Grand opening set for Innovation Hub
A grand opening of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, 201 E. Broadway, is set for 1:30 p.m. March 3 with local, state and federal officials expected to participate, the nonprofit announced.
An open house will be 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on the same day, with food, tours and demonstrations of the Innovation Hub's work, according to the announcement.
The Regional Innovation Hub, located in North Little Rock's downtown Argenta district, supports the development of entrepreneurs and innovators from within the state.
It was awarded a $1 million grant last summer to expand its center. The Innovation Hub applied for the funding by using Pulaski County Community Services as an administrator. The Pulaski County Quorum Court unanimously approved the appropriation in July.
The funds for the expansion are from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration, part of the organization's $2.5 million investment in the Innovation Hub.
More information on the Regional Innovation Hub is available on its website at arhub.org.
Nonprofits to pitch requests for funds
Several nonprofits' requests to renew annual funding are to go before the North Little Rock City Council at its 6 p.m. meeting Monday.
The funds up for appropriation with the renewal of their annual contracts are:
• $150,000 to the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, 201 E. Broadway;
• $95,000 for an Enhanced Community Services Agreement with the Argenta Downtown Council, 204 E. Fourth St.;
• $50,000 to the North Little Rock units of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Arkansas;
• $48,000 to the Thea Foundation, 401 Main St.;
• $40,000 to the Arkansas Arts Center, 501 E. Ninth St., in neighboring Little Rock.
The only increase in those funding amounts is to raise the Thea Foundation's allowance from last year's $35,000 to $48,000, the amount the city paid the foundation in 2014.
The Thea Foundation was the only nonprofit to reduce its 2015 funding request out of 16 nonprofits warned in the spring of 2014 of possible cutbacks in annual funding. The city later fulfilled all requests in full.
Idlewild Park gets 2 expression swings
Two "expression swings" have been installed at Idlewild Park, 3411 Idlewild Ave., in North Little Rock's historic Park Hill neighborhood, the city Parks and Recreation Department announced last week.
Expression swings feature a bucket swing seat designed for children under 5 years old and another seat for an adult. They allow an adult and a child to swing together face-to-face for more interaction during play, according to the department.
More information about the swings and other city parks is available from the special projects office of the North Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department at (501) 791-8540.
Metro on 02/07/2016