New Public Radio Network in Arkansas launched

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natural state newsThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) awarded a $278,300 grant to four Arkansas public radio stations to support the creation of a statewide multimedia journalism collaboration based at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  Natural State News will be a statewide news service focusing on reaching rural areas of the state.

KUAR, UALR’S public radio station, will be the lead station for the project, joined by Fayetteville’s KUAF, Jonesboro’s KASU, and Texarkana’s KTXK. Ben Fry, general manager of KUAR and classical station KLRE, will coordinate the collaboration to create and broadcast thematically unified content relevant to the interests and needs of Arkansans.

Though the stations have often collaborated, the radio news service marks their first official joint venture. Together, the stations’ staff members at the stations will report stories centered on three themes:

  • Education
  • Health
  • Energy

NSN will report breaking news as well as produce related special interest stories. The resulting multimedia content will be published online and heard on local and national public radio programs such as NPR’s Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Here and Now.

“CPB is pleased to support this historic collaboration of Arkansas public media stations,” said Bruce Theriault, senior vice president of journalism and radio, CPB. “The Natural State News collaboration is an example of increased media integration and a pathway for stations to work together to maximize resources while expanding their high-quality journalism.”

The grant will help fund four new positions: a managing editor, two additional reporters, and a partner manager, who will raise additional funds for the project. Three of the new positions will be based in Little Rock, with one reporter to work out of Jonesboro.

Natural State News plans to break new ground with in-depth multimedia reporting to reach extensively into rural Arkansas to tell unfolding stories about wealth, poverty, race, and decision-making in education, healthcare, and the environment. Little-told stories from the region will give a distinctive vantage point for understanding larger national experiences.

NSN will partner with the UALR Institute on Race and Ethnicity, the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN), and the print publication El Latino to provide and promote its diverse, nuanced content. All stories will be available in both Spanish and English, and NSN is committed to supporting diversity in its staff, student interns, and stories.

For more information on the partner stations, go to their websites: KLRE/KUAR, KUAF, KASU and KTXK.

 

Merry Pranks highlight ASO River Rhapsodies concert at Clinton Center this evening

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ASO NewArkansas Symphony Orchestra musicians in three different ensembles present music from Beethoven, Vaughn Williams, and a special arrangement of Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel, the Merry Prankster at 7pm on Tuesday, November 17 in the beautiful Great Hall of the Clinton Presidential Center.

Tickets are $23.

PROGRAM

Strauss – Till Eulenspiegel – einmal anders
Vaughn Williams – Quintet in D Major
Beethoven – Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20

The musicians who will be featured tonight are:

  • Kelly Johnson, clarinet
  • Lyle Wong, clarinet
  • Susan León, bassoon
  • David Renfro, horn
  • Liz Deitemyer, horn
  • Kiril Laskarov, violin
  • Trisha McGovern Freeney, violin
  • Ryan Mooney, viola
  • David Gerstein, cello
  • Aaron Ludwig, cello
  • Barron Weir, bass
  • May Tsao-Lim, piano

Monday Musings: Janell Mason

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Janell MasonThis Thursday, Janell Mason will be recognized as the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser by the Association of Arkansas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.  While she will be recognized primarily for her work with the Ronald McDonald House, she devotes her time to many worthy causes.  One of her focuses each spring is the Sculpture at the River Market show and sale.

Here, in her own words, are some thoughts about her volunteering and her responses to the Nine Monday Musings questions.

I serve on the board of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas. The Ronald McDonald House, located directly across the street from Arkansas Children’s Hospital, is a 28-bedroom home away from home for families whose child is receiving treatment in area hospitals. Families staying there need to be close to the hospital, and are provided with comfortable beds, a hot shower, play space, nightly dinners prepared by community volunteers, and the support of other families in similar situations.  Every day families staying at the House say, “We don’t know what we would do without the Ronald McDonald House.”  Families  stay in the House for an average of 21 days, but some stay overnight while other stay for months while their child receives cancer treatment or a transplant.

I also serve as chair of the Where Hope Has a Home  capital campaign, which is raising funds for  construction of a new House at the corner of MLK and 10th. Of the $8.6 million required to build this 5-story, 35,000 sq. foot home, we need just $600,000 to complete the campaign!  While construction of a new, larger Ronald McDonald House is our ultimate goal, our House and programs are more than just a building. We pride ourselves on providing a home away from home that allows families to be at their child’s side through every step of their healing while allowing them to have a safe, private and, at times, fun place to rest, reflect and comfort one another. The success for us is being able to provide families with what matters most—time with their child.

 

-My earliest memory was (age and incident)

Very vivid – Go Texan Day. We went downtown to watch the Salt Grass Trail riders parade through town. I was wearing my black cowgirl outfit with white fringe and red cowboy boots. I loved those boots!  Age 3, Houston, TX

-When I was in high school and imagined my adulthood, I thought I would be…

a commercial photographer or journalist. My, how life has different plans for us.

-Star Wars, Star Trek, Battle of the Network Stars, or Dancing with the Stars?  

Star Trek (Live Long and Prosper). Watched it every day after school. I always wanted a tribble.

 -I most identify with the Winnie the Pooh character of…

Christopher Robin

 -The performer I’d drop everything to see is…

Two – Andrea Bocelli and Steve Perry

 -My first paying job was…

University of Houston Bookstore when I was home summer after my freshman year. I stocked shelves and organized. I especially enjoyed the smell of the books in the stock basement; the scent of knowledge.

-A book I think everyone should read is….

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

-My favorite season is…

Fall; it is so colorful in Arkansas!

-We are all geeks (or experts) about something.

My field is Volunteerism.

 

 

 

Four Elections which shaped 20th Century focus of Clinton School lecture tonight

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Pivotal Tuesdays: Four Elections that Shaped the Twentieth Century

6pm, November 16 – Clinton School Sturgis Hall

In her book, “Pivotal Tuesdays,” Margaret O’Mara looks back at four pivotal presidential elections of the past 100 years to show how they shaped the twentieth century. Exploring personalities, critical moments, and surprises of the elections of 1912, 1932, 1968, and 1992, this book shows how elections are windows into changing economic times and how history is made when ordinary people cast their ballots. A book signing will follow.

Margaret O’Mara is an associate professor of History at the University of Washington in Seattle, specializing in the political and economic history of the twentieth century United States. Her research and writing focuses on the history of the high-tech industry, the history of American politics, and the connections between the two. In addition to her academic work, she has collaborated with government, business, and civic organizations on a range of projects exploring how innovation drives growth and change.

Coke is it! in new Clinton Center exhibit

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The Clinton Presidential Center celebrates the art and history of the Coca-Cola Bottle’s 100-year anniversary during its upcoming temporary exhibit, Coca-Cola: An American Original. The exhibit is divided into two sections and occupies both the Garden View room, located on the first floor, and the Temporary Gallery, located on the third floor.
Illustrations of an American Original will be located in the Garden View Room and will have as its focus the now-iconic images and advertising campaigns that have helped define the Coca-Cola brand. Illustrations will include three original paintings by Norman Rockwell, an American artist who created a total of six paintings that were ultimately used in finished Coca-Cola ads. The three others, known as the “Missing Rockwells,” have yet to be located. Additionally, Illustrations feature several images of Santa Claus, including the first Coca-Cola Santa painted by Fred Mizen that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in December of 1930, as well as nine original Haddon Sundblom illustrations.
An American Original at 100 is housed in the Temporary Gallery, bringing together historic bottle “firsts.” It features a 13-bottle chronology, including an original glass bottle produced in 1902, a replica of the prototype contour bottle created by the Root Glass Company in 1915, and a prototype of the aluminum bottle that debuted in 2008.
Also, the exhibit showcases pop art by Andy Warhol—including videos, photographs, prints, and other original works—and folk art by Howard Finster, who incorporated the Coca-Cola bottle into dozens of his pieces over his prolific career. Another portion of this exhibit is dedicated to American presidents and their connection to the global brand. An American Original at 100 was recently on display at the High Museum of Art Atlanta.
In addition to Illustrations of an American Original and An American Original at 100, the Center is also displaying a full-size antique Coca-Cola delivery truck produced in 1949 by the White Motor Company and a spectacular hanging installation comprised of more than 750 3D-printed, ribbon-shaped interpretations of the bottle’s classic shape.
Coca-Cola: An American Original is the Center’s 42nd temporary exhibit. It will close on February 15, 2016.  Admission to temporary exhibits is included in the price of Library admission.

KONG is King at CALS Ron Robinson Theater tonight in screening of 1933 classic

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Before the ill-advised remakes and schlocky sequels, there was the original 1933 RKO classic KING KONG.  This movie defies genres: it is not really a horror film, an action film, or a romantic film – though it has elements of all three.

Tonight at 8pm at the Ron Robinson Theater, take the opportunity to enjoy the Big Ape on the Big Screen.  Admission is $5.

Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot star in this film which used the tagline, “A Monster of Creation’s Dawn Breaks Loose in Our World Today!”  Though listed as a “Cooper-Schoedsack Production” neither Merian C. Cooper nor Ernest B. Schoedsack were credited as directors.  Cooper and Edgar Wallace did receive credit for conceiving the movie.  The film’s screenplay credits went to James Creelman and Ruth Rose, though Cooper, Wallace and Leon Gordon also contributed to the script.

This film helped make the Empire State Building famous with its climactic action sequence.

Carl Denham needs to finish his movie and has the perfect location; Skull Island. But he still needs to find a leading lady. This ‘soon-to-be-unfortunate’ soul is Ann Darrow.  No one knows what they will encounter on this island and why it is so mysterious, but once they reach it, they will soon find out. Living on this hidden island is a giant gorilla and this beast now has Ann in it’s grasps. Carl and Ann’s new love, Jack Driscoll must travel through the jungle looking for Kong and Ann, whilst avoiding all sorts of creatures and beasts.

Little Rock Look Back: Mayor Woodrow Mann

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IMG_3231Future Little Rock Mayor Woodrow Wilson Mann was born on November 13, 1916, in Little Rock.

In 1955, he ran as the Democratic nominee for Mayor of Little Rock and defeated two term incumbent Pratt C. Remmel, a Republican.  He took office in January 1956 and immediately set about to make a lot of changes.  In addition to revitalizing the City’s bus system, and removing some color barriers at City Hall, he oversaw the dismantling of the copper dome on top of Little Rock City Hall (as opposed to the repair of the dome championed by Mayor Remmel).

Mayor Mann was caught up in a grand jury investigation into purchasing practices at City Hall as well as within the City government in North Little Rock.  Partially in response to this, Little Rock voters approved a new form of government in late 1956.  Mayor Mann opposed the switch to the City Manager form and refused to set the election for the new officials but was ultimately compelled to do so.

He was also Mayor during the 1957 integration of Little Rock Central High School.  He sought to keep the peace and to broker a deal between President Dwight Eisenhower and Governor Orval Faubus.  His powers within the city were, no doubt, hampered because of his lame duck status as Mayor.  In November 1957 following the election of the new City Board of Directors, he chaired his last City Council meeting and left office.

In January of 1958, a series of articles written by Mayor Mann detailed his perspective on the events at Central High. These were carried by newspapers throughout the US.

Because of ill will toward him due to the Central High crisis (he was criticized by both sides) and grand jury investigation, Mayor Mann felt it would be difficult to maintain his insurance business in Little Rock. He moved to Texas in 1959 and remained there the rest of his life.  He died in Houston on August 6, 2002.