hot springs
END OF SUMMER BARBEcUE REVIEW PG 22
AUGUST 2014
BACK TO THE BOOKS pg 28
NAUGHTY BAWDY & BLUE PG 16
THE OHIO CLUB PG 6 LIVE VENUE LISTING PG 10 HSHotSpots.com
BATTLING BIG OIL PG 32 #hshotspots
1
Go Outside It increases your odds oF having an adventure #doitwithalocal
us on Facebook
112 Blackhawk Lane • Hot Springs, AR • 501-767-1373 2
hshotspots.com
Open Monday - Friday 9AM - 6PM and Saturday 9AM - 5PM ouachitaoutdooroutfitters.com
Hot Springs Jazz Society Presents
hot springs “Cookin ‘Que Since ‘52”
September 16 - 21
“JAZZ IN THE STREETS”
GUITAR-RAMA
Tue, 7pm - Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa
JAZZ 101
Jazz from Early Roots to Contemporary Style Wed, 6pm – Garland County Library
Shirley Chauvin’s S’WONDERFUL
Sat, 11am - 5pm * FREE
Dizzy 7 * Arkansas Jazz Orchestra ATM w/ Ray Blue on saxophone UAM Jazz Band * Tri-Tones * TwiceSax featuring the first ever
Thur, 6pm – Quapaw Baths & Spa
CLASSICAL/JAZZ EXPLOSION Fri, 7pm – Five Star Theatre
@
4 pm
with Twice
Sa
JAZZ MASS St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
x
Sun, 10:45am – 228 Spring St.
Save on a “Combo Ticket” to attend Guitar-rama, S’Wonderful, and Classical /Jazz Explosion ** $60 Members, $75 Non-Members Elisabeth Wagner Foundation
Morris Foundation
Open 7 Days a Week 11am-8pm As See n On Travel Chann el’s
BBQ C
rawl
F O R T I C K E T S O R M E M B E R S H I P I N F O R M AT I O N HSJazzSociety.org
501-627-2425
HSJazzSociety@gmail.com
3024 Central Avenue Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913 501-624-1552 1-800-36-SAUCE Sauce Shipped Around the World!
www.stubbysbbq.com #hshotspots
3
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
HOT SPRINGS HOT SPOTS EDITOR Jim G. Miller
In Hot Springs there’s not a shortage of people who dedicate their lives to art in some form— chefs, beauticians, magicians, painters, photographers, singers and songwriters, baristas and preachers. As individuals walk downtown Central Avenue and Bathhouse Row, reveling in the satisfaction of a small southern town that’s dedicated twenty-five years to promoting the arts, it gives those of us that live here a unique feeling that can be difficult to transcribe into words. That’s where the poets come in. We give one particular poet, Angie Macri, some press in this August issue, but there are many more who deserve to be highlighted and with time we’ll hopefully be able to do that. This issue highlights the best of bar food, blues, and barbecue to be had in Hot Springs, but we also highlight the importance of literature as young people soon begin returning to school. This issue is about self-expression whether it’s done through a “BBQ Pit,” smoker, a Blues song or a newly published collection of poems. Food and Blues music, words and enlightenment. These are gifts given willingly to entertain and to nourish the body and mind. The end of summer is quickly approaching and as the season dawns our self- awareness expands. In this issue we reflected on several topics we felt were important and we highlighted people and businesses we felt deserved to be highlighted. We also had fun; which is something we always try to do and that can be reflected by the photos featured on the front cover of each copy of our magazine. Since day one our Chief Photographer, Jeremy Rodgers, has taken the photo for the cover of each magazine, and I’ve had the pleasure of assisting him on many shoots. While the connection between what’s on the cover and what’s inside may sometimes be tenuous, our goal is that it’s always appealing. We want to provide information to you about people, places, and events in a fun and creative way unlike anyone else. In a town of artists, this magazine is our collaborative contribution to you. We sincerely hope that you continue to enjoy it.
CREATIVE/ART Marisa Rodgers PHOTOGRAPHY Jeremy Rodgers Robbie Brindley Chris Sale CONTRIBUTORS Samuel Binns Carl Miller Didier Darrigrand Jeff Rosinbaum Kristal Mackey COPY EDITORS Ciara Cerrato Cathy Hicks SALES Darlene Simpson For advertising opportunities: info@rendercreativegroup.com or call 501-620-4520 For editorial queries: Please write to: Hot Springs Hot Spots 801 Central Avenue, Suite 30 Hot Springs, AR 71901 or email info@hshotspots.com BE SOCIAL WITH US LIKE US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/HSHotSpots FOLLOW US ON TWITTER twitter.com/HSHotSpots
4
hshotspots.com
hot springs
EATS BAR BLUES BURGERS
6
THE OHIO CLUB DELIVERS
MUS I C
8
LAST DELTA BLUESMAN THE JOURNEY OF CEDELL DAVIS
ART S FEARING NOTHING
14
POET ANGIE MACRI
G IVI NG NAUGHTY BAWDY & BLUE
16
6 8
22
28
HOT SPRINGS BLUES FEST
IMPAC T BATTLING BIG OIL
32
PROPERTY RIGHTS NOT PIPELINES
WO RT H T HE D R I V E SLICE OF AMERICANA
34 F EATURED
HOPE WATERMELON FESTIVAL
D O N’T M I S S LIVE SHOW LISTINGS
22
TO SLAW OR NOT TO SLAW END OF SUMMER BARBECUE REVIEW
28
BACK TO THE BOOKS LITERARY OPTIONS FOR KIDS AT THE GARLAND COUNTY LIBRARY
10 35 CALENDAR OF EVENTS AUGUST
#hshotspots
5
BAR Blues Burgers
EATS
THE OHIO CLUB DELIVERS
Photography by Chris Sale
Story by Carl Miller
6
hshotspots.com
Sitting in The Ohio Club you are immediately aware of its history. Just look up and you see the beautifully decorative antique tin ceiling that was extremely popular in the mid-nineteenth century. Look back down and you see the massive bar back that was built sometime around 1880. Made of hand-carved mahogany it was discovered in Cincinnati, Ohio by the original owners and shipped by barge down the Mississippi to Memphis and from there it was sent by rail to Malvern. According to the bartender, Kaylin, it was then hauled to Hot Springs by horse-drawn cart over a period of two days and the entire front of the store had to be removed to get it inside. But the history isn’t just about tin and wood. There’s blood and bullets too (if you’ll forgive me for being somewhat melodramatic) as famous gangsters like Al Capone, Ben “Bugsy” Siegel and Charles “Lucky” Luciano frequented the bar. Honestly, there are bullet holes in the ceiling but hopefully there’s not
a lot of blood. And there’s even some song and dance too in the history of The Ohio Club because of customers like Al Jolson, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett. Music continues to be a part of The Ohio Club’s living history. Today it offers music seven nights a week which currently, no other place in town is doing. Back in 1998 the Spa City Blues Society started the Hump Night Blues Jam at The Ohio Club and that tradition continues 16 years later with the Blues Jam Fest every Wednesday night. But this is The Ohio Club so there isn’t just rich history and great music to talk about. There’s food and beer. It’s hard to just pick one burger from their line-up but The Ohio Club Burger is definitely worth writing about. The Ohio Club Burger is a layered construction that starts with pre-seasoned beef and then pepper jack cheese and a spicy mustard are added to give it just enough spicy kick without
overpowering all the flavor. Also on the burger is a large Black and Tan beer battered onion ring and some crispy bacon. It’s served on ciabatta bread which adds an appropriate amount of Italian considering there’s an Al Capone statue outside the front door. The Ohio Club offers a variety of burgers whether it’s the exotic Hawaiian Burger or the good Old Fashioned Burger. And if you’re not into burgers, for some reason, you still have plenty of options as they also offer sandwiches, salads and appetizer plates. As far as beer goes The Ohio Club has all the bases coffered. They offer the usual domestic beers but you also have plenty of craft options like Prairie Birra, Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat, Piney River Black Walnut and plenty of others. There are also some quality import beer choices as Stiegl, Moretti, Guinness and Grolsch, just to name a few. On tap they have ZiegenBock, Blue Moon, 1554. Stella Artois and All Day IPA.
hot springs
LIVE MUSIC AMAZING FOOD
501.627.0702 366 Central Avenue
facebook.com/ohioclub
Professional Tattoo Artists Trey Steelman and Justin Clark
Hours 12pm - 7pm Tuesday - Saturday
909 Central Avenue #hshotspots
7
LAST DELTA BLUESMAN
MUSIC
THE JOURNEY OF CEDELL DAVIS
Photography by Didier Darrigrand
Story by Jim G. Miller
8
hshotspots.com
It all started with a found harmonica and his first strum on a guitar. The child of Helena, Arkansas plantation workers, Cedell Davis developed an insatiable appetite for the Blues in his youth, but his mother thought it was the devil’s music. Not even his mother’s wrath could keep him from playing though, so Davis would hide behind the woodpile or the outhouse to play and avoid getting punished. At age 10 Davis fell victim to polio, leaving him with a paralyzed left hand and only partial use of his right. While this would have normally ended anyone else’s hopes of playing guitar, Davis simply improvised by teaching himself to play using a butter knife as a slide. Traditional Blues is made from the stuff of heartaches, deep mourning, and the troubles of a melancholy past. Living life to its fullest, Davis has had his fair share of troubles. Early in his career, Davis suffered broken limbs and was put in traction after being trampled during a police raid at a St. Louis nightclub. The incident would leave him permanently in a wheelchair, but it did not stop him from continuing to play.
Expressing original soulfulness through profoundly clever lyrics, an ordinary table knife and a guitar, Davis has established a Blues career that has led him to tour around the world. His singing and unique technique with the guitar has allowed him to work alongside some of the best musicians in the recording world. Moving to Pine Bluff in the sixties where he continued to play, he was sidelined briefly after suffering from a stroke that left him unable to play guitar. Finding encouragement from musicians like local Blues guitarist, Zakk Binns, and his father Gregg “Big Poppa” Binns, the 89 year old Davis now lives in Hot Springs and continues singing the Blues.
Lightnin’ Struck the Pine, included contributions from such notable artists as—Peter Buck, the American rock guitarist and co-founder of R.E.M., drummer Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees fame, Scott McCaughey and Alex Veley. The new album reunites Davis with drummer Barrett Martin, president of Sunyata Records, who will be releasing the album. Jimbo Mathus, another Delta music legend, will be producing the album and playing guitar. Zakk Binns will also lend his guitar playing to the album along with bassist Stuart Cole, a founding member of Squirrel Nut Zippers. The album will be distributed through Sony and recorded at Dial Back Sounds in Oxford, Mississippi.
Currently working on what he considers to be the best album of his career, Davis has released previous albums through Fat Possum Records, where his work has reached notable critical acclaim. One of his more popular albums is called Feel Like Doin’ Something Wrong. Produced by Robert Palmer, it was referred to as being a timeless album by Pitchfork magazine. His last album, called When
A determined Bluesman, Davis has doggedly pursued the genre despite everything. It’s just as though he had no other choice but to keep singing the Blues or stop breathing, and the entire music world is just a little bit better for it. If you’d like to catch Cedell Davis perform live you can see him perform at the Copper Penny Pub on August 30th at 9pm.
hot springs
ALBUMS ON REVIEW < bleachers strange desire
Released July 15, 2014 Bleachers is the solo band of New Jersey’s Jack Antonoff, best known as the lead guitarist for Fun, an indie pop band based in New York City. The debut album, Strange Desire, is a clash of modern indie pop and ‘80s synth-heavy instrumentation, forming a nostalgic atmosphere alongside snazzy hooks. Antonoff is faithful to the sound of the ‘80s with the second track, “Rollercoaster,” which seems to follow Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” The centerpiece of the album, “I Wanna Get Better,” features sharp stuttering sounds as Antonoff tries to set himself free from his troubled mind. The surf-rock song “Wake Me” floats to an anthemic climax, providing the perfect atmosphere for the ambient track “Take Me Away.” Yoko Ono’s alluring collaboration on “I’m Ready to Move On” feels out of place, but the restrained experimentalism on “Who I Want You to Love” concludes the album with a sense of composure. The album is a fusion of past and present, capturing the careless and fragile nature of adolescence. Bleachers’ debut is an exhilarating piece of nostalgia, providing listeners with a cascade of compassion for anyone who has endured suffering.
< morrissey world peace is none of your business
Released July 15, 2014 World Peace is None of Your Business is Morrissey’s first album in five years, but his golden baritone vocal style and raw expressiveness remains undiminished. Morrissey, best known as the lead singer of The Smiths, continues to express his glamorous and dreamy melancholy. The album opens with the title track, Morrissey expressing his lack of faith in governments in the straightforward slab of political satire. The shimmering ballad, “I’m Not a Man,” he provides the album with a little introspection alongside the spacey synths, ending the song with startling screeches. Morrissey reveals his misanthropic worldview in “Earth Is the Loneliest Planet of All,” and further introspection is offered on the finale, “Oboe Concerto,” a brilliant musing about mortality. The songs on Morrissey’s newest album are far more vibrant than its dreary predecessor. His multi-instrumentalist sidemen make the album more colorful by bringing many instruments to the table: the didgeridoo, accordion, trumpet, flamenco guitar, and the Turkish lute that resonates throughout “Istanbul.” Although it is nearly 35 years after his debut, Morrissey still rants against injustice, strikes hard without subtlety, and his voice still rises up as if it’s holding on to its only harbor of sanity.
< Slow Club Complete Surrender
Released July 15, 2014 Slow Club’s third album showcases the beautiful simplicity and harmony of Rebecca Taylor’s soulful vocals and Charles Watson’s warm mellow tone. The England-based group feels like a new band, now packing a brass and string section to blend Northern soul, melodramatic indie pop, R&B, and even hints of folk and country. Taylor’s voice is perfect for the quirky opener “Tears of Joy,” and her voice resounds in reverb in the minimalistic “Everything Is New.” The tempo quickens with bursts of brass in the festive “Suffering You, Suffering Me,” and Watson’s warm falsetto on “Number One” meshes seamlessly with Taylor’s hushed vocals sung over wistful piano chords. The nuances of Taylor’s voice are drenched in emotion from each verse as she delivers each line as if she were a method actress in the balled “The Queen’s Noise.” The album drifts to its conclusion as Watson delivers another sense of pleasant melancholy accompanied by downtempo acoustic guitar on “Paraguay and Panama,” and the album leaves you wanting more after hearing the ‘80s synth-pop in “Wanderer Wandering.” The group evokes the essence of Motown, and their sense of identity has allowed them to take a great, glorious step into the world of soul.
Do you agree with our Reviews? Leave your feedback on our reviews at hshotspots.com. Submit your own Reviews! Send your new release album, video or movie reviews to info@hshotspots.com.
Reviews by Samuel Binns #hshotspots
9
LIVE SHOW LISTINGS
VENUES
700 CENTRAL AVE.
EVERY WED
7pm Poetry/open mic/POETRY SLAM
FRI SAT THURS FRI
8/1 KUHS 97.9 BENEFIT SHOW (AR) Experimental 8/2 MOUNTAIN SPROUT (AR) Bluegrass; AMY JO SAVANNAH (AR) Singer-Songwriter 8/7 BRAINING (MO) Noise Rock 8/8 SHAWN JAMES AND THE SHAPESHIFTERS (AR) Blues, Soul; GRAZZHOPPER (OK) Bluegrass, Folk; KEVIN KERBY(AR) Alternative, Indie, Folk SAT 8/9 SIDESHOW TRAGEDY (TX) Blues, Rock; JOHN PAUL KEITH(TN) Rock, Country; ELSA CROSS (TX) Rock, Alt-Country THURS 8/10 Midnight Masses(NY) - Members of And You Will Know Us by The Trail of Dead The Anatomy of Frank (VA) Experimental Rock; Rachel Kate (SC) Fiesty Blues FRI 8/15 BRAVO MAX (TX) Indie; NICK BRUMLEY (TX) Folk SAT 8/16 Captain Nowhere (AR) Instrumental Hard Rock; High Magic (AR) Baroque Rock; Dangerous Idiots (AR) Rock TUES 8/19 SONGWRITER NIGHT: POOR OL’ UNCLE FATTY (AR); ANDY WARR (AR); JOHN CALVIN BREWER (AR) FRI 8/22 ADAM FAUCETT AND THE TALL GRASS (AR) Rock, Folk; BELLE ADAIR (TX) Rock; AMANDA AVERY (AR) Singer-Songwriter SAT 8/23 CULT FICTION (AR) Improv FRI 8/26 STEPHANIE NILLES (LA) Jazz, Post-Punk FRI 8/29 MYA’s MADAMS (AR) Drag Show SAT 8/30 MOTHERFOLK (OH) Folk, Indie Rock; PHIL AJJARAPU ALEX CULBRETH (VA) Alt-Country 305 MALVERN AVE.
EVERY TUES KARAOKE NIGHT 6:30-10pm EVERY FRI/SAT RoCK SOLID (AR) 8:30pm-Midnight; Rock, Party Music sat 10
hshotspots.com
8/16 BUTCH DICUS (AR) 7-9pm; Elvis Impersonator
hot springs
2705 CENTRAL AVE.
EVERY WED
KARAOKE WITH CHUCKY D
7-11pm
LIVE SHOW LISTINGS
FRI/SAT 8/1-2 DELTA DONNIE (AR) 9pm-1am; Southern Rock MON 8/4 JOCKO (AR) 5-8pm; Country, Rock TUES 8/5 RUSTY MARSHALL (AR) 5-8pm; Rock THURS 8/7 CHRISTINE DEMEO (AR) 5-8pm; Singer-Songwriter FRI/SAT 8/8-9 SHANE SIMANTON (AR) 9pm-1am; Blues, Classic Rock MON 8/11 DEAN AGUS (AR) 5-8pm; Rock TUES 8/12 RUSTY MARSHALL (AR) 5-8pm; Rock THURS 8/14 JOHN CALVIN BREWER (AR) 5-8pm; Rock, Blues FRI/SAT 8/15-16 THE TOMMY AKERS BAND (AR) 9pm-1am; Rock MON 8/18 SHANE SIMANTON (AR) 5-8pm; Blues, Classic Rock TUES 8/19 KYNDRYD SPYRiTS (AR) 5-8pm; Rock THURS 8/21 JOCKO (AR) 5-8pm; Country, Rock FRI/SAT 8/22-23 MOONSHINE MAFIA (AR) 9pm-1am; Blues MON 8/25 DELTA DONNIE (AR) 5-8pm; Southern Rock TUES 8/26 CHRISTINE DEMEO (AR) 5-8pm; Singer-Songwriter THURS 8/28 DEAN AGUS (AR) 5-8pm; Rock FRI/SAT 8/29-30 THAT DEVIOUS DUO (AR) 9pm-1am; Rock 101 CENTRAL AVE.
FRI SAT FRI SAT FRI/SAT FRI SAT
8/1 CHRIS ALLEN CRAIG (AR) Rock 8/2 CRASH MEADOWS (AR) Rock 8/8 KYNDRYD SPYRITS (AR) Rock 8/9 USUAL SUSPECTS (AR) Rock 8/15-16 MIKE MAYBERRY (AR) Rock, Blues 8/22 RELENTLESS (AR) Rock 8/23 CODY MOSS (AR) Rock #hshotspots
11
LIVE SHOW LISTINGS
VENUES
910 Higdon Ferry
EVERY SUN EVERY TUES FRI/SAT WED FRI SAT WED FRI/SAT WED FRI/SAT WED FRI SAT FRI/SAT
KARAOKE WITH CHUCKY D TARA RILEY THOMPSON & BRENT FRASIER (AR)
Blues, Rock
8/1-2 PROPHETS & OUTLAWS (TX) Country Soul 8/6 JOCKO (AR) Country, Rock 8/8 CRASH MEADOWS (AR) Rock 8/9 THE SHOTGUN BILLIES (AR) Country, Rock 8/13 LIGHTNIN LEE & DAVID BALL (AR) Blues 8/15-16 GHOST TOWN BLUES BAND (TN) Blues 8/20 JOCKO (AR) Country, Rock 8/22-23 MISTER LUCKY (AR) Classic Rock 8/27 LIGHTNIN LEE & DAVID BALL (AR) Blues 8/29 HEAVY SUGA & THE SWEETONES (MS) Blues 8/30 GHOST TOWN BLUES BAND (TN) Blues 9/5-6 DEVILS HOLLOW BAND (TX) Country
336 CENTRAL AVE.
EVERY SUN EVERY MON EVERY TUES EVERY WED EVERY THURS To list your venue, contact info@ hshotspots.com
12
hshotspots.com
FRI/SAT FRI/SAT FRI/SAT FRI/SAT FRI/SAT
LARRY & JACQUE (AR) 7-11pm; Blues, Classic Rock John Calvin Brewer (AR) 6-10pm; Rock, Blues SALT N PEPPER (AR) 6-10pm; Jazz WEDNESDAY NIGHT BLUES JAM 8pm-Midnight DELTA DONNIE (AR) 7-11pm; Southern Rock
8/1-2 Mr. LUCKY (AR) 9pm=1am; Classic Rock 8/8-9 Ohio Club Players (AR) 9pm-1am; Blues, Rock 8/15-16 Ohio Club Players (AR) 9pm-1am; Blues, Rock 8/22-23 Ohio Club Players (AR) 9pm-1am; Blues, Rock 8/22-23 Ohio Club Players (AR) 9pm-1am; Blues, Rock
hot springs
711 CENTRAL AVE.
SHANE SIMANTON (AR) Blues, Classic Rock
SAT SUN FRI SAT SUN FRI SAT SUN FRI SAT SUN FRI SAT SUN
STEVE BATES (AR) Classic Rock MARTY SHUTTER (AR) Folk ALISYN REID (AR) Folk; JOSH GREEN (AR) Folk RYAN SAUDERS (AR) Contemporary Rock, REEcE SULLIVAN (AR) Folk KENNY TILLERY (AR) Blues JACOB FLORES (AR) Mariachi, Rock BENJAMIN DEL SHREVE (AR) Americana LAURA LEE WILLIAD (AR) Folk MATT STONE & CHARLOTTE TAYLOR (AR) Blues JAMIE LOU (AR) Folk, Rock IRISH BREW (AR) Irish CEDELL DAVIS (AR) Blues Tim Williams (AR); Bluesboy Jag & the Jukejoint Zombies (AR) Blues Tim Williams (AR) Blues
8/2 8/3 8/8 8/9 8/10 8/15 8/16 8/17 8/22 8/23 8/24 8/29 8/30 8/31
LIVE SHOW LISTINGS
EVERY THURS
4330 CENTRAL AVE.
FRI SAT FRI SAT FRI SAT FRI SAT FRI SAT
8/1 8/2 8/8 8/9 8/15 8/16 8/22 8/23 8/29 8/30
Stephen Neeper & the Wildhearts (AR)Rock BIG STEEL RIVER (AR) Party Band DAYTON WATERS (AR) Blues BIG STEEL RIVER (AR) Rock, Country STIFF NECK FOOLS (AR) Rock MAYDAY BY MIDNIGHT (AR) Rock John Calvin Brewer Band (AR) Blues, Singer-Songwriter Barrett Baber (AR) Rock The Diamond Blues Band (AR) Blues Stephen Neeper & the Wildhearts (AR) Rock #hshotspots
13
FEARING NOTHING
ARTS
ANGIE MACRI WADES DEEP INTO HER DELTA DREAMS
Photography by Robbie Brindley
Story by Jim G. Miller
14
hshotspots.com
Quiet and polite, Macri is modest about her achievements concerning her career thus far as a poet. A professor, she enjoys spending much of her time with her four children and her husband and occasionally working in her garden when not teaching composition at Pulaski Technical College. Macri also occasionally teaches a writing course at National Park Community College where her husband works as the head of the Social Sciences Department. There are not quite as many fine poetry chapbooks published and toted around like there are paintings in the galleries, shops and boutiques of downtown Hot Springs, so it makes for even more of a special occasion when one does appear. Macri’s work sets a professional and wonderfully unique example for other aspiring poets in the area to establish and share their works. In her first poetry chapbook, Fear Nothing of the Future or the Past, Macri writes about nature, equivocally pointing out the dissolution of the past and the changing of the natural
environment. Relevant and informative from an Arkansan’s perspective, the chapbook was just released earlier last month by Finishing Line Press in Georgetown, Kentucky. Macri plans to possibly do some small readings and signings, the first of which will be at All Things Arkansas in downtown Hot Springs on Central Avenue during the September Hot Springs gallery walk. It is at this location downtown that you can also find a copy of her chapbook. Previously awarded an Arkansas Arts Fellowship, Macri hopes to visit some small libraries throughout Arkansas in order to give something back to the state. Originally from Southern Illinois, Macri is a graduate of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where she obtained her M.F.A. in Creative Writing. A rock star of sorts in terms of national literary recognition, she was included in the Best New Poets 2010 and has been published in Adanna, Ecotone, Salamander, Crab Orchard Review, New Delta Review, Southern Indiana Review, Third Coast and the Southern Review among others.
She’s continuing to work on other manuscripts and hopes to publish a full-length work beyond this recent chapbook very soon. Writing at her own pace and clearly writing something that she desires to share with others, Macri has a comfortable and yet precise approach in her poetry. The lyrical build up and finish is often surprisingly vivid and unsuspectingly intimate in many of her poems. Do not be afraid to get lost in the scientific and archaeological reference points, but learn from them and discover for yourself an idea of the southern delta that she’s translating from her own personal research and self experience, using the natural landmarks to decipher clues and piece together the beautifully idyllic puzzle that she has unfolded within this first collection of poems. If you have an inquiry for the author or would like to order her chapbook, please direct your requests to P.O. Box 1626 Georgetown, KY 40324, otherwise go to All Things Arkansas the first Friday of September.
hot springs
Full Menu • Full Bar • Pool Tables
H our s : M -F
11am - 3am Sat
Noon-2am Sun
Noon -3am
$5
or under Lunch Special M o n- Fri • 11am - 3pm
EvEry Saturday
DJ/Dance Floor/Karaoke
t- n - t t uESday
7 11 C e n t r a l av e n u e Copperpennypub.Com
$.75 Tacos & 1/2 price Tequila
W i ng W EdnESday $.25 Wings (dine -in) •
$8 Buckets
The BesT Burger in hoT springs
irish fare • burgers beer • cocktails • music
250 Park Avenue • Downtown Hot Springs
Specializing in healthy, natural and organic foods, Local meats, local cheese, local produce and local baked goods. Extensive Low Carb and Gluten-free menu. Home of the “Avocado Special” and the 100% Homemade Veggie, Turkey and Bison Burgers A menu based on fresh produce and fresh ingredients! Call ahead & To Go: 501-321-4977 Plenty of parking • 8 am to 8 pm • 7 Days a week
Don’t Miss! SUNDAY BRUNCH 11 a m - 4 p m
live music EVERY Weekend! #hshotspots
15
NAUGHTY, BAWDY & Blue
GIVING
18 years of spa city bues
Story by Jim G. Miller
16
hshotspots.com
Sitting across from David Hughes talking Blues and drinking brews, it’s pretty easy to tell that he is pumped about this year’s Spa City Blues Festival lineup. Hosting a Blues oriented radio show called the Saturday Night Ramble at 88.3 KABF radio in Little Rock, Spa City Blues Society Board President Hughes has an infatuation with the genre and a solid feel for good Blues music. This year’s festival lineup is chock full of authentic groups from all over Nor th America. Hosted at several venues throughout town, the majority of the festival takes place at Hill Wheatley Plaza August 29-31. “We have huge suppor ters of the festival all throughout Hot Springs,” says Hughes. The Ohio Club has long been a major host venue, and a headquar ters for the Blues Society, but other venues like the Big Chill and Fatjack’s, have helped host visiting ar tists and events over the years. “What many people aren’t aware
of is that the Spa City Blues Society does everything we can to promote Blues that’s happening in Hot Springs,” says Hughes who encourages fans of the genre to visit their updated venue listings on their website and to like them on Facebook in order to keep track of upcoming shows, seminars and other events. As a non-profit organization, the Spa City Blues Society is always looking for sponsors and they also encourage those interested in volunteering during the festival to contact David Hughes by emailing him at dhughes@ npcc.edu or calling him at (501) 815-2939. Volunteers who work a single shift get into the entire weekend free. This year’s ar twork was again done by Hot Springs native and future Walk of Fame inductee George Hunt. Hunt’s a renowned ar tist who has had his work featured on U.S. postage stamps and in the White
House. A public reception will be held for him on Thursday evening at the Quapaw Bathhouse from 6pm to 8pm where prints and posters will be available for sale. This year’s festival headliners include Larry Garner, one of the very first International Blues Championship winners. “Larry’s a real down to earth guy who makes moonshine and loves telling stories, there’s a lot of humor and real life in his music,” says Hughes. Headlining on Sunday evening, Garner is an excellent guitarist and singer who implements an R&B feel into his deep Blues remedy. Ghost Town Blues Band will be playing before Garner on Sunday evening. Monthly regulars to Hot Springs, they can often be seen at the Big Chill and consider Hot Springs one of their favorite cities to play. A featured band in last year’s Hotspots, Hughes refers to them as having a New Orleans vibe with a Memphis attitude.
hot springs
JP Soars & the Red Hots will be headlining on Saturday evening. They won the IBC in 2008. Deeply influenced by Django Reinhardt, JP has a rich and cultivated background in various genres of music. Barbara Blue, the regular enter tainer at Silky O’Sullivan’s on Beale St., will be playing before JP that Saturday. “She puts on a show with a real ‘it’ factor, it’s naughty bawdy, and blue,” says Hughes. A surprise band that may stand out to many this year is Brick Fields and the Chosen Ones. Made up of Rachael Fields and her husband Larry Brick, the couple used to live in Hot Springs and often look forward to their return trips. “They’re a very cool band with a folky Blues vibe, Rachel’s voice is reminiscent of Janis Joplin,” says Hughes. Local Blues ar tists like Grayson Goff & Little Roy Gene, and Charlotte Taylor & Gypsy Rain, will also be performing during this year’s Spa City Blues Fest. 2014 IBC winners, Tim Williams and Mr. Sipp, will also be performing. This year’s festival marks the first performance in Hot Springs for the Blues in the Schools Summer Camp Kids. The Beckham Brothers Band from Little Rock will back up the Kids in their performance on Saturday and will also be a par t of this year’s festival. Kicking off at the The Ohio Club’s Hump Night Blues Jam on Wednesday, there’s no shor tage of great music happening during this year’s festival. Check the website for more details about other visiting musicians, workshops and details about the ar tist’s alley. Children 12 and under get in free to the event, tickets are $10 on Friday and $15 each for Saturday and Sunday. Tickets and weekend passes are available online at spacityblues.org. #hshotspots
17
EAT/DRINK
RESTAURANT LISTINGS Berry Nutty Salad w/ grilled chickeN FROM THE OHIO CLUB
AMER IC AN Back Porch Grill 4810 Central 525-0885
Gilligan’s on Lake 5200 Central 525-3319
JASON’S STEAK & SEAFOOD 148 Amity 617-5488
BAR BEC UE McClard’s BBQ 505 Albert Pike 624-9586
MICKEY’s BBQ 1622 Park 624-1247
Smokin’ in Style 2278 Albert Pike 767-9797
Stubby’s BBQ 3024 Central 624-1552
English Muffin
PARK ISLAND CAFE
4307 Central 525-2710
250 Park 547-7172
JACK’s 1105 Albert Pike 624-5568
C A JU N/ C R E O LE FAT JACKS
PANCAKE SHOP
101 Central 623-5225
216 Central 624-5720
BURG ER S Classics Bar & Grill 4813 Central 525-7172
GRINDHOUSE 801 Central 625-3339
MOOYAH 3954 Central 520-5000
THE OHIO CLUB 336 Central 627-0702
C AFE/ BIS T RO CAFE 1217
BR EAK FAS T / 1217 Malvern BRUNC H 318-1094 COLONIAL WAFFLE HOUSE MUELLER’s BISTRO 18
111 Central 624-9273 hshotspots.com
111 Crawford #B 623-7005
C HI NE S E HUNAN PALACE 4737 Central 525-3344
Wok Express 1418 Albert Pike 623-4932
COFFEE COFFEE LOVE 4832 Central 781-5006
INTERNATIONAL BLEU MONKEY GRILL 4263 Central 520-4800
CENTRAL PARK FUSION 200 Park Ave 623-0202
Colorado Grill 320 Ouachita 623-7992
hot springs
COPPER PENNY PUB 711 Central 622-2570
STEINHaus KELLER 801 Central 624-7866
LUCIAN’s GYROS 173 Marion Anderson 760-1105
LATIN AME RICAN VINA MORITA 610 Central 625-7143
ROLANDO’S 210 Central 318-6054
SUPERIOR BATHHOUSE
ME XICAN
329 Central 624-2337
CotiJa
I TA LI AN Belle Arti
4330 Central 525-1616
Rocky’s Corner 2600 Central 624-0199
Rod’s Pizza Cellar
Higdon Square Café 706 Higdon Ferry 623-7744
Phil’s
NOM NOMS
Sam’s Pizza Pub
SLIM CHICKEN
PICANTE’S
104 Grand Isle 520-5862
801 Central 623-2300
JAHNA’s
TACO MAMA
401 Burchwood Bay 525-0780
1384 Higdon Ferry 463-9797
S EAF O O D BUBBA’s CATFISH TO GO
S T EAK HO US E Brick House Grill
1209 Malvern 624-6262
5411 Central 762-3474
TREJO’s MEXICAN
Cajun Broilers
3040 Albert Pike 760-2316
Osaka Japanese
PIZZA Deluca’s Pizzeria Napoletana
3954 Central 525-9888
407 Park 609-9002
2806 Albert Pike 767-5695
Fisherman’s Wharf 5101 Central 525-7437
MR. WHISKERS 1538 Malvern 262-3474
SPICY BBQ WINGS FROM SLIM CHICKENS
801 Central 463-9990
2900 Central 623-8258
LUNA BELLA
608 E. Grand 321-1688
RAZORBACK PIZZA
3350 Central 321-2313
3371 Central 623-8588
JA PANESE/ SU S HI Fuji SteakHouse
1018 Airport 760-2227
S O UT HER N/ S O UL BIG EASY jAZZ CAFE
1335 Airport 760-1165
719 Central 624-7474
1803 Airport 767-0200
Doc’s Pizzeria
801 Central 321-2926
KJ’s Grill 1834 Airport 767-0063
Porterhouse 707 Central 321-8282
ROCKY MOUNTAIN GRILL 5812 Airport 767-2887
boursin tomato pesto stack FROM Superior bathhousE #hshotspots
19
YOUR SPA CITY GAME TIME HEADQUARTERS
Let Razorback Pizza host your fantasy draft party this year! Call for reservations
501-525-1616
FREE WIFI! Fantasy Football Special
$54.99 Two Extra Large Pizzas
any toppings & 50 Hot Wings
$19.99 Bucket of Beer & Twenty Hot Wings (NFL Game Days Only)
Dine-in and Take Out
NFL Sundays: Temperance Hill Square
20
hshotspots.com
•
NFL Football Special
Dine-in
Buy 2 pizzas , Get One FREE
4330 Central Avenue, Suite A
•
Hot Springs, AR
•
501-525-1616
hot springs
Don’t Forget!
$7.00
Lunch Specials! 7 Days a Week (Mini 3-topping Pizza, Sandwich or Pasta with Salad Bar and Drink)
LIvE MUSIC CALENDAR Come Party on the Patio!*
2014 Arkansas Razorbacks
FOOTbALL SCHEDULE Aug. 30 at Auburn* Sept. 6 Nicholls State Sept. 13 at Texas Tech Sept. 20 Northern Illinois Sept. 27 vs. Texas A&M*^ Oct. 11 Alabama* Oct. 18 Georgia* Oct. 25 UAb Nov. 1 at Mississippi State* Nov. 15 LSU* Nov. 22 Ole Miss* Nov. 29 at Missouri*
*-SEC game ^-Game played at AT&T Stadium Home games in bold
8/1 8/2
Stephen Neeper & the Wildhearts Big Steel River
8/8 8/9
Dayton Waters Gable Bradley Band & Brian Kelly
8/15 Stiff Neck Fools 8/16 Mayday by Midnight 8/22 John Calvin Brewer Band 8/23 Barrett Baber
(Songs of Arkansas Winner)
8/29 The Diamond Blues Band 8/30 Stephen Neeper & the Wildhearts 9/5
Ryan Sauders & Chris Henry *Weather Permitting
AUGUST 30
Stephen Neeper & the Wildhearts will play at half time and right after the game
Arkansas vs. Auburn first AR Game Against Auburn*
PRIzES WILL bE GIvEN AWAY! Like Us for Specials!
•
facebook.com/razorbackpizzahotsprings #hshotspots
21
BARBEcUE
TO SLAW OR NOT TO SLAW End of Summer Barbecue Review
22
hshotspots.com hshotspots.com
Story by Charlie Elmore Photography by Jeremy Rodgers
hot springs
Barbecue is a staple of the South and these locally owned barbecue restaurants are a major par t of the rich tradition and history of Hot Springs. Providing more than just places to “pig out” these eateries often serve as prime destinations for first time visitors and local foodies alike. A listing of barbecue joints in the Spa City boasts some famous names. Whether you’re talking about McClard’s Bar-B-Q, a favorite of former President Bill Clinton; Stubby’s Bar-B-Q, which has been featured on the Travel Channel; the award winning Smokin’ In Style BBQ; a local favorite like Mickey’s BBQ; or Roland’s Bar-B-Que and Chuck’s Southern Bar-B-Q, which have both been well-reviewed on multiple travel and food-review web sites, you’re bound to be talking about someone’s favorite place to get barbecue in Hot Springs. Each of these restaurants has a unique character and style but they each share a passion for providing the best barbecue possible to their customers. By relying on family recipes, years of tradition and the best ingredients available these restaurants all provide an intimate atmosphere that shows they aren’t just feeding patrons; they’re inviting them to be par t of their culinary family. In order to give you an idea of what really sets each of these barbecue destinations apar t we’ve done a quick rundown on each for your reading pleasure. -----
< McClards BBQ
The restaurant was founded by Alex and Alice McClard on the principle, “Use the best ingredients you can get, buy the best quality cuts you can get, and don’t skimp on por tions.” This principle still holds true today with all side dishes being made in-house using the family’s recipes. McClards is a traditional Southern style barbecue offering a variety of meats all smoked with Hickory beef, pork, ham, ribs, and an array of specialty items. Keeping with tradition has made McClards a premiere name in barbecue since the doors opened in 1928. We recommend the whole tamale spread: two whole hand-rolled tamales covered with Fritos, beans and finely chopped beef, then topped with their signature sauce, chopped onions and shredded cheese. #hshotspots
23
BARBECUE
Mickey’s BBQ
Established in 1990 by Mickey Bearden, Mickey’s is owned and operated by Jamie Bearden-Keller, who is carrying on her father’s traditions of Southernstyle and classic Southern hospitality. All meats are hickory smoked on the “U.S.S Mickey” pit-smoker. The no dry rub barbecue is the star of the show but there’s a large suppor ting cast of side dishes as this five star rated restaurant keeps with southern barbecue tradition by offering deviled eggs, pit-smoked potatoes, pots of beans, smoked corn on the cob, potato salad, and coleslaw. They also offer a barbecue Frito pie, fried pies and root beer floats. Serving heaping por tions at a great price you’ll feel like par t of the family. (We recommend the smoked chicken plate with smoked corn on the cob, coleslaw, a few deviled eggs and a pickle.)
Smokin’ in Style BBQ
This is Memphis style barbecue that’s full of surprises. They offer six different kinds of sauces from various regions known for barbecue. It is owned and operated by Daniel Johnson, a cer tified Kansas City barbecue judge and five time winner of The Readers Choice Awards for Best Barbecue. The name may say “BBQ” but they also offer foods not traditionally found at a BBQ restaurant such as catfish dinners, grilled chicken, barbecue quesadillas, salads and homemade banana pudding just to name a few. Just like the food the beer prices are sure to please, with 48oz pitchers going for $3.00 and domestic bottles for $1.50. Smoking in Style would be a great choice for food and cold drinks during football season, which is right around the corner. (We recommend the “BBQ Salad” which you can get with pork, beef, sausage or chicken.)
Roland’s BBQ
Texas style BBQ, with a robust dry rub and four teen hours of tender love and care on the smoker it’s sure to have you coming back. Open now for nineteen years Roland’s is setting the bar high with the robust dry rub on their Texas style barbecue which is smoked for four teen hours. Also offered are sausages made from scratch using prime cuts of meat, mouthwatering beef brisket and a variety of specialty smoked meats all served with a spicy Texas sauce or a mild sauce. Having one of a kind specialty items such as BBQ Burritos, Texas Cow Chips, and Texas Candy they are definitely in a class all their own. (We recommend the Texas Cow Chips.)
< Stubby’s BBQ
Established in 1952 Stubby’s can rightly declare they’ve been, “Cooking Que since 52”. Owned and operated by Chris Dunkel, Stubby’s is a Southern style barbecue so traditional that they’ve been preparing their food the same way since the day they opened. Stubby’s is the only barbecue restaurant in Hot Springs open seven days a week from 11am-8pm. Mouthwatering ribs, pork,
24
hshotspots.com hshotspots.com
hot springs
beef and chicken are sure to have you coming back for more. Leading the way are the signature spuds with chopped beef or pork, beans, slaw, and their one of a kind sauce. Not to be outdone are the Stubby’s Ultimate Platter and the Stubby’s Super Ultimate Platter, which are so big you’re bound to have plenty to take home with you. Stubby’s also has a lunch plate, between 11am-4pm, that consists of a choice of beef, pork, ham or ribs & two sides with a drink for $11.00. Offering a variety of dishes and sticking to tradition it’s easy to see why Stubby’s has been in business since 1952 with many more years to come. (We recommend the Supreme Potato w/ a pot of beans and Texas Toast.)
<
Chuck’s Southern BBQ
Family owned for thir ty years. Chuck’s has five star ratings on multiple travel sites and that reflects the quality of their hickory smoked meat and sauce. All sides are made from scratch using family recipes and only fresh ingredients. With melt in your mouth ham, spicy smoked polish sausage and hear ty sides all dishes are served with generous por tions and prompt service for a fair price. Customers are always greeted with a sincere smile and a kind word, and that’s par t of what makes visiting Chuck’s an unforgettable experience. (We recommend the large sausage plate with beans, coleslaw and Texas Toast.)
Rolling Pit BBQ
Owned and operated by Mike Gardner and located at 5962 Central Avenue, Rolling Pit BBQ has been ser ving St Louis style barbecue in Hot Springs since 2009. Rolling Pit uses a dry-rub and a honey and vinegar based sauce. All meats and beans are smoked with hickory and get a full twelve hours of love on the smoker. My personal favorite item on the menu is the jumbo pork sandwich for $5.89 which requires two hands to eat. It is a mouth full. This is followed closely by the rib plate. The tender ribs and sweet sauce make it hard to put the bone down when you’re done. Ser ving breakfast biscuits and coffee make this an anytime of the day restaurant. Don’t let the size and location fool you. Dynamite comes in small packages. (We recommend the jumbo pork sandwich with potato salad.) ----Meeting and visiting with each restaurant owner we were able to view firsthand the time and dedication that it takes for each of them to produce their quality barbecue. We hope you can visit each one yourself to determine which one you think is best. #hshotspots
25
26
hshotspots.com
hot springs
#hshotspots
27
BACK TO SCHOOL
BACK TO THE BOOKS Literary Options for Kids at the Garland County Library
Story by Kristal Mackey
28
hshotspots.com hshotspots.com
Photography by Jim G. Miller & Jeff Rosinbaum
hot springs
It’s hard to believe that summer will soon be drawing to a close, and yet crayons, paper, and pencils are beginning to adorn the shelves of local shopping establishments. It’s easy to get caught in the back to school hype. Students and parents will wander store aisles together, picking out the perfect pens, the best backpack, and the newest shoes. However, it can be easy to forget the most impor tant accessory for “back to school” time – your library card. The Garland County Library, located on Malvern Avenue, has always been an excellent resource for local citizens for everything from materials for a research paper to easy technological access to old circulations. The library’s wealth of books is incredibly advantageous to students if their school supplies a summer reading list. These lists are usually supplied both to keep students’ brains active throughout the summer and to help prepare them for new material in the coming school year. The lists are typically comprehensive, exposing students to classics, like Shakespeare and the Bronte sisters, and also to more “modern” literature like Mark Twain and J. R. R. Tolkien. These reading lists establish a firm literary foundation, preparing students for not only the next school year, but also for the rigorous standardized testing and the college aspirations that typically follow. In addition, the books on the typical reading list give students a brief glimpse of another time period, providing a commentary on the evolution of our language, social relationships, and even acceptable fashions. While these reading lists have immense potential to stir literary curiosity, it is often the books that are left off the list that continue to stoke that par ticular fire. Conveniently, there is no resource in Hot Springs better suited for exposing growing and curious minds to the atypical summer reading list than the Garland County Library and its knowledgeable librarians. During the course of the summer, the children’s library hosts over 120 programs aimed at keeping kids intellectually active and excited about learning. Children’s Librarian, Tiffany Hough, has excellent recommendations for grade school kids to read that deviate from the canonical literary exposure that they’ll receive throughout the school year. Her first recommendation is Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall Thin Tale by Deborah Hopkinson. The book, formatted cleverly in a comic-style format, is a biography of Abe Lincoln and involves a childhood friend who saves Lincoln’s
life. It underscores the impor tance of those who greatly impact the lives of others, possibly impacting history, without ever receiving accolades. In a world dominated by social media, public image, and “selfies,” Hopkinson’s book reiterates to children that good deeds have immeasurable value. Like Hopkinson’s book, Clementine by Sarah Pennypacker is also recommended for young grade school children. Clementine is the first book in a series featuring a third-grade protagonist for whom the book is named. Clementine seems to “get into trouble at every turn,” according to Hough, and this par ticular book begins with Clementine telling the reader that she has had “not so good of a week”. For tunately, Clementine has patient and loving parents who understand that Clementine has a good hear t, despite her misadventures. The book series serves as a fantastic introduction to chapter books for young readers who will be eager to see where the next book takes their new favorite heroine. For slightly older students, Wonder by R. J. Palacio is the emotional tale of Auggie, an ordinary fifth-grade boy with facial deformities who’s entering public school for the first time after having been home-schooled his entire life. Auggie’s transformative year impacts not just him, but his entire community, which Palacio cleverly shows us by dividing the book into eight first-person narratives from the perspectives of Auggie, his classmates, and his family. Expanding the range of narrators exposes the reader to intense action and emotion, bringing one to tears just as easily as it inspires laughs. Wonder is a gentle inspiration to be more kind and accepting and reminds young readers that, despite obvious differences, we are all fundamentally the same. Brittany Chavez, Garland County Library’s Young Adult Librarian, recommends Matched , which she says is an excellent read for teen girls and the first in a series by Allie Condie. Matched begins the tale of Cassia, who lives in a seemingly utopian world controlled by the Society. The Society controls where citizens live, who they marry, where they work, and when they die. However, a glitch occurs when Cassia is viewing her match that allows her to see another possibility for her life mate, leaving Cassia with an impossible choice between easy and contained “perfection” or an unpredictable future. Maturing readers will identify with Cassia’s struggle between what is safe and familiar and her longing to follow passion and autonomy. Ultimately, readers will be inspired to read the next two books, Crossed and Reached, to witness Cassia’s journey from acceptance to rebellion. #hshotspots
29
BACK TO SCHOOL
Junior High and High School students will be drawn in by the riveting story line of Thir teen Reasons Why , by Jay Asher. This book addresses mature themes and should be read by equally mature young adults who can handle the intense emotional turmoil and adult themes it discusses. Thir teen Reasons Why begins as Clay, a typical high school student, returns home from class to find an unmarked box addressed to him on his doorstep. The box contains audio tapes made by the recently deceased Hannah Baker. On the tapes, Hannah tells her autobiography leading up to her recent suicide, which was directly influenced by 13 people. Clay must listen to the tapes and follow an included map, and then send the tapes to a person whose “influence” follows his on the tapes. The story is told in two symbiotic story lines, one following Clay as he listens to Hannah’s tapes and the other as told by Hannah speaking to her tormenters, exposing the reader to multiple points of view. Her story is a painful one, rife with ridicule, gossip, bullying and other seemingly “typical” high school behavior. The reader, however, is left with a stark picture of how much one isolated action can affect another person. As Hannah forces her tormenters to come to terms with what they did to her, the reader begins to examine his own actions and to think about others, and themselves, through a different set of eyes. For Junior High readers and older, Chavez also recommends I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, another book intended for mature readers. Lyga’s book follows Jazz, the son of a notorious serial killer who has been in jail for years. Because of his father, Jazz witnessed crimes in a unique way-from the killer’s perspective. When a new serial killer pops up in Jazz’s town, he uses this perspective to help the local police catch the killer…and to prove that he hasn’t joined in the family business of murder. But Jazz has a secret and he may be more like his father than he realized. I Hunt Killers is followed by Game and Blood of my Blood , which is due out in September. The prequel Lucky Day is also available and chronicles
30
hshotspots.com
events that happened 4 years before I Hunt Killers . This engaging series will keep readers coming back to read the prequel and sequels in anticipation of Jazz’s next move. In addition to the Garland County Library being an excellent resource for the not-so-typical reading list, they are also offering a new service called Brain Fuse. Brain Fuse is on online resource for students of all ages-elementary through adult. Hough says that library patrons will have access to live online tutoring, test preparation, resume and writing help, and much more. One of the best features of Brain Fuse is called Skill Surfer. Skill Surfer allows a student to choose their grade level and subject, then go through lessons, quizzes, practice tests, and receive live help on that subject. Students can also engage in college entrance exam preparation, including ACT, SAT, PSAT, and even Advanced Placement tests. There is even an ESL module that helps English learners from a beginner level all the way to college readiness. The library staff is excited about Brain Fuse, which recently launched, and the new potential to reach not only more students, but a broader range of students spanning all ages and levels of education. Reading books not on the typical school reading list encourages students to seek knowledge outside the prescribed boundaries put in place by what is traditionally accepted as valuable or by what will be more advantageous on a standardized test. While there are life lessons to be gained from any book, actively reading what one finds interesting, regardless of whether or not it is required, encourages readers to discover their own literary passions and to deepen their understanding of themselves and their world. Whether it’s to garner book recommendations, check into the summer kid’s programs, or to receive tutoring from Brain Fuse, the Garland County Library holds a wealth of engaging options and excited staff ready to make your school year an A+.
hot springs
HIGH-QUALITY
P RINTING PRINTING EXPERT SOLUTIONS FOR ALL YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS LET US HELP YOU MAKE YOUR ADVERTISING PIECES
CREATE BUZZ MAKE PROFITS YIELD RESULTS FULL COLOR PRINTING • BINDERY VARIABLE DATA • MAILING • FULFILLMENT
108 PRINTERS PLACE, HOT SPRINGS, AR
(501) 624-5333
? t i F s s o r C s i t a h W
l m ov em ents va rie d fu nc tio na ly nt ta ns co es or at es Cros sF it us it y an d in co rp ns te in gh hi ty le , pe rf or m ed at y, nu tr it io n, lif es it un m m co s, es ot he r tr ai ni ng el em en ts of fi tn t it ap ar t fr om se at th n fu d ra m m in g sp or t an , ac ce ss ib le pr og le ab al sc s it h it e ke y m et ho ds . W ov em en ts th at ar m al on ti nc fu at io n fo r an y th at fo cu se s on e pe rf ec t ap pl ic th is it e, lif ay to ev er yd du al ag e 6- 86 . co m m it te d in di vi ge Road 172 Stana 477 (501) 627-4 a c it y .c o m c r o s s fi ts p #hshotspots
31
BATTLING BIG OIL
IMPACT
PROPERTY RIGHTS NOT PIPELINES
Adam Lansky and his fellow protesters from the group Property Rights Not Pipelines met during the Occupy Little Rock movement nearly three years ago. Although the Occupy movement has somewhat dissipated, Lansky and his close-knit group have continued to maintain a focus on important issues affecting the natural state. Their current David vs. Goliath project that they have their slingshot set on is the Diamond Pipeline Project being set forth by Plains All American and Valero Energy Corporation. The project, when completed, would connect a pipeline from Oklahoma to Memphis essentially crossing through the central half of Arkansas.
Photography by Jim G. Miller
Story by Jim G. Miller
32
hshotspots.com
Although the majority of Arkansans would love to see jobs get made and see an increase in property taxes for the state there are many who fear the threat of another Mayflower incident occurring. The company proposing the pipeline has been fined for repeated violations by the Environmental Protection Agency. This is a
concern as the proposed pipeline would divide the state and may be routed through ecologically sensitive wildlife areas and crucial waterways. In state code 23-15-101, pipelines are capable of declaring eminent domain and common carrier status on privately owned land. This is the chink in the armor that the group thinks will help deter the pipeline from being established. Their perspective is that it’s an American civil liberty to retain the rights to their own property and this code does not necessarily meet in compliance with that so they are asking for it to be repealed. Those advocating for the pipeline argue that it will help to reduce exhaust emissions, requiring fewer trucks to deliver the fuel from Fort Smith to Memphis.The bottom line, however, is that oil will still be used at an exceeding rate no matter what. While the choice would be to lean toward environmentally friendly fuel sources the fact remains that Arkansas along with the rest of
the country is very far behind when it comes to pursuing a cleaner fuel economy. However, Lansky and his group have made some headway thanks to a grassroots citizens lobbying organization called Citizens First Congress who have accepted their resolution. “This route we’re taking with Citizens First Congress is a practical rally to prevent pipelines from being built in the future. This is but one prong on the fork that needs to go into the eyeball of the monster that is Valero,” says Lansky. Their hope is that if this measure passes it will give families in Arkansas the opportunity in the future to say no, but Lansky stresses that land owners have to organize, and in order to help them do so he and his fellow pipeline resistance groups are prepared to go door to door. If you are interested in helping to spur the repeal of this code and ensure that this pipeline does not intersect the state, you can find their petition on Change.org and also be sure to like their community page on Facebook.
July 4 to August 9
hot springs
Tuesdays - Saturdays 10:30 am - 5:00 pm 626 Central Avenue Historic Downtown 501-624-0489 hsfac.org
Tu-Sat 7:30am - 5pm
GIO’S PAW SPA
INSIDE THE AUSTIN HOTEL • 305 MALvErN AvENUE 877-623-6697 • 623-6600
501-762-4010
Grand Opening April 1st Next to Cafe 1217
1217 Malvern Ave. Suite C Hot Springs, AR 71901
$2
DRAFTS
$7
Happy Hour
FROM 4:00PM Till 7:00PM
PITCHERS $1 OFF WEllS $.50 OFF DOMESTIC LONGNECKS
Live Music Every Weekend! Non-Smoking • Drink Specials Daily
“Gourmet to Go” • Dine-In Café
•
Hot Springs’ Award Winning Gourmet Food!
Catering
Monday - Friday 11am - 7pm Saturday 11am - 4pm Gluten Free Options Available
• 1217 Malvern Avenue • 501-318-1094 • cafe1217.net •
#hshotspots
33
SLICE OF AMERICANA
WORTH THE DRIVE
THE HOPE WATERMELON FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 38 YEARS Photography by Jeremy Rodgers
Story by Jim G. Miller
34
hshotspots.com
Sweltering amidst the heat of an August sun there is just something refreshing about the taste of a cold juicy watermelon slice. The red sweet meat is a mainstay of Hope AR, which has become synonymous over the years for producing some of the finest and largest watermelons in the country. The giant fruit crop has become such a staple for the city that it even established a festival around it. An annual Arkansas summer tradition, the Hope Watermelon Festival has been celebrated for 38 years. Beholden by the sight of children spitting black seeds, and the sweet smell of the freshly sliced ripe melon, there is really no other event that’s more fun or more American to be witnessed in the birthplace of former President Bill Clinton. Connected to Hot Springs by the Highway of Hope, it’s a scenic drive down AR Highway 7 South and US67 South that’s worth the voyage. You can also take Interstate 30 from Highway 7 South in Arkadelphia and shave about 20 minutes off your trip or drive US 70 West the whole way, but that’s the long way.
The Hope Watermelon Festival is probably the only festival in a 100-mile radius where you can acquire fried gator on a stick or see Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel power housing down watermelon against Hope’s Sheriff and reigning Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Contest champion, James Singleton. This contest is open to gubernatorial, senate candidates, city board members, prosecuting attorneys or generally anyone who’s running for public office in the state. The festival also has an open watermelon eating contest as well as a seed-spitting contest, arm wrestling and a major country music concert by David Nail. The festival begins August 7th and lasts through the 9th. In addition to the oddities there is also an abundant amount of other live music events as well as other arts and crafts to be seen with more than 200 booths total, not including concession stands. “We’ve got a guy who’s selling jerk chicken on a stick this year which I think is pretty neat,” says Mark Keith with the
Hope Chamber of Commerce. “But I’ve probably sold my most unusual booth this year and that was to a guy who’s selling fish bait, it’s called “This Be Stinking Catfish Bait.” Most of the events take place on the Saturday of the festival with fishing derbies, car & motorcycle shows, handmade arts and crafts, softball, bingo, melon judging, auctions, a 5k race and other contests. If there is a day to go, it would definitely be that Saturday. With a never-ending amount of frozen slices of watermelon to be had no one will go hungry. The trip is worth the drive at least once, especially if you are from Arkansas, even if you are not a big fan of watermelon. The event takes place at Hope’s Fair Park at 800 Mockingbird in Hope, AR. There is a $5 parking fee that benefits the Chamber of Commerce, the Boy Scouts, and the Hope Rotary fee. There is no cost for admission. For more details visit hopemelonfest.com, call 870-777-3640 or visit Hope Arkansas Melonfest on Facebook.
hot springs
AUGUST
EVENT CALENDAR
1-10 The Pocket Theatre
9 Summerfest on Park Avenue 30 LATTES & LIT: author Stephen
presents “4 Weddings and An Elvis” at 100-700 blocks of Park Ave at The Pocket Theatre, 170 Ravine St. An Evening with Grady Nichols Smooth Jazz Concert “America’s Splendid at Hot Springs Convention Center Nature” art exhibit by Tim Gorman
at Coffee Love, 4832 Central | 7pm
at Garvan Woodland Gardens
at Arlington Hotel Crystal Ballroom
1-31
4 Hot Springs Concert Band Free Summer Concert Series
at Whittington Park | 6pm
8 The Birth of an Artist - Silent Auction and Reception benefitting “Cutwell 4 Kids”
18 Hot Springs Concert Band Free Summer Concert Series
at Whittington Park | 6pm
Motorcycle Open Rally
at Hot Springs Convention Center thehotspringsrally.com
at Oaklawn’s Finish Line Theatre } 7pm
22 arkansas jazz experience
FEATURING GARY MEGGS
MAGIC SPRINGS CONCERT “plumb & chris august”
23 28th season hickory hill
8-9 E-Waste Collection Event 9 Sam’s Club 3-on-3 Basketball
31 stardust big band SEPT 4-6 Hot Springs
21 Aaron Neville in Concert
at Embassy Suites Hotel & Spa, 400 Convention Blvd. | 7pm
at Magic Springs
Koch presents “Louis Jordan: Son of Arkansas, Father of R & B”
at Quapaw Bathhouse, 314 Central
SEPT 5 First Annual
Quapaw House, Inc. Charity 4 Man Scramble
park gospel music concerts
at Hot Springs Country Club
at Hickory Hill Park, 216 Bryant Rd.
GALLERY WALK
29-31 18th
at Historic Downtown Hot Springs
Tournament Fundraiser
Annual Hot Springs historic downtown Blues Festival at Hill Wheatley Plaza Farmers’ Market
at 701 Emory Street
& Various Locations
at Transportation Depot, 121 Orange
at Hot Springs Convention Center
SATURDAYS #hshotspots
35
RIX REALTY ADVA N TA GE T E A M
REA L T OR S
( 501 ) 205-1900 www . RIXR EAL TY .cO M
36
hshotspots.com