eNewsletter February 2024

North Little Rock e-Newsletter February 2024

Provided by Diane Whitbey, City Clerk and Treasurer

declared the day of his death as St. Valentine’s Day. Ancient Matchmakers The celebration surrounding this day actually has roots in an ancient pagan festival that started centuries before Valentine was even alive. Held in Rome each February, part of the event focused on bringing new couples together.

During the festivities, it’s said that boys drew the names of girls from a container. The pairs would stay together during the festival, and some would actually get married when the festival was over. After Pope Gelasius I created St. Valentine’s Day, the festival turned into Found at kids.nationalgeographic.com a Christian celebration that focused on the Here’s why we celebrate friendship on this saint. The Catholic Church doesn’t recognize winter holiday St. Valentine’s Day on its calendar anymore,

By Rose Davidson Candy, flowers, heart-shaped notes—what’s but people throughout the world still celebrate the day. not to like about Valentine’s Changing Traditions Day? This sweet celebration, Valentine’s Day traditions have which happens every year on evolved a lot over the years. For February 14, is all about example, in the Middle Ages— spreading the love. which lasted from the 5th to 15th Romantic Rule Breaker centuries in Europe—people startThe holiday we know today ed exchanging handmade cards got its name from a man with love notes inside. Today bilnamed Valentine. While a few lions of dollars are spent on Valentine’s Day different stories are told about what he did to inspire the holiday, many people believe he’s cards and gifts each year around the world. celebrated for his role as a Roman priest who In a tradition that's also tied to the Middle Ages, South African women actually wear helped couples secretly get married. their hearts on their sleeves ... sort of. Girls As the story goes, Emperor Claudius II pin the names of their crushes on their shirtof Rome—who reigned from the year 268 A.D. to 270 A.D.—banned marriage because sleeves, sometimes revealing themselves as secret admirers to their sweethe thought unmarried men made better solhearts. diers. Valentine thought this was unfair and No matter how you celebrate decided to break the rules and perform marValentine's Day, one thing's for riages anyway. He kept the ceremonies quiet, sure: This is one totally awwbut he was eventually caught and later killed some holiday. on February 14 of the year 270 for defying the emperor. Right before he died, Valentine supCity Offices will be closed Monday, February 19, posedly wrote the first-ever “valentine” to his in observance of George Washington’s and Daisy Bates’ Birthdays jailer’s daughter, with whom he’d fallen in There will be NO DELAY in Garbage/Trash pickup love. Later, in the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I

Valentine’s Day

(i.e. put trash/garbage out on regular day)

“Where’s Mel”? Be the first person to call and tell us where you found Mel this month and win!

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North Little Rock Animal Services

For more information call 501-791-8577

Senior Pets Found at www.avma.org

Thanks to better care, pets are living longer now than they ever have before—but as pets get older, they need extra care and attention. Regular veterinary examinations can detect problems in older pets before they become advanced or life-threatening, and improve the chances of a longer and healthier life for your pet.

When does a pet become “senior?”

It varies, but cats and small dogs, are generally considered “senior” at seven years of age. Larger breed dogs tend to have shorter life spans compared to smaller breeds and are often considered senior when they are five to six years of age. Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not age at a rate of seven human years for each year in dog years.

younger age, it may be easier for you to communicate with your pet as his/her hearing worsens with age. Simple gestures such as “come” or “stop” can allow you to safely retain control of your pet without the use of words.

Pets with poor sight or even blindness can get around well in familiar environments. If your pet’s eyesight is failing, avoid rearranging or adding furniture or other items that could become obstacles.

Changes in activity If your pet is starting to avoid active playing or running Cat Years Human Yrs Dog Years Human Yrs or if he/she has trouble with daily activities such as jumping up on his/her favorite chair or into the family car, he/ 7 54 7 44 to 56 she may have arthritis. A pet with arthritis may also show 10 63 10 56 to 78 irritation when touched or petted (especially over the arthritic areas), and may seem more depressed or 15 78 15 76 to 115 grouchy. There may be other reasons for these changes; 20 97 have your pet examined by your veterinarian to deter20 96 to 120 mine the cause of the problems. Veterinarians have acAge: Estimated Human Equivalents for Older Pets cess to many therapies to help manage your pet’s arthriDogs: small 0—20 lbs; medium 21-50 lbs; tis, and simple changes in your home such as orthopedic large 51-90 lbs; very large: > 90 lbs pet beds, raised feeding platforms, stairs and ramps may Age is not a disease also help your older pet deal with arthritis.

Although senior pets may develop age-related probChanges in behavior lems, good care allows them to live happy, healthy and Behavior changes in your pet can serve as the first indiactive lives in their years. Regular veterinary examinacators of aging. These changes might be due to discomtions can detect problems in older pets before they befort or pain (arthritis, etc.) or worsening sight or hearing, come advanced or life-threatening, and improve the but they may also be due to the normal aging process. chances of a longer and healthier life for your pet.

Some behavior changes in older pets may be due to What problems are more common in senior pets? cognitive dysfunction, which is similar to senility in peoWhile it’s easy to spot the outward signs of aging such ple. as graying haircoat and slower pace, it’s important to How does weight affect senior pets? remember a pet’s organ systems are also changing. An Weight can have a tremendous effect on an older pet’s older pet is more likely to develop diseases such as healthy. Obesity in older pets increases the risk of arthriheart, kidney and liver disease, cancer or arthritis. Can- tis, difficulty breathing, insulin resistance or diabetes, cer accounts for almost half of the deaths of pets over 10 heart disease, high blood pressure, skin problems canyears of age. Dogs get cancer roughly the same rate as cer and other conditions. An overweight pet may not humans, while cats have a somewhat lower rate. It is show any early warning signs of health problems, so normal for pets to lose some of their sight and hearing regular visits to your veterinarian are recommended. as they age, similar to humans. Older pets may develop Once your veterinarian evaluates your pet’s condition, cataracts and they may not respond as well to voice he or she can recommend a proper diet and suggest commands. If you teach your pet hand signals at a Continued on page 5...

Need a new addition to your family?

Call 501-791-8577 ...we’ve got the perfect companion for you!

Our shelter is full of dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in need of a furever home. Please consider adopting a shelter pet for your next pet.

Don’t shop! Please adopt!

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North Little Rock Fire Department

Proved by North Little rock Chief Fire Marshal Brent Almon

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Animal Services— Incoming: Dog 160/ytd 2,114 Cat 36/ytd 1,037 Other 3/ytd 36 Adopted: Dog 50/ytd 561 Cat 31/ytd 684 Other 1/ytd 27 Reclaim: Dog 31/ytd 337 Cat 0/ytd 12 Sanitation—Garbage and yard waste crews collected 0/ytd 1 2,293.25 tons (4,586.50 lbs) of household garbage, rubbish Other Euthanized: and junk. Yard Waste crews also collected 104 loads Dog 66/ytd 1,153 (2,928.00 cubic yards) of green waste. Leaf crews picked 16/ytd 305 up 118 loads (3,799.94 cubic yards). 327 waste tires picked Cat Other 0/ytd 3 up. Sanitation Code performed 20 inspections, 11 reinspections and issued 11 notices for non-compliance. No Service calls: 493/ytd/7,198 citations were issued in December. $150 collected for non- Citations: 56/ytd 611 compliance (excessive debris, move-outs, illegal dumping). Vouchers (spay/neuter) issued: 32/ytd 559 Curbside recycling tonnage was 122.95.

NLR Electric— Traffic Services—Barricade Permits—95, AR One Call— Customers: 39,957 42, Signs/Post replaced–31, City Vehicles marked with Revenue: $7,093,099 logo—13.

Peak Demand: 113,887 kW Police—violent crime up slightly, property crimes continue Territory: 60 square miles RS (Residential Solar) Net Meter Customers: a downward trend. Sergeant Josh Forney graduated from the School of Law Enforcement Supervision at the Criminal 384 completed, 55 pending Justice Institute. Officer Tyler Louden was promoted to Ser- Total RS solar panel capacity: 2,484.2 kW Average RS solar panel capacity: 7.57 kW geant and will be assigned to Patrol. The first joint Police Residents with solar arrays larger than 10 kW: 67 Academy for 2024 began January 8. Total personnel 179 Total capacity of with 9 vacancies. customer-owned Fire—1,224 incidents, 60% Rescue & EMS, 15% Good Intent Call, 12% Service Call, 6% False Alarm, On January 22, 5% Fire.

2024, Mayor Hart3,838 Fire Training hours. 158 Building Surveys. wick released the Emergency Services/911—Incoming calls: 4,494— 2023 State of the non-911 calls, 5,728—911 calls, 524—abandoned City report. In the 911 calls. report highlights included what the Planning—699 inspections, covered over 4,812 city team has acmiles within city. 100 HVAC, 191 Plumbing, 244 Eleccomplished by trical, 164 Building inspections. 6 sign permits, 0 banworking together. ner permits, 7 demolition permits, 8 new single-family permits—average $247,551, 27 residential remodel The March 31, 2023 tornado caused an enormous permits—average $38,076, 0 residential addition permits, 2 amount of destruction in our city. Our city team of employnew commercial permits—average $2,510,000, 4 commerees came together and worked with residents, business cial remodel permits—average $135,082, 0 new multiowners and many outside organizations. Within the hour family permit, 0 new multi-family units. people were helping people.

Code Enforcement—no report.

A couple of months ago the Burns Park Fire Station opened. The department also broke ground on the site of Parks and Recreation—Winterized Parks restrooms and the former Argenta School at 13th and Main Street in water fountains, opened Soccer Complex, Winter Break preparation for the new Central Fire Station Camp held, Tiny Tot Basketball Championship held at Drainage and flooding issues along Faulkner Lake Road Glenview Recreation Center, North Heights hosted a toy were corrected. giveaway. Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum—478 visiPark Hill Jumpstart project was completed. tors, 1 birthday party for 6 year old with 10 guests, SubmaEconomic Development continues to thrive across our rine Christmas Party—40 people and Pearl Harbor Recity. membrance Event—150 attendees.

Continued on page 5...

Mayor Terry C. Hartwick holds a monthly department head meeting.

Department heads provide a report of activities, projects, and accomplishments.

Senior Center—in December 7,416 members visited with 429 being the highest one-day total. 58 new members. 607 volunteer hours. Trips included Sherwood Lights and Barn Hill.

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Monthly Financial Report—November 2023 Revenues Miscellaneous $ 34,336 Licenses & Permits $ 172,909 Property Tax $ 3,423,902 Intergovernmental $ 66,195 Franchise Fees $ 353,819 Local Option Sales Tax $ 5,539,013 Charges for Services $ 165,302 Fines & Fees $ 140,008 Interest Income $ 107,922 Net Transfers ($ 1,654,623) Total $ 8,348,783 Expenditures Administration Animal Shelter Special Appropriations City Clerk Emergency Services/911 Finance Fire Health Legal 1st Court 2nd Court Human Resources Planning Police Code Enforcement Public Works Neighborhood Services Sanitation Vehicle Maintenance Senior Citizens Center Communications Fit 2 Live Total

$ 64,049 $ 75,726 $1,307,968 $ 34,754 $ 216,968 $ 116,851 $1,870,545 $ 6,030 $ 65,033 $ 50,629 $ 39,830 $ 81,203 $ 84,766 $3,026,363 $ 101,631 $ 114,991 $ 33,634 $ 466,337 $ 106,145 $ 89,440 $ 25,013 $ 15,395 $7,993,301

North Little Rock Leaf Vacuums continue to run Monday through Friday if it is not raining or snowing, etc..

Leaves must be within 6 feet of the curb NOT in the street or gutter.

Leaves should not be mixed with any other green waste or trash.

Leaves cannot be picked up if they are blocked by vehicles or other obstacles.

Rain or inclement weather may cause delays.

Bagged leaves will be picked up weekly.

For information please call 501-371-8345.

North Little Rock City Offices will also be closed Monday, February 19, 2024 in observance of George Washington’s Birthday and Daisy Bates Day

...continued from page 2... other steps to help your pet maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Sudden weight loss in an older pet is also a source for concern, especially in cats. Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), diabetes and kidney disease are common causes of weight loss in senior cats. If you notice any sudden changes in your older pet’s weight, contact your veterinarian.

Should new pets be introduced into the home as older pets age?

It may be tempting to introduce a new pet into the home as your pet gets older, but you should consult with your veterinarian before adding a puppy or kitten. Ideally, a new pet should be introduced when your older pet is still active and can move away from the younger animal if he/she needs a “time-out.” Senior pets need to know they have a quiet, secure place where they can walk away and rest, undisturbed, in comfort.

Common behavior changes in older pets that may be signs of cognitive dysfunction:  Easily disturbed by loud sounds  Unusually aggressive behavior  Increased barking/meowing  Anxiety or nervousness  Confused or disoriented behavior  Increased wandering  Housing soiling (“accidents”)  Changes in sleep patterns  Less interest in playing  Repeating the same actions  Not responding to voice commands  More grouch or irritable than usual ...continued from page 4…

Burns Park projects: Pickleball, softball fields, soccer roads, playground and pavilions were either constructed or repaired and reopened.

New Businesses: Magnolia Skillet, Whataburger, Renowned Music, Park Hill, Glamour Nails, Chipotle, 7 Brew (several locations) and Draft and Table.

Road and Bridge: in Ward 2—Manhattan Road and Bridge awarded $87.3 million widening project by the Arkansas Department of Transportation on the west end of I-630.

Central Commerce Center Industrial Park built a new tilt-wall industrial business park in the city. The center features convenient truck court access, abundant dock high loading, desirable clear height and span, interstate frontage and visibility, and additional land for yard or future expansion.

Lowe’s Distribution Center: 1.2 million square foot bulk distribution warehouse on 115 acres—300 new jobs.

Hale Trailer, Brakes and Wheel Inc built a 26-acre facility at the corner of Industry Drive and I-440.

Safe Foods expanded their organic food wash location which now includes a new 55,000 square dock packaging facility and warehouse that will allow Safe Foods to manufacture 19 additional product lines for PSSI that will be used to protect customers from foodborne illness—20 new jobs.

Federal Metals average salary $49,282. $17,840,000 in investment in facility will create 40 jobs within 4 years.

Projected in 2024: Resorts at Rockwater, Dollar General Distribution Center, CFS Technologies, Pella Windows and Doors expansion, Dormitories at Shorter College, Maly’s Entertainment District, Baptist Health Rose City Clinic, Ace Glass and Recycling. 5

Bad Habits That Can Hurt Your Brain Found at webmd.com/alzheimers Medically Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD and Jennifer Robinson, MC

You Miss Out on Sleep You do a few things you know you shouldn’t -- we all do.

But some of those bad habits can take a toll on your brain.

For example, lack of sleep may be a cause of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. It's best to have regular sleeping hours. If you have trouble with sleep, avoid alcohol, caffeine, and electronics in the evening, and start a soothing bedtime ritual.

You Have Too Much Alone Time Humans are wired for social contact. It’s not about how many Facebook friends you have -- what matters is a real You Don’t Move Enough sense of connection. People who have that with even just The longer you go without regular exercise, the more a few close friends are happier and more productive. likely you are to have dementia. You’re also more likely to They’re also less likely to suffer from brain decline and get diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure -- all Alzheimer’s. If you feel alone, call some friends or start of which may be linked to Alzheimer’s. You don’t have to something new -- salsa dancing, tennis, bridge -- that instart running marathons -- a half-hour in the garden or a volves other people. brisk walk around the neighborhood will work. The imYou Eat Too Much Junk Food portant thing is to get at least 150 minutes of moderate Parts of the brain linked to learning, memory, and mental exercise each week. health are smaller in people who have lots of hamburgers, You Still Smoke fries, potato chips, and soft drinks in their diet. Berries, It can shrink your brain -- and that’s not a good thing. It whole grains, nuts, and green leafy vegetables, on the makes your memory worse and makes you twice as likely other hand, preserve brain function and slow mental deto get dementia, including Alzheimer’s. It also causes cline. So next time you start to reach for a bag of chips, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure. grab a handful of nuts instead.

You Overeat You Blast Your Headphones If you eat too much food -- even the right kind of food -With your earbuds at full volume, you can permanently your brain may not be able to build the strong network of damage your hearing in only 30 minutes. But it’s not just connections that help you think and remember. Overeat your ears: Hearing loss in older adults is linked to brain for too long and you may get dangerously overweight, problems, such as Alzheimer’s and loss of brain tissue. which can cause heart disease, diabetes, and high blood This may be because your brain has to work so hard to pressure -- all linked to brain problems and Alzheimer’s. understand what’s being said around you that it can’t store You Stay in the Dark Too Much what you’ve heard into memory. So turn it down -- no If you don’t get enough natural light, you may get delouder than 60% of your device’s maximum volume -- and pressed, and that can slow your brain. Research also try not to listen for more than a couple of hours at a time. shows that sunlight helps keep your brain working well.

Super easy recipe for cold weather soup!

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Found at tasteofhome.com/recipes

Ingredients: 1/2 pound Italian sausage links, casings removed, Crumbled (can use Italian turkey links instead) 1 small onion, chopped 1-1/2 tsp canola oil 1 garlic clove, minced 2 cups water 1 can (15.5 ounces) Great Northern beans (rinsed and drained 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced Tomatoes (undrained) 1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth 3/4 cup uncooked macaroni 1/4 tsp pepper 1 cup fresh spinach leaves (cut if desired) 5 tsps. Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions: —In a large saucepan, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain, remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, sauté onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer.

—Add the water, beans, tomatoes, broth, macaroni and pepper; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until macaroni is tender, 8—10 minutes.

—Reduce heat to low, stir in sausage and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted, 2-3 minutes. Garnish with cheese.

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PotHoles

This seemed like a timely topic since roads across the state have been plagued with potholes following the early January winter weather (temperatures in the single digits, snow compacted into ice, and traffic.

So what is a pothole?

The article below was found at Wikepedia.org

A pothole is a depression in a road surface, usually asphalt pavement, where traffic has removed broken pieces of the pavement. It is usually the result of water in the underlying soil structure and traffic passing over the affected area.

Water first weakens the underlying soil; traffic then fatigues and breaks the poorly supported asphalt surface in the affected area. Continued traffic action ejects both asphalt and the underlying soil material to create a hole in the pavement.

Formation According to the US Army Corps of Engineers' Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, pothole formation requires two factors to be present at the same time: water and traffic. Water weakens the soil beneath the pavement while traffic applies the loads that stress the pavement past the breaking point. Potholes form progressively from fatigue of the road surface which can lead to a precursor failure pattern known as crocodile (or alligator) cracking.

Eventually, chunks of pavement between the fatigue cracks gradually work loose, and may then be plucked or forced out of the surface by continued wheel loads to create a pothole.

In areas subject to freezing and thawing, frost heaving can damage a pavement and create openings for water to enter. In the spring, thaw of pavements accelerates this process when the thawing of upper portions of the soil structure in a pavement cannot drain past still-frozen lower layers, thus saturating the supporting soil and weakening it.[3] Potholes can grow to several feet in width, though they usually only develop to depths of a few inches. If they become large enough, damage to tires, wheels, and vehicle suspensions is liable to occur. Serious road accidents can occur as a direct result, especially on those roads where vehicle speeds are greater.

Left is an example of Crocodile crackling showing moisture seepage, a sign of a weakened soil structure beneath the failed asphalt

Left small potholes, showing isolated failures of the pavement and its subsurface structure.

Left pothole showing presence of water in soil structure.

How can you help?

North Little Rock covers 60 square miles. As you can imagine, we have a lot of paved surfaces!

If you see a pothole please call the North Little Rock Street Department at 501-340-5355 or email NLRStreet@northlittlerock.ar.gov to report it. The North Little Rock Street Department will repair roads on city streets.

If the pothole is on a state highway (see list to right), reach out to the Arkansas Highway Department (ARDot) at 501-569-2000.

You can also visit their website at idrivearkansas.com, scroll down to Report a Pothole, then click on Ask ARDOT. You can set up an account (your email address and personal password). After that, go to Submit and Inquiry, login, then Submit. Then just fill in the questions asked followed by a description of the issue.

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one thing—many employers hire seniors for various types of service-oriented work. And if you’ve built an emergency fund containing several months’ worth of living expenses, now might be the time to tap into it. You also might need to start withdrawing funds from your IRA and 401(k), though, ideally, you’d like to delay this move as long as possible, as these withdrawals may be taxable.

Health Insurance—Health insurance can be a major concern if you face an unexpectedly early retirement.

Once you’re 65, you’ll be eligible for Medicare, but what if you haven’t reached that age? Through the COBRA legislation, you might be able to remain on your employerbased health insurance for a while—typically 18 months after your job ends. However, COBRA is expensive. If you’re qualified, you might have to pay the entire premium How Would You Handle for coverage, up to 102% of the cost of the plan, according Forced Early Retirement? to the U.S. Department of Labor. If you’re married, you

By Tommy Howard—Edward Jones Financial Advisor might be able to get on your spouse’s health insurance, Found in the Daily Record but if this option isn’t available, you could explore a MarWhen you plan to retire at a certain age, you can follow a ketplace plan by visiting the healthcare.gov website. strategy that incorporates your investment moves, your Social Security—A forced early retirement could affect health insurance and other factors. But what happens if your decision on when to start taking Social Security. you’re forced to retire earlier than you anticipated?

You’re eligible to begin collecting payments at 62, but your Unfortunately, this situation is not that uncommon. About checks will be considerably bigger if you wait until your full 40% of Americans say they have been forced into retireretirement age, which is likely 67, depending on when you ment, according to a recent survey from Edward Jones were born. If your sudden retirement puts you in a real and Morning Consult, a research firm. If this were to hap- cash crunch, you might have to start taking payments repen to you because of a layoff, company downsizing or a gardless of your age, but if you have enough in savings, or health issue, would you be prepared to maintain your life- your spouse’s income is enough to keep you afloat, you style today—and in the future? may want to wait as long as possible so you can get the Everyone’s situation is different. If your forced retirement larger checks. Of course, if your retirement comes while happened only a short time before you actually expected you’re still several years away from Social Security eligibilto retire, you might not need to take any steps at all. But if ity, you won’t have to make this now-or-later decision right it was a matter of a year or more, you may need to look away. into the following areas: Being forced to retire before you planned can certainly Cash flow—Obviously, a sudden unexpected loss of be challenging. But by looking at the options available to employment will affect your cash flow. And if yours was you, in terms of finances and health insurance, you may the only source of income for your household, the situation well find choices that can help you minimize the disruption could be especially concerning. Still, you may well have to your life. options that can help. You might find a part-time job, for For more information visit www.edwardjones.com Roadside stands. If you see someone set up in a parking lot selling items from a vehicle (like bouquets or On the previous page we covered how you can help the watermelons, call the City Clerk/Treasurer’s Office. Our city by reporting pothole locations. There are many other Enforcement Officer will go by and issue a citation. 501975-8617 ways you can help us help you!

Door to Door Solicitors. If someone comes to your When you are in a city that encompasses the footprint door during normal business hours, please check with NLR does, you rely on folks reporting their concerns or the City Clerk’s Office to make sure they are permitted to issues. operate in our city. If it is afterhours, please call 911. Do Here are some issues you can help us with! not let someone you do not know into your home.

Vacant buildings (house/commercial). If you see a vacant property, reach out to the NLR Code Enforcement Suspicious person(s). If someone comes to your door that you do not know or makes you uncomfortable, Department. They can send out an Enforcement Officer please call 911. who will determine if the building needs to be secured, Dumping or overflowing Dumpsters. If you see signs condemned, etc. 501-791-8581 Street light out. If you see a nonworking street light, of dumping/overflow, please reach out to the NLR Sanitation Department. 501-371-8340 call the NLR Electric Department. They will send out a staff member to determine if the light is bad or if there is Unsheltered Community. If you see someone from an issue with the fixture. In some cases, a light might be the Unsheltered Community in need of help, please reach out to our Unsheltered Community Liaison Shay on private property and paid for by the owner. 501-372Cobbs. 501-975-8780 0100 Loitering. If you see people loitering in the street who Animals. If you see animals running at-large, please call NLR Animal Services at 501-791-8577. appear to be endangering themselves or vehicle traffic, Mayor’s Office. Other concerns. 501-975-8601 8 please call the Police Department. 911

Other ways we can make our city (North Little Rock) a great place to live!

Did you know… ...the city has a section on the website under Contact Us where you can Report an Issue or Request a Repair!

Go to nlr.ar.gov/contact-us/ or go to our main page (nlr.ar.gov) then select contact us. Either way, once you select contact us you will be taken to a page that includes information and a form at the bottom of the page where a question or concern will be directed to the appropriate department. Link: https://nlr.ar.gov/311 If you do not want to complete a form, just scroll down to the block North Little Rock Contact Information.

You will find a block with department information.

The first column contains the name of the department if you “click here”, you will be taken to the department head and page there are a few departments where you will click to go to the Department’s page.

The second column contains the name of the elected official or department head.

The third column contains a contact number.

The fourth column contains the email address for the elected official or department head.

Below this block is a FAQs section with answers to a few frequently asked questions.

If you decided to complete the form, there is also a way to add photos!

Finally, be sure you include an email address or your phone number in case additional information is needed.

North Little Rock City Offices will be closed Monday, February 19, 2024 in observance of George Washington’s Birthday and Daisy Bates Day There will be NO DELAY in Garbage and Trash pick up… (regular schedule) 9

Peddlers Permit City of North Little Rock Issued to: Mel Dun Issued: 1/2/2024 Expires: 4/3/2024

If you or a loved one have items you think might have a historic value to our city, please consider donating them to the North Little Rock History Commission. Accepted items will be maintained in their archives.

For more information, call 501-371-0755 or email nlrhistory@comcast.net.

Sex: Male Eyes: Brown Hair: Dun Height: 15 hands Employer: Equine sunglasses Type of Goods Sold: Sunglasses for horses City Clerk and Treasurer Diane Whitbey By: _SAMPLE ONLY— only valid with signature ____________________________ Deputy City Clerk / Treasurer, Revenue

To see a list of issued permits, visit the city website at nlr.ar.gov, then click City Departments and scroll down to City Clerk and Treasurer. Look for the dark box and click on Current Door to Door Peddlers.

To see an individual ID/Permit, click on the person’s name. All licensed door-to-door peddlers are required to have the ID issued by the City Clerk’s Office with them at all times. **Currently, we have 3 permitted door to door solicitors. 2 with Edward Jones and 1 with the Arkansas Democrat/Gazette.

All persons doing business of any kind within the city limits of North Little Rock are required to have a Business/Privilege License. This includes home-based such as lawn care or internet sales. **If a business operates 1 day into the new year, it is required to obtain a business license at the full fee.** All 2023 NLR Business Licenses expired December 31, 2023. A grace period is allowed for renewals in 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact the North Little Rock City Clerk’s Office at 501-975-8617.

North Little Rock Tourism wants to help promote your upcoming events! Visit www.NorthLittleRock.org or call Stephanie Slagle (Director of Marketing) at stephanie@northlittlerock.org or 501.404.0378 to submit your events.

If someone does business within our city limits, they are required to have a city business license. If you operate out of your home you are required to have a business license.

If you operate a mobile business you are required to have a business license.

Insured and Bonded. Make sure you do your homework on anyone you are thinking about doing business with.

Check to see if the person working for you has a state license (if required) city license (required), and insurance bond (to cover any damages that may occur on your property.

ALL PERSONS DOING BUSINESS OF ANY KIND IN THE CITY OF NORTH LITTLE ROCK ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A CITY BUSINESS LICENSE Below is a list of a few new questions...

Q&A...I have a business license in Conway? No, you don’t. The City of Conway and a few others around the state do not require a business/privilege license. You may obtain a business license from any city or town within the state that does require a business license and it should be honored by others cities.

Q&A...If my business is physically located in North Little Rock, can I get a business license in Sherwood instead?

You could, however, if you have a brick and mortar location in North Little Rock you will have to get a North Little Rock Business License as well.

Q&A...I want to make and sell my crafts online, do I need a license? Yes. You are creating a product to sell for profit. A License is required.

Q&A...Can I have a yard/carport/garage sale at my home?

Yes, one is permitted per quarter (or every 3 months). More than that is considered a business and requires zoning and a license.

What happens if I do business without a license? You will be issued a citation and have to appear in court. You are then subject to a fine and any court costs associated with the same. Failure to appear could result in a warrant and revocation of your driver’s license.

If you want to check to see if a business is licensed with us, please call 501-975-8617.

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North Little Rock City Council Schedule

City Offices located at 700 West 29th

Construction and Building Services 501-975-8881 The North Little Rock City Council meets the Mary Beth Bowman

2nd and 4th Monday of each month at 6:00 501-975-8802 p.m. in the City Council Chamber s in City Finance, Ember Strange Hall (300 Main Street, North Little Rock).

Fit 2 Live, LaKaisha Shelby 501-442-7406 For more information, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 501-975-8617 or email Diane Human Resources, Betty Anderson 501-975-8855 Whitbey at Dwhitbey@nlr.ar.gov.

The City Council Agenda can be found at Legal, Amy Fields, City Attorney 501-975-3755 nlr.ar.gov, then click on the Elected Officials Planning, Shawn Spencer 501-975-8835 tab, followed by City Council then scroll to upcoming City Council Agenda.

Ward 1

City Council Members

Utility Payment Assistance and Other Numbers

Debi Ross Nathan Hamilton

501-753-0733 501-952-7679

Ward 2

Linda Robinson Maurice Taylor

501-945-8820 Little Rock Catholic Charities...501-664-0640 ext 459 501-690-6444

Ward 3

Steve Baxter Ron Harris

501-804-0928 501-758-2877 Watershed……..………………………..501-378-0176

Ward 4

Charlie Hight 501-758-8396 Helping Hand of Arkansas……………. 501-372-4388 Vince Insalaco III 501-951-0786

Central AR Development Council……..501-603-0909

Saint Francis House…………………....501-664-5036

River City Ministries…………………….501-376-6694

Other Elected Officials

Arkansas Metro………………………....501-420-3824 Arkansas Food Bank…………………...501-565-8121

Mayor Terry C. Hartwick

501-975-8601

City Clerk/Treasurer Diane Whitbey 501-975-8617 City Attorney Amy Fields

501-975-3755

Dist Court Judge Randy Morley

501-791-8562

Dist Court Judge Paula Juels Jones

501-791-8559

American Red Cross…………………...501-748-1021 Salvation Army………………………….501-374-9296

Telephone Numbers for City Hall

Mayor’s Office…………………501-975-8601 Terry C. Hartwick

City Clerk & Treasurer………..501-975-8617 Diane Whitbey

North Little Rock Curbside Recycling Communications………………501-975-8833 Shara Hutchcraft schedule for the month of February 2024.

Relations…………….501-975-8605 January 29—February 2, recycle External Margaret Powell February 5—9 no pickup Revenue Enforcement………. 501-975-8612 February 12—16 recycle Officer Jim Scott February 19-23 no pickup Special Projects/DEI………….501-975-3737 February 26-29 recycle Arnessa Bennett 11

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February Birthdays Name

Dept

Date

Name

Dept

BROOM, WILLIAM

Fire

ALLEN IV, HARRY

Date

1

RUSSELL, CHARDAY

Parks Maint

14

Electric

2

RALSTON, JOSEPH

Parks Golf

14

DEEMS, TAYLOR

Electric

2

WILLIAMS, TERRENCE

Electric

15

LEWIS, ALLIE

Police

2

YANCEY, CYNTHIA

Fire

15

LAWRENCE, TYLER

Police

2

WILLIAMS, HEATH

Fire

15

PENNINGTON, FREDRICK

Parks Maint

2

KNOX, PHILICIA

Electric

16

WHITBEY, DIANE

City Clerk/Treasurer

4

DUNLAP, MARTIN

Electric

17

MUNDY, BENJAMIN

Fire

4

YOUNG, BRANDON

Fire

17

COX, JOSHUA

Fire

4

FOWLER, CONSTANCE

Senior Center

17

HERNANDEZ, DANIEKA

Police

4

PARKER, GLENDA

Parks Recrea on

17

GRAY, PHILIP

Police

4

RODRIGUEZ, NICHOLAS

Police

19

THOMASON, JOSHUA

Police

4

DRUMMOND, YARKIEVEN

Street

19

MCHENRY, FELECIA

Code Enforcement

4

SEIGRIST, SAMUEL

Parks Maint

19

GILMORE, VANESSA

Senior Center

4

BENTON, BRIAN

Electric

20

CRAMER, SHANE

OES/911

6

KING, GABRIEL

Electric

20

HAMMONS, PHILLIP

Police

6

JOHNSON, MELINDA

2nd Court

20

HOPKINS, JEFFREY

IT

6

THOMAS, KATELYN

City Clerk/Treasurer

21

LEACH, LAUREN

Animal Shelter

7

KIRKENDOLL, DOYLE

Fire

21

BROWN, ANTHONY

Electric

7

SHEFFIELD, GARY

Street

21

MORENO, CHRISTOPHER

Fire

7

LEASE, ZACHRY

Police

22

WILLIAMS, LINDA

Electric

8

HOOKS, JAMES

Fire

23

RUMMEL, ERNEST

Street

8

MILLER, BRIAN

Fire

23

VANG, PAJAI

Electric

9

EASTERLING, LOGAN

Public Works

23

JOHNSON, JOHNNY

Street

9

ANDERSON, KYRA

OES/911

24

SMALLING, TODD

Parks Maint

9

DAVIS, TERRY

Electric

24

MAHAN, TELINA

Parks Maint

9

LEHMAN, JUSTIN

Fire

24

WALLIS, DANA

Electric

10

ISBELL, MALEKE

Animal Shelter

25

TOZER, MARK

Police

10

HOOPS, HEATH

Fire

25

DERRICK, ZACHERY

Electric

11

REID, JAMES

Fire

25

NELSEN, GEOFFREY

Vehicle Maint

11

CROSS, PAUL

Police

26

TUCKER, GERALD

Fire

12

GOURLEY, ZACHARY

Parks Maint

26

MODDRELL, LINDA QUINT, JESSICA

Police IT

12 13

OSBORNE, STEVEN BROWN, ISAARIA

OES/911 Electric

27 27

DIGBY, ROBERT

Electric

14

WELTER, DOUGLAS

Fire

27

PRITCHARD, DAGNY

Electric

14

MATTOX, DAVID

Police

27

RICHARDSON, LESLIE

Traffic

14

MAYFIELD, FLOYD

Sanita on

27 13

February Anniversaries Name THOMAS, CHARLOTTE CAPLINGER, DEBORAH EVERETT, AUSTIN SCOTT III, JIM CRAMER, SHANE RAEBURN, DANA HOYT, RICHARD MILLER, JAMES THOMAS, CHERYL NOLES, KEVIN MCCOURT, KEITH HEINRICHS, ERIC REYNOLDS, DAVIN WEED, MICHAEL COMBS, JEFFREY PIERCE, ALANA PATTON, CHRIS KIRKENDOLL, DOYLE DOUGAN, SHANE BRADLEY, CHRISTOPHER COOK, MICHAEL BROOM, WILLIAM HADDOCK, TYSON MILLER, BRIAN THOMAS, BRIAN SPECKELS, SEAN PLATT, COREY WILLIAMS, KEITH WILDER, MONICA PERALTA, MAGDALENA DUGGAN, SEAN BERRYMAN, SEAN

Dept Admin Animal Shelter Animal Shelter City Clerk/Enforcement OES/911 Electric Electric Electric Electric Electric Electric Electric Finance Finance Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire 1st Court 2nd Court HR Planning Police

# Yrs 50 2 2 34 1 16 2 4 9 19 3 28 1 22 19 27 19 5 18 18 18 12 17 18 17 12 12 2 6 4 1 1

Name SPAFFORD, TODD HERNANDEZ, RAGAN HUMPHRIES, TODD HOUSE, JACOB THOMAS II, DAVID EDWARDS, JAMES KING, COURTNEY ABEL, CHRISTOPHER STEVENSON, JULIA CALVERT, DAVID THOMASON, JOSHUA GIUSTI, DANTE WILLIAMS, KENNETH SUMMONS, KENNY HENDERSON, JOHNATHON LANE, PATRICK MARTIN, LINCOLN PORTER, GERALD BUIE, ALLEN BROOKS III, SAM ROE, BRANDON JOHNSON, NADIA SONTAG, GARY AUSTIN, DARREN SMALLING, TODD SEIGRIST, SAMUEL ISBELL, PATRICK PETTIT, JAMIE GOURLEY, ZACHARY LEWIS, JOHN LAWRENCE III, JAMES TUSTISON, STACY

Dept Police Police Police Police Police Police Police Police Police Police Police Sanita on Sanita on Sanita on Sanita on Street Street Street Street Street Vehicle Maint Senior Center Parks Maint Parks Maint Parks Maint Parks Maint Parks Maint Parks Maint Parks Maint Parks Maint Parks Maint IT

# Yrs 32 29 28 21 1 7 7 7 7 4 4 4 15 24 6 20 1 8 38 5 1 16 12 1 26 25 8 12 10 4 3 2

Information regarding employee anniversaries and birthdates is provided by Human Resources the prior year (i.e. 2024 was provided in 2023). So if an employee name is on the list that has retired or resigned, please disregard. Also, typos happen! Please let me know if a name is spelled wrong and a correction will be included next month! For employees who leave the city and come back in a different capacity or department, your length of service may change as well. Example, I worked in the Mayor’s Office 10 years, then was elected City Clerk. I have been in the City Clerk’s Office 23 years. My total service with the city is 33 years.

If this scenario applies to you, please email me at least one month before the month of your anniversary month so I can include your total service to the City of NLR! Diane (Dwhitbey@nlr.ar.gov) 14

January 22, 2024, Mayor Terry C. Hartwick presented trophies to the winners of several categories from the 2023 North Little Rock City and Sertoma Club Christmas Parade.

Winners listed below in order presented: Mayor’s Cup—Indian Hills Music Club Chairman’s Choice—The International Order of Mrs. Roper’s Sertoma Club President’s Choice—Deck the Halls—Pink Best Non-Profit—North Little Rock Friends of Animals/Animal Shelter Best Dance/Performing Group—Divine Pearls Dance Team Best Decorated Commercial Business— J Hook Towing Best Beauty Entry— Little Miss Rodeo Best Club Entry— Rust Buckets Off Road Best Marching Group—Meadow Park Elementary More photos on next page...

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See you again December 2024!

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