Our Town

North Little Rock notebook

Christmas parade scheduled Dec. 6

North Little Rock's annual Christmas parade will start at 2 p.m. Dec. 6, followed by the city's new tradition of having a "Northern Lights Festival" outside the City Services Building, 120 Main St., from 4-6 p.m.

The Christmas parade will begin at Orange Street and Pershing Boulevard, then turn right onto Main Street, which it will follow to the city's downtown. The parade will end outside the City Services Building. The official lighting of the city Christmas tree will happen during the Northern Lights Festival, the second year for the event.

The festival will include photo opportunities, Christmas ornament crafting, appearances by McGruff the Crime Dog and Sparky the Fire Department dog, food trucks, and hot chocolate and cookies.

The North Little Rock Heritage Center, 506 Main St., home to the North Little Rock History Commission, also will hold an open house from 1-4 p.m. in conjunction with the parade and festival.

Actor will perform A Christmas Carol

A one-man performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the William F. Laman Public Library, 2801 Orange St.

The 50-minute holiday performance will star Bill Oberst Jr., a stage actor who also has guest starred on television shows such as the CBS network's Criminal Minds.

The performance is free and open to the public.

Dickens toured the world with a two-hour spoken version of his famous tale. Oberst has "slightly abridged" his version for the shorter time span but doesn't alter the language as written by Dickens, according to a library news release.

"The language is rich; like chocolate mousse to the ear," Oberst said in the news release. "This little book touches hearts, mine included. Each time that I get to perform it is a blessing."

Reception to honor chamber president

Terry Hartwick, the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce's outgoing president, will be honored at a drop-in reception from 5-7 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Wyndham Riverfront hotel, 2 Riverfront Place.

Hartwick is leaving the chamber position Jan. 1 to become director of the North Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department. Parks Director Bob Rhoads is retiring.

Hartwick, North Little Rock's mayor from 1984-88, became the chamber's president in January 2000.

Emergency Services director appointed

North Little Rock Police Capt. Leonard Montgomery has been appointed director of North Little Rock Emergency Services effective Jan. 1, Mayor Joe Smith announced.

Montgomery will replace Rick Ezell, who is retiring as a full-time city employee. Ezell will continue to work part time for a "few months" to assist with the transition and to help complete some emergency services projects, Smith said in a letter to the City Council.

In the letter, Smith described Montgomery, whose recent duties have included overseeing the 911 call center, as having "superior knowledge of the technologies used in today's emergency services and 9-1-1 Center operations."

Montgomery's annual salary will be $80,000.

Metro on 11/29/2015

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