Monthly Archives: October 2013

Sculpture Vulture: Jane DeDecker’s Patty Cake

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Patty CakeOne of the two newest sculptures to be located in Riverfront Park is Jane DeDecker’s Patty Cake.  This is one of two sculptures in the Nicholson Sculpture Plaza which was dedicated in September 2013.

Patty Cake depicts a mother with a child sitting on the mother’s knees.  The two are facing each other and playing the game which gives the sculpture its name.

This sculpture was donated by longtime KATV executive Dale Nicholson in memory of his wife Pat.

Part of Jane DeDecker’s artistic philosophy is her desire to select a moment to which everyone can relate on a personal level. These moments span all generations, depicting universal scenes. This may speak of the love between parent and child, the freedom of imagination, or the simple dignity of everyday tasks. Each is a timeless expression of the human experience, causing us to reflect and evaluate.

Little Rock Look Back: Mayor Donald Mehlburger

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Mayor D L MehlburgerOn October 19, 1937, future Little Rock Mayor Donald Lee Mehlburger was born in Little Rock.  His parents were Max A. Mehlburger and Mary Lou Covey Mehlburger who also had another son Max C. Mehlburger.

Mehlburger’s first run for the City Board of Directors was in November 1968 when there was an open seat.  At the time he was 30, the youngest one could be and be elected to the City Board.  He lost that race, but eight years later ran again.  This time Mehlburger won the race.  At his first meeting on the City Board, Mehlburger was selected as Mayor of Little Rock by his colleagues.

Prior to running for the City Board the second time, Mehlburger had been appointed to the Planning Commission.  Planning and growth were two important emphases for Mayor Mehlburger, in addition to public safety.  He stressed the importance of quality growth in the edges of the city and a push for a revitalized downtown.  Mayor Mehlburger was also an advocate for public mass transit.

Due to business interests taking up too much of his time, he resigned from the City Board a few months before his term was up.  But he remained engaged in civic affairs.  Historic preservation was important to Mehlburger.  In addition to owning historic properties, he was a founding board member of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas.  He had graduated from the University of Arkansas and was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.  He had also been active with the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) and Rotary Club 99.

Mehlburger died on May 25, 1992 and was buried at Mt. Holly Cemetery.  His grave marker features an engraved sextant which pays tribute to his career as an engineer.  It also notes that he was Mayor of Little Rock.  Mayor Mehlburger was survived by his wife Susan and his three children – Donald Lee Jr., Harry and Katherine.

Little Rock Look Back: City Flag Turns 25 Today

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City FlagOn October 18, 1988, the City of Little Rock Board of Directors adopted the first official flag for the City of Little Rock.

The adoption of Ordinance No. 15,566 was the culmination of a design competition which had been spearheaded by Little Rock City Director Sharon Priest (later Little Rock Mayor, Arkansas Secretary of State and now Executive Director of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership).

Prior to the Official Board of Directors meeting that day, a press conference was held in the Little Rock City Board Chambers for presentation of the City’s flag.  The City Beautiful Commission, a commission of the Department of  Parks and Recreation, sponsored a the contest which received a total of fifteen flag designs.

The flags were judged October 12, 1988, by City Directors and City Beautiful Commission Members. Director Sharon Priest presented the winning flag and introduced David Wilson, a law clerk at the Mitchell Law Firm, who designed the flag chosen for the $1,000 first prize. The second -place winner was Craig Rains, who received $500; and the third -place recipient was David Tullis, who received $250.

The flag was adopted by the City Board that night by a 6-0 vote; former mayor and current director Charles Bussey was absent.  Those voting to adopt the flag were Mayor Lottie Shackelford and directors Sharon Priest, Tom Prince, Buddy Villines, Buddy Benafield and Tom Milton.  Priest would be a future mayor while Prince, Villines and Benafield had all served as mayor.

The official description of the flag is as follows:

As the official flag of the City of Little Rock, its symbolism is described as follows: A clean white background of the banner represents the optimism and open potential that the city has to offer. The royal blue horizontal broad stripe symbolizes the Arkansas River which borders Little Rock, and has served as an economical and historical emblem since the city’s beginning. The forest green stripe runs vertical to the royal blue stripe, creating a cross which symbolizes the location and statute of Little Rock—a city serving not only as the crossroads of Arkansas, but a crossroad of the mid-southern United States as well.

The strong forest green color depicts the fields, parks and forests which contribute to the natural beauty of the city. The seal of the flag is a modernized adaptation of the current Little Rock seal. The razorback red silhouette of the great State of Arkansas shows her capitol, the City of Little Rock, represented by the centered star. The star rises directly above “The Little Rock”—the protruding cliff along the Arkansas River, which was discovered in 1722 by French explorer La Harpe, when the city was given the name. The Arkansas River behind the rock and the symmetrical oak leaves in the border of the seal are a stylized illustration of what the flag’s stripes represent—the natural beauty of the city. Finally, the gold color of the seal and bordering stripes symbolize the superior economic history, and the future economic potential that is available in the City of Little Rock, Arkansas.

Boo at the Zoo adults preview tonight

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7_boobatlogoThe Little Rock Zoo has a special opening night of Boo at the Zoo.  It invites adults to come enjoy all the fun of BOO in an adults-only environment!
Adults will “trick-or-treat” for tasty beverages, ride the Haunted Hay Ride, tour the Haunted House, explore the many Haunted walkways of BOO, play carnival games, listen to live music, and enjoy food from food truck vendors! Costumes are encouraged, but not required and there will be a costume contest!

Last year’s event was a sell-out success, so be sure to get your tickets in advance!

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets now, or call 501.661.7208

A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

Please remember to bring photo ID. No one under the age of 21 admitted.

Sorry, no refunds. Boo at the Zoo is a fundraiser for the Little Rock Zoo and we appreciate your support!

All proceeds help pay for operational support for the Zoo.

Starting tomorrow, Boo at the Zoo runs – October 18-20 and 25 through November 1.

$10 PER PERSON (general admission)  |  $8 PRE-SALE
$20 ALL-INCLUSIVE ARMBAND*  |  $18 PRE-SALE*
$5 DISCOUNT FOR ZOO MEMBERS!

*ALL-INCLUSIVE ARMBAND DOES NOT INCLUDE FOOD VENDORS OR FORTUNE TELLING.

BOO AT THE ZOO HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER EVERYONE!
BOO AT THE ZOO 2013 FEATURES:

Live Music EVERY Night!
Carnival Rides!
NEW and Improved Ghostly Garden!
Kids’ Corner!
NEW Day of the Dead Celebration!
NEW Fiser Kubota Haunted Hay Ride!
Beasts and Bones Animal Presentations!
FREE Carousel Rides Every Night!
Haunted House!
FREE Haunted Veldt Walkway Every Night!
Bounce House Inflatables!
Ghost Roast S’mores!
Food Truck Concessions!
Trick-or-Treating!
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

New theater in Arcade Building to be named for Ron Robinson

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Ron Robinson TheaterLast week the Central Arkansas Library System announced that the new theater in the Arcade Building would be named in honor of Ron Robinson.

If Arkansas was included in a piece of music or a film, Ron Robinson wanted it represented in his collection. The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) will house and begin to catalog Robinson’s vast collection of sheet music, film posters, and other memorabilia connecting those industries with Arkansas’s history and culture.

The Ron Robinson Theater in the Arcade Building on the Main Library campus, the newest performance space in the River Market district will bear Robinson’s name. Programming in the 325-seat multi-purpose event venue will be designed for all ages and will include films, music performances, plays, readings, lectures, speakers, and children’s activities. Equipped with a state-of-the-art projection system for films and a separate sound system for spoken word and music, the theater will receive the highest rating from the Digital Cinema Institute.

The Ron Robinson Collection includes a large number of pieces of sheet music of songs about Arkansas or with the state’s name in the song’s title, containing everything from Tin Pan Alley tunes describing the state to hits by Arkansas musicians such as Patsy Montana and the Browns to would-be state songs. The collection also includes a number of vintage recordings-including Edison disks of the “Arkansas Traveler”-and other materials depicting the state’s music. It will include Robinson’s huge collection of Arkansas-related movie posters, from which the Butler Center co-produced with him an exhibition last year called “Ark in the Dark,” as well as a vast number of pieces of Arkansas political memorabilia.

A native of Little Rock, Robinson has been an avid collector of all things Arkansas for the past fifty years. He is past chairman and chief executive officer of Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, a full-service advertising, marketing, and public relations firm. He has served on numerous boards and committees including the Friends of Central Arkansas Libraries (FOCAL), Arthritis Foundation, United Way,American Red Cross Public Information Committee, Arkansas Arts Center, and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Other organizations using the theater space include the Clinton School for Public Service and the Little Rock Film Festival. As with other CALS meeting space, the theater may be used by the public, based on availability.

Little Rock voters approved a bond issue in 2012 that provided funding for the Arcade Building. Through a public-private partnership between CALS, Clinton-Commerce LLC (which includes Moses Tucker Real Estate), and Monroe Cache, retail stores, offices, and a restaurant will fill the Arcade Building, a three-story, 60,000 square foot structure.

CALS Heiskell Lecture Tonight – Thomas Patterson discusses the rise of misinformation

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9780345806604The rise of misinformation among the American public will be addressed by Thomas Patterson, author of Informing the News at the Central Arkansas Library System’s (CALS) J.N. Heiskell Distinguished Lecture on Tuesday, October 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library and Learning Center, 4800 W. 10th Street.

Informing the News: America’s Need for Trustworthy and Relevant News, and Why We’re Not Getting It will describe where the misinformation among the American public is coming from, the impact of partisan talk shows and blogs, how the mainstream press have contributed, and what can be done about it. The event is free and open to the public. A book signing and reception will follow the program. Reservations are appreciated, but not required. RSVP to pedwards@cals.org or 918-3009.

Patterson is Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press and teaches at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has written several books on public opinion, voting, and the media’s political role. His first book, The Unseeing Eye, was named by the American Association for Public Opinion Research as one of the fifty most influential books on public opinion in the past half century.

The Heiskell Distinguished Lecture is named for J.N. Heiskell, the longest-serving member of the Library’s Board of Trustees and editor of the Arkansas Gazette for more than seventy years. Speakers and programs honor Mr. Heiskell’s commitment to excellence in journalism as well as his support of the library.

Award winning architect speaking Tuesday, October 15

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Kevin_McClurkanTuesday, October 15 at 6pm at the Arkansas Arts Center, award-winning architect and Arkansas native Kevin McClurkan, AIA, will make a presentation entitled THREADS: Ennead Architects’ Recent Works.  This is part of the monthly Architecture and Design Network lecture series.

A founding partner and management principal of  Ennead  Architects, New York-based architect Kevin McClurkan, has Arkansas roots and  continuing connections. An alumnus  of Pine Bluff High School, McClurkan earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where, in 1983, he received the Edward Durell Stone Award for Excellence in Design.

McClurkan has  continued to earn awards – a prestigious national American Institute of Architects Honor Awards among them. His  commitment  to design excellence, supported by  technical innovation,  is the hallmark of his work.  Little Rock’s William J.  Clinton Presidential Center; the Newseum/Freedom Forum Foundation World Headquarters, Washington D.C.; New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts  and  the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law are among the firm’s recent award-winning projects.

Ennead is the name of the firm formerly known as Polshek Partnership Architects. The firm’s  2010 renaming emphasizes  its identity as a group of architects rather than that of a single design leader.  The new name,  which means a group of nine,  reflects the democratic and collaborative culture of the partnership.

Currently working with Little Rock’s  Polk Stanley Wilcox on the redesign of the city’s  Robinson Auditorium, McClurkan  is a member of the  the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture’s Professional Advisory Board.  Of interest to the whole community,  his April talk is  free and open to the public.

For additional information, contact ardenetwork@icloud.com.