiety and sleep difficulties. We have a patient with Parkinson’s disease, and when he uses marijuana he doesn’t shake at all and can feed himself. Another lady [who] was on 18 pills a day after she was in a horrible car accident 15 years ago is now on two pills a day with the help of marijuana. We have a patient that has had seizures for over 10 years that has not had one in 11 months ... this is life-changing for these people in the best possible way.”

Today, with nearly four years of operation in her rearview (Spring River Dispensary opened in January 2021), Clay-Circle spends more time at the dispensary than any of her other businesses owing to the still-new nature of the business and the industry’s stringent regulatory protocol. But the operation of both the retail side of the dispensary and its in-house grow operation isn’t something she has to fret about overmuch as she has a knack for hiring competent staff, and the good sense and self-confidence to let them do their jobs. She notes that, in business, “you are only as good as the people that work for you,” a lesson she learned early and never forgot. A visit to Spring River Dispensary seems to bear out all of the above. The gleaming retail space is bustling but orderly, with friendly staff making sure everyone is welcome, tended to and in compliance with all aspects of state law. Many patients are indeed elderly. There are wheelchairs available in the waiting area should a visitor require one. It is notable

as well that when the boss walks in, no one seems to adjust their mannerisms unless it’s to approach Clay-Circle with a question only she has the authority to answer. The team appears confident in their leader, and in her belief in them.

Not to say that Clay-Circle runs a slipshod shop or doles out responsibility haphazardly.

“In a word, intimidating” JD Tucker said when asked about his first impression of Clay-Circle in late 2021.

But intimidation quickly turned to respect as Tucker was not only hired to fix the dispensary’s grow-room problems in the short term, but brought on full time to become the dispensary’s head cultivator, a spot he still holds today.

“Renee is one of the better bosses I’ve ever had in my working career,” he said, noting that the degree of autonomy she gives to him and his staff, as well as the retail team, is “more than any other job I’ve had in this industry.”

That confidence has borne fruit, as Spring River Dispensary is doing a brisk business and Tucker’s grow team — a team that now includes Jordan Cooper, son of Kathy Cooper — is making a name for itself in Arkansas’s medical marijuana industry, taking back to Hardy no fewer than four first-place trophies from the 2024 Arkansas Cannabis Times Big Bud Classic.

Flinty businesswoman she may be, ClayCircle’s affinity for her community has a way of coming through when talking about the roles she plays in Hardy and Sharp County, from coroner to school board member to reserve sheriff to, yes, a leader in the medical marijuana industry. She noted the seismic — and relatively recent — change in how we perceive and regulate marijuana in Arkansas, which is already paying dividends for the elderly, the chronically ill, military veterans and all kinds of folks in between. ClayCircle tends to veer away from talk of profits and touch on matters more civic-minded, seemingly reminiscent of the friend that got her involved in this line of work in the first place.

“I have seen firsthand how marijuana really does help people,” she said. “Life is too short to live with pain if you don’t have to, and I just hope that I can help people to achieve that in a natural way.”

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

HOLIDAY GIFTGUIDE

GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT, WHAT THEY REALLY, REALLY WANT THIS YEAR.

Stay warm, dry and fash ionable with the Honcho Poncho from Therm-aRest or the Alexander Recycled Polar Hood Fleece from Passenger. Swing by Ozark Outdoor this holiday season for these cozy items and find the perfect gift for anyone on your list! Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, 501-664-4832, ozarkoutdoor.com.

BOX TURTLE

Add some flair to your home this holiday season with some of the most recognizable faces in music. These wooden nesting dolls display the iconic men of ‘70s pop music like Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and Prince. 2616 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, shopboxturtle.com.

RHEA DRUG

Stop by Rhea Drug this winter season for grilling gifts any of the men in your life would be thrilled to receive. Whether it’s the Burger Master Cast Iron Press or any number of BBQ Grill spice rubs and seasonings, we have everything you’re looking for this season. 2801 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, 501-663-4131, rheadrugstore.com.

OZARK OUTDOOR

BELLA VITA

Stay stylish this season with this stunning, Art Nouveau necklace from Bella Vita. Sure to excite anyone who receives it and is the perfect gift for the holidays.108 W. 6th St., Suite A, Little Rock, 501-396-9146, bellavitajewelry.net.

THE CROISSANTERIE

Start your day with a cup of your favorite coffee in these delightful mugs from The Croissanterie. Now in West Little Rock and downtown, the options are endless and delicious!14710 Cantrell Road A5, Little Rock, 501-412-4244, thecroissanterielr.com.

THE PUNCHBOWL

Excite the senses of your loved ones with this delightful, antique candle from The Punch Bowl. From French imports to locally sourced treasures, you’re sure gifts unlike any you’ve ever seen before. 1501 Main St., Suite 300, Little Rock.

GASTON’S

There’s nothing like the gift of escape and adventure, so why not let your loved ones find that and more at Gaston’s White River Resort in Lakeview. With their award-winning restaurant and riverside views, you’ll be giving them a completely firstclass experience.1777 River Road, Lakeview, 870-431-5202, gastons.com. THEGIFT OFADVENTURE!

BRAVE NEW RESTAURANT

Do you have a coffee aficionado in your life? Help them start their day with a delightful new coffee mug. While you’re at it, throw in a gift certificate for a delicious night out. 2300 Cottondale Lane, Suite 105, Little Rock, 501663-2677, bravenewrestaurant.com.

Customize your holiday with these unique, Make Your Own Jewelry kits. Give the gift of making a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork you can wear.1608 Main St., Little Rock, 501-5370928,

HOLIDAY SPIRITS &MORE!

LEGACY

AND SPIRITS

Raise a little holiday cheer with these prized gift options from Legacy Wine and Spirits. Enjoy a wide selection of coffee and espresso drink pairs. Grab a festive, flavored cream liquor or a bottle of your favorite champagne to ring in the new year. 16900 Chenal Parkway, Suite 130 Little Rock, 501-821-3700, legacylr.com.

PRECISION DNA SPECIALISTS

Give the gift of personalized health this holiday season with a Nutrition DNA Test! Perfect for anyone looking to kickstart their wellness journey in the new year, this thoughtful and innovative gift provides customized nutrition insights tailored to anyone's unique genetic makeup. Help your loved ones unlock their full health potential and set achievable nutrition and wellness goals for 2024. It's not just a gift — it's a roadmap to a healthier future wrapped in festive cheer! Email for a special discount. info@precisiondnaspecialist.com. 6834 Cantrell Road, Suite 2472, Little Rock, 888-2450290, precisiondnaspecialists.com STOCKING

WINE

WORDSWORTH BOOKS

Forthe readeron yourlist

Literary and delicious, these Open Book Chocolates are the perfect stocking stuffer for the book lover on your list. Find gifts like these and more this holiday season at WordsWorth Books! 5920 R St., Little Rock, 501-663-9198, wordsworthbookstore.com.

THE NATURAL RELIEF

Keep calm and carry on through the holidays with these relaxing picks. Mix Leafology’s Multi-Dose Hot Cocoa mix in with hot chocolate, get cozy with Good Day Farm’s newest seasonal delight, Cranberry Apricot Smash, or find respite with River Valley Relief’s Pumpkin Spice Caramels. 3107 E. Kiehl Ave., Sherwood, 501487-6045, naturalreliefdispensary.com. Products for cardholders only.

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.

CUPID’S LINGERIE

NAUGHTYorNICE?

Join Santa’s little helpers this season with this Fantasy Lingerie set from Cupid’s Lingerie. Keep your name on the naughty list all winter long and stop by Cupid’s today. 3920 W. 65th St., Little Rock, 501-5652020, shopcupids.com.

THE ARLINGTON CELEBRATES NEW YEAR’S EVE AND 100 YEARS!

The Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa is turning 100 years old this New Year’s Eve! Come celebrate our birthday and ring in the new year with old and new traditions.

• Grand Buffet served in the Venetian Dining Room from 5:30-9:30 p.m.

• The Festival Party kicks off at 8 p.m. in the Conference Center with a new Casino Party from 8-11 p.m. and music by The Parker Francis Band until 1 a.m.

• The Gala is held in the Crystal Ballroom, with doors opening at 7 p.m., and includes a 5-course gourmet dinner with wine, access to the Festival and Casino Party, and entertainment by Stardust Big Band until 12:30 a.m.

• Plus, join us on New Year’s Day for our special Birthday Brunch in the Venetian Dining Room from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.!

Purchase tickets or make reservations at www.arlingtonhotel.com/new-years-eve-2024. Room Packages are available by calling 501-623-7771.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER-TURKISH

(Little Rock, AR):

Teach Turkish Lang. courses to secondary sch. students. Bachelor in Turkish Lang or rltd fld + 1 yr exp as Turkish Lang teacher at secondary sch.

Mail res.: LISA Academy, 10825 Financial Centre Pkwy Ste 360 Little Rock, AR 72211, Attn: HR Dept., Refer to Ad#CT

MATH TEACHER

(North Little Rock, AR): Teach Math at secondary sch. Bachelors in Math or Math Edu. +1 yr exp as Math tchr at secondary sch.

Mail res.: LISA Academy, 10825 Financial Centre Pkwy Ste 360. Little Rock, AR 72211, Attn: HR, Refer to Ad#MS

COMPUTER SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR

(Little Rock, AR): Install, configure, and support a local network in a school. Master`s in Comp Sci or Comp Eng.+1 year exp in job or as Comp. Systems Admin in an educ’l inst. Travel is required.

Mail res.: LISA Academy, 10825 Financial Centre Pkwy Ste 360. Little Rock, AR 72211, Attn: HR, Refer to Ad#ES

UAMS

Information Specialist sought by University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR. Bachelor’s, or equiv, in IT, Bus. Analyt., or rel + 1 yr of exp. Standard Screening. Telecommuting permissible. To apply, go to jobs.uams.edu and search for R0064182.

POSTMORTEM

SNAPSHOTS FROM THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER

The Day After Election Day, 4:10 p.m., Gadwall’s Grill, Sherwood. Fresh off a long walk, The Observer stepped into the neighborhood diner just in time to catch the last third of a tale being told behind the bar. Its teller was an energetic middle-aged woman wearing a “WOO PIG SOOIE” T-shirt who kept her hands busy as a liaison between the kitchen and the server station. “The company made both of ’em sign an NDA,” she said, “saying they wouldn’t blast them on social media for losing the engagement ring!”

The story’s audience: another middle-aged woman, one who would occasionally watch something on her phone at a polite but audible volume, and who expressed an appropriate amount of surprise at the engagement photo mishap. A bit of Kamala Harris’ concession speech played, followed by a clip featuring the unmistakable voices of Stephen Colbert and Mo Rocca. Lady Gaga was singing a verse of “Shallow” on the overhead speakers at the diner, her big Broadway belt mashing up with the political comedians as someone emptied a giant tangle of tortilla chips into a warmer.

Earlier That Day, 12:24 p.m., a neighborhood in North Little Rock. The Observer’s neighbor and dear friend, a nearoctogenarian who’d qualify as a liberal firebrand in most circles of Arkansans, described herself as feeling a bit “done.” Fair response, really, if a surprising one from such a vivaciously engaged voter. After all, she’d been throwing a skeptical eye at the patriarchy since The Atomic Age. There’s something to be said for guarding your energy judiciously. And for spending it on people you know and love.

Right After That, But Also for Many Many Years Before That. Everywhere, via Literature and Music and Journalism. Black people reminded us that the 2024 election results tell an older story. And that the country can probably be spared (or at least will benefit little from) our collective shock and our handwringing. That all the taken-aback white people’s takes won’t move any needles.

Even Earlier That Day, 12:10 p.m., in a Hatchback. On the local NPR affiliate, Mitch McConnell was laying out the dollar amounts spent on key Senate races in a litany of states. The numbers were big enough that The Observer couldn't fathom what they’d

look like as cash on a tabletop. So vast they didn’t register. Too far above some threshold of financial imagination, yet surely enough to house and feed a whole bunch of what biblical scripture calls The Least of These. For the first time in months, The Observer hit the scan button on the radio.

An Hour Later, a Neighborhood in Little Rock. The Observer’s new neighbors, a family of four, have a new puppy to go with their new address. The ball of fluff, about the size of a guinea pig, was navigating the relationship between his front legs and his back legs, along with other newfound subjects of study — depth perception, gravity, learning the sound of his own name. One thing he doesn't seem to need any help or guidance navigating: his own predilection to frolic. In fact, it seems downright baked in.

Right After That, Back in the Hatchback. To the Observer’s surprise, the hunk of wires inside the hatchback’s radio hadn’t recoiled from being asked to listen to something besides the news. The hunk obliged. Classic rock. Oblivion is enlightenment. Led Zeppelin's “All of My Love,” followed by Alice Cooper's “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” The Observer wondered about the audience demographics of this particular radio station — and to what degree, if any, the playlist gets customized for the moment. Only moments ago, Cooper’s snarl would have been perfect for the mood in the hatchback, but puppies can do some pretty disruptively blissful things to the human nervous system.

Two Days After the Election, on Spotify. On the podcast that, for the last several weeks, anyway, had kept The Observer squarely in a category of voters called “hyperengaged,” a debriefing of excruciating proportions was unfolding. Puppy endorphins depleted, The Observer listened to political experts roll back the game tape on citizens who voted for someone besides the ridiculously qualified vice president. Citizens who abstained from voting on conviction, a relinquishment of civic duty The Observer would find unconscionable were it not for the country’s complicity in the genocides in Palestine and Lebanon. Democratic pundits pondered whether Bernie Sanders was too harsh in his post-election response, when he said Democrats had

abandoned the working class. About how Bernie's been saying the same damn thing for decades re: money in elections, and yet here we are. About, more broadly, whether the Democratic party is broken, and what the hell to do about it.

Two Days After the Election, in the Silos and Alleyways of Social Media. TikTok, entirely but invisibly curated by the frequency at which The Observer taps her thumb on the glass screen of her phone, was circling around and in and above and beside a set of themes: How we can all boost the signals of Black women thinkers. How absurd it is that we briefly concocted some blue bracelet project to signal to others that we’re safe allies, as if there's a shortcut to disentangling the pitfalls of white privilege, or a Cliff's Notes version of the work of Toni Morrison and Octavia E. Butler we can skim through to absolve ourselves of the election’s impending mess. Sure, we sport a thousand other external signals of our political preferences, in our tote bags and hybrid cars and rainbow polymer clay earrings. But the specificity and the timing of the blue bracelet were just enough to disrupt our thoughts about how and why we signal. Equal parts wary and weary of framing any American moment as a parallel to Nazi Germany, The Observer couldn't help but think how important signals are in fascist and authoritarian countries. Elsewhere on The Meeds, the exodus from Twitter/X, now inextricably cozy with Trump via Elon, seems to have accelerated from a slow drip to a steady trickle, though it’s not clear yet whether it’s ramping up to fire hose proportions. Threads feels like the first half-hour of a junior high school dance, the part where everyone’s feeling each other out, and Bluesky feels like the D&D game happening in the corner.

Five Days After the Election, at a Downtown Church, 11:15 a.m. A congregation whose checkmarks at the ballot box were likely mostly in the “D” column sang Hymn No. 593 at communion. The hymn’s olivebranch-of-unity vibes chafed at The Observer’s sensibilities, puppies notwithstanding: “where there is hate, may we sow love; where there is hurt, may we forgive; where there is strife, may we make one.” The assignment is a troubling one.