Monthly Archives: June 2014

Little Rock Look Back: Ark Municipal League 2002/2003 President Jim Dailey

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cityoflr_img_board_dailyToday is the final day of the Arkansas Municipal League’s 80th convention. It is taking place at the Statehouse Convention Center (which is on the site of the Hotel Marion – location of the first AML meeting). Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola will be installed as president today. He is the sixth Little Rock official to hold this position.

Today’s feature is on the fifth Little Rock official – Jim Dailey, who was Little Rock’s 71st Mayor.  He served as the 2002/2003 AML President. Not only was he Little Rock’s 71st Mayor, he was the AML’s 71st President.

Jim Dailey was first elected to the City Board of Directors in 1974 and served one term. From January 1977 to December 1978, he was Vice Mayor.  After taking a decade off to focus on the family business (and continue to be involved in civic affairs including serving as founding chair of Leadership Greater Little Rock), he returned to the City Board in January 1989.  In 1991 and 1992, he again served as Vice Mayor. He was re-elected to the Board in 1992 and was named Mayor in January 1993.  In November 1994, he was elected as the first popularly-elected Mayor of Little Rock under the City Manager form of government.

He was re-elected in 1998 and 2002.  His fourteen years as Mayor of Little Rock set a longevity record.  Upon his retirement the City’s fitness center was renamed the Jim Dailey Fitness and Aquatic Center.  This was in recognition of his lifelong interest in wellness activities.

As Mayor, he served as Chair of the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee of the Federal Communications Commission. He was also a member of the United States Conference of Mayor’s Communications Task Force.  He was appointed to the National League of Cities Board of Directors and the Municipalities in Transition on Public Finance.He also served as president of the Arkansas Municipal League in 2002 and 2003.

Since leaving office, he has continued his civic involvement by serving as a member of the Little Rock Airport Commission which oversees the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport.  He is also involved in commercial real estate.

HAMLET takes stage at Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre

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PrintMurder, grief, love, betrayal, humor, madness, and revenge–this renowned story of mystery and intrigue has it all!  Prince Hamlet, haunted by his father’s suspicious death and his mother’s hasty marriage to his uncle, seeks truth and justice in a fallen world.  In the process, he learns not only what it means to be a man, but what it means to be human.

This production welcomes back Robert Quinlan (director of AST’s acclaimed Richard III, 2012), whose stunning vision of Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedy gives you a glimpse of the backstage drama of Denmark that will leave you breathless.

This production is mounted in a three-quarter setting on the stage of Reynolds Center. Seating is limited so be sure tickets are purchased in advance.  It opens tonight at 7:30 at the Reynolds Center on the UCA campus and continues at 2pm Saturday the 21st, 7:30pm on Tuesday the 24th, 7:30pm on Thursday the 26th and 7:30pm on Saturday the 28th.  The final performance is at 2pm on Sunday the 29th.

Jordan Coughtry essays the title role with Paige Reynolds as his mother Gertrude, Dan Matisa as Claudius and the Ghost, Robert Gerard Anderson as Polonius and the Gravedigger, Kelly Karche ans Ophelia, and Brendan Marshall-Rashid as Laertes.  Others in the cast are Benjamin Stidha, Garrett Whitehead, Matthew Schmidli, Jonathan Altman, Keving Browne, Holly Ruth Gale, Chris Fritzges, Andrew Martin, Jordan Breckenridge, Evan Tyrone Martin, Sarah Guinee, Elena Wiltgen, Aaron Eley and Joey Whisenhunt.

 

Little Rock Look Back: Ark Municipal League 1954 President H. C. “Sport” Graham

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H C GrahamToday is the first full day of the 80th Arkansas Municipal League convention here in Little Rock.  It is at the Statehouse Convention Center which stands on the site of the Hotel Marion, which was the site of the first meeting.

Five Little Rock leaders have led the AML as President. On Friday, Mayor Mark Stodola will become the sixth Little Rock city official to be president of the Arkansas Municipal League.

Today’s feature spotlights Henry Clay Graham. Known officially as H. C. Graham, his nickname was “Sport.”  H. C. Graham was the first, and to date, only City Clerk to have served as AML President. He was president in 1954, serving as the 22nd President.

Graham was first appointed City Clerk in August 1934 to fill out the term of John Krumm, who had died that month. Graham ran for election in 1936 and was re-elected every two years through 1954. He was not afraid to challenge the Mayor or City Council members in meetings or in the press if he felt that rules were not being followed. He openly criticized Mayor Overman over spending habits in the late 1930s and sided with Mayor Satterfield when members of the City Council were being held in contempt of court for disobeying a judge’s order.

In October 1954, Little Rock Mayor Pratt Remmel, a Republican, was running for Governor. Graham supported Orval Faubus, who was the Democratic nominee.  On a Friday evening, he appeared on KATV promoting Faubus’ campaign.  He went home that night after the program complaining he did not feel well. On Sunday, he was having dinner at his nephew’s house in Little Rock and collapsed and died. It was a few days before the Municipal League annual meeting at which he was supposed to preside.  The decision was made to continue with the meeting as a tribute to him.

Graham’s 20 years and two months as City Clerk is the second longest in the City’s history and the longest of any elected City Clerk.

Graham’s sister, Pauline Graham Beeson, was appointed to fill out the remainder of his term. She did not seek election. In 1958, however, she was appointed the first City Clerk of Little Rock under the City Manager form of government and served in that capacity until December 1968.

TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA continues at Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre

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PrintSet in Italy in the early 1960s, this lively production will bring music and romance to one of Shakespeare’s rarely-produced comedies. Two Gents has all the familiar Shakespearean surprises we love:  a crossdressing heroine, fickle young lovers, and a dangerous escape into the forest.  Add to that hilarious comedy from two clownish servants, along with Shakespeare’s most famous dog, and you know this is a must see! AST Artistic Director Rebekah Scallet directs this delightful exploration of lasting love and true friendship.

The cast includes Jordan Coughtry, Brendan Marshall-Rashid, Caroline Brooks, Paige Martin Reynolds, Jordy Neill, Andrew Martin, Laurie Pascale, Jesica Dean Turner, Robert Gerard Anderson, Kevin Browne, Christ Fritzges, Jordan N. Breckenridge, Salem Anderson, Zeke Whisenhunt, Anna Caroline Gregg, Mary Dean Johnston and Olivia Marotte.

The production has played several performances at the Hendrix Village.  Starting tonight, it is performed by the Argenta Library. Performances are tonight, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.  Admission is “pay what you can.”

 

Little Rock Look Back: Ark Municipal League 1944 President Sam Wassell

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S WassellTonight, the Arkansas Municipal League kicks off its 2014 convention and celebrating its 80th anniversary this week here in Little Rock.  The first meeting took place in 1934 at the Hotel Marion.

Five Little Rock city leaders have served as President of the Arkansas Municipal League. On Friday, Mayor Mark Stodola will become the sixth Little Rock city official to be president of the Arkansas Municipal League.

In 1944, Alderman (and future Little Rock Mayor) Sam M. Wassell served as the eleventh AML President.  He was the first alderman to lead the group.

A Little Rock native, his grandfather John W. Wassell had been Mayor of Little Rock in 1868.  He is the only Little Rock Mayor to be a grandson of another Little Rock Mayor.

Sam Wassell served on the Little Rock City Council from 1928 through 1934 and again from 1940 through 1946.

Wassell was an attorney.  He practiced law privately and also served as an Assistant US Attorney.  In 1930, he ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the US Congress representing the 5th Congressional District, which at the time included Little Rock.

Wassell ran for Mayor in 1947 and was unopposed in the general election.  He was unopposed in his bid for re-election in 1949.  During his second term, President Harry S. Truman visited Little Rock. As Mayor, he oversaw post-war growth in Little Rock. In 1951, he was not successful in his bid for a third term, losing to Pratt Remmel.

With a new USS Little Rock under construction, it is interesting to note that Mrs. Sam Wassell christened the previous USS Little Rock in 1944.

Mayor Wassell died on December 23, 1954 and is buried at Roselawn Cemetery in Little Rock.

After the office, go see OFFICE SPACE tonight at Movies in the Park

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MitP10 OfficeSpacePut on your flair, fill out your TPS reports, and hop on your “Jump to Conclusions” mat. Office Space is tonight’s film at Movies in the Park.

Mike Judge’s workplace masterpiece is 15 years old this year.  As the employees of Initech and Chotchkie’s, it stars Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Stephen Root, Gary Cole, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, Diedrich Bader, John C. McGinley, Paul Wilson, Alexandra Wentworth and Greg Pitts.

Now in its 10th season, Movies in the Park is a free outdoor film series at the First Security Amphitheater in Riverfront Park.  The move starts at dark (around 8:30).

Movies in the Park has grown to a season of eight films per year, on average, reaching audiences of up to 4,000 people. It’s a staple event in Central Arkansas. Communities from across the state, and the country, have reached out for guidance as they have tried to implement similar programs in the own communities.

Since 2008, the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau has been managing Movies in the Park.

Little Rock Look Back: Ark Municipal League 1941 President J. V. Satterfield, Jr.

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SatterfieldThe Arkansas Municipal League is having the 2014 convention and celebrating its 80th anniversary this week here in Little Rock.  The first meeting took place in 1934 at the Hotel Marion.

Each day this week will feature a look at a previous Little Rock leader who led AML.

Mayor J. V. Satterfield, Jr., was the seventh president of the Arkansas Municipal League serving in 1941.  Because he did not seek re-election as Mayor and left office during his tenure as AML leader, he did not serve an entire year in the AML presidency.

J. V. Satterfield was elected to serve as Mayor of Little Rock in 1939 and served one term, until 1941.  He was credited with saving the City from bankruptcy because of his fiscal policies. Among his efficiencies were the creation of a central purchasing office and using grass moved from the airport to feed the Zoo animals.

Though as a private citizen he had voted against the creation of a municipal auditorium in 1937, Mayor Satterfield fought valiantly to ensure that Robinson Auditorium opened to the public once he took office.  Shortly after he became Mayor, it was discovered that there were not sufficient funds to finish the construction. After the federal government refused to put in more money, he was able to negotiate with some of the contractors to arrange for the building to be completed. He also oversaw a successful special election to raise the money to finish the project.

Satterfield was a staunch supporter of the airport and worked to expand it.  He would serve as the chair of the first Municipal Airport Commission.  He also established the Little Rock Housing Authority (on which he would later serve on the board).

Following the outbreak of World War II, Satterfield enlisted in the Army and was given the rank of a Major. He later was promoted to a Colonel and worked in the Pentagon during its early days.

In the late 1940s Satterfield became president of a small Little Rock bank called People’s Bank.  The bank changed its named to First National Bank when it moved into new offices at 3rd and Louisiana in 1953.  Under his leadership it grew into one of the state’s largest banks.

Mayor Satterfield lived in Little Rock until his March 1966 death.