Dogtown Wire

Photo from April posting on Argenta News about when the controversial parking began near Dickey-Stephens.

Of particular note on Monday’s City Council agenda is resolution R-08-112 sponsored by Mayor Pat Hays.

It reads, “Authorizing the management of parking on the east side of Willow Street between Broadway and Second Street during events at the Dickey-Stephens Baseball Stadium (AR Travelers).”

Of course, the Arkansas Travelers and the city of North Little Rock work together in the venture that Dickey-Stephens Park is and the city recently received a $1 million check from the Travs as its share of last season's profits.

This practice stirred up controversy on many of the local blogs from several postings about allowing a private business – this being Bill Valentines Restaurant – using public parking by simply placing cones at these parking spots.

Of course it is illegal for a private concern to take over public parking spaces so it appears that this resolution will take care of this.

City Council meeting on July 14 at 7:00 p.m.

COMMUNICATIONS

1.Mayor Hays letter to Mr. Johnny Skillen, President USS Rich Association, re: letter offering support regarding the relocation of the USS Orleck. 

2.Charlotte Thomas, Mayor’s Office memorandum re: Application for Sunday Alcoholic Beverage Sales - Mixed Drinks, for Wayne M. Bettoney, Permittee dba Boudreaux’s Grill & Bar, 9811 Maumelle Boulevard.

PUBLIC HEARING

Please complete a public comment card and return to City Clerk before speaking 7:05 p.m.

re: O-08-53 allowing a Special Use for a Day Resource Center for the Homeless in an R-4 zone (1021 East Washington)

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Fireworks confiscated by police over the weekend.

As Capt. Mike Davis said last Thursday, extra police would be on patrol to handle the yearly calls for people who illegally use fireworks near and on the July 4 holiday.

Sgt. Terry Kuykendall said Tuesday that North Little Rock police officers responded to a total of 542 complaint calls for fireworks from Sunday June 29 to Sunday July 5.

The number of citations written for this type of offense wasn’t available yet, but Kuykendall said he was told that at least one arrest was made.

There is a meeting scheduled tonight for Park Hill residents at the Trinity Lutheran Church at 3802 N. Olive St. The church is two blocks west of JFK Blvd. on "H" Street according to its website.

Alderman Neil Bryant and Alderwoman of Ward 1 will be at the meeting to discuss issues residents might have including the possibility to starting a Park Hill neighbor association.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

Neighborhoods could sprout signs like this in Argenta if residents decide to set up a parking district.

If you think parallel parking is tricky, you should see the difficulties some city officials are having maneuvering through our parking regulations.

Ward 2 Alderwoman Debi Ross, Ward 3 Alderman Cary Gaines, and Ward 4 Alderman Charlie Hight are behind the wheel in the effort to streamline the current parking regulations. Ward 4 was not represented in this third meeting that included City Attorney Jason Carter, Code Enforcement Director Tom Wadley, and Code Officer David Schalchlin.

They are streamlining the language of these regulations in preparation to allow neighborhoods to set up restricted parking districts if they so choose. The need to go through the tedious process of examining the 10 pages that make up the city parking regulations is simple.

Wadley said that Code and the police department want definitive language in place so when they write citations there are no gray areas. There is no question that when the matter goes to court that the citation will hold up.

(Editor’s note: I was given this letter to read that was originally published in The Police Beat, a once quarterly newsletter put out by the NLRPD by then Lt. and now Capt. Jeff Baker. This wasn’t given to me by Baker, but after reading it I thought its message was as significant now as it was when written. Its insight goes beyond that meant to be conveyed to Baker’s fellow police officers.)

Nearly twenty years ago when I was a young and single rookie cop, I met a very attractive girl at one of our local night spots. She was what you young guys now describe as "hot".

It was very apparent from her demeanor and body language that she was interested in me (stop laughing) and I would not be spending the night alone. Eventually the conversation came around to occupations to which I proudly announced my employment with the North Little Rock Police Department.

This vision of loveliness suddenly became the invisible woman. Without so much as a word she got up, left and never returned. Suddenly I felt like Rodney Dangerfield. Only shorter. Apparently she must have had a bad experience with cops and now I paid the price.

I hate it when that happens.

The Thea Foundation at 401 Main Street needs volunteers on July 11 or 12 to help prepare for a very large project coming up in August. 

With a donation from Chesapeake Energy Thea's Art Closet was able to purchase thousands of dollars in art supplies that need to organized for delivery in August. These supplies are distributed to schools throughout Arkansas to encourage students to participate in the visual arts during tehschool year.

Local printing companies have donated large amounts of paper for this project as well that needs to be wrapped into packages that will be delivered to art teachers across north central Arkansas.

The project times are this Friday and Saturday between 9 a.m. to noon. If you wish to volunteer you can call the Thea Foundation at 833-8304 or use the online volunteer registration form to sign up.

Lt. Bill Halter had until today to submit the number of signatures needed for his proposed constitutional amendment ballot initiative that will give Arkansans the chance to vote whether they want a state lottery.

Halter’s office said he submitted 138,615 signatures Thursday that state officials will have to verify that at least 77,486 – the magic number – of those signatures came from registered voters.

Halter is gambling that voters want the lottery here that he said will be used to give Arkansas students scholarships for in-state 2- and 4-year colleges.

He said the lottery scholarships will help solve the problems Arkansas has with being the 49^th ranked state for median income and 49^th ranked state in the country for 4-year college degrees.

Tackling the first ranking; to quote the Clinton presidential administration Halter worked for buzz phrase from the 1992 election campaign, “It’s the economy stupid.”

Arkansas Business said that Havertys Furniture at 4200 Landers Road will be closing Sept. 21.

The story said some of the 14 North Little Rock employees will then be moved to Havertys Schackleford Road store until it closes in January 2009 when a new store is scheduled to open to “consolidate” the two local stores.

The Dogtown Wire has joined forces with the North Little Rock Animal Shelter to help connect homeless dogs and cats with people through the adoption program. There is a fee to adopt the animals if they need to be spayed or neutered.

If you have any questions on the animals shown please call the shelter at 791-8577 or email them at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Rufus is a 4-month-old neutered male Shepherd mix.