Arkansas Blog

Noon today is the deadline for filing for the Sept. 16 school election.

So far, there's a potential three-way race for Little Rock incumbent Katherine Mitchell's Zone 1 seat. Dr. Lee C. Nayles of 2201 State, who is a family practice doctor downtown, has qualified and Dr. L. T. Rogers of 2000 Marshall has submitted additional petition signatures that are currently under review.

UPDATE: Dr. Rogers didn't get the sufficient number of registered voters to the county clerk's office by the noon deadline to qualify.

In Zone 5, where Larry Berkley is not seeking re-election, candidates so far are Barry Vuletich, an advocate for the Arkansas Disabilities Coalition, and Jody Carreiro, 47, of 1 Tory Court, an actuary, who filed today. He's had two daughters in public schools, one a graduate and one an 11th grader at Central. "To run is somewhat giving back to the system we've been involved with," he said. He said the district faces financial issues that might benefit from his math background, particularly ending the desegregation lawsuit and eventually operating with a reduction in state aid. As for the current board political divide, he said, "I think the School Board would be better managed if we had more 7-0 votes on things. I think that is achievable if some folks want to work on on more coaliition and consensus building."

Nobody new has developed for North Little Rock and Pulaski County seats since yesterday -- incumbents Scott Teague in NLR Zone 5 and Trent Cox for  NLR Zone 6, and Tim Clark of Maumelle for the Zone 3 Pulaski County School Board seat held by Pam Roberts, who hasn't filed; and incumbent Gwen Williams for Pulaski Zone 7.

UPDATE: Reedie Ray of Jacksonville qualified at the last minute, with one signature to spare after some careful study of the petitions, to run for the Zone 7 seat in Pulaski County.