LITTLE ROCK — Mexican food star of convention
It’ll be a good week in North Little Rock for Mexican food lovers.
The Mexican Restaurant Association will have its annual convention Monday through Wednesday and it will include free food for the public.
A customer appreciation reception at Dickey-Stephens Park from 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday will feature free food and entertainment provided by the association to begin the convention. Free tickets are available at the North Little Rock Visitors Bureau’s center in Burns Park.
Other convention activities will be at the Wyndham Riverfront-Little Rock hotel, 2 Riverfront Place in North Little Rock.
Veterans Memorial tweak within budget
A slight change in the proposed North Little Rock Veterans Memorial won’t alter the overall cost, city Alderman Debi Ross said.
Wisconsin red granite from within the United States will be used for one prominent feature of the memorial layout instead of India red granite, Ross said last week.
The 11-foot tall granite column will be at the center ofthe portion flanked by smaller, black granite columns.
The memorial is scheduled to be finished by Nov. 11, Veterans Day, at Laman Plaza outside Laman Library, 28th and Orange streets.
The first piece imported from India contained two small cracks and had to be reordered, Ross said. The replacement is coming from South Dakota, she said.
“The time frame to have it delivered was questionable,” explained Ross, chairman of the city’s Veterans Memorial Committee. “Wisconsin red is the same color as India red and was available in the states for shipment.
“The budget is still the same,” she added. “I was hoping for a savings, but the answer is no.”
The projected cost for the memorial is $156,582, with the city committed to paying all but $50,000.
Elderly-aid group gets $7,500 grant
CareLink, a private nonprofit agency in North Little Rock, has received a $7,500 grant to help it continue providing meals to elderly, homebound residents of Little Rock, North Little Rock and Maumelle.
The grant is from the Meals on Wheels Association of America and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
“This money comes at a critical time as the need forMeals on Wheels in Little Rock, North Little Rock and Maumelle continues to grow,” Elaine Eubank, president and chief executive officer of CareLink, said in a news release announcing receipt of the grant.
Many such programs across the nation are having trouble meeting the need for meal services during the economic downturn, according to the agency’s news release.
CareLink aids older residents and their families in six counties. Its administrative offices are at 700 W. Riverfront Drive in North Little Rock.
Air Force colonel to speak at lunch
Col. Michael A. Minihan, commander, 19th Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, will be the keynote speaker at the monthly F.Y.I. luncheon on Friday, sponsored by the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce.
The luncheon will be 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. in the second floorconference center of the chamber, 100 Main St.
The 2010 air show will be Oct. 9-10 at Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville.
Tickets to the luncheon are $12 until Wednesday. Tickets will be $15 after that.
Tickets and more information are available from the chamber at (501) 372-5959.
Arkansas, Pages 18 on 09/26/2010