Little Rock has become the 382nd community to enroll in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities, the city announced last week.
The senior citizen advocacy group's network encourages state, counties, cities, towns and rural areas to prepare for the rapid aging of the U.S. population by taking action and paying increased attention to the environmental, economic and social features that encourage greater age integration and diversity and create a community that supports residents of all ages.
The commission focuses on evaluating the quality and accessibility of services for residents 55 and older throughout the city. It was elevated from a mayoral task force to a commission earlier this year.
The AARP Age-Friendly Communities program helps participating municipalities adopt features such as walkable streets, better housing and transportation options, access to key services and opportunities for residents to participate in community activities.
The program provides a structured process to guide community change and helps serve as a catalyst to educate, encourage, promote and recognize improvements that make communities supportive for residents of all ages.
Enrollment also provides member communities with resources including research, planning models and best practices.
Yard waste pickup slowed after storms
Little Rock public works crews are working to catch up on yard waste pickup after strong storms in June knocked down trees and power lines throughout the city.
The storms left staff with three times the usual amount of yard waste to collect, and routes are taking two to three days to clear rather than one day, according to a news release from the city.
"Normally the citywide yard waste pick-up is a five-day cycle with about 70 loads of yard waste," said Ronny Loe, assistant director of the Public Works Department. "The past cycle took 12 days with overtime and 190 loads to complete. Crews have been working six days a week since late June."
Metro on 07/22/2019