If you read the Arkansas Blog or Rock Candy, our entertainment blog, you already know this. But it’s worth repeating.
An MTV crew has been in town filming Central High junior Alyson Walker, daughter of former state Sen. Bill Walker, the state’s director of workforce education, for “My Super Sweet 16.” The reality show follows teens as they plan and attend their ultra lavish sweet-16 parties.
How lavish? Alyson and her mom Sharon and one of Alyson’s friends spent $167,000 at Sissy’s Log Cabin in Pine Bluff last week. Their purchases included a $50,000 double-stranded diamond necklace, a $20,000 in-line diamond bracelet and a pair of $3,000 cushion-cut studs.
Last year, Bill Walker, who is a recent mayoral candidate, was the John Doe plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging that his daughter’s rights were violated when she was removed from a junior varsity cheerleading team.
We hear through the grapevine that the party will be Saturday at the Clear Channel Metroplex. No word on whether there’ll be a big name musical guest, as is typical for the show. The episode will air in August on MTV.
How does a state employee afford such? Walker has been active in a number of business enterprises, including, until recently, the concession business at the Little Rock Airport. Plus, though it may not be a factor, Sharon Walker’s mother, Alice Clay of Carlisle, took a $11.9 million lump sum payment after winning the Texas lottery in April 2000.
Moving home
U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor and his wife Jill have bought a $725,000 home on Stonewall in the Heights. The family will now be making its home in Little Rock, rather than the Washington suburb of Arlington, Va.
Spokesman Michael Teague said Pryor, who’ll be busy campaigning for re-election next year, “decided that he wants to raise his kids in the great state of Arkansas.” He said the Pryors are weighing options for their 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter, but were “leaning toward” a parochial school.
Jill Pryor is a Mount St. Mary graduate. Pryor started high school at Central, but completed it in Bethesda, Md., after his father was elected to the Senate.
Free speech
Rod Bryan, the independent candidate for governor in 2006, was cited by Little Rock police last week for disorderly conduct. His crime? When two cop cruisers roared past him as he pedaled his bicycle up the Seventh Street hill near the Capitol, he shouted at them, “Turn on your lights!” They were running no lights or sirens and surprised the fool out of Bryan.
Bryan’s shouted words prompted one officer to screech to a stop. He questioned Bryan about what he said. Bryan didn’t back down, even when another cop joined the confrontation. Finally, a ticket was issued. A report on the incident said Bryan was ticketed for exhibiting “dislike” at how police did their job. Sounds like an unconstitutional premise to us free-speechers. But we’ll let Judge Lee Munson decide. Bryan has a court appearance Thursday morning. He also told us he plans to file a complaint with the police internal affairs division.