Bullet-plant permitup before council
A special use permit to allow the manufacture of a component for bullets at a former warehouse adjacent to the downtown Argenta neighborhood is to be considered by the North Little Rock City Council at its 6 p.m. meeting Monday.
The property, 501 W. 8th St., is zoned C-4, or heavy commercial use, with single-family homes on Melrose Circle to one side and a low-density residential zone to another side.
The permit was approved by the North Little Rock Planning Commission on June 11 on a 5-4 vote, but this is its first consideration by the City Council.
The wait was to allow the company time to meet with neighborhood associations and explain the manufacturing process, said Ward 2 Alderman Maurice Taylor, who is the sponsor for the legislation. Several residents had opposed the permit at the Planning Commission meeting.
The legislation describes the permit as being for the "manufacture of the projectile portion of ammunition," with no explosive component involved. The business, Precision Brass and Bullet, is also to include an indoor testing range for the ammunition after adding thicker concrete walls and other noise abatement measures, according to company information.
Event to welcome newest fire chief
A swearing-in ceremony and reception for new North Little Rock Fire Chief Jim Murphy will be at 1 p.m. Aug. 4 in the second-floor City Council chambers at City Hall, 300 Main St.
Murphy, 62, of Melbourne Beach, Fla., accepted the position July 18. He has more than 30 years of fire service experience and for the past seven years has operated his own consulting company that instructs on crisis management, safety and incident response.
The North Little Rock Fire Department has a $13.8 million budget, 10 fire stations and 151 employees.
Soldier's statue to be dedicated
A statue of a Desert Storm soldier will be dedicated at 2 p.m. Saturday outside My Friend's Place, 5501 MacArthur Drive, in North Little Rock, according to Bill Yeates, the bar and grill's owner who headed the effort for the military tribute.
The location is near the intersection of MacArthur and Military drives -- an area where military personnel headed to Camp Robinson pass through daily. Yeates formed a nonprofit to oversee the raising of private funds for the "salute to the military."
In 2011, the city accepted the donation of a 20-foot by 20-foot site in the business' parking lot in order to be eligible for a City Beautiful grant and to allow the public a legal right to have access to the statue's site.
Burns Park trail, bridge to close
Construction to install pavement to connect the Arkansas River Trail and the new Shilcutt Bayou Bridge in North Little Rock's Burns Park will close that portion of the trail and the bridge Tuesday from "early morning to mid-to-late afternoon," according to a city Parks and Recreation notice.
The bridge was installed in May to replace the former crossing. The bridge is located between the Burns Park Golf Course and the area beneath Emerald Park.
Bicycle and pedestrian traffic will be redirected to the new bridge once the trail reopens. The former bridge will then be closed to all traffic, at least temporarily, according to a spokesman for the mayor's office. The wooden bridge to be closed is used as a support structure for a North Little Rock Waste Water pipeline and needs repairs to its moorings.
Club invites new members to tea
The North Little Rock Woman's Club will host its annual Membership Tea on Aug. 4 to invite prospective members and others interested in learning about the organization.
The event will be 1-3 p.m. Aug, 4 at the Woman's Club House, 401 W. Military Drive, in Burns Park.
The North Little Rock Woman's Club is a nonprofit organization started in 1958 to develop fellowship and involvement within the community.
Those interested in attending the event or who want more information can contact Mildred Prentice at (501) 758-4353 or Helen Greenfield, 835-5019.
Metro on 07/27/2014