Volume 11, Issue 5 • March/April 2017

Mary NashPowerful.

Tender.Brillant.

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103 Park Drive • Maumelle, AR

(501) 851-0040 • maumellelaw.com

•ELDER LAW •ESTATE PLANNING •TRUSTS •WILLS •GUARDIANSHIPS

•FAMILY LAW •ADOPTIONS •VA BENEFITS •MEDICAID

•BUSINESS LAW •REAL ESTATE

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102 Towne Centre Dr., Ste. 1Maumelle, AR 72113

501-803-3937

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Publisher/Editor

Roger A. Frangieh

Publisher/President

RAFIMI Publishing LLC

RAFIMI Advertising & Strategic Marketing

raf@MauMag.com

Art Director

Jeremy Henderson

To Advertise in Maumelle Magazine

Call 501.960.6077

By email Adverts@MauMag.com

MauMag (Maumelle Magazine) is published by RAFIMI

Publishing LLC.

All contents are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced in

any manner - including by electronic means - for any purpose

without written permission from the publisher.

Simona Iva, D.D.S.

Christie Brooks, MS, RD, LD

Marion Scott-Coney

Ken Forrester

Peter Goulden, MD

Simona Ivan, DDS

Cary Maddox

Michelle McCon

Kathleen Neville, MD,

MS, MBA, FAAP

Michae Orfanos

Prunella Pinetree

Austin Pittman

Troy Pousardien

Robyn D. Rektor

Pam Rudkin

MaryAnn Stafford

Harding Stedler

Kathy Wheeler

Writers & Contributors

Stinky Sock and Fairy Talk:

A Tale of My Midlife Crisis .................................5

Goin’ A-FestingPart Two: Plan the second half

of your 2017 Arkansas festival adventures .......... 14

POETRY ....................................... 17Reaping the Rhythms ..................................... 17

WINE ............................................ 26Cutsey-Poo Wine Writing ................................26

Minute with Maddox .......................................27

Springtime Severe Weather ...............................28

PHOTOGRAPHY .......................... 29Camera Main Control Dial ..............................29

Maumelle Photography Club ...........................32

FICTION ....................................... 33True Love’s Kiss .............................................. 33

EDUCATION ................................ 34New Local Board Members to Lead

School District into the Future .........................34

TECH TALK................................... 36Need a Cloud Storage Account?

You May Already Have One! ...........................36

TREE TIPS .................................... 37Shagbark Hickory Tree .................................... 37

BOOK REVIEW ............................ 38Commonwealth ................................................38

THE ARTS

18

9

The Argenta Arts District

of North Little Rock

11

6

Spotlight on Young

Composers in Maumelle

Experimental Treatments Help Arkansas Children with

Cancer Live Longer

8 Reasons You Aren’tLosing Weight

Bad Breath

23

COVER PH

OTOGRAPH

PY MATTH

EW DYSO

N

The Numbers Game

25

20

4 Ways to Avoid Type 2 Diabetes

22

To Stretch or Not to Stretch, That Is the Question

24

I’m pretty sure I’m having a bit of

a midlife crisis. And by “pretty sure,”

I mean there’s really no denying it, and

by “a bit of,” I mean dear Lord Almighty

and Dr. Phil, help me.

It’s happening.

See, eight point two years ago, I became

a mom. And not one of those cute wide-

eyed twenty-something ones embarking on

life while simultaneously cradling a whole

new miniature one. I was already in my

(gasp!) thirties, several miles past my prime

by my grandma’s standards. And Hugh He-

fner’s. I was a graphic designer for a local

private school at the time, and I intended to

keep on keeping on, toting my babe to work

and meetings and whatnot and cranking out

a flyer or brochure each time the nap fairy

paid my daughter a visit. But needy infant

plus needier job eventually took a toll and

equaled exhausted, stressed-out me, and I

couldn’t exactly quit my baby. Nor did I want

to. Because I liked her. And so I bid that job

farewell and never looked back. It was pos-

sibly the wisest decision of my life, which

isn’t exactly saying a lot because the bulk of

my decisions have been of poor quality, but

that’s neither here nor there nor anywhere. I

did it, and it was good.

The next two point four years would be

magical, full of laughter and wonder and The

Wonder Place and rousing games of This

Little Piggy and Stinky Sock. I did the occa-

sional graphic design project on the side,

and I continued to write for this here maga-

zine, as I’d done for years before and would

persist in doing for years to come. And then

the baby fairy (there’s a fairy for everything,

if you must know) kicked the magic up a

notch when she blessed us with another

child, a son, which translated into ten times

the laughter and sixty-seven times the

Stinky Sock. The occasional side jobs contin-

ued, and life felt balanced and fulfilling and

Now With Lower Stress (!!) as I’d never before

experienced it. I had Purpose with a capital

P, and there was no question or doubt in my

mind: I knew right where I belonged.

And I did it all in yoga pants or Hello Kit-

ty pajamas or the occasional stretchy jeans,

each of which I’ve grown accustomed to and

find quite satisfying.

All to say: I haven’t endured a “proper”

job in nearly eight years now, at least not

one that insisted I leave the comfort of my

cozy home and that didn’t involve me wip-

ing someone’s rear other than my own and/

or sitting around in my jammies in front of

my PC into the wee hours of the night with

one of Mommy’s extra-special-don’t-touch

cranberry juice happy drinks. But the end is

near. I feel it in the pit of my stomach and in

every fiber of my being. That stressful, un-

settled sensation is creeping back in, and

I feel like a geriatric college kid heading

out into the great wide world. Because my

son…my BABY!...will be starting kindergar-

ten in the fall.

And I no longer know my purpose in life.

I’m assuming I’ll get an outside-world

job, a proper one. One that frowns upon

jammies. And happy drinks. But WHERE?

What will I DO?! Will it involve graphic de-

sign or writing or both or neither, or maybe I

want to be a seamstress or a carpenter (stop

snickering – I demand it) or a professional

tush wiper. I’m quite skilled at it. Or perhaps

I should go back to school and get an actual

USEFUL degree because the silly English and

psychology and writing ones I insisted on ac-

cumulating aren’t doing a whole lot for me.

But do I really want to head back to college

at my advanced age?! The answer is an em-

phatic NO (!!!) in all caps with triple exclama-

tion marks.

I need the job fairy to provide some

clarity.

And hence the aforementioned midlife

crisis. Change and unknowns and the real

world are tough for me and make me terri-

bly anxious. An interesting side note: I’ve also

been thinking about getting a tattoo, some-

thing I’ve never done in my forty-*bleep*

years of existence. For whatever reason

(midlife plus crisis), I dream of marching into

Lucky Bella and inking up the back of my

neck, but I have no clue what image I’d like to

permanently stab into my skin because crisis

or no, I’m still me and highly indecisive and

moderately sensible. Perhaps I’ll get a fairy.

I can see it now: she’ll have a screwdriver, a

thesaurus, and a pair of sewing shears in one

hand (she’s got surprisingly large hands for a

fairy) while the other toasts me merrily with

a special drink. And she’ll obviously be wear-

ing Hello Kitty pajamas. And stinky socks.

Best midlife crisis tattoo ever! Dr. Phil would

clearly approve. I’m feeling worlds better al-

ready!

But that’s probably just the cranberry

juice talking. MM

Stinky Sock and Fairy Talk: A Tale of My Midlife Crisis

By Michelle McCon

M ichelle McCon is a stay-at-home mom, writer, and sometimes

graphic designer. She enjoys the great outdoors, a good

book, trashy television, word games, music and lots of it, sewing, biking,

woodworking, Hershey Bars, iGadgetry, Hello Kitty pajamas, and maintaining

a low-stress existence.

Have a question or comment? Please feel free to email her at msmccon@

gmail.com.

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How does one become

Chamber of Commerce

2016 Business Woman of

the Year as well as own-

er of the 2014-15 Small

Business of the Year? Everyone’s path

is different and unique and Mary Nash’s

story is no exception. Mary Nash began

her life on a farm near the small town of

Monroe, near Charlotte, North Carolina.

As an only child, she remembers having

the best of both her mother, Brite, and her

father Frank Godfrey. Dad worked nights,

and mom worked days. She would spend

her days enjoying all of the activities her

dad enjoyed –planting and harvesting

crops, caring for farm animals, hunting,

and helping with her dad’s hobbies of

training bird dogs and horses. When mom

got home, she helped with cooking, sew-

ing, and processing the fruits of her and

her dad’s days’ labors. She described dad

as “adventure” and mom as “protection”,

the “best parents anyone could ever have.”

Mary attended a small country school.

She graduated, part of a class of forty-two,

most of whom had gone to school togeth-

er from first grade through twelfth. Every-

one attended the same church and every-

one knew everyone-an idyllic childhood.

Her constant companion was a brown lab

named Trixie. Her love of dogs has never

diminished, and she always has her cur-

rent dog, Bear, by her side (or in her chair).

She had two loving grandmothers and

her parents, but not a lot of children to

play with during school breaks. Her love

of other children and wish to give them

the happiness she enjoyed has helped to

shape her into the person she is today.

When asked about who inspired her as

a child, she fondly remembers an attorney

friend of her father’s, Coble Funderburk.

He was a big man and always wore a ten-

gallon hat and a rose in his lapel. As her

father’s constant companion, Mary was

always around when his friends for whom

he did dog and horse training were. This

man, who so impressed her, never talked

down to her nor did he ignore her. When

speaking, he would bend down to her

height and speak to her as an adult. One

day he asked if she had given any thought

to what she wanted to be when she grew

up. “Yes, sir,” she said, “I want to be an at-

torney just like you.”

“Well,” he replied, “That’s an honorable

profession. You’ll do well.” From that day,

the desire and thought was never far from

Mary’s mind.

Mary married in her last year of high

school. Three years later she had a son,

Jim, then, four years after that, a daugh-

ter, Robin. At age 25, she started her ad-

vanced education at Broward Community

College where she received a two-year

degree. Her marriage had ended and

while working three jobs and raising chil-

dren, she moved on to classes at Florida

Atlantic University where she earned her

Bachelor’s degree in and then her Master’s

in Public Administration. She was accept-

ed into Law School and graduated in 1976

from Nova Law School in Fort Lauderdale,

Florida. She passed the Florida bar and

went into business for herself.

Love intervened and she married Price

Howell, moving with him from sunny Fort

Lauderdale to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she

passed the Ohio bar and practiced until

1991. Then she moved to Washington,

D. C. to attend Georgetown. There she

received her post-doctorate Master’s de-

gree. She studied at Charles University

and lived in Prague for several months,

studying International Finance. While

there, she took advantage of her proxim-

ity to history (the cold war ended) and

traveled extensively, visiting Moscow, St.

Petersburg, Warsaw and Budapest. She

witnessed the opening of the first McDon-

ald’s in Warsau, and the first pizza parlor in

Prague. This was sought-after fare…dur-

ing the cold war, “meat and dough” were

basically the food menu. The pizza parlor

was across the famous Charles Bridge in

Prague so every day would see scores of

people, including Mary, trekking across

the bridge and back.

Prior to the US presidential election in

1992, Mary was tapped to accept a job in

Treasury. Her mother had become ill and

she left her beloved Prague to return to

Washington DC, driving to North Carolina

to care for her mother each weekend. The

election changed administrations and

Mary had a new decision to make. In her

heart, she wanted to return to the Char-

lotte of her youth. She talked to a lot of

people and began researching Little Rock.

It filled the bill, culture-wise, and, being

on the same latitude as Charlotte, many

of the same weather characteristics. Hav-

ing always loved the outdoors, (given the

many hours she spent with her dad), she

saw Arkansas as a mecca for boating, ca-

noeing, biking, hiking, hunting, fishing….

virtually all of the activities she had en-

joyed as a youth. She moved to Arkansas

in 1993, took the bar, and settled in.

During all of this time, she nursed her

love for children—her own grandson,

Nash, was just the biological lynchpin.

Mary Nash has a full covey of pseudo-

Mary Nash and her family at Disney World.

Mary Nash Powerful. Tender. Brillant.By Marion Scott-Coney

Continued on page 8>

Mary with her children and parents.

Mary’s parents, Frank and Brite sorting sweet potatoes in North Carolina. The local newspaper saw them from the road and took their picture.

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grandchildren. They think of her as their

grandmother, and consider themselves

cousins—a band of brothers, and now

sisters-- although there is no blood re-

lationship among most of them. These

are children of varied backgrounds and

ethnicities, many of whom have no grand-

parents, or none in the United States.

They travel together, play together, eat

together, often share Mary’s home, and

basically have become her true extended

family. Mary notes that it has been years

since she has missed the premier of any

children’s movie. “I get much more out of

these kids than they get out of me!” she

says, “They don’t have to be your biologi-

cal kids to love them. Everyone needs a

loving relationship with a child.” Well, she

has thirteen…and counting. Mary feels

that “You live as long as someone remem-

bers you.”

The Maumelle firm where she spends

a good twelve hours each day became the

Nash Law Firm in 2010. The firm special-

izes in Elder Law including estate plan-

ning, trusts, wills, asset protection, Med-

icaid and VA Benefits, but they also deal

with personal injury and real estate. She

now has nine employees in her organiza-

tion; five attorneys, two paralegals, two

legal assistants (and one pupalegal, Bear,

who is in charge of client entertainment

and office security.) The Nash Law Firm, as

stated in their brochure, “is not a large firm

at which clients are lost in the shuffle. We

are dedicated to our clients, and the issues

that are most important to them….[con-

centrating] on challenges that really mat-

ter most: Your family’s protection; protec-

tion as well as preservation of your assets;

and protection and respect of your wishes

and dignity.” Along with these important

functions, they counsel and represent cli-

ents applying for Veteran’s Basic, House-

bound, and Aid and Attendance Pensions,

for which there is no charge.

Mary Nash has published two books,

Estate Planning in Arkansas and Helping

Hands Across Time. Keeping Family Mon-

ey in the Family. She is currently working

on her third book, Greed, Stop It in Your

Family. The importance of proper estate

planning cannot be overstressed, no mat-

ter how modest one feels their estate may

be. They answer the question, “Which is

the better estate planning tool: a will or

trust?” Their reasoning is impeccable and

initial consultations are free.

Mary states unequivocally that “this is

the best job in the world! Every day I get

up knowing that I am going to help some-

one today!”

So that’s how it’s done. MM

M arion Scott-Coney has lived in Maumelle

since 2006. She enjoys running, reading,

volunteering, and staying active in Maumelle’s political scene.

You may contact her at marionella01@hotmail.com .

Cover story - continued from page 7>

Albert Einstein once said,

“Imagination is every-

thing. It is the preview of life’s

coming attractions.” Without the

imaginative spirits of those who came

before us we would not be the highly developed soci-

ety we are today. In these troubled times the world is

in need of creative and imaginative solutions to a host

of problems we never would have envisioned even a

decade ago. Therefore, I believe that one of the most

important jobs of a teacher is that of opening up our

young people to thinking outside the box, reveling

in their own special gifts, and developing the self-

confidence they will need to be able to share those

gifts with the world someday. In my piano studio one

of my primary means of doing this has been through

music composition. Ever since the last MauMag is-

sue featuring student compositions (July-August-

September 2013) so many of you have expressed

the desire to hear more from our budding Maumelle

composers. So, in this issue I am sharing a few by stu-

dents who are in the process of discovering their own

unique voices. I have chosen pieces that have won

awards or are currently in competition pipelines.

Stephen and Brandon G. are twins and are so

very similar in many ways, and especially so in their

connection with music. They are now in eighth

grade in home school. Stephen and Brandon began

their piano journey about two and a half years ago

but had already been playing some by ear on their

piano at home. They were born three months pre-

maturely which began a long road of developmental

delays and academic challenges. Music has been very

therapeutic and enjoyable, and playing the piano has

improved their motor skills, memory, independence,

and creative thinking skills.

Background music in movies and video games

of which they are big fans has served as fodder for

lots of ear-playing. From the start I have encouraged

them to compose since it offers them the opportunity

to make music that is their own and gives them the

chance to play much more advanced musical ideas

than the music at the level they are learning to read.

Their mother says, “Although the boys don’t always

follow the same learning curve others might, piano

and composition have given them the chance to ex-

cel in their unique strengths and have a lot of fun in

the process.”

The first two of our featured compositions,

“Prison Break” by Brandon and “Volcanic Fortress” by

Stephen, are unique expressions. No doubt initially

inspired by the mood of background music they have

heard, they have created here two dynamic pieces we

hope you will enjoy as much as they enjoyed record-

ing them for you!

Mary Condren is in eighth grade and is in home

school this year. She began piano lessons about 5

years ago and has been composing ever since. She

also comes from a musical family and has benefitted

from hearing a lot of good music at home. In addition

to piano she enjoys reading and drawing. Her favor-

ite piano music is jazz because it reminds her of New

Orleans, and her favorite thing about studying music

is seeing her own progress across the years and real-

izing how far she has come.

Mary has a very unique personal voice when she

composes. She is very in touch with an internal CD

that hears an idea she wants to express, and then she

brings that to the piano to find it on the keys. Of her

featured piece, “Drifting in the Caribbean”, she says

she got the idea for this piece from “The Ballad of

Davy Jones”, a song she heard in the movie, “Pirates of

the Caribbean”. “I really loved that song,” she says. “It

sounded very mysterious, and I wanted to compose

something like it. To develop a piece I usually play

around with my idea at the piano, adding to it until I

am happy with the outcome. The title came from the

fact that the music reminded me of being lost at sea

after a shipwreck.”

John Jones is in sixth grade at Maumelle Char-

ter School. He has studied piano for six years and has

been composing regularly since he began his lessons.

John added trumpet to his musical pursuits this year.

For fun outside of his musical endeavors John enjoys

Nerf, friends, family time, and playing Pokemon Go

outside. He plays a regular gig of a mix of popular,

classical, ragtime, jazz, and rock music at Embassy

Suites each Saturday morning entertaining the break-

fast crowd.

When composing John tends to improvise at the

piano until he finds the germ of an idea. When work-

ing on his featured piece, “Seashore”, John says he was

just playing random chords until he just happened

upon the chord that begins this piece. From that pop-

up idea he says he just played what came naturally

By Linda Kennedy

Spotlight on Young Composers in Maumelle

Stephen and Brandon

L to R top row the names are: Reuben, Nash, Andre, Roberto, Carlos and Jorge

Bottom row L to R are: Kimberly, Ashley, Diego, Mary and Bianca

Mary and her children, Jim and Robin in North Carolina

Mary Condren John JonesContinued on page 10 >

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after it, and he just went with the flow. “Seashore” is a reflection of

his memories of a day at the seashore and the ever-changing nature of the water throughout the day. He suggests you listen for the waves and how the various waves differ from each other.

Ann Gao is in sixth grade at Maumelle Middle School. She has studied piano for five and a half years and is now playing flute in the middle school band as well. She also enjoys painting, gymnastics, and dancing. She composed her first piece when she was nine years old. Then she went to live in China for three years. Now that she is back in Maumelle, she is continuing to flourish as both a pianist and composer. She says she gleans her composing ideas by listening to the music of classical and jazz composers. Usually she starts a piece by hearing a melody in her mind and then takes it to the piano, adding harmony and more melody until the whole has developed. For Ann the music always comes first. Then she closes her eyes as she listens to the whole. By what she “sees” as she listens, she comes up with her title.

Ann’s featured composition, “A Moonlit Night on the Autumn River”, is very expressive and emotes a very special oriental quality as so much of it is based on a pentatonic (five-note) scale. I asked what sig-nificance the Autumn River might have had for her. “One day we went fishing. As it began to get dark, the moon came out, and it made an artistic impression on me. There is a Chinese piece called “A Moonlit Night

on the Spring River” that I like very much. I wanted to

compose a piece that pictured my own experience on

the Autumn River.”

Clayton Boothe is in eighth grade at Maumelle

Middle School. He has grown up in a home that is

filled with music. His mom plays the flute, his dad

plays bass, and his brother plays the guitar. He be-

gan piano lessons at the age of five, joined the band

in sixth grade as a trumpet player, is now a member

of the jazz band as well, and just this year joined the

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Youth Ensembles pro-

gram as a member of the Academy Orchestra. It came

as no surprise to me when he said that he wants to

become a band director when he is older.

Clayton began composing about four years ago

and is beginning to hone his skills as he takes note of

musical elements in the music of the many compos-

ers he hears through piano, band, and orchestra. His

featured piece, “Omnisciency”, grew from a kernel of

an idea he gleaned from a video game he was playing

one day. Clayton says he added to that kernel to build

the melodic idea upon which the piece is built. His

internal musical vocabulary is influenced by Christian

music and the classical and jazz favorites he tends to

listen to today. Initially he named the piece “Grace

Driven”, but the new title came from his strong feel-

ing that the music expresses an all-knowing or omni-

scient quality.

Riley Williamson is in the eighth grade at Mau-

melle Middle School and has studied piano for one

and a half years. He plays French horn in the band

and plays keyboard and drums in the jazz band. He

is active in Boy Scouts, and holds the rank of 1st Class.

He also enjoys playing soccer. Riley comes from a mu-

sical home where all the family loves to sing, and his

dad is a band director. These influences are evident in

his composing style.

He has made remarkable progress in compo-

sition in a very short time. He tells me his favorite

thing about composing is that he can write whatever

he wants to write. I love that this freedom resonates

with his artistic spirit. Riley says that when he has a

composing idea, he takes it to the piano and plays it

over and over until it starts to feel comfortable. At that

point he is able to expand and change the ideas until

the piece is whole. He is particularly enjoying writing

for jazz ensembles these days, and his featured com-

position, “Even in the End” for a twenty-one piece jazz

group is evidence of that. Riley says the title just came

to him as he was composing because it just seemed

to fit the piece and the feelings the music projects.

Listen for the overall form of a faster moving section

to a slower and more melodic one followed by a re-

turn to the opening idea.

I hope that by hearing these young people ex-

press from their hearts through music, you will be in-

spired to tap into your own creative wells in whatever

mediums are at play in your life. Life, itself, is a per-

forming art, is it not? And, you are your own conduc-

tor. Let’s not just settle for “what is”. Let’s reach into

our imaginations and creative wells, ask “what if”, and

begin to make a difference in the immediate world

around us. MM

Continued on page 12 >

Clayton BootheAnn Gao

The Arts - continued from page 9>

Links for listening can be found at: www.maumag.com/

maumelle-through-music/

Riley Williamson

Linda Kennedy has taught music through the piano

and theory/composition in her independent piano

studio in Maumelle since 1985. She is also organist/accompanist

at NLR First United Methodist Church. Linda may be contacted by

email at PianoLK@aol.com.

Just down the road from Mau-

melle is an area rich in history,

architecture, the arts, and cul-

ture. Within ten easily walkable

blocks in downtown North Little

Rock is the self-proclaimed area known as

the Argenta Arts District. As of today, the

Argenta Arts District boasts eleven visual

arts venues, fourteen dining and drinking

establishments, four performance art ven-

ues, and six different types of arts organiza-

tions as well as a farmer’s market and the

Argenta Plaza - a park that can be rented

for outdoor events and festivals. The Ar-

genta Art Walk takes place every third Fri-

day evening of the month allowing visitors

and art enthusiasts to view the gallery art.

In addition, several festivals and art events

are scheduled throughout the year inside

and outside the buildings.

Also contained in this area is the Arkan-

sas Regional Innovation Hub which includes

Art Connection and other creative oppor-

tunities for entrepreneurs. Arkansas Inland

Maritime Museum, Verizon Arena, and Dick-

ey Stephens Baseball Park are all in the vicin-

ity as well. A public trolley system links the

downtown areas of both Argenta and Little

Rock; tourists ride free from one to the other.

Condos and apartment buildings have been

built and living quarters are available above

some of the historic buildings in the area.

The arts district is part of the Argenta

National Historic District – an area of 60 aces

that was listed with the National Register of

Historic Places in 1993. Architectural styles

range from Queen Anne Victorian to Crafts-

man to Dutch Colonial to Spanish Colonial

to Art Deco. Of the 258 buildings on the Na-

tional Historic Register, only ten are less than

50 years old.

This “Center for the Arts” only developed

recently. A long history of growth and de-

cline dating from the 1800’s characterized the

area. During the Civil War, Union forces cap-

tured the two railroads and built warehouses

and shops in the area. Argenta became the

8th Ward of Little Rock in 1890, which gave

Little Rock a larger tax base; however, very

few improvements were made on the north

side. Unpaved streets, sidewalks of wooden

planks, no drainage systems or fire protection,

and only a small police force and a “bucket-

brigade” fire protection existed. The area had

a reputation of being lawless and dirty.

Different names were given to the area

during its history: It was called “Opposite

Little Rock” for a time, and then DeCantillon,

Quapaw, and Huntersville. The area was also

derisively nicknamed “Dogtown” at one time,

since it was thought that Little Rock residents

deposited their unwanted dogs across the

river! In fact, a mock tombstone can be found

in City Hall commemorating the end of “Dog-

town.” The name Argenta (Latin for ‘silver’)

was formerly given to the area in 1906. This

came about because of successful silver and

lead ore mining at the time.

In 1903, Argenta citizens voted to se-

cede from Little Rock and become a part of

North Little Rock. There was a bit of fracas

over this move, but the transfer actually

occurred on February 23, 1904. Some ani-

mosity remained between Little Rock and

North Little Rock, however. Two unsuccess-

ful attempts were made by Little Rock to re-

annex the 8th Ward.

During the 1920s, downtown North

Little Rock saw continued growth due in

part to the advent of the automobile. The

Broadway Bridge was opened in 1922 and

the Main Street Bridge was improved in

1924. The flood of 1927 caused the closure

of utilities, businesses, schools, as well as the

railroads. Many residents left the area never

to return. A seawall was built with federal

funds in the late 1930’s that helped mini-

mize the flooding problem.

By MaryAnn Stafford

The Argenta Arts Districtof North Little Rock

PHOTO

GRAPHY CO

URTESY O

F THE N

LR HISTO

RIC DISTRICT CO

MM

ISSION

Main Street around 1900.

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The Great Depression caused lost jobs and pay cuts; several businesses closed. The entry of the United States into World War II brought some prosperity to the region. Sev-eral restaurants, variety stores, barber shops, a box factory, car dealerships, and three mov-ie theaters opened.

Several businesses closed in the years from 1960 to 1970 because of population shift to the suburbs, and the opening of Mc-Cain Mall. The federally funded Urban Renew-al was established in 1960 in order to clear out the slums and update the communities in North Little Rock. Unfortunately, many of the historical buildings in the Argenta area were destroyed during this time.

Crime became a major issue in the early 1990s, and several residents formed the Boosters for a Better Downtown and began meeting at First Presbyterian Church. The City Council passed an ordinance in 1993 to create the North Little Rock Historic District Commission whose role was to “maintain the historic core of downtown North Little Rock as a productive living, shopping and work-ing area while preserving the character of the area’s historic roots.” Then the Commu-nity Development Corporation was formed in Argenta with a grant from the Local Initia-tive Support Corporation, a New York-based group. New sidewalks, benches, trees, and lampposts were installed.

According to Donna Hardcastle of the Argenta Arts Foundation, the impetus for the development of the Argenta Arts Dis-

trict came from John Gaudin, who moved

to Arkansas from Louisiana in 1982, living

first in Little Rock. He coordinated arts festi-

vals called “Up With Art” in the area, and then

bought up property in the Argenta Area and

helped to renovate and redevelop the area

with his experience in financial investment.

Gaudin states as his motivation: “I

wanted to live in downtown Little Rock but

couldn’t find a building where I could do a

Gallery, (have) my Wealth Management of-

fice and live. I ventured over the bridge and

saw all the empty buildings in Argenta and

saw a blank canvas that I could help reshape.

I believe in retaining our talented residents

and knew instinctively that we had to grow

a more robust Artistic and Cultural experi-

ences. I founded the Arkansas Regional Inno-

vation Hub and am currently President of the

ACANSA Arts Festival Board.”

He is also an artist, the owner of Argenta

Gallery, lead advisor of Argenta Wealth Man-

agement (a Financial Advisory Firm that helps

people achieve their goals and improve their

communities) and Chair of the Arkansas cau-

cus on the Mid America Arts Alliance Board.

The Argenta Downtown Council was

formed in 2010, and the Argenta Arts Foun-

dation followed. The Business Improvement

District was a commission charged with

cleaning the area, planting bulbs and flow-

ers throughout, and the hiring of two safety

ambassadors whose job is to help customers

and visitors in various ways Monday through

Saturday from 5-10 PM. They can be found

helping people find their cars, changing tires,

furnishing umbrellas, etc. According to re-

ports, there is little crime in the district.

VISUAL ART GALLERIES AND SHOPS INCLUDE:

ARGENTA BEAD FACTORY– Located at

703 Main Street, this shop offers a selection

of beads, findings, stringing materials and

other materials for jewelry making or craft

projects. Classes and workshops, private in-

struction, jewelry repair, and custom-made

jewelry are also available. A work table is

available for anyone who wants to come in

and make jewelry or practice a technique.

ARGENTA GALLERY – owned by John

Gaudin, this gallery at 413 Main Street invites

visiting artists from Arkansas for solo shows.

THE ART CONNECTION at 204 East 4th

Street is an after school and summer visual

arts work program for high school students.

It is part of the Arkansas Regional Innova-

tion Hub – the only facility of its type in the

US. Included in the Hub is a design studio,

a digital studio, ceramics studio, carpentry

shop, wood and metal shop, screen-printing

studio, advanced computer technology, and

workspace for entrepreneurs.

BARRY THOMAS ART GALLERY AND

STUDIO has recently opened at 711 Main

Street. Arkansas landscapes are featured,

and Barry opens up his studio to allow view-

ers to watch him paint in oils.

CLAYTIME GALLERY – A shop as well as

a working studio, Claytime Gallery at 417

Main Street offers classes or studio rentals

for beginning or experienced potters. Sev-

eral kinds of pottery are for sale including

raku, dinnerware, or sculpture by some of

the area’s finest artists.

CORE BREWERY – Located in the estab-

lishment formerly known as Starving Artist

Café, this brewery is currently exhibiting art-

work by Latino artists.

GREG THOMPSON FINE ART – This well-

known gallery is located on the second floor

of the Faucette Building at 429 Main Street

and includes the work of regional as well as

museum caliber artists such as Carroll Cloar

and Thomas Hart Benton.

THE HOUSE OF ART at 108 E. 4th Street

not only features visual arts and body art,

but produces comedy and music shows as

well as poetry. The director is Chris James, a

poet and playwright. The first annual House

In this block alone can be found a church, three art galleries, a bar, a brewing company, a

theater, a restaurant, two architect firms, and an art foundation and gallery.

of Art Poetry Festival will take place during

April to celebrate National Poetry Month.

LAMAN LIBRARY / ARGENTA BRANCH

– The Old Post Office at 420 Main Street re-

cently became the Argenta Branch of the

Laman Library. Not only are reading mate-

rials available here, but a large gallery holds

artist exhibits regularly with receptions and

openings.

MUGS CAFÉ is a casual coffee shop and

eatery that exhibits local artists’ work on its

walls and is open during the Argenta Art

Walks.

NLR HISTORY COMMISSION - The mis-

sion of the North Little Rock Historic District

Commission is to protect, enhance, and

perpetuate areas of NLR which represent or

reflect elements of the city’s cultural, social,

economic, political, and architectural histo-

ry.  Photographs, artwork, and memorabilia

are shown on its walls. It is open during Ar-

genta Art Walk.

PENNINGTON PHOTOGRAPHY – Located

in the same space as Claytime Pottery, Larry

Pennington photographs assignments for

advertising, editorial, and corporate accounts,

and is experienced in digital photography.

ROCK CITY WERKS, next door to the Ar-

genta Gallery at 413 Main Street is a work-

ing studio and art gallery for fifteen artists

who specialize in painting, glass works, and

jewelry.

THE THEA FOUNDATION CENTER FOR

THE ARTS at 401 Main Street features student

art from all over the state, as well as solo exhi-

bitions for visual artists. The THEA Foundation

awards scholarships in the visual, performing,

and film arts to high school seniors and spon-

sors workshops, exhibitions and placement

of art throughout the schools.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURE includes this

large sculpture created by Kevin Kresse in

2010. The sculpture is titled “Mother Earth”

and sits in front of the City Grove Townhomes.

Another large public art sculpture will

be installed in the months to come. It is a

six piece, steel sculpture ten feet tall created

by artist Terry Bean. Titled “Dog Dancer,” (re-

member the nickname) the six sculpture

pieces will be located throughout Argenta,

since it was too large to be shown as one

piece.

A mural project is also being planned in

the near future.

PERFORMING ARTSVENUES INCLUDE:

THE ARGENTA COMMUNITY THEATER

(ACT) is a multi-purpose theater that fea-

tures local, regional and national produc-

tions, concerts, book readings, special

events and more. A non- profit organization,

it is committed to serving the community

through education and advancement of the

performing arts. The first of its kind in Arkan-

sas, it is located at 405 Main Street.

BEARDEN PRODUCTIONS PERFORMING

ARTS STUDIO, (BPPAS) is a 501c3 nonprofit

organization committed to making the per-

forming arts easily accessible to the entire

community. Acting classes, stage produc-

tions, dance classes and kid’s cooking class-

es give interested youth an opportunity to

experience the arts in a fun and safe envi-

ronment for little or no cost.

THE JOINT THEATER & COFFEEHOUSE

at 303 Main Street includes a new 105-seat

cabaret theater, with a giant projection

screen. On Wednesday nights, The Joint

Venture, a comedy improvisation company,

entertains at 8:00 p.m. On Thursday nights,

The Joint showcases top regional bands,

and every Friday and Saturday, The Main

Thing, a professional trio of actors and mu-

sicians, take the stage.

INFRARED STUDIO PRODUCTIONS lo-

cated in the Presbyterian Church on Maple

Street is a full-service audio and recording

studio. It is the official production house of

Infrared Records and specializes in new art-

ist development.

The Arts District continues to grow

with arts venues, living space, shops, and

dining establishments. Annual plays, mu-

sic and dance performances, classes, read-

ing series, exhibits, the Dogtown Farmer’s

Market, poetry and reading festivals, other

special events, and dining and drinking

establishments make the Argenta Arts Dis-

trict of North Little Rock a place to watch

and to attend, especially for those living

close by in Maumelle. MM

M aryAnn Stafford taught visual arts, humanities, and English

at Pine Bluff High School for many years before becoming an

Assistant Principal. She retired from the Arkansas Department of Education

in 1993. A teacher and an artist, she exhibits regularly and teaches drawing

at the Maumelle Senior Wellness Center. Dr. Stafford holds signature

membership in Mid-Southern Watercolorists, the Pastel Society of the

Southwest, and the Arkansas League of Artists. Her art can be seen at Eurekan

Art in Eureka Springs and Gallery 221 in Little Rock. Web sites are www.

staffordart.com, www.fineartamerica.com, and www.arkansasartists.com.

Her artists’ blog can be found at www.pastelanne.wordpress.com.

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As promised last issue, after

my roundup of home-grown

festivals not-to-be-missed

this year grew long, here is

the second installment. This list does

not aim to be comprehensive, highlight-

ing instead just a few of Arkansas’ many

festivals, and is comprised of either good

times I can vouch for or festivals I am hop-

ing to enjoy this year. Peek back to the

January issue of MauMag for January-

June fests. Read on for July-December

festivals, including some in Maumelle.

JULYGo to this fuzzy festival once and you’ll

wake up years later still dreaming of the

best cobbler you have ever consumed. (True

story.) The 76th Annual Johnson County

Peach Festival (July 19-22) in Clarksville

claims to be the oldest festival in our state,

running nonstop since 1938. In addition to

the to-be-expected activities like the op-

portunity to purchase a plethora of peach

products (think pie, jam, jelly, and of course,

memorable cobbler), there’s a peach pit

spitting contest (I almost signed up but was

afraid I’d spit on a judge or otherwise embar-

rass self), scavenger hunt, street dance, dia-

per derby, pocket car race, greased pig race

(WHAT?!), and so much more. Visit https://

sites.google.com/site/johnsoncountypeach-

festival for more info.

AUGUSTRun for the grapes and stay for the spa-

ghetti. The Tontitown Grape Festival (Aug.

1-5) is another one of Arkansas’ oldest festi-

vals, this year marking its 119th incarnation.

Besides entertainment, carnival rides, crafts,

and delectable truly homemade spaghetti

dinners, the fest features a 5K Run For the

Grapes that winds through the pastoral

roads of Tontitown, a treat worth doing for

that alone, but the 5K also offers this fun

touch---participants are treated to a grape

bunch upon crossing the finish line. Visit ton-

titowngrapefestival.com for more info.

Did you know Benton is home to the

state’s largest annual convergence of Chris-

tian music lovers? Each August thousands

flock to the free two-day Amplify Christian

Music Festival (Aug. 25-26) held on a 20-acre

grass field at Holland Chapel Baptist Church.

The fest features about 12 headliner acts and

dozens of smaller ones and offers country,

hard rock, pop, bluegrass, and genres I don’t

even know what to call. Christian music has

come a long way since the be happy, poppy

chords of my youth; there’s a lot more these

days than Amy Grant style, including rap,

pyrotechnics, and soulful lyrics. Visit amplify-

fest.org for more info.

SEPTEMBERAlright, Maumellians — as promised,

here’s one for you! Maumelle’s Bash on the

Boulevard (Sept. 15) is one time you won’t

mind getting stuck on the boulevard for

a few hours. The free festival is held in the

Town Centre and features business vendors,

arts and crafts, a Kids Zone, beer garden,

food trucks, and lots of local and regional en-

By Robyn D. Rektor

Goin’ A-FestingPart TwoPlan the second half of your

2017 Arkansas festival adventures

Continued on page 16>

tertainment. A family-friendly festival by day,

the setting sun offers adult revelers some

shadows in which to cut loose and dance!

In a parking lot under the moon, which, as

it turns out, is actually quite fun. The Bash is

run by volunteers from local parks and rec-

reation, city police, and fire departments.

Proceeds help support economic develop-

ment and promote entrepreneurship in

Maumelle. Visit maumellechamber.com for

more info.

Polish Karnawal (late September)

transforms the greens of Marche’s Immacu-

late Heart of Mary school grounds into the

most delightful carnival each fall. Friday

night features a Polish dinner of pierogies,

hasulka, boiled cabbage, spaghetti (??!), and

schnitzel. The midway boasts games of skill

(such as shuffleboard and mallet a frog into a

rotating pot) and chance, like bingo, a mod-

ern version of a cakewalk, and my personal

perennial favorite, what I have affectionately

termed The Meat Raffle, in which contes-

tants attempt to match numbers on small

wooden paddles with the winning roulette

wheel digits. The excitement mounts each

round as the stakes are high---every winner

gets a choice from the seemingly bottom-

less commercial refrigerator holding court

next to the wheel, filled with Petit Jean ba-

con, summer sausage, and ham. Not too

shabby with numbers going

six for a buck. Visit ihmnlr.org

for more info.

OCTOBERLast year marked a turning

point in my life when I went to

an event dressed as a, umm,

goat. Late the day before, I no-

ticed a small line in the ad for

the very first Arkansas Goat

Festival in Perryville (Oct. 7)

that read, “door prize for dress-

ing as a goat.” I texted this tid-

bit to the friend I was going

with, and she, being of a

crafty and ambitious nature,

had by the next morning

concocted us goat wear that

not only scored us prizes as

promised but also attention we had not

anticipated. The first clue that something

strange was afoot occurred in the parking

lot when several cars driving by stooped to

snap our pictures. Before reaching the fes-

tival entrance, we had a number of people

requesting to take a pic with us (oh the age

of Facebook). Soon we were asked to be in

the goat parade (comprised of real goats

and us) and numerous people expressed

appreciation of our goat attire. Having never

encountered fame before, we were not only

surprised by all the attention but also a bit

giddy, and laughed until our sides hurt. We

were interviewed for AETN’s Traveling Arkan-

sas, in which my single speaking line was the

brilliantly concocted “We got snocones” un-

intentionally uttered in the most Southern

drawl that has ever come out of my mouth.

Our legend lives on as our photos are part

of the advertising for this year’s fest. Beyond

the fame, we had a stinking good time. Liter-

ally. The fest is set in the country idyll of Per-

ryville and offers demonstrations (such as

goat cheese making), goat petting, the sale

of goat products including lotion, soap, and

ice cream, goat races, and an obstacle course

contest (we sat that one out though I doubt

we would’ve won, real goats are crafty). Visit

arkansasgoatfestival.com for more info.

Regardless of your beliefs regarding

energies, ghosts, and Sasquatch, the Para-

normal Expo (Oct. 7-8) at the MacArthur

Museum of Arkansas Military History in Little

Rock offers lots of learning opps and is mon-

do fun. Last year was my first time, and I won

three door prizes, experienced several room

readings by psychics, learned about Arkan-

sas’ famed Fouke Monster and an interna-

tional collective consciousness experiment,

got a crush on a Crocodile Hunter look-a-like,

bought some cool Capricorn schwag, and

left with an aura of happy. What more could

one ask of a festival? Visit arkansasparanor-

malexpo.com for more info.

Who can pass up a festival that features

both legumes and a place in which to pass

them? The 35th Annual Bean Fest and

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Great Arkansas Championship Outhouse

Races (Oct. 27-28) in Mountain View holds

the reputation of being a really good time. I

will get there in ‘17, hear my battle cry. This

all-day fest peddles beans and cornbread,

lotsa music, dancing on the courthouse

square, handmade crafts, and supposedly

outrageously fun outhouse races that rattle

down the street. Visit yourplaceinthemoun-

tains.com for more info.

NOVEMBER The Central Arkansas Asian Festival

(early-mid Nov.) is the little festival with a big

heart, a true labor of love by local business-

woman Wilma Houston. Since I have been

keeping an eye on it, the fest has moved

frequently and been in Jacksonville, Con-

way, and a number of Little Rock locations,

including Mosaic Church on Colonel Glenn

this past year. No word yet on where it might

land in 2017. What you can count on is lots

of awesome food options from a variety of

Asian countries, including The Philippine As-

sociation’s legendary shisk-k-bobs, colorful

and unique entertainment (such as rice har-

vest dancers and an eggroll eating champi-

onship), and fun wares to browse. Visit face-

book.com/AsiaArkansas for more info.

And yet again, yay Maumelle! I was both

shocked and delighted when I attended last

year for the first time Maumelle’s annual

Hometown Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday

of Nov.). Not only was it way cheaper than

cooking a T-G meal and way less trouble

(as in none), but the food was, gasp, down-

home good! A $10 ticket ($5 for kids) scores

a seat at a beautifully-set table (fabric-cov-

ered chairs, tablecloths, centerpieces, glass

goblets, real silverware) and a plate of del-

ish smoked turkey and baked ham with all

the trimmins’ – green bean casserole, sweet

taters, green beans, mashed potatoes, bread,

a beverage, and dessert. But wait, there’s

more! A good supply of nice door prizes

were given away; my friends won a $25 gift

card to a local eatery. After we finished stuff-

ing ourselves silly, we strolled to the other

side of the Jess Odom Community Center

turned resort and played bingo, and, double

gasp, participated in a cake walk, in which on

my fourth or fifth try, I actually won. Oh the

thrill of victory. There were lots of games for

kids with some pretty great prizes. Everyone

in my group deemed it a great meal and su-

per fun time. With such service in my back-

yard, I may quit even pretending I will cook

“this year.” Visit maumellechamber.com for

more info.

DECEMBER If you’ve never been to the Arkansas

Craft Guild Christmas Showcase at the

State Convention Center in Little Rock (first

weekend of December), put it on your cal-

endar now and be ready for a priceless treat.

While the show offers excellent holiday

shopping of unique and go-local varieties,

it is also a fabulous opportunity to browse

many art galleries under one roof. Always in

attendance is woodworker Douglas Glass-

cock, who carves unique wood pieces and

inlays them with slivers and chunks of mo-

saic turquoise and signs each piece with

the type of wood it is, and Alison Eastman

Britt, who makes exquisite and inexpensive

concoctions of stamped metal and gems for

jewelry pieces that are unlike any I’ve ever

come across. I buy at least one piece every

show and love my collection dearly. This

past year I took extra time to stop to talk to

a handful of the artists, making it one of the

most enjoyable afternoons I’ve ever had. A

broom maker explained his process of dy-

ing and threading each straw. A Springdale

glassmaker turned occasional whittler dis-

cussed his process of using found pieces

of tree branches to carve whimsical houses

(think fairy or gnome) into the bark, com-

plete with spiral staircases, arched windows,

and whatever accoutrements went with the

story each piece unfolded to him. The carv-

ings were remarkable, and I vowed to own

one someday. The show also offers fudge,

pottery, glass, weavings, candles, and a cor-

nucopia of other treasures from Arkansas

craftsmen. Visit arkansascraftguild.org for

more info.

We live in a beautiful state brimming

with talent ready to be shown off in fun festi-

vals. Get out this year and try a few or even a

new one every month! For a more complete

listing of Arkansas festivals, visit arkansas.

com/events. MM

R obyn D. Rektor is an enjoyer of

festivals, writer, and writing

teacher. Try a new festival in 2017 and share

your fest fun at rdr0119@icloud.com.

Poems by Harding Stedler have been the recipient of three

Pushcart nominations. The poems that have received this

recognition are these:

“Six Dozen Flies to Make a Meal”

“Through Aromas of Bubbling Yeast”

“Poems from the Deep”

Reaping the Rhythms

VESPERS, ROOM 752

in this

the pale gray

of her twilight

we sit and listen

waiting for the sound

of her coarse breaths

to slow and then cease

soon

we will no longer

share the same air

soon

she will be

the wish in the wind

soon

she will be

the mist on the river

– Laura Trigg

Little Rock, AR

Harding Stedler

Poet, Poetry Editor

AS TOLD IN A WOMEN’S

PRAYER GROUP

Someone in the circle

worries aloud about a grandson’s warts

not going away, doctors

having no luck.

A retired nurse lifts her chin

and speaks slowly.

Grampa bought all my warts.

Had a gang of ‘em

clustered on my left knee.

How I hated ‘em. Then Grampa

gave me a penny for each wart

and told me they were his now.

She sucks in her breath

and looks at us, perched like

a parliament of owls.

I took his money, don’t you see?

So they became his.

She beams and hikes up her skirt.

See! they’re all gone.

Nourished by the mystery,

we now have good reason for

a jar jammed with pennies.

– Pat Durmon

Norfork, AR

A JULY PICNIC

Remember Petit Jean Mountain?

A rainstorm drove picnickers away

…all except us.

We chose the two-bench redwood,

cushioned the seat,

built a ham and cheese,

sipped iced tea,

and finger-skimmed

the chocolate fudge cake.

You slipped in beside me

to share God’s wondrous view.

Like a slow-motion replay,

the weighted bench tilted skyward.

We reveled in leg-tangled,

food-splattered laughter

as the good Lord cradled us

in a soft landing.

Through a wisp of cloud,

a lemon-colored sun

peeked over the toppled table

– our lone witness.

– Rita Goodgame

Little Rock, ARTO DANCE ON WATER

Once an elderly man saw the glee

when his wife said she wished to be free

just to dance on his grave.

His revenge, he would save.

When he died, he was buried at sea.

– Sara Gipson

Scott, AR

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The movie “Hidden Numbers” has proven to be the

untold story of so many accomplished women, in-

cluding my mother Easter Scott, who our family

knew, was a brilliant NASA mathematics techni-

cian, although others had no clue of our mother’s

involvement in the nation’s history. When this movie surfaced

I thought to myself “they are telling my mother’s story.”

In 1942, Easter Scott graduated from Miles College in Alabama.

She served in the U.S. Army as a hydraulic specialist from 1943 to

1945. She then moved to Cleveland, Ohio and was selected to

work at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Lewis Research Center, working in the Instrument and Computing

Division. As a well-liked people person and true leader, during her

tenure at NASA she served on the board of the National Federation

of Business and Professional Women’s Club, represented NASA as

a volunteer tutor at several schools around the Cleveland area and

served on NASA’s (EEO) Equal Employment Opportunity Commit-

tee. Easter retired from NASA in October 1971.

Although busy with her position at NASA’s Lewis Research

Center and her extracurricular interests, Easter was a single moth-

er raising six children, and her “village of helping hands” included

family, friends and neighbors as well as some of her NASA family.

In the late 1990’s one of Easter’s daughters and her family mi-

grated to Arkansas due to a spouse’s job relocation. It was not

long before Easter and most of her immediate family, including

two other daughters, nieces, and nephews were also Arkansas

bound where they all settled in Maumelle.

The Numbers Game

By Patricia Walker

P at Walker is a retired Medical

Transcriptionist. She has written

three unpublished short stories and enjoys line

dancing, scrapbooking and spending time with

the family. For the past five years she has worked

as Office Manager for her family’s thriving Event

Management Company.

When perusing some of her NASA literature and viewing

pictures, Easter often referred to her keen thoughts of the

NASA experience and the friendships that she held so dear.

After a long bout with Alzheimer’s disease, at the age of 91

Easter passed in November of 2012 and rests at the Arkansas

State Veterans Cemetery.

Our family cherishes many proud memories of our moth-

er’s work at NASA and we are so grateful that the “Hidden

Numbers” movie portrayed a story to the world that parallels

our mom’s life. MM

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Are you in PAIN?Living with Arthritis, Fibromyalgia,Headaches or Back Pain?

SERVICES

• Chiropractic

• Massage Therapy

• Spinal Decompression

Therapy

• Acupuncture

• Cold Laser Therapy

www.skinnerchiropractic.com

TWO LOCATIONS103 Park Drive

Maumelle

501.851.6685

663 Highway 365Mayflower

501.470.9855

Kyle L. Skinner D.C. , C.C.S.P.Dr. Tray Fowler, D.C.

If I could get a dollar for each time

I hear “I’ve done everything right,

but I’m still not losing weight,” I

would be wealthy! Usually those saying this

only have the mindset of meals/food choices and exercise, but

there’s more than just that.

There is no perfect diet, no matter what the Paleo, Whole

30, Mediterranean, Gluten Free, Strict Calorie Counter, Vegan,

Keto, or whatever diet follower will tell you. There is no magic

bullet proof elixir or fat burning supplement that does the trick.

And there is also no perfect exercise plan no matter what the

Ignite, runners, beach body, body pump, weight lifters and yogis

would like you to believe. All these approaches can work won-

derfully for some and fail miserably for others.

How exactly do you define “everything right”? Is it exercis-

ing an hour a day and drinking a smoothie…or possibly doing

crossfit plus running twenty miles a week and booty barre at

least twice while you meticulously count your calories on a paleo

diet? But what about your sleep? And how have you been han-

dling that stress lately? And what about those labs you just had

ran…are you on hormone therapy for that? And when is the

last time you had a chance to sit, meditate, or relax the mind?

And what are you doing when not in the gym…is your lifestyle

and job active?

1) Find out what foods work best for you.

Everybody’s body and biological makeup is different. Just

because it works for your tall thin best friend, doesn’t nec-

essarily mean it will work for you. Keep a chart and time-

line to figure out what foods make you feel sluggish and

which ones give the best energy and mental clarity. Use

measuring cups to measure out exact portions. Track your

carbs, proteins and fats. Arrange them in different orders

or maybe even balance all three out for each of your meals.

Try stacking majority of your carbs as pre- and post-work-

out to fuel up your workout. Not all calories are the same,

so I wouldn’t tune into calories per se, but definitely focus

on nutrient (vitamin/mineral) quality. Avoid anything re-

fined. Foods that are refined prevent weight loss…and

yes, “refined” does include whole wheat low carb tortillas

and Larabars.

2) Chart your meal times.

Your lifestyle might only allow 3 meals a day with a pos-

sible snack thrown in there. Or maybe you have more flex-

ibility to have 5-6 smaller meals a day that supports a more

physically active exercise routine.

3) Where does exercise fit into your lifestyle?

Are you taking an advantage of every opportunity, even if

it’s taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work? Try to

get out of the mindset that exercise only takes place in the

gym. Power walk wherever you go. Look at it as a lifestyle

of movement in everything you do. And just because you

saw the gruesome crossfitters on ESPN doesn’t mean all

crossfitters are like that…in fact, most aren’t so try out

something different. Muscle confusion is great for toning

and growth. Find an activity you enjoy that has an encour-

aging environment to keep you motivated.

4) Stress Effect

Stressors are inevitable. Your mindset around stress is

everything yet no one pays attention to it like they pay

attention to their calories. If there is any one thing you

should do, is plan to mitigate stress. Mindset around a

new lifestyle prioritizing rest, recovery and relaxation is

the cure. Studies show stress activates the reward centers

of the brain, makes us crave high calorie food, and causes

the body to make new fat cells and grow those cells bigger.

Stress triggers the stress hormone “cortisol” which so lov-

ingly promotes the belly fat.

Laugh more. It lowers cortisol. Spend more time with

people that bring joy to you, take long relaxing baths, take

a Mindfulness Yoga class, get a massage or just learn to

breathe deep.

5) What underlying issues have not been address?

We take aspirin for headaches, use Band-Aids for boo

boos, and we use food/drink/drugs to cover up inner

wounds. When weeding a garden, it’s important to pull

the root. If you only pull off the green that’s above the

surface, the root will still produce. It still exists. And it will

still continue to affect the roots of your garden vegeta-

bles, suffocating them and depriving them of nutrients

they need which steals from your beautiful harvest. No

amount of food/drink/drugs will heal PTSD or any form

of trauma. I urge you to seek professional help (such as

EMDR) that offers talk therapy and not just more medi-

cines to help you “cope.”

6) Sleep

There is a time for hard work and play, but there is also a

time for good rest. Lack of sleep is not only a metabolism

killer, but a motivation downer. Uninterrupted 7 or more

hours of sleep is crucial for healthy living. Turn off any

screens (TV, phone, computer, etc.) at least 2 hours before

bed. Rub some lavender essential oil under your nose or

on your pillow. Drink some chamomile tea after a relaxing

lavender bath.

7) Get your labs done

This is not just blood tests, but look into ALL panels that will

include blood, saliva, and stool. If there is a deficiency in

minerals, hormones, or gut digestion, then seek supple-

ments and professional help in correcting them.

8) Calculate your water intake

One of the key ingredients to the metabolic cycle is H20.

Your body should be 70% water, which means you need

at least ½ your body weight in ounces of water each day.

No water, no metabolism. Plain and simple. Workout all

you want, eat as clean as you want, but you won’t get any-

where until your body is hydrated.

Ditch the lying scalesStop basing your progress on a number that shows up on that

little square box. A better assessment of your progress is how

your pants are fitting, how you are feeling, and how much more

weight you can lift! You want a true measurement of muscle or

fat weight in each segment of the body, contact me for an In-

Body Body Fat and Muscle Analysis Test. MM

8 Reasons You Aren’t Losing WeightBy Christie Brooks, MS, RD, LD

Registered Dietitian, CrossFit Trainer, Essential Oils Educator

Why Weight Lifestyle Program - www.WhyWeightLifestsyle.com

C hristie Brooks is a Registered Dietitian and a CrossFit Level 1

Trainer. She and her family live in Searcy. She has taught at

Harding University, worked at several hospitals, a dialysis clinic, and a

gym. She has also worked under a childhood obesity grant, diabetes and

HIV clinics, and has owned a restaurant.

She started the Why Weight Lifestyle Program, which is comprised of

an individualized meal plan and weekly one-hour consults targeting hor-

mone balancing, detoxing, clean eating, exercise, and disease prevention.

More info can be found at www.WhyWeightLifestyle.com and www.

facebook.com/WhyWeightLifestyle. Email: christiebrooksrd@gmail.com

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This is a very sensitive subject

that many people are em-

barrassed to talk about, but

all of us experience halitosis

(bad breath) at one point in

our lives. Bad breath affects 50% of the U.S.

population in the middle aged and older

category, not to mention smokers’ breath

in the 20-25% of the U.S. population. These

are just a few of the reasons the fresh-

breath industry (gum, mints, mouth rinses)

is a billion dollar industry.

So what causes halitosis? Obviously

there are the easily explainable instances

that occur immediately after consuming

certain foods and/or spices such as garlic,

onions, cheeses or fish and of course morn-

ing breath. It is thought that up to 85% to

90% of all the cases of halitosis are caused

by disorders of the oral cavity. Some exam-

ples are: poor oral hygiene, dental decay,

gingivitis, gum disease, an unclean tongue,

a dry mouth due to lack of flow of saliva

during sleep, wearing dentures, food reten-

tion, and smoking. Most of these factors

have in common an increase in bacteria

in the oral cavity. These bacteria produce

compounds, collectively known as volatile

sulphur-containing compounds or VSC.

These are the compounds responsible for

bad breath.

But what about the uncommon causes

that some people are not aware like: medi-

cations and certain diseases like sinus infec-

tion, diabetes, kidney disease etc. Some of

these diseases can be identified based on

the odor of your breath, for example a fishy

smell in the breath suggests kidney prob-

lems, while a fruity-smelling breath may

mean uncontrolled diabetes. In this case

make sure you see your healthcare provider.

Taking medications exposes you to a

wide number of synthetic, chemical com-

pounds, which are likely linked to a wide

variety of side effects, including dry mouth.

Saliva plays a significant role in preventing

bad breath, as it helps rinse odor-produc-

ing germs from your mouth. If you suspect

that the root of your bad breath is drug-

induced, see your doctor about adjusting

your medications to prevent dry mouth.

Cigarette-induced halitosis is one of

the more serious forms of bad breath.

Cigarettes contain several chemicals that

produce a strong odor and teeth stains.

Smoking also encourages periodontal dis-

ease, decreases salivary flow and causes a

tongue condition which can trap food de-

bris and tobacco odor. Giving up this dan-

gerous habit is good for your body in many

ways, not only will you have better breath,

but you’ll have a better quality of life.

To eliminate or at least control bad

breath you must first work with your local

dentist to determine what is causing your

halitosis (bad breath). Here are some tips:

Make sure you brush twice a day and clean

between your teeth daily with floss to get

rid of all the bacteria that’s causing your

bad breath. Also is very important to brush

your tongue or use a tongue scraper once

a day – you’ll be amazed and what comes

off your tongue and what a difference it

makes. If you wear removable dentures or

partials, take them out at night, and clean

them thoroughly before using them again

the next morning. Drink enough water if

you have dry mouth and take a lot of medi-

cations. Visit your dentist twice a year for

your routine dental cleanings to eliminate

plaque, gum disease that may be present

and to prevent future gum disease and de-

cay. As far as products that you can use, you

want to make sure that they are alcohol-free

and sugar-free, and contain an antibacterial

agent known for its effectiveness in control-

ling oral malodor. Mouthwash is full of al-

cohol – up to 25% alcohol in some brands

and this dries out the mouth which exacer-

bates bad breath. Over-the-counter mouth-

washes can help kill bacteria or neutralize

them but only temporarily mask bad breath

and it’s not a long term solution. Know that

mouthwash does not replace brushing and

flossing and no amount of liquid can re-

move the plaque from your teeth. Agents

such as zinc chloride, essential oils (thymol

and eucalyptol) and chlorine dioxide have

proven effective in reducing oral malodor.

These can be found in certain mouthwash-

es, talk to your dentist about these products.

If bad breath persists even after follow-

ing these recommendations, you should see

your dentist because it could be an indica-

tion of a more serious medical condition. MM

Bad Breath

By Simona Ivan, DDS

D r. Simona Ivan graduated from Henderson State University with a

Bachelors of Science degree in Biology. She went on to achieve her

DDS at Loma Linda University School of General Dentistry. Dr. Ivan was the top

of her class in clinical experience and received the Academy of General Dentistry

award. When she’s not practicing dentistry in Arkansas, she participates in dental

missions to underserved areas both in the U.S. and around the world.

Dr. Simona Ivan was born in Romania, but grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

She’s had years of experience practicing dentistry in California and Arkansas. She

lives in Little Rock now with her husband and their children. They enjoy being

active in outdoor sports.

4 Ways to Avoid Type 2 Diabetes

Peter Goulden, MD

The number of Americans with

type 2 diabetes continues to

rise as normal diet includes

more and more sugar. Nearly 30

million Americans live with diabetes,

and at least 90 percent of those cases are type

2 diabetes. In Arkansas, more than 360,000

people have diabetes and there are 21,000

new cases each year, according to the Ameri-

can Diabetes Association.

Diabetes occurs when your body is un-

able to control its blood sugar level. In most

type 2 diabetes cases, the body develops a re-

sistance to insulin, which is a hormone made

in the pancreas that helps the body use or

store glucose.

There are ways to lower your risk for dia-

betes. So, how do you that?

1. Eat healthy, get active.

Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes,

which makes diet and physical activity a must.

Staying physically active is a great way

to stave off weight gain. Shoot for 2 ½ hours

of moderate activity each week. If you’re at

your desk all day, break up the prolonged sit-

ting periods with a walk around your office or

campus. Go for a walk around your neighbor-

hood in the evening, or head to a nearby trail.

Just move.

Start eating more

veggies and fruits

and less red meat

and sweets. Instead

of sugar in your tea, try

stevia. Replace the sugary

soda with water. It’s also im-

portant to moderate alcohol consump-

tion as those empty calories a big driver

to weight gain. Replacing fried foods with

grilled options is also important.

In monitoring your diet, it’s crucial to know

your calorie consumption and how much en-

ergy you’re burning. It only takes a small im-

balance to start gaining fat. Let’s say you’re

adding 100 empty calories every day. Within a

month, you could be gaining a pound of fat.

Maintain a healthy weight is key. For infor-

mation on the UAMS Weight Loss Program call

501-603-1497.

2. Watch your blood pressure.

As you add on the pounds, you’re more

likely to develop high blood pressure. These

are other common risk factors associated with

diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes As-

sociation, two in three people with diabetes

have high blood pressure or take blood pres-

sure medication. A healthy blood pressure lev-

el is below 120/80 for most people. A healthy

diet and exercise are great ways to lower your

blood pressure.

3. Stop smoking!

Typically, smoking tends to be

grouped with other unhealthy hab-

its that increase your risk of diabetes,

including unhealthy diet and physi-

cal inactivity. Smoking also increases

your chances of stroke, heart disease

and other serious conditions, so all in

all, it’s just a good idea to quit.

If you need help quitting, try UAMS’

Freedom from Smoking program. You’ll

receive one-on-one support, get informa-

tion on nicotine replacement therapies and

have the support of other former smokers.

There is no cost to participate. To register or

for more information, call (501) 944-5934 or

email plfranklin@uams.edu.

4. Know your numbers.

A fasting blood sugar of 99 is normal. A

reading of 100 to 125 is considered pre-diabe-

tes and 126 or greater is in the diabetes range.

Knowing you’re in the normal range pro-

vides reassurance you’re practicing healthy

eating habits and getting plenty of exercise.

Early detection of a pre-diabetic blood sugar

level is also important. If this is spotted early,

it’s possible to reverse it with diet, exercise

and weight loss.

That makes regular, yearly screenings

with your doctor important.

If You Have Diabetes,

Don’t Be Discouraged!

I sometimes see people become dispir-

ited or feel hopeless when they are diag-

nosed with diabetes. If you have the right

set of tools, you can greatly improve your

situation and live a fulfilling life with this

condition. Work with your physician to find

a plan that works for you and empowers you

to improve. MM

Peter Goulden, MD

Assistant Professor & UAMS

Diabetes Program Director

Department of Internal Medicine,

College of Medicine

University of Arkansas

for Medical Sciences

They’re the hardest words most

parents can ever imagine hear-

ing: “Your child has cancer.”

Unfortunately, we deliver them all too often at Arkansas Chil-

dren’s Hospital – about 100 times a year.

As a clinical pharmacologist who spe-cializes in experimental therapeutics, I work with children who are battling the most difficult to treat cancers. Their parents have heard even more challenging words: “The cancer is back and it is likely not curable.”

These kids have leukemias, neuroblas-toma, sarcomas and brain tumors. They need better therapies, but unfortunately, development of drugs lags far behind for childhood cancers.

Because these diseases are rarer, there is less evidence available for many treat-ments, meaning they’re less likely to be FDA-approved treatments. It’s a truly ter-rible situation.

That’s why we’re focusing on experi-mental therapeutics here at Arkansas Chil-dren’s Hospital. We want to find new options for families that don’t have anywhere else to turn. This underscores our commitment to creating healthier tomorrows for all kids.

By offering experimental therapeutic trials, the level of care for all cancer patients at Arkansas Children’s improves. Studies continue to show that safety, quality and research flourish in hospitals that offer these therapies.

What happens if we don’t? These chil-dren will either have to go out of state for treatment or go home on hospice care. Of-fering participation in trials of experimen-tal agents gives patients and their families control over a dire situation and offers them hope for time and quality of life that can’t be found anywhere else in the state and in many cases, the region.

It also helps families in that the answers we get from trials may help future children. At Arkansas Children’s Hospital, we currently have 10 clinical trials open, studying how those medications work for a number of childhood cancers.

Our aim when we started offering these trials last year was to enroll five patients in a year. We have already surpassed that goal, further underscoring how much kids need these treatments.

When the right child comes to us and needs a specific drug, what matters is that we have an appropriate trial to offer. Arkan-sas children will be able to receive care close to home through our experimental thera-peutics program.

We can also serve as a referral center for families from other states. Someday, we hope to expand this program by offering clinical trials for other rare disorders.

At Arkansas Children’s we’re trying as hard as we can to outrun cancer and with quality. Because the best words you can ever say to a parent are, “I’m happy to report, your child is cancer-free.”

Dr. Neville is chair of the American Acad-

emy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs. MM

Experimental Treatments Help Arkansas

Children with Cancer Live Longer

By Kathleen Neville, MD, MS, MBA, FAAP

Kathleen Neville, MD, MS, MBA, FAAP

Director, Experimental Therapeutics

at Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Chief, Section of Clinical Pharmacology

and Toxicology

Professor of Pediatrics, UAMS24

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How many times do you go to

the gym to workout and not

stretch before or afterwards?

Or when you play a sport, do you

stretch at all? You might think that

gymnasts or runners are the only ones who need to

stretch. But did you know that everyone, no matter

what type of activity you do or if you do an activity at

all, should stretch.

An overall fitness regimen includes cardiovascular

work, strength training and stretching and of those

three components, stretching is the one that gets

overlooked the most. So, why is stretching so impor-

tant? Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong

and healthy. And in order to maintain range of motion

about the joints you need flexibility. When the joints

aren’t flexible, they become shorten and tight resulting

in joint pain, strains and muscle damage when you call

on them for activity.

For example, sitting in a chair all day results in

tight hamstrings in the back of the thigh. This makes it

harder to extend your leg or straighten your knee all the

way, which could inhibit walking. When tight muscles

are suddenly called on for strenuous activity such as

running or playing tennis, they become damaged from

suddenly being stretched. Injured muscles may not be

strong enough to support the joints, which can lead to

joint injury. With regular stretching, muscles stay long,

lean and flexible. Also, healthy muscles help a person

with balance problems to avoid falls.

Types of Stretches

• Static: Static stretching means a stretch is held in a

challenging yet comfortable position for a period of

time, usually 10-30 seconds. This is the most com-

mon type of stretching and is considered safe and

effective for improving overall flexibility.

• Dynamic: Dynamic stretching is performed by

moving through a challenging but comfortable

range of motion repeatedly, usually 10-12 times.

This type of stretching is favorable among athletes,

coaches, trainers and physical therapists because of

its benefits in improving functional range of motion

and mobility in sports and activities for daily living.

• Passive: Passive stretching is performed using an

outside assistance to help you achieve a stretch.

This assistance could be in the form of your own

body weight, a strap, leverage, gravity, another

person, or a stretching device. With passive stretch-

ing you relax the muscle you’re trying to stretch and

rely on external force to hold you in place.

• Active: Active stretching means you are stretch-

ing a muscle by actively contracting the muscle in

opposition to the one you’re stretching. In other

words, you relax the muscle you’re tying to stretch

and rely on the opposing muscle to initiate the

stretch. This type of stretching can be challeng-

ing but is generally considered lower risk because

you are controlling the stretch once with your own

strength rather than an external force.

When I have my clients stretch or I stretch myself,

I prefer a combination of active passive stretch. Active

passive stretching is where I have my client stretch a

muscle but contract the opposing muscle to help relax

the muscle I want them to stretch.

Some things to consider when stretching:

• Stretching is not a warm-up to your activity.

You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles.

Warm-up with light walking, jogging or biking at

low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Don’t forget to

stretch after your workout also.

• Don’t bounce. Stretch in a smooth movement

without bouncing. Bouncing can injure your mus-

cle and actually contribute to muscle tightness.

• Hold your stretch but not your breathe.

Breath normally and use your breathe to help the

muscle being stretched to relax and lengthen.

• No pain, no gain...is a big NO, NO, NO. Expect

to feel tension while stretching, but not pain. Our

bodies tell us so much, if we only listen. If there is

pain, then there is a injury of some sort and stretch-

ing could exasperate it further.

• Stretch for a specific sport or activity be-

fore and after. For example, if you are going

for a run, you will want to do dynamic stretches

on your hips, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves.

• Stretch regularly. Stretching can be time

consuming however you can achieve the most

benefits from it if you stretch two to three times

a week.

• Bring movement into your stretching.

Tai Chi or yoga which are gentle movement

stretches can help you be more flexible in spe-

cific movements and help reduce falls in seniors.

Here are some general stretches anyone can

do, granted you do not have a injury about a joint

or muscle.

Quadriceps

1. Place left hand on a stable chair or wall.

2. Bend right knee, taking a hold of the top of the foot.

3. Left knee slightly bent, both knees are even and

squeeze buttocks.

4. Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Repeat on other side.

Figure 4 Hips

1. Sit in a stable chair.

2. Take right ankle on lay on left knee.

3. Place right hand on top of right knee and push

down till you feel the stretch in the hip.

4. Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Repeat on other side.

Crossed legged Hamstring

1. Standing with your back close to a wall, cross right

ankle over left.

2. Hinge forward and take hands as close to toes as

possible. (If you aren’t able to touch, no worries.

Just make sure you feel the stretch in the back of

the leg)

3. Don’t bounce.

4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.

5. Repeat on other side.

By Kathy Wheeler

To Stretch or Not to Stretch, That Is the Question Calves

1. Stand facing a wall.

2. Place right toes on wall with heel on the ground.

3. Keeping a slight bend on the knee, raise left heel

of the ground until you feel a good stretch in the

calf.

4. Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Repeat on the other side.

Neck

1. Stretch the left arm out from the shoulder.

2. Take your nose to your right armpit.

3. Place right hand on top of your head and try to

take the nose a little closer to your armpit. (Don’t

overstretch).

4. Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Repeat on the other side.

If you have a chronic condition or an injury, you

might need to adjust your stretching techniques.

For example, if you already have a strained muscles,

stretching it may cause further harm. Stretching

doesn’t mean you can’t get injured. For instance,

stretching won’t prevent an overuse injury. Talk to

your doctor, physical therapist or personal trainer

regarding the appropriate way to stretch if you have

health concerns. MM

K athy Wheeler is a nationally

certified personal trainer

with over 10 years experience who works for

10 Fitness-Maumelle. She is an ACE-certified

Personal Fitness Trainer, Cooper Institute

Master Fitness Specialist, IDEA Professional

Member, SCW Yoga and mat Pilates certified

and CPR/AED certified. To learn more about

personal training call 501-519-1746.

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Each year thousands of

golfers are custom fit

for irons. One important

factor in the iron fitting process

is determining the type of material in a

shaft that best fits you. On average most

golfers fit into steel shafts over graphite.

There are several factors to think about

when deciding which shaft material to use.

Here are a few of them.

Steel shafts...

• Are for high swing speeds

• Provide more feedback

• Are less flexible

• Are more affordable

Graphite shafts…

• Are for those with physical limitations

• Can produce more distance

• For slow swing speeds

For those never planning to buy an-

other set of golf clubs

I recommend you go see your lo-

cal PGA pro and have him/her take you

through an iron fitting to see which shaft

is best for your game. They will also help

you select the correct flex and length of

the shaft.

Good luck!

Cary Maddox, PGA MM

Minute With Maddox By Cary Maddox

Steel Versus Graphite: Which Type of Shaft is Best For You

C ary Maddox is the PGA Head Golf

Professional at the Maumelle

Country Club. He has over 15 years of teaching

experience working with men, women, seniors,

and juniors. For more information on lessons

contact him at carymaddox@pga.com. Visit

Cary on the web at www.carymaddoxpga.com.

Gateway Self Storage

758-STOR (7867)

Individual Door Alarms • Climate Controlled

Resident Manager • Propane Refills

Computerized Gate Access

Sizes: 5x5 to 12x45

Moving and Storage Supplies

Commercial Deliveries

24-Hour Access Available

7101 Vestal CourtOff Maumelle Blvd.

(1/4 mile west of I-430)

PROPANE

REFILLS

If I were asked to name the

greatest obstacle to wine

enjoyment today, the only

honest answer I could give

would be “Cutsey-poo wine

writing.”

Now “cutsey-poo” is a term I in-

vented and likely isn’t in your wine

vocabulary. Let me explain.

When I started writing (and

selling) wine articles more than 65

years ago, a then-current treatise on

wine listed fewer than 75 wine tast-

ing terms and even then the author

didn’t seem too sure about terms

such as “coarse,” “flinty” “hazy,” many

others. Even less certain was wheth-

er “tart” could be substituted for

“acidic.” Nowhere were listed anise,

berry, caramel, cherry, fennel, herb,

jalapeno, licorice, mineral, mocha,

sage, tea, endless others, as wine

tastes.

However, after a bit of time had

gone by, adjectives were added. Not only

was the taste of anise found in wine but a

distinction was made between grilled an-

ise and wild anise. No longer was “cherry” a

reported taste; descriptive terms were add-

ed and we learned there was black cherry,

briary cherry, dried cherry as well as cher-

ries that had reported tastes of jammy, rich,

smoky, supple, bitter, many others. Many of

the terms are simply other-worldly. Do you

know anyone who has tasted underbrush?

One wine writer reported it as a wine taste.

And the winey descriptions extend

much past simple adjectives. Would you

know the taste of a “light-footed” wine if

you encountered it? How about a delicate

burr of tannins which surround a transpar-

ent core of pomegranate and floral flavor?

Would you recognize a wine that had a

sense of restraint or a taut frame or perhaps

had a plushed taste?

By now you may have concluded that

“cutsey-poo” is a term I invented to use in

making fun of wine writers, but that simply

isn’t the case. After all, I’m a wine writer, too.

Most importantly, these writers not

only write about wine, they know wine.

In short, if they write about wine for a na-

tional or regional magazine, they are wine

experts. If you met a wine writer who,

blind, could taste a wine made of a variety

of grapes and could by taste iden-

tify the grape varieties and the ap-

proximate percentage of each in the

wine, you would be in the presence

of an expert.

I have met such people. So, cut-

sey-poo refers to their writing, not to

their wine expertise.

What can you do to negate

cutsey-poo writing? In a word, noth-

ing. When the time comes they will

change.

In the meantime, negate the

cutsey-poo effect on your own. Use

your own expertise. You know what

tastes you like; except for a spouse

or a similar person, others (includ-

ing wine writers), don’t. Then try a

variety of wines and decide which

you like, which you don’t. Read wine

publications; book sales are great for

this purpose as are wine magazines.

Join a wine club, start one if you

have to.

And if you meet a wine writer,

tell him/her that cutsey-poo writing is no

longer the way to go. MM

K en Forrester, a retired administrative

law judge, is the published author of

numerous articles and columns on wine.

Ken is a member of the Authors League, the American

Wine Society and the Society of Wine Educators.

Cutsey-Poo Wine Writing

By Ken Forrester

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Springtime Severe Weather

By Prunella Pinetree

Claps of booming thun-

der, bolts of devilish

lightning, devastating

winds, torrential rain,

and pummeling hail

combine to bring me to my knees

with fear and despair. Yes, I can admit

that I am a scaredy-cat. It is not my best feature

and can be emotionally crippling at times or a

source of embarrassment, but like Popeye al-

ways said “I yam what I yam.”

The mental and emotional imprint of

storm-fear was indelibly instilled in me at any

early age. The lady who took care of us was ter-

rified of bad weather. When the skies got dark

and foreboding, she would unplug every ap-

pliance in the house, close all the doors to the

short hallway, turn off all the lights, and make

us sit on the hallway floor with her in complete

silence. As you well know, spring storms can

last quite a while sometimes as multiple storm

cells pass through the area. We huddled there

a lot, and the fear was palpable.

Now fast forward many years, and you find

me as a fully mature scaredy-cat with the

same childhood feelings of fear. I

can rationalize how silly and

useless this fear is and that

it’s pointless to worry

like that, but when bad

weather begins, all

that valid information

goes out the window.

You will find me hid-

ing in a darkened hall-

way or lower level, and

no amount of logic, persua-

sion or chocolate chip cookies will

get me to move.

I’ve lived in the tornado-

prone South my entire life

and have been fortunate

enough not to have experienced the full brunt

of a tornado first hand (knock on wood). My

childhood friend, who lived across the street,

had her patio cover torn away by a tornado two

years in a row. The house was untouched, but

the patio cover was ripped up and deposited in

the front yard both times. That was weird. I was

always thankful that our house did not have a

patio cover.

My one truly terrifying experience with a

tornado producing storm happened while I was

driving Daddy to Louisiana from Arkansas. The

storms were coming in from Texas, and I wor-

ried that we were headed right into them. Since

he feared nothing, he commanded me to “stop

worrying and just keep driving.” So we drove.

As we approached the Texarkana area

(which was shrouded in VERY dark skies), the ra-

dio issued a tornado warning for several coun-

ties I did not recognize. The knot in my stom-

ach made me believe that we were most likely

in harm’s way, and I desperately wanted to pull

over to seek shelter. But again, being the hard-

headed skeptic, Daddy insisted we keep going.

As I gripped the steering wheel with white-

knuckled fear, I wanted to scream and yell.

My daughter, Petunia, was

in the backseat looking

as fearful as I felt. Appar-

ently as an attempt to

reassure us, Mr. Fear-

no-evil said “Just up

the road a bit, we’ll

be turning away

from the clouds and

storm, so we’ll be ok. I

wouldn’t let you drive

into something dan-

gerous.” That helped

my spirits just a little.

Just minutes later,

we began to turn away from

the dark skies and wind, just like

Daddy predicted. I was thrilled for

any signs of improvement. He looked at me

and nodded knowingly. I gave a small sigh of

relief and turned to Petunia to see her smile, too.

But after just a few short miles, the road in front

of us began to curve back towards the storm. I

yelled at him as fear completely short-circuited

my brain functions. Before he could respond,

our car and the three in front of us drove into

something dark and hanging nearly to the

ground. It looked like a dusty cloud, and we

were actually inside of it. I’m guessing it was a

tornado wall-cloud.

The wall-cloud itself did not seem to be

very thick, and once inside, it was like driving

under a big dome. The radio quit working im-

mediately. We could clearly see the other three

cars as they drove ahead of us in this caravan

of fear. Short lightning bolts were striking here

and there around us, but there was no sound at

all. The pressure in my ears felt like being up in

an airplane. It was the scariest thing I had ever

endured. I still can’t believe that I was able to

drive under all that stress, but I guess I was just

hanging on for dear life. I figured that at any

minute we’d be blown away by the tornado

even though we felt no wind whatsoever.

After a few minutes of this unbelievable ex-

perience, the storm blew past us, and we exited

the wall-cloud. I immediately began to cry. I’ll

spare you the angry, demonstrative, ancestor-

bashing verbal assault I unleashed on Daddy

regarding my fears, his stupidity, our safety, and

what I really wanted to do to him at that mo-

ment. It wasn’t very ladylike at all, I dare say.

Spring storms will come, and spring storms

will go, and I will ALWAYS be fearful of them. I

will ALWAYS treat them with due respect and

never let anyone else make me feel badly about

my fear. Since The Weather Channel has repeat-

edly denied my requests to let me come live in

the Storm Prediction Center, I wear that big yel-

low stripe down my back with pride. I believe

that I’ve earned it!

prunellapinetree@gmail.com MM

On the top of most digital SLR

cameras there resides a dial

that allows you to quickly

and easily change your cam-

era settings depending on

your level of expertise and also the pho-

tographic situation that you are in. It is

called the main control dial, and although other

settings reside either on other buttons on the

camera or in the menu, the understanding of

the options on this dial is a great place to start

if you are just getting started in photography.

Although there are a few differences between

the different camera manufacturers, for the

most part the main control dials are very similar.

In this article we will talk about the auto modes

and creative auto modes on the dial, and next

time we will get in to the manual modes.

The first setting to talk about is the auto

mode or the “green” mode. It may be a green

box, a green “A+” or it may even say “auto”. This

mode is your cameras total automatic mode.

Other than you zooming and pushing the shut-

ter button to focus, the camera is going to do

everything else for you. It sets your shutter

speed, aperture, ISO, focus points, metering,

and will pop your flash up if and only if it thinks

you need it. The auto mode is a good place to

start, because it is hard to mess up a picture, but

it can also be frustrating because there is no

way to override what the camera wants to do.

For instance, if you are in a museum that does

not allow flash photography, and your camera

thinks it needs a flash, the flash is going to pop

up and fire.

The next setting on the control dial is the

“no flash mode.” It is usually a lightning bolt

symbol with diagonal line going through it.

This mode is self-explanatory, it is exactly like

the green auto mode except that it will not

pop up your flash, whether you need it or

not. This mode solves the museum problem

that you would have in the green mode, but in

order to compensate for the flash the camera

will slow your shutter speed down, so if you

are using this mode in low light make sure and

bring a tripod.

The next several settings on the main

control dial are characterized as “creative auto”

modes, or “scene” modes. Some cameras have

each mode on the actual dial, and some cam-

eras have them all contained within one mode

on the dial (usually SCN, for scene). The first one

is a picture of a person, which is your portrait

mode. This mode is designed for taking por-

traits. It is going to create a more shallow depth

of field, where your subject is in focus and your

background is more blurred. This helps to avoid

distracting elements in you background and

also to bring attention to your main subject.

The next creative mode usually shows a picture

of a mountain, this is your landscape mode.

The landscape mode gives you a deep depth of

field, so if you want the wildflowers in the field

and the mountains in the background to both

be in focus, the landscape setting is the way to

go. The child mode is represented by a symbol

of, you guessed it, a child. This mode is very

similar to the portrait mode, but usually tries

to give you a faster shutter speed, because chil-

Camera Main Control Dial

By Austin PittmanPhotography by Alex Kent www.alexkentphoto.com

Continued on page 30>

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dren are very seldom stationary! The symbol for

sports mode is usually a person running. The

sports mode tries to give you the fastest shutter

speed possible, while also eliminating your pop

up flash and setting the drive mode on your

camera to “continuous.” Obviously, this mode

is designed for fast action subjects. A word of

warning here, the sports mode works great

for outdoor daytime sports, but with indoor or

night sports if you don’t have the right lens you

still may not get good results. The macro mode

is designated by a flower symbol. Macro is close

up photography, so if you are shooting flowers,

insects or other small objects this is the mode

to choose. Like the portrait and child mode, the

macro mode gives you a shallow depth of field.

A common misconception of the macro mode

on a DSLR is that it will actually allow you to fo-

cus closer to the subject. If you really want to

get in to macro photography, you need to buy a

macro lens, and then use the macro mode. The

final creative mode on the main control dial is

the night portrait mode, which is designed for

taking portraits of people in very low light. Us-

ing this setting helps to avoid having your back-

ground going completely black. It works by

keeping your shutter speed open longer to let

background light in, and then firing the flash at

the end of the exposure to illuminate your sub-

ject. Because the shutter remains open for so

long, it is important to use a tripod and make

sure your subjects remain as still as possible.

In our classes at Bedfords, instructor Alex Kent

says “The total auto mode is a guess, because it

has no idea what you are trying to accomplish

or what your subjects are. The creative auto

modes are an educated guess, you are giving

your camera a hint about your intentions”.

One thing to keep in mind with all of these

automatic modes is that the camera is going to

do it’s best to get you the best image based on

what mode you select. Keep in mind, however,

that as I stated in the sports and macro modes,

the camera may be limited by the lenses that

you use. If you don’t have a macro lens, you are

not going to get a great macro image, because

most lenses simply do not focus close enough.

If you don’t have a lens designed for low light,

fast action photography you are going to end

up with some blurry pictures in some cases

even using the sports mode. Auto modes and

creative auto modes are a good place to begin

if you are just getting started in photography,

but if you are really wanting to get the absolute

most out of your DSLR, a good understanding

of the manual modes and acquiring the right

equipment. Check out the next issue of Mau-

mag and we will talk about the manual modes

on your main control dial. MM

Photography - continued from page 29>

A ustin Pittman is the Vice President

of Operations for Bedford’s Camera

and Video stores in the Little Rock area. Austin

has been a Certified Photographic Consultant

since 2000.

He lives in Maumelle with his wife Shannon

and son Andrew. Austin may be reached by

email at austin@bedfords.com.

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John Schwankhaus

Photographs courtesy of members of the Maumelle Photography Club. - 501.960.6077

By Larry Egger

By Joseph E. Goble

By Max Baker

By John Schwankhaus

Cute girl at 9:00” Jackson’s thumbs

quickly typed into his phone.

“Huh?” the screen lit back.

“The girl sitting next to me is cute dummy” Jackson clicked .

“I can’t tell- lean back so I can see”, the word bubbles contin-

ued.

Jackson leaned back and shouted to Sam, “Hey, thanks for

bringing me to the game tonight”.

Sam leaned forward in his seat to get a better view, “You bet,

private. Had to squeeze in some fun before you go.”

“Oh YEAH she’s hot”, popped up on Jackson’s screen, then

“What are you gonna do about it?”

“Bro- nothing. I ship out in the morning”, Jackson texted back.

“REALLY! Your last night. Make it memorable”, Sam chal-

lenged.

Jackson looked at his friend and shook his head in disbelief.

“It’s a great crowd tonight here at the Fedex Forum where the

Grizzlies are in superior form”, the announcer’s voice thundered over

the noise of the throng. Everyone in the arena was in great spirits.

The home team was ahead by six points in a decisive play-off game,

elevating the good humor of everyone in attendance.

“Hi I’m Jackson”, he said introducing himself, completely fac-

ing the girl sitting to his left.

“Hey Jackson, I’m Sara” she smiled back tucking unruly blond

hair behind her ear.

“You a big Grizzzlies fan?”

“Yeah, I’ve been coming to Grizzlies games since I was a kid.

My dad used to bring me. How about you?” Sara asked, trying to

keep the conversation going.

“I guess. My friend Sam has season tickets, so we came to-

gether”, Jackson took a sip of his beer.

“Want some popcorn?” She coyly offered, turning toward

Jackson.

“Sure, thanks”, he said grinning as he reached into the bag.

“Hey folks pucker up, it’s the kiss cam! That’s right, round and

round we go, where we’ll stop nobody knows!” The announcer’s

voice ripped through the loudspeakers.

Just then the camera settled on Jackson and Sara sharing her

popcorn.

“SHOW US SOME LOVE”, the voice started the chant, bringing

the crowd along for the ride. As the room began to chant in unison,

Jackson looked up at the jumbotron, and saw what was happen-

ing. Framed in a heart shape were their faces. He poked Sara on the

shoulder and pointed to the screen. Sara giggled as she shook her

head and waved her hands in front of her face. The new acquain-

tances smiled at each other, and at the same time blew exaggerated

air kisses to the camera. A disappointed aahhhh swept through the

crowd like a deflating balloon.

“What’s the..”

“Listen, normally I would ask you for your number, but I’m

leaving in the morning for deployment. Do you want to get a cup of

coffee after the game?” Jackson interrupted.

“Sure, absolutely”, Sara agreed, looking solidly into Jackson’s

eyes.

All at once the intention of the conversation changed from

light and flirty to frank and honest.

After the game Jackson and Sara settled in a small booth in

the back of the Saturn Diner eating French fries and talking about

anything that came to mind. They shared confidential hopes and

dreams neither would have told friends that were in their everyday

lives. Both felt the closeness that comes with confessing intima-

cies to a stranger; an implied permission to walk away with no

consequence. It was Jackson who decided that exchanging phone

numbers would be a bad idea since he was shipping out, and didn’t

want either to hang on to something with no chance to progress.

Sara reluctantly agreed, but couldn’t stop thinking she wanted to

know more about this guy than one conversation could give. The

usual pace of romance had condensed into a few hours before

sunup. As the room brightened with the dawn the pair of freshly

made beloveds faced saying good-bye. With the chill of the morn-

ing air bringing them out of their tandem reverie, they walked hand

in hand to Sara’s car.

“Good-bye is the last thing I want to say right now,” Sara said

shivering, her eyes glistening with tears.

“What a shame Sam hadn’t brought me to a game before”,

Jackson agreed as he opened up her door. “He told me to make to-

night memorable, and it sure has been. I’ll never forget it.”

“When you come back promise you’ll find me”, Sara whis-

pered into his ear.

“I will”, was all Jackson said before he cupped Sara’s face in his

hands and kissed her.

“You’ve got to get out. I’m bringing you with me tonight,

and I’m not taking no for an answer”, Sam’s voice insisted from the

phone.

“Not feeling it, Bro”, Jackson mumbled.

“Come on, Man. It’s been 8 months since you’ve been back.

You are alive, act like it. It’s just a basketball game. We’ll leave at

half time if you want. You’ve just got to get out of the house Man.”

“Yeah, OK, I’ll give you half a game.

“Well alright! I’ll get you in an hour. Dress pretty for me”, Sam

sang before hanging up.

Finding something to wear wasn’t the challenge, finding the

will to leave the house was a problem. Jackson had come back from

the middle-east very small inside, incapable of escaping himself.

He had left with an honorable discharge from service after be-

ing injured by an IED explosion. Since coming back Jackson spent

most days at home watching TV or going

to physical therapy as he learned to walk

with his new prosthetic leg.

The sound inside the arena envel-

oped Jackson like the roar of a stormy sea.

Walking up the ramp to their seat section

Jackson was overwhelmed by the sound

and activity. It was too much for right now.

he felt desperate to go back home, and

was going to tell Sam, but he had walked ahead and was already

entering the seating area. He caught up to Sam at the top of the

ramp, and just as they were about to make the turn to the seat row

Sam abruptly turned to face Jackson.

“Bro there’s something I’ve got to tell you. Don’t get mad at

me, but I knew if I told you, you wouldn’t come”, he started. “I ran

into her at a game a few months ago, and she asked about you.

Jackson, she’s been here at every game for two years waiting for you.”

“What are you talking about?” Jackson was confused and

feeling a little panicked by all the commotion in the room.

Without saying anything else, Sam stepped aside and direct-

ed Jackson’s attention down the row of seats. There sitting alone

in the same seat where they had met was a girl with unruly blond

hair. Jackson crumbled, overcome with emotion. “What do I do?”

he croaked, but his face said so much more. As tears began to form,

he held onto Sam’s shoulder, and looked down at his legs unable to

ask anything else.

Sam held his friend steady and said, “Say hello, that’s all you

need.. ”

Jackson stood paralyzed. He didn’t know whether to run to

the exit, or scream. Before he could regain his composure he felt

Sara’s presence coming nearer, then she was standing beside him.

Jackson looked down at Sara, his mouth opening and closing like a

fish. Words wouldn’t come. He was undone. Sara held Jackson’s

face in her hands and kissed him.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I please bring to your attention

tonight’s special kiss cam couple. They met sitting in those very

same seats, he proposed to her there, and tonight they celebrate

their 30th wedding anniversary. Please give a round of applause

to the Stewarts. Their grandkids bought the tickets for those exact

seats to celebrate this big occasion. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, SHOW

US SOME LOVE”, the announcer’s voice boomed across the arena.

The crowd clapped and chanted in unison, “SHOW US SOME LOVE”.

Jackson and Sara flung huge air kisses to the mob, but they weren’t

satisfied.

“SHOW US SOME LOVE”, they all chanted louder. With un-

canny grace, Jackson wrapped his arms around Sara and dipping

her like a ballroom dancer much younger than himself kissed her

tenderly on the lips. The arena exploded in cheers and applause as

they watched on the jumbotron.

“That was something else”, Sara cooed, glowing from the

excitement as they settled back into their seats.

“You’re something else”, Jackson smiled back, squeezing her

hand. The End MM

By Michae Orfanos

True Love’s Kiss

M ichae Orfanos lives in Maumelle

with her family and three dogs.

She has settled here after living in New York and

Los Angeles, and working in the entertainment

industry. After growing up in Arkansas and then

living in the big city, Maumelle is a perfect place

to raise her family and write stories.

“

By Stephanie Meadows

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Alicia GillenIn 2015, when hundreds of people were gathered at the

Clinton Presidential Center for the annual People Assisting Local

Schools (PALS) volunteer breakfast for the PCSSD, Alicia Gillen

was there to support Maumelle High School. When she heard

the announcer read the most hours worked by a high school

volunteer in the then 36-school district – more than 1,000 – she

said she thought, “Who the heck is that crazy?”

It was her.

That story – and the award – exemplify Gillen, who

doesn’t do anything halfway. The fast talking, fast walking, ener-

getic 40-year-old may be Maumelle’s biggest cheerleader. And

it’s not just because she’s the executive director of the Maumelle

Chamber of Commerce. It’s because she loves this city that much.

Gillen, originally from Sacramento, Calif., moved to Ar-

kansas in high school because her mom had family here. She

graduated from North Pulaski High School, and attended Pulaski

Technical College. But after she became pregnant with her first

daughter, she jumped into the workforce, and hasn’t stopped

working since.

She joined Little Rock-based Windsor Door and worked

up their corporate ladder, eventually leading their national sales

team, all while taking night classes. “I have plenty of credits for a

college degree but I just can’t pass the right science class. Those

labs at night after a long day at work and a young child at home

were tough,” she said with a laugh.

Gillen, now a single mom to three daughters, her old-

est now a sophomore at Arkansas State University, didn’t stop

working when she stepped back from her career to become a

stay-at-home mom. Instead, she launched an afterschool pro-

gram at Maumelle Gymnastics and Cheer and worked 60 hours a

week with her daughters by her side. “I love it when I bump into

some of the kids who were in that program.

The students I mentored are now in middle

and high school, and it’s fun knowing I was

a small part of their lives. It makes my heart

happy,” she said.

Once her children were back in public

school (her youngest two are now at Pine

Forest Elementary), she returned to her

career, and after working as the director of

development for Special Olympics Arkansas

she eventually took the helm of the cham-

ber. “I missed being a part of this town; it

was time for me to come home and do work within my com-

munity,” she said.

Her paying job is only part of the work Gillen does. In her

almost two decades living in Maumelle she has “done a little

bit of everything,” she said. And she’s not kidding. She’s at the

Rotary and Lion’s Club meetings and helps with the Maumelle

Senior Wellness Center. She has assisted with American Cancer

Society’s Relay for Life Maumelle events and been involved in

multiple schools’ booster clubs. She started the Maumelle High

School Parent Teacher Student Association and was its president.

Through the chamber she created the Education Committee to

develop relationships between businesses and youth in the area.

And the list goes on.

Gillen said she steps up because she enjoys being part of a

solution. “And it really comes down to how much I love this com-

munity and the families here,” she explained.

She also works relentlessly because she wants to be an

example for her daughters. “I want my girls to see that you can

be an amazing mother and a successful business woman … you

can be good at all things.”

Gillen admits she doesn’t easily take ‘no’ for an answer. “If

you say ‘no,’ I will come back with another opportunity, another

angle or resolution. Just saying ‘no’ is unacceptable.”

She agrees, too, that she is sometimes

called assertive, aggressive or demanding.

She chuckles at that. “I also know that I’m just

as happy to be on the team as the leader. I

like starting things and knowing I will not be

in charge forever, and that’s OK. I like helping

people feel their own sense of accomplish-

ment, and giving them the enthusiasm to

take the lead once a plan or project is in place.

Sometime people are scared to jump.

I’ll jump in, and sometimes I hit concrete and

sometimes I hit clear blue water. It’s 50-50. But

that’s OK,” she said.

So when does she become the cheerleader and when does

she need to be the boss? “What day of the week is it?” she asks

with her signature big, friendly smile.

I like being a cheerleader and helping others feel empow-

ered, but sometimes I look at something and think, “I can do

better.”

That’s why she wanted to become a PCSSD board member.

“The past board wasn’t doing it. I knew it needed to be

fixed. PCSSD has resurrected the Titanic and now we really need

to get the boat going,” she said.

Gillen, too, has no political reasons for being part of the

school board. “My endgame is to help so that every time a new

report goes out it says how great we’re doing. I want our test

scores to reflect the amazing students, teachers and administra-

tors we have in our schools,” she said.

She said the district is making enormous improvements in

facilities, and it will be “important to continue to establish com-

munity connections.”

She also said virtual academies and flexible learning with

lots of technology will lend itself to business relationships.

“We need to keep our schools strong. When people are

looking to relocate to an area, when they are starting a family,

they want good schools. We want out schools to be the best,”

she said.

“What I want for Maumelle is to have thriving schools

within PCSSD,” she said. “And I want opportunities for stu-

dents to be successful in whatever field they want to pursue,

whether that is a four year, two-year, technical, military or

workforce career.”

“Don’t forget, I have been pretty successful and I gradu-

ated from the school of hard knocks,” she laughed.

Gillen can be contacted at agillen@pcssd.org. MM

Whether you are the parent of

school-aged children or a tax-

payer looking to protect prop-

erty values, it is important who repre-

sents Maumelle on the Pulaski County

Special School District (PCSSD) Board of

Education. And last November, a dynamic duo was elected

to do just that.

Eli Keller, a sergeant and school resource officer (SRO) for

the Maumelle Police Department, represents zone five, with a

term expiring in 2020, and Alicia Gillen, the executive director

of the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce and secretary of

the board, represents zone six. Her term expires in 2018. (See

map below.) Schools in their zones include Crystal Hill Elemen-

tary, Pine Forest Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, Maumelle

Middle and Maumelle High.

The district, which six years ago was taken over by the

State of Arkansas for financial mismanagement by previous

leadership, has just been returned to an elected board. There

are critical decisions looming in the district’s future, so MauMag

wanted to introduce you to the people who will represent Mau-

melle as they are made – in their own words.

Sgt. Eli KellerWhen Sgt. Eli Keller, 39, saunters into the Starbucks, his

6’4” frame and gun on his hip would be intimidating, except that

he knows most of the restaurant’s patrons, who he visits and

jokes with, eventually arriving with a big smile at the back table

to share his story.

It has been a long road to Arkansas and the school board

for Keller, but he has landed in a position for

which he is uniquely qualified.

Keller is the son of the City’s Community

and Economic Director Judy Keller and the

Deputy Commissioner and Director of Crimi-

nal Investigations at the Arkansas Insurance

Department Blue Keller.

Part of a military family, Keller was

born in Fayetteville, N.C., and after four years

moved to Monterey, Calif. His father was U.S.

Army Special Forces, and the family lived in

Little Rock, Ark. and Washington, D.C., before

Blue Keller was named the Defense Attaché (military liaison) to

Uganda, Malawi and Mozambique and they moved to Malawi –

living in the capitol city of Lilongwe.

He graduated from high school in Johannesburg, South

Africa, in 1996.

Keller said after graduation he intended to take a year off

to travel and work. “That one turned into 10,” he said, adding

that he would work at the American Embassy in Mozambique

and then travel throughout Africa and Europe.

After marrying a native of Mozambique, Keller returned to

the U.S. in 2001, initially living in Mississippi where he had fam-

ily, then Little Rock when his parents moved here.

Keller was working at Buckle, a large retail chain, mov-

ing to cities like Topeka, Kan., and Dallas, managing stores that

needed fiscal help. His son was born in Dallas in 2004. Though

Keller was working in a financially rewarding job, he said it

wasn’t fulfilling. “I had my dad’s military influence growing up,

and my mom is so giving, I just had a strong sense that I needed

to serve. I wanted to do more. I wanted to make a bigger impact.”

At first, he said, he planned to join the military, but then

his son was born and he wanted to be home with him. “This

was the time of the Afghan War, and with my dad having been

a Green Beret he had been gone a lot and I didn’t know when

or if he was coming back. That can be a strain on a family and I

didn’t want it for us.

“I decided that if I couldn’t fight for Americans rights

abroad, maybe I could do it on a local level, and I started looking

at law enforcement or fire,” he said.

That brought him back to Little Rock, and in 2006, Keller

was offered a job with the Maumelle Police Department. After

graduating at the top of his class from the Arkansas Law Enforce-

ment Training Academy, he worked as a patrol officer and then

as a criminal investigations detective, rising through the ranks.

Three years ago Keller moved into the role of SRO. He has twice

been named Officer of the Year by the Maumelle Police Depart-

ment.

Keller said after working as a detective, where he saw the

worst in people, the SRO job and working alongside the kids,

“completely rejuvenated me.”

There was a transition period, he said.

“The kids always wanted to hug me, and I

was worried about that perception,” he said.

“Then I was talking with my mom and she

said, ‘Just remember, when someone hugs

you that might be the only hug that he or she

gets that day.’ So I started giving more hugs.

“I was at Kroger and a student ran up

and hugged me. Her dad looked at me with

cocked eyebrow, and she said, ‘That’s my po-

lice officer!’ That is one of my favorites. She

thought I was her personal police officer.”

That, he said, is what the SRO job is all about.

“There is so much negativity with today’s views of police.

Kids have to realize we are there for them and always feel we

are approachable. Our interactions in schools make that possible.

There is less stigma in Maumelle for kids to come up and talk to

cops. By starting in the elementary schools, students learn early

that police officers are their friends.

“It helps as the kids move to middle and high school. Their

relations with police are better,” he said.

Keller is also passionate about special needs students, and

for the last 11 years has volunteered for Special Olympics Arkan-

sas. Most recently he has helped lead the law enforcement torch

run effort.

Keller’s son is now a student at Maumelle Middle School,

and his 6-year-old daughter is a student at Pine Forest Elemen-

tary School. He is a busy father, police officer and volunteer, and

has now has taken on a position with the school board.

His reason for stepping to the plate is simple. “My mom’s

position in economic development has shown me how impor-

tant it is for community to have a strong school district,” he said.

“When you’re trying to bring in business, the first thing

they look at is good schools,” he said.

Keller ran on the platform Keller4Kids because the job of

a school board member is to protect and promote all of the stu-

dents, he said, not just those in a particular community. PCSSD

encompasses 640 square miles and has 26 schools in Little Rock,

North Little Rock, Sherwood and Maumelle. “Too many times

people get involved in what’s best for my school, my community,

when it needs to be what’s best for all of our kids. A strong school

on Dixon Road in Little Rock is a strong school for Maumelle,” he

said.

Keller, a spiritual and thoughtful person, is not in the job

for political reasons, he assures. “Before going into every meet-

ing – and due in part to my mother – I pray the exact same

prayer, and I know she’s praying it for me. It’s ‘Be quick to listen

and slow to speak,’” he said.

“I want to be open-minded, though it’s my dad and the

police officer in me that part of me is questioning everything. Is

this person genuinely presenting this for the benefit of the chil-

dren or is there motive behind it? I want to be able to have a clear

conscious in any vote I make,” he said.

What does Keller want to accomplish in his new role?

“There are a lot of kids graduating and having to take remedial

classes who are not prepared, or those who are working mini-

mum wage jobs. I want our kids fully college prepared or skilled

for the work force when they graduate.”

He plans to champion the district’s technology initiative

that would allow for more flexible learning and meeting stu-

dents’ needs more individually, a program still in its initial stages.

“But I’m still in the learning phase. I have my eyes and ears

open,” he said.

And heart, too, it appears.

Keller can be contacted at ekeller@pssd.org

New Local Board Members to Lead School District into the Future

By Deborah Roush

Education

D eborah Roush is a longtime

writer and public relations

professional. Currently she is the executive

director of communications for the Pulaski

County Special School District.

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Perhaps you have seen a shag-

bark hickory tree and not

even known it! If you have

walked around in Maumelle down

by the Arkansas River in the Park by the River,

you have seen these magnificent trees. There

is a whole grove of them. All you have to do

is go into the Park by the River, turn east and

park. Go through the gate in the fence and keep

walking east towards the rock and plaque that

marks the tall slippery elm which is the Heri-

tage Tree for 2017. Just before you arrive at the

Heritage Tree, look north (your left) for tall trees

with slightly shaggy bark. You will eventually

find eight shagbark hickories, which are on the

south slope of the Park behind the Hospitality

House.

The shagbark hickory is one of several hick-

ories in Arkansas. It is found frequently in the

Eastern U.S. It makes a great shade tree, attain-

ing a usual height of 70-90 feet, with a spread of

50-70 feet, so you can see it needs lots of room.

Shagbark hickories are often found in upland

forest, but they will tolerate clay soils and they

don’t mind being in a wet lowland location

near creeks or rivers. It can take partial sun and

shady woods, and it produces more nuts when

there are several of them, for cross-pollination.

Shagbarks can get beetles or weevils, but they

usually are relatively disease-free.

While walking in the woods beside the Syl-

amore Creek in Stone County in April, my hus-

band and I came across an unusual sight. This

harmless king snake was warming itself on the

sunny side of a shagbark hickory! Mr. Snake

didn’t mind our taking his picture, so here you

can see him, as well as the bark

design at the base of the tree.

On this shagbark hickory, the

base had deep furrows and got

shaggy further up.

The leaflets have smooth,

odd-pinnate, compound

leaves (5-9) which are finely

toothed, pointed, and broadly

lance-shaped. These leaflets

are about 3-5 inches long. The

tree flowers in April-May: the

male flowers are pendulous

catkins (think droopy cat tails), and the female

ones are short spikes. The nuts emerge from

the female flowers. Each nut is encased in a

green husk during summer, which splits open

into four sections in the fall, releasing the nut,

which has a distinctly pointed tip. These nuts

are edible and are eaten by wildlife, and they

used to provide food for Native Americans. and

the early settlers. The nuts are still sold commer-

cially. (The Missouri Botanical Gardening web-

site provided the view of nuts and leaves).

Shagbark hickory trees are difficult to trans-

plant because of their long taproots, but they

can be purchased from nurseries for about $13

for a 2-3 foot tree. They are easy to maintain,

once you get them established: they do not re-

quire a lot of additional water.

Here is what the shagbark hickory can look

like in the fall!

The Maumelle Tree Board

has several projects a year re-

lated to the care and planting

of trees in public places in our

town. If you would like to be

part of our activities, we invite

young people and adults to call

us and we will give you a role

in our projects. We especially

hope you might like to attend

our pruning, planting, or tree

identification workshops or

celebrate by planting trees with

us on Arbor Day in November.

Excellent for teachers and scouts who want to

work on tree badges! Call 501-554-2200 and

talk with Dina Nash. At the moment, we need

homes for some chestnut and persimmon trees,

so give us a call! We meet the second Monday

night, 7-8 PM. MM

In the upper-right, you’ll find a square of squares, like the one in Outlook. Click on it. Then choose Google Drive.

Not only do you have 15 GB of free cloud storage available… you also have online access to a full office suite with a word processor, pre-sentation software and a spreadsheet. There’s nothing stopping you from having both a One-Drive and a Google Drive account. That’s 30 GB of free storage space. You can back up a lot of photos and documents there, even music.

Think about it, even though your stuff may be backed up on an external drive or flash drive, if disaster strikes like a fire or tornado, you’re backup drive will likely be in the same place as your original drive. Now I’m all for physical backups, too. But cloud backup is just

an extra safeguard. MM

T roy Pousardien owns and operates Green Dragon Technology in

NLR.  Working on computers since 1990 and holding a B.S. in Information Technology, Troy is ready to take on your computer challenges.  Got a tech question, email Troy at techtips@greendragonpc.com.

By Troy Pousardien

There’s a good chance you may

already have a cloud storage

account that you aren’t even

using. If you have an Outlook.com, Hotmail, LiveMail or MSN.com e-mail ad-dress, you are already the proud owner of a Microsoft OneDrive Account. If you have

a Gmail address, you already have Google Drive storage just waiting for you to use.

Let’s check it out. If you have a Microsoft e-mail address, I want you to go to www.

outlook.com. and log into your account.

Even if you don’t have an account, you can

quickly sign up for one by clicking Sign up

now. Then fill in some basic information to

create your free account.

Click the little square of squares at the

top left of your e-mail inbox.

You’ll see icons for free Microsoft Office programs to use online as well as a blue icon with a cloud in it for your OneDrive. Click on it.

Need a Cloud Storage Account? You May Already Have One!

With your Outlook.com e-mail address (or HotMail, LiveMail or MSN account) you get 15 free GB of online storage space in One-Drive. If you have a subscription to Office 365, you get 1 TB.

The same holds true for those of you with a Gmail address. Even if you don’t regularly use Gmail, you might still have a Google ac-count to use in the Google Play store for your Android phone or tab-let. Go to www.gmail.com and log into your Google account. Just

as with Outlook, if you don’t have an account, you can create a

free one in a minute or so.

Shagbark Hickory Tree

Tree Tips from the Maumelle Tree Board

By Dina Nash

D ina Nash is President of the Maumelle

Tree Board. She is an environmental

advocate, an avid hiker, and a retired sociology

teacher, living in Maumelle. She and her husband

Jeff teach courses at Lifequest. Her email is DinaC-

Nash2014@gmail.com.

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Commonwealth

By Ann Patchett

By Pam Rudkin

Modern families often

have very compli-

cated family trees. I

recently helped my daugh-

ter create a simple outline and key for her

family tree. This turned out to be so com-

plex that my head was spinning. She had

to factor in divorces, remarriages, step-

children, adopted children, step-great-

grandparents, half-siblings, step-cous-

ins…needless to say, I was fairly frazzled

by the time we had it sorted out. And we

had only graphed out three generations!

Commonwealth is the story of one

such family as seen through the eyes of

Franny, beginning with her christening

and ending with her full acceptance of

the fate her family tree had suffered and

grown into.

Franny’s stepfather Bert makes his

appearance in the story as an uninvited

guest to that same christening. That’s

where he first meets Franny (“the most

beautiful baby he’d ever seen”), first sees

Franny’s mother, Beverly, and first initi-

ates his affair with (and subsequent mar-

riage to) Beverly.

Franny and her siblings blend with

Bert’s children, and the history of their

lives, the tragedies of the divorces, and

the instability of subsequent marriages

are charted throughout the book as each

child’s scars surface in their adolescent

and adult lives. The oldest boy tragically

dies because of his self-imposed sense of

responsibility to keep all the children to-

gether the way only a kid could contrive

is a safe and responsible plan. His death

profoundly shadows all of the characters’

lives.

Nothing prepared the kids, however,

to learn that Franny had given their life

story away to her boyfriend, who was a

struggling author. He wrote a best-sell-

ing novel based on all their tragedies, as

Franny had confided in him. She didn’t

realize that he would sell her history—

her story--but he convinced her it was all

fictional, that no one could claim other-

wise.

Franny’s naiveté cost her dearly, but

she plunged forward and found love

and family in an unexpected way when

she was older and wiser. The story con-

cludes with Franny making peace with

and loving all those who had caused her

so much sadness.

Commonwealth is a great book club

choice, and it is available in multiple for-

mats to read free with your library card

through the Central Arkansas Library

System.

Happy reading! MM

P am Rudkin is the librarian for the Maumelle Library, a branch of the

Central Arkansas Library System. She is a graduate of Texas Woman’s

University, where she earned her Master of Library Science degree. Rudkin

grew up in Harrison, Arkansas and continued her education at the University of

Central Arkansas where she earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Pam is married and is the mother of three children. Her interests include

reading and music composition.

Volume 11, Issue 5 • March/April 2017

Mary NashPowerful.

Tender.Brillant.

Maumelle Magazine is Hiring!

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE POSITIONS AVAILABLE

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MAGAZINE

MauMag.com

Volume 9 • Issue 1, July - August 2014

An Exclusive Interview with Mary Steenburgen

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