hillcrest residents association newsletter, spring 2013 (updated may 2013)

NEWSLETTER SPRING 2013 1

H I L L C R E S T R E S I D E N T S A S S O C I A T I O N N E W S L E T T E RS P R I N G 2 0 1 3

In This IssueHRA Membership List …………………2

Your HRA Board ………………………2

About the Cover Artist …………………2

Message from the HRA President ………3

HMA Calendar ………………………4

Attention All Gardeners! ………………4

Forbidden Hillcrest’s RePhoto …………4

Report from the State Legislature ………5

Allsopp Park Needs You! ………………7

Hillcrest House of Worship Happenings 6

Crime Prevention Tips …………………9

Growth Experience ………………… 10

What Should We Do? ……………… 10

Little Rock Marathon Photos ……… 10

AT LEFT: Photo by local artist Kathy Lindsey. Read more about Kathy’s work on page 2.

SAVE THE DATE: HRA ICE CREAM SOCIALTHURSDAY, JULY 4, 2013 • 6:15 PM

DETAILS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE!

IT’S GONNA BE ICE CREAM!And popcorn and music and lemonade and cookies and balloons…The annual Hillcrest Merchants Ice Cream Social will be held on the First Thursday in July, which incidentally, is July 4th. It will begin at 6:15 and end at 7:30 pm at the Crest Park in front of Kroger on Kavanaugh. Entertainment will be provided by young singers from The Children’s House Montessori School and the Quapaw Brass Band. All the treats are provided by members of the HMA and are free to Hillcrest residents and guests. It will be a great way to wind down a family picnic or prep for an evening of First Thursday open houses and fireworks. So put a big star on that date for an excellent way to wish our nation Happy Birthday!

—Karen Konarski-Hart D.C.

2 THE HILLCREST RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

HRA MEMBERSHIP AS OF 5/23/13Members ($20 – $49)William and Martha Kay AstiSusan BellJohn and Sarah BrummettLaura Lensing and Bart CalhounAlexander and Mary CameronChet and Kelly ChaneyCraig ChotardDenise ComptonNate CoulterKim DavisCharity DenningtonN.H. and R.M. DobbinsCurtis ElwellBetty FarrarShannon FratesiMarion Fulk Jennifer and Pete GessRhea GodwinAndrew GrahamSue HarveyBetty B. HendricksChuck HittAllison HoffmanLiz HuffordA B HundleyMartha HuntRichard Hutchinson Irma JewellRobert and Amy KeltnerKaren Konarski-HartKathy LindseyErnestine MartinAnne MaxeyLinda M. McFall Debbie MilamNancy MilbournStephanie MinyardGeorge Montgomery

Jerry PhillipsLaine PoeRandy PrickettJo Ann RayMargaret SchulzElizabeth SellarsHarryette Hodges ShueJim SmithSusan Sosebee Thomas B. StaleyTracie SuggWanda TorbettJohn TurnerJohn W. TurnerFrank UdoujTheo WahlgreenSeth WardDenise WhiteClifton WiggsTheresa WillemsJan and George Yanker

Supporters ($50 – $99)Emily BarrierGlenn Borkowski Debbie BoydSusan BridgesDavid CowanDavid L DaviesSusan ElderKyle EvansAndrew FrancisCatherine Garcia-Rill EdgarTroy GreenShea HalbertJulie HarrisKenneth and Elaine HicksMac HuffmanDavid IversLee and Paula JohnsonChristopher JonesMichael Keddie

Lyndsey LewisRon MayLarry MazeMichael and Kaye McLeodJim MetzgerLexie and Erik MitchellSandy MooreKeith NigroAndrew ParkerErika PetersenDon PfeiferChad Rodgers and Eric McDanielBo and Karen RyallRaymond ScottEldon SchulzRandy ThurmanTal WardCarol Young

Boosters ($100+)Brian and Tami BeanLisa BondurantLarry BowdenArthur Paul Bowen Jason CampbellSharon CoundLaura and John CoulterJoan Diehl William and Angelea Drennan Donald EvansBrad and Jennifer FausettKathrine KuoJanie LienhartDavid and Carolyn NewbernBrian Reddick and Joann ColemanBill ShermanLula Ann SmithJoel StephensPaul and Jan Zelnick

LETTERS. WE GET LETTERS.Not really. But we do want your e-mails.

Do you have a story idea for the next newsletter? Do you have a picture you want to share? Be it fulsome praise or hate mail, your feedback is wanted!

Drop us a line at [email protected]

About This Month’s Cover ArtistKATHy LINDSEy is a contemporary artist living and working in Hillcrest. She uses a variety of photographic media and sometimes combines it with paint, collage, and mixed media. Kathy’s unique images have been in many juried and invitational exhibitions, both regionally and nationally; and may be found in national and international public and private collections. She currently has a piece of work in the Arkansas Arts Council’s Small Works on Paper exhibit, which is traveling to different locations around the state all year. More of her work may be seen at The Arkansas Artists Registry (www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry), www.klindsey.com, and at M2 Gallery in Pleasant Ridge Town Center.

Your HRA BoardPRESIDENT

Seth Ward III

SECRETARY/HMA LIAISONKaren Konarski-Hart

TREASURERJason Campbell

VICE-PRESIDENTJohn Coulter

COMMUNICATIONSNewsletter

Arthur Paul Bowen Bill Fitzgerald

Design by Kathrine Forster Kuo Internet

Seth Ward • Chris Jones

CRIMELeslie Purdy-Hoyt • Chuck Hitt

Paul Bowen

GRAFFITILeslie Purdy-Hoyt

MEMBERSHIPJoel Stephens • Eric McDaniel

PARKSJohn Coulter

SCHOOLSStephen Fussell

STREETS & SIDEWALKS/MUTTMITTSMichael Keddie

AT-LARGE MEMBERSBrad Fausett • Natali Stroud


Message from the HRA PresidentA hh, spring in Hillcrest—

when our backyard turns from muddy brown to emerald

green. OK, so the green is purely weeds, but they’re still better than mud. Weeds are only part of spring’s

bounty; there’s also tornadoes. Spring storms forge strong family bonds when they force my family and Todd Yakoubian into our spare bathroom for extended periods, often in the middle of the night. And let’s not forget the joy that comes with awakening a vintage air conditioning system. Ours has an added feature that provides a refreshing indoor shower every time the drip pan above the bedroom overflows and leaks through the ceiling. That, friends, is living.As you’ve probably noticed, the newsletter you’re reading is new and improved. Thanks to the tireless efforts of HRA board member Paul Bowen and graphic artist extraordinaire Kathrine Kuo, this little page turner is better than ever. If you’re a business owner, it’s also a great place to advertise. For more information, contact us at newsletter@ hillcrestresidentsassociation.org.

Just as spring brings plants and trees back to life, several neighbor-hood groups are working to breathe new life into different areas around Hillcrest. Take, for instance, the Promenade Committee, a joint effort of HRA, the Hillcrest Merchants Association, and the Hillcrest Garden Club. This nine-member group has been meeting monthly to plan and implement improvements to the Allsopp Park Promenade along Kava-naugh. If you enjoy the Promenade now, just wait until you see what the Promenade Committee has in store for the future. At Hillcrest’s western edge, another group of neighbors has been working to improve Prospect Park. Much has been done, but much more is to come, including a natural stone playground à la War Memorial Park. If you’d like to lend a hand (park cleanup days are scheduled throughout the year), contact Shannon Fratesi at [email protected].

Plenty of activities are on tap for May, including Pulaski Heights Baptist Church’s Hillcrest Block Party. The party kicks off around midday on May 4 and is part of PHBC’s celebration of its centennial anniversary. Be sure to also check out the grand opening of the Spring/Summer Hillcrest Farmer’s Market, which lasts from 7 a.m. until noon on the same day. May happens to include my favorite holiday, Cinco de Mayo. For those who don’t know, Cinco de Mayo is the special day when you can drink all the margaritas and eat all the cheese dip you want with no adverse health consequences whatsoever. It also has something to do with the Battle of Puebla.

Property crime is a citywide problem, and Hillcrest is no exception. During the past year, Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas, LRPD Neighborhood Coordinator Dwight Davis, and Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola have attended HRA Board meetings to discuss their efforts to combat crime across the city, particularly in Hillcrest. Mayor Stodola and Chief Thomas both noted that, thanks to the sales tax increase, LRPD has recently hired a number of new patrol officers. I can personally attest to LRPD’s efficacy, as approximately one bajillion cops descended upon and arrested two burglary suspects in front of my house last week. It was shock and awe, to be sure. The real problem is keeping these crooks in jail. Mayor Stodola told the HRA Board that nonviolent offenders are often released due to jail overcrowding. Apparently, this

problem is exacerbated by Pulaski County’s practice of renting jail beds to the federal government to house inmates awaiting transfer to federal prison. While this may be lucrative for the county, it is not helpful to owners of flat screen televisions, lawnmowers, chainsaws, bicycles, etc. If you agree, please let Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines know by send-ing him an email at [email protected].

If you haven’t already, please consider joining HRA. If you are already a member, check the member list posted at www.hillcrestresidents.org to make sure your membership is current. If you’re not on the list, then it’s time to join or renew. HRA uses member dues to support neighbor-hood events like HarvestFest, the Annual HRA Pancake Breakfast, the Ice Cream Social and Holidays in Hillcrest. In the past year, we have also purchased trees to be planted in common areas throughout Hillcrest, restored one of the cast aluminum “Hillcrest” signs near Hocott’s, paid for a large banner hanging in the Pulaski Heights Middle School gym-nasium, and bought thousands and thousands of the “Mutt Mitts” that help keep Hillcrest free of yucky dog poop. This newsletter ain’t cheap, either. We can’t do any of this without your membership dues.

It only costs $20 to join HRA, but you can also join at the $50 or $100 level. To be honest, you can donate as much as you want, thereby ensuring good karma for the coming year. If you donate at least $500, I personally will bake you cookies, from scratch, and bring them to your house. Joining or renewing is easier than ever because we now accept PayPal. Of course, you can always send in an old-fashioned check. Details on either method are available at http://www.hillcrestresidents.org/hra-membership. Thank you for your support!

—Seth Ward

2715 Kavanaugh in Hillcrest661-1496

Monday - Friday 6 am - 9 pmSaturday & Sunday 7 am - 9 pm

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Coffee Mugs R Tea Pots R Free WiFi

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SAVE THE DATE! HMA CALENDARThe Hillcrest Merchants Association has an-nounced the schedule of events for our neighbor-hood for 2013. Be sure and mark your calendar because there’s all kinds of cool stuff planned. Please note that we now have two—count ‘em—two Farmer’s Markets in Hillcrest! A new Farm-er’s Market began in April in front of the Shoppes on Woodlawn. It will be open from 4-7 until it closes in September. What a neat compliment to the Saturday Farmer’s Market at Pulaski Heights Baptist which runs all year long. The 2013 HMA schedule is as follows:

Hillcrest Farmers Market #1SATURDAYS, 7:30 am – Noon

Pulaski Heights Baptist Church

Hillcrest Farmers Market #2THURSDAYS, 4 pm – 7 pm

(April – September)Shoppes At Woodlawn

Shop And SipFIRST THURSDAYS (Monthly)

Hillcrest Business District

Pulaski Heights Baptist Centennial Block Party

MAY 4

Community Picnic at the PHE garden

MAY 19, 4-6pmPulaski Heights Elementary

Annual Ice Cream Social PlusJULY 4, 6:15 PM

At Crest Park, in front of Kroger

HarvestFestSEPTEMBER 21Kavanaugh Boulevard

For more info: www.harvestfest.us

Holidays In HillcrestNOVEMBER 16

Hillcrest Business District

Christmas Tree LightingDECEMBER 6, 5:30 – 6:15 pm

Allsopp PromenadeSo mark your calendar, tear this page out and stick it on the fridge, or write on the back of your hand. Do what you gotta do. We’ll see you out there!

MEET OUR MERCHANTS AT HILLCRESTMERCHANTS.NET

FORBIDDEN HILLCREST’S REPHOTOThis issue: two photos of the same building 17 years apart.

UPPER PHOTO: April 2013.

LOwER PHOTO: February 1996. The old Icehouse building was destroyed by fire in 1995 and the lot cleared, as shown here. There appears to be a clothing store called Pickles and Ice Cream where Salon Cordé is now. The old photo was provided to Forbidden Hillcrest by Cack Reagan.

Attention All Gardeners!Do you have a green thumb or can you kill any-thing? Well, the Hillcrest Garden Club can help regardless of

your skill level. The Club provides informative presentations and fun tours for its members. Many of the presenta-tions will be conducted at the beautiful Hillcrest Hall located on the corner of Kavanaugh and Lee. The schedule for 2013 has just been released (at right).

The Club generally meets at 4 pm although the times, especially tour dates, might be adjusted for the weather. Members will be informed by email of any changes. Or, you can consult the Hillcrest Residents Association Bulletin Board which can be found at groups.yahoo.com/group/ HillcrestResidentsAssociation.

So come out to Hillcrest Hall to learn about gardening with your friends and neighbors. Who knows? By the end of the series you might notice that your thumb is a different shade!

2013 Program ScheduleSeveral of the presentations will be enjoyed at beautiful Hillcrest Hall which sits at the corner of Kavanaugh & Lee. The schedule also features tours of several local gardens and a chance to experience their practical and esthetic qualities. Come join us for some inspiration and fun! All dates are Sundays; normal start time is 4 pm.

3/24 Insects—Good and Bad (Beth Phelps)

4/28 Bonsai (Ellie Reed)

5/19 Mt Holly Cemetery (tour)

6/23 Little Rock Urban Farming (tour)

7/28 Surprise program (tour)

8/29 DYI Self watering Container Gardening: think August in AR

9/29 Backyard Birds: Our Feathered Friends

10/27 Potluck Dinner: bring a favorite!


Like People and Plants?Join us the 4th Sunday of each month at 4pm atHillcrest HallFor more information:email: [email protected] or call 663-1381

REPORT FROM THE STATE LEGISLATUREWarwick Sabin, State Representative, District 33The 89th General Assembly recessed on April 23rd. During the 100-day session, over 2,500 bills were filed, including 1,300 House Bills and 1,192 Senate Bills. As expected, health care and tax reform were the predomi-nant issues and remained unresolved until the final week of the session.

Constitutional Amendment My proposed constitutional amendment on ethics was chosen to appear on the ballot in November 2014. If approved by Arkansas voters, the Arkansas Elected Officials Ethics, Transparency, and Financial Reform Amendment would ban all lobbyist gifts to individual legislators; ban all corporate contributions to political campaigns; extend the cooling-off period for a legislator becoming a lobbyist from one year to two years; modify the current legislative term limits to a cumulative total of 16 years; and establish an independent citizens commission to set the salaries of all constitutional offices in the legislative, executive & judicial branches of state government. It has the endorsement of Regnat Populus, the citizens group that pushed for ethics reform last year, and I am grateful for their help and support.

Medicaid ExpansionPerhaps our greatest task this session was managing the expansion of Medicaid. After months of negotiations, efforts to expand Medicaid were resolved in the final days of the session. Through a private option plan, the state will use federal dollars to buy private health insurance for an additional 250,000 Arkansans through the Medicaid program.

Budget and Tax CutsIn the final week of the session, we passed a $4.9 billion general revenue budget and cut $120 million in taxes. The tax cuts included a measure to cut income taxes, a capital gains tax cut, a sales tax break for manufacturers, and a grocery tax cut. I am pleased the legislation was amended to include part of my proposal to increase the standard income tax deduction from $2,000 to $2,400.

Legislative Accomplishments I was proud to have sponsored or cosponsored 73 bills during the legislative session. The following Acts are just a few of the bills I sponsored which are now laws:• SB491 now Act 528 – Requires the Child Abuse and Neglect Preven-

tion Board, in cooperation with the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services, to implement a home visitation program.

• HB1486 now Act 1048 – Removes the income limit for individuals in the disabled working persons Medicaid program and prohibits a test for income or assets be applied to recipients.

• HB1832 now Act 1474 – Creates the New Markets Jobs Act, authorizing a credit against the premium tax for qualified low-income community investments.

It is an honor to represent Hillcrest in the state legislature, and please don’t hesitate to contact me whenever you have any ideas or concerns.website: www.wsabin.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wsabinAR

Twitter: www.twitter.com/warwicksabin


Hillcrest MarketWatch™

All Hillcrest Homes Sold February & March 2013 Data obtained from MLS and includes sales from all real estate companies.

John Selva’s

Search all Hillcrest homes FOR SALE at

www.PulaskiHeightsRealty.com

Address List Price Sold Price Bed Bath Appx ft2 Sold $/ft2 Closed Days

4724 B Street $133,500 $120,000 2 1 1219 $98.44 2/15/13 16

623 N Pierce $149,000 $143,000 2 2 1100 $130.00 2/22/13 25

5622 I Street $179,900 $164,900 2 2 1356 $121.61 2/28/13 16

4201 B Street $179,900 $174,000 3 1 1440 $120.83 2/8/13 6

526 N Tyler $259,000 $254,000 3 2 1821 $139.48 2/26/13 99

508 Rose St $295,000 $280,000 3 2 1900 $147.37 2/21/13 55

508 N Pine $349,000 $335,000 3 2 2500 $134.00 2/28/13 72

421 Beechwood $339,000 $339,000 4 3 2550 $132.94 2/15/13 0

5520 Southwood $364,900 $359,900 3 2.5 2442 $147.38 2/1//13 204

Market Average $250,011 $241,089 $130.23 55 Market Median $259,000 $254,000 $132.94 25

Address

List Price

Sold Price

Bed

Bath

Appx ft2

Sold $/ft2

Closed

Days

5519 Evergreen Dr $144,900 $128,000 2 2 986 $129.82 3/25/13 34

5501Lee Ave $154,000 $151,000 3 1 1193 $126.57 3/1/13 181

4903 Lafayette $199,900 $180,000 4 2 2400 $75.00 3/8/13 265

321 N Spruce St $205,000 $205,000 3 2 1350 $151.85 3/27/13 1

9 Alpine Ct $225,000 $220,000 3 1.5 1463 $150.38 3/4/13 15

609 N Pine $299,900 $265,000 2 2.5 1800 $147.22 3/29/13 80

349 Crystal Ct $285,000 $285,000 3 2 1999 $142.57 3/27/13 118

4621 N Lookout $299,900 $285,000 3 2.5 2295 $124.18 3/1/13 92

129 N Woodrow St $389,000 $367,500 3 2.5 2500 $147.00 3/11/13 82

4422 Kenyon $450,000 $435,000 4 3 2916 $149.18 3/25/13 27

115 Midland $499,000 $485,000 3 2.5 2950 $164.41 3/27/13 0

4508 S Lookout $620,000 $620,000 4 3 3300 $187.88 3/15/13 0

Market Average $314,300 $302,208 $141.34 75

Market Medians $292,450 $275,000 $147.11 57 Visit www.HillcrestMarketWatch.com to subscribe to our FREE newsletter!


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HillcrestI live it, I love it, I sell it!

Allsopp Park Needs You!It is no exaggeration to say that Allsop Park is one of Little Rock’s most beloved city parks. It is estimated that over 10,000 people enjoy the park every year. Its 150 acres of cool, verdant forests and

grassy play areas have offered a place for retreat and recre-ation since its dedication to the public use as a city park in the 1920s. Forming the park’s southern boundary, the All-sopp Park Promenade is easily one of the most recognizable if not iconic landmarks in all of Little Rock. Unfortunately, this Hillcrest gem is badly in need of some TLC.

To address this problem, the Hillcrest Garden Club, the Hillcrest Residents Association and the Hillcrest Merchants Association have joined together to sign an Adopt-a-Park agreement with the City of Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department to adopt the Promenade.

The Adopt-A-Park Program is a volunteer-based community involvement program offered through Little Rock Parks and Recreation. Since no city money is budgeted for this program, its success depends upon active participation from neighborhood associations, community groups and individ-uals. The Adopt-A-Park program offers special advantages to the volunteers as they will have opportunities to contribute their time and talents to a worthy project. They will also have the opportunity for input on the plan of work for the park as well as access to the Park and Recreation Depart-ment’s horticultural department which will be providing support and expertise.

The first step in the effort to improve the Allsopp Park Promenade involves clearing out the undergrowth and inva-sive plants along the walkway. We also hope that a sprinkler system can be installed to irrigate the area immediately to the east of the Promenades’ central plaza. The next stage involves the selection and placement of plants that will add seasonal color and interest that will be sure to highlight the Promenade’s natural beauty.

To be truly successful as an ongoing commitment this Adopt-A-Park project will need to draw upon the talents and efforts of everyone within the Hillcrest community. As workdays are organized and scheduled please look for the dates in the HRA Newsletter and upon the Hillcrest Yahoo group bulletin board.

The Allsopp Park Promenade has been the Grand Old Lady of Hillcrest since the Twenties. Let’s all pitch in and give her the attention she deserves.

—Michael Keddie, HRA Board Member

ALLS

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Hillcrest House of Worship Happenings!

COME HOME TO PHBCThe Pulaski Heights Baptist Church is celebrating its centennial this year! Begun with a prayer meeting of four women, the church has met at the corner of Kavanaugh and Cedar since August, 1913. With the theme Remember, Rejoice, Reach Out, special activities are planned throughout the year. The highlight of the celebration will be a reunion weekend August 23-25 featuring the opening of the church’s time capsule located behind a marble plaque in the sanctuary, and sealed on the church’s 75th anniversary with instructions that it be opened on the 100th anniversary.

Each quarter highlights a particular ministry of the church. The church’s mission efforts were the focus of the first quarter, culminating in the March 30 neighborhood bake sale supporting the No Kids Hungry Arkansas campaign. Next on the calendar is the May 4, 7:00 am – noon grand opening of the church-sponsored Hillcrest Farmer’s Market, highlighted by a neighborhood Block Party. The entire community, especially our friends that belong to other churches in Hillcrest, are invited to come and celebrate with us. We would love to have you!

For further information, please go to our website at www.phbclr.com. Come see us!

—Dr. Randy L. Hyde, Senior Pastor, PHBC

PHUMC UPCOMING EVENTSPulaski Heights United Methodist Church is excited to offer many opportunities to engage and connect, with events for adults, children and families!

You are invited to join us in celebration of world Labyrinth Day, Saturday, May 4 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. in Wesley Hall. All are welcome!

We also have two special upcoming summer events for children! Vacation Bible School with the theme, “Everywhere Fun Fair – When God’s World Comes Together,” July 14 – 18, 2013 and Kanakuk KampOut Day Camp Adventure, July 29 – August 2, 2013. For detailed information or for more opportunities visit our website at www.phumc.com.

If your Hillcrest house of worship would like its events included in future issues of the HRA newsletter, please contact us at [email protected].

&

You are invited to attend

the Centennial Block Party to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Pulaski Heights Baptist Church

Live music! Family Fun! Food trucks! Kid’s activities! Farmers market produce, cheese, meat, eggs, flowers, plants, baked goods, and artisan products

Saturday, May 4th 7am to 2pmKavanaugh and Cedar

theSpring-Summer Opening

of the Hillcrest Farmers Market

Not your ordinary pharmacy.Since 1922

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2801 KavanaughLittle Rock, AR501.663.4131

RheaDrug Store


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Karen Konarski-Hart DC FACO EMT Chiropractic Orthopedics & AcupunctureAHA instructor: CPR/AED training & certification

422 N Cedar at Lee 664-1477

Crime Prevention TipsIn your Home or Apartment• Have lights at all entrances.• Have good locks on all doors and

windows—and use them!• Replace standard screws in the strike plate on your doors with 3” screws.• Do not use your full name on your mailbox, in the telephone direc-

tory, or on your answering machine.• Do not leave a schedule of your times away from home on your

answering machine.• Know which of your neighbors you can trust and depend upon in an

emergency.• Check who is at the door before opening it, and do not open the door

to an unexpected visitor.• Break down the boxes of large purchases and dispose of properly.• Don’t hide extra keys in easily accessible places.• Ask for photo identification of all repair persons. If you are suspicious,

call to verify employment.• Never give personal information to telephone solicitors.• Do not let strangers into your home or apartment to use the tele-

phone. If you decide to assist, offer to make the call for them.• At dusk close shades and blinds.• Don’t leave anything in plain site within your vehicle.

Survey the perimeter of your property regularly• Remove rocks, bricks and other items that can be used• Cut back foliage blocking security lights• Shrubs should be trimmed away from windows and doors• Your front door should be visible from the street• Clear visible address• Lock up unsecured ladders• Have lights at all entrances• Maintain tree canopies at least 7 feet above grade level.• Keep shrubs and other plant growth trimmed to less than 3-feet.

Utility CompaniesEntergyAll meter readers are in Entergy-marked trucks. They have certain uniforms that say “Entergy” or “Baker,” which is the contractor used for meter-reading. Additionally, the line crew is always in Entergy trucks and they wear an Entergy hard hat. All employees have a picture ID, which they will present if someone asks them for it. We will follow up with them on requiring that the ID be visible.

Central Arkansas waterAll meter readers should wear ID badges, but CAW will make an effort to have them make the badges more visible for everybody. Rich said he would also contact his staff about requiring them to wear reflective shirts that say CAW or a CAW hat. He said he would also check with staff to ensure that everyone is wearing their ID badge. Meter readers typically do their work in the neighborhoods in the mornings, at dusk and on weekends.

ComcastAll Comcast employees wear uniforms and wear pictured ID badges, including the contractors. Wilson said Comcast takes the responsibility seriously and these requirements are written in the contract agreement.

AT&TAll meter readers have an ID card and they all have uniforms, except the door-to-door sales people. The door-to-door solicitors carry a letter with them identifying them as working for AT&T. AT&T has currently suspended all door-to-door solicitation activity in the Heights.

CenterpointBaker Engineering is the meter-reading contractor and they wear uniforms and have an ID, although they don’t wear it. The shirt the em-ployees wear has a big logo on it that clearly identifies them. The meter readers for Centerpoint (that aren’t with the contractor) wear shirts that say “Meter Reader” and a Centerpoint hat. They also have an ID, but they don’t wear it. Centerpoint talks about these issues in safety meet-ings regularly and they always want to be clearly identified. In the past, they’ve had contractors that got lax about this and those contractors were terminated. We will follow up on requiring them to have their ID visible.

Little Rock wastewaterAll employees wear ID badges and any employees who would go to a door have business cards. Additionally, all employees wear a uniform with the LRWU logo and the employee’s name.

—Dwight Davis, Public Affairs Coordinator, Neighborhood Watch Program Coordinator,

Crime Prevention Specialist, Little Rock Police Department


WHAT SHOULD WE DO? HRA Presents: Neighborhood Disaster ResponseSaturday, May 18, 10 am – 12:30 pmPulaski Heights Presbyterian Church Fellowship HallYour Hillcrest Residents Association will present a panel of emergency response teams and experts from state, city and county agencies. They will dis-cuss what services are available during or after an emergency or disaster, how you can access those resources and how you can become a volunteer. There will be individual presentations, a panel discussion, along with demonstrations and displays. You can even learn how to put together an emergency kit for your family. Be pro-active in caring for your family before storms, disasters or personal emergencies strike. Come learn how on May 18th!

For more information contact: Karen Konarski-Hart [email protected] 258-7757

Growth Experience

Great things are popping up at Pulaski Heights Elementary…like a school garden! Not only are fruits and vegetables growing on the PHE campus but our connection to the fabulous Hillcrest neighborhood is as well.

We started the garden program in the last school year and it was funded solely by our PTA. During that year, 68 fourth graders grew vegetables and learned healthy eating habits. They also learned responsible gardening practices while completing weekly standards-based lessons. They ate and sold the produce they grew while sharing what they learned with their classmates and teachers. What makes our project new and different is that students are getting the opportunity to complete standards based lessons in math, literacy, science and social studies in an outdoor setting through hands-on, project-based learning. This year’s garden program is funded not only by out PTA but through commu-nity donations, grants and from proceeds collected from our hugely successful first annual Jog-a-Thon.

Mr. Nathanael Wills is our outdoor instructor and farmer extraordinaire. He comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience with this type of program, having run similar pro-grams at Felder Learning Academy and The Cathedral School. Our program has expanded this year to include weekly lessons for the 4th and 5th grades and yearly projects for the other grades. We have also begun construction on an outdoor kitchen which will serve as a food storage and preparation area. Our hope is to expand our program so that all of the students at PHE will have an equal oppor-tunity to learn while working in the garden.

On May 18 there will be a school/community picnic at PHE from 4 to 6 pm. There will be samples of student-prepared foods from the garden, live music, and good old-fashioned conversation with your friends and neighbors. Bring a blanket and your loaded picnic basket and see what’s growing!

Food habits are formed early in life and by reaching these kids at a young age we increase the likelihood that they will make healthier food choices, thereby reducing impacts on social services and medical needs as they age. Want to make a tax-deductible donation to the PHE garden program or would you like more information about us? Check us out on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/PulaskiHeightsElementaryGarden. Or come see us on May 18! Everyone is welcome!

—Tara Protiva-BrownChairperson, Pulaski Heights Elementary PTA Garden Committee

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LITTLE ROCK MARATHON PHOTOS

LITTLE ROCK MARATHON PHOTOS


Carol has lived and sold homes in Hillcrest since 1977. Put more than 36 years of experience to work for you today.

www.caroljenkins.com

501.960.6040

[email protected]

NOW $655,000: 3220 EDGERSTOUNEFront enclosed patio, big concrete deck off master bedroom, deck off living room, huge rooftop deck with river view. Imagine having a party here this Fourth of July and watching the fireworks from your roof!Visit our Open House on May 5!


In the Heart of Hillcrest

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2917 Kavanaugh Blvd • 663-6000

HILLCREST RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION P.O. Box 251121, Little Rock, AR 72225

hillcrest residents association newsletter, spring 2013 (updated may 2013)

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