Arkansas Times

NRA

Concealed carry laws?

Bicyclists call for safer streets in Little Rock

Diane McConnell, who'd been rendered unconscious since a Nov. 11 accident in which she was hit by a car while riding her bicycle in the Heights, died Tuesday.

• by David Koon
• Tags: Arkansas Reporter, Diane McConnell, Tom Ezell, Bryan Day, Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas, Arkansas Bicycle Club

Main Street Creative Corridor

Two architects unveiled the city of Little Rock's master plan for a cultural corridor on Main Street last week. The city used a $150,000 Our Town Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to hire Marlon Blackwell, private architect and department head of the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas, and Steve Luoni, director of the University of Arkansas Community Design Center, to create the plan.

Big Ideas for Arkansas

Suggestions from readers and a variety of experts on how to make Arkansas a better place to live.

• by Leslie Newell Peacock, Jayce Hafner, Mara Leveritt, Karama Neal, Gabriel Fotsing, Mason Ellis, Eric Francis, Vic Snyder, Robert Lowry, Sara Mullally, Jamie K. Fugitt, Penelope Poppers, James Szenher, Brian C. Campbell, Calvin Smith, Jennifer Carman and David Ramsey

Look cityward, evangels, for dough

The city of Little Rock is negotiating a contract with the Union Rescue Mission to run its outpost for the homeless on Confederate Boulevard, apparently unbothered by the organization's hiring requirements: Only members of "evangelical Christian churches" may apply for the day center jobs, which will be paid with taxpayer dollars.

Pizza with grief

Taking a break from Christmas shopping on Friday night, the Observer and Spouse stopped in at a pizza buffet in West Little Rock, Yours Truly always drawn as moth to flame by the idea of a potentially infinite amount of pizza for one money.

'Tis the season

aul Barrows submitted this photo of the River Rail Trolley decked out for Christmas to our Eye On Arkansas Flickr group.

It was a bad week for Attorney General Dustin McDaniel

It was a good week for high profile petitions. It was a bad week for Mike Huckabee and Rep. David Meeks.

Legislator makes case for Little Rock veterans home

Edwards files bill to replace facility.

• by Cheree Franco
• Tags: Arkansas Reporter, Rep. John Edwards, Janet Levine, Rep. Jane English, Cissy Rucker, Gov. Mike Beebe, Tom Thomas

Unlucky '13 lurks

Getting the jump on unlucky '13, I've worked up a list of New Years resolutions. Thought I'd go ahead and share them early, as the world is scheduled to end on Friday and I wouldn't want them to go to waste.

• by Bob Lancaster

It's Groundhog Day

It's become something of a Christmas season ritual: The city of Little Rock rolls out a new budget. It includes special assistance for a corporate lobby that works against broad community interests. I erupt. The next December, it replays. Bill Murray could play me in a "Groundhog Day"-style movie. Except there's no happy ending.

• by Max Brantley
• Tags: Max Brantley, Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Metro Little Rock Alliance, Bruce Moore

Wear your kneepads

"Afterward, Pryor said it was difficult to engage in a detailed conversation, especially on issues such as the fiscal cliff — a combination of tax increases and spending cuts that are set to go into effect next year. Many economists warn that it will kneecap the economy if it isn't averted."

• by Doug Smith

Children pay price

Universal shock and grief over a single cataclysm like the mass slaughter of tiny children and their teachers would have been enough for most of our history to move a stubborn government to fix an evident and growing danger to society.

• by Ernest Dumas
• Tags: Ernest Dumas, Wayne LaPierre, Mike Huckabee

The guns we need

"One of the worst days in the history of our country," my friend Dan Kennedy wrote on Facebook. "The worst day since 9/11."

• by Gene Lyons
• Tags: Gene Lyons, Newtown shooting

Bullets or ballots?

Given a choice between gun control and ballot control, Arkansas legislators would rather keep people from voting than shooting.

Sinking Michigan

Michigan is our sister state, and yet we've always been a little resentful of her, what with her higher wages and better services and all. Now we can drop the resentment and the accompanying guilt and regard Michigan as an equal. It's not that we've moved up to their level, but that they've dropped down to ours.

Arkansas entertainment in 2012, an A-Z list

The year-end roundup.

• by Robert Bell

Downton Abbey reception at Argenta Community Theater

Also, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band at Walton Arts, Hornucopia at Stickyz, Lucero and Jimbo Mathus at Revolution, LR Horror Picture Show End of the World Party at Lulav, Bonnie Montgomery at White Water Tavern and Tyrannosaurus Chicken at Midtown.

• by Robert Bell and David Koon

Collector alert: show and sale at Arkansas Arts Center

The 44th Collectors Show and Sale at the Arkansas Arts Center is not, alas, for all who would buy art.

• by Leslie Newell Peacock

Basketball Hogs need third scorer

While Bret Bielema's Razorback honeymoon progresses, Mike Anderson has moved beyond his initial grace period.

• by Beau Wilcox
• Tags: Pearls About Swine, Marshawn Powell, Mike Anderson, B.J. Young, Hunter Mickelson, Mardracus Wade, Coty Clarke, Rashad Madden

Mike Anderson at Downtown Tip-Off Club

And Matt Stell at Revolution.

Unexpectedly good

'The Hobbit' may move slower than 'Rings,' but it's still a good ride.

• by Sam Eifling

Netflix Pix

Hidden gems from Netflix Instant.

• by David Koon

Vieux Carre hits the mark

Nice atmosphere, reasonable prices, quality food.

• Tags: Dining Review, Vieux Carre

The Bottomless Pit

• by Tom Tomorrow

Pagan the Polar Bear saves Christmas

• by Tommy Durham