At La Petite Bistro

La Petite Bistro has hand made crabcakes every Friday. The lunch special this Friday will be a Monte Cristo sandwhich with side of your choice.

La Petite Bistro is open today, Memorial Day. Call 984-5193 for reservations.

La Petite Bistro has added a great  Chardonnay, with a oak overtones, from Don Sabastiani. Give it a try next time you are in.

Anthony Taylor recently spoke at Rotary Club of Oaklawn meeting

Local architect Anthony Taylor recently made a presentation to members of the Oaklawn Rotary Club about the Downtown Hot Springs Initiative, a group of interested local individuals that formed 30 months ago and has met weekly since its inception.  The group’s mission is to strengthen, enhance and invigorate Hot Springs’ downtown business, community and culture.  He shared the group’s identification of the downtown area as one with enlarged boundaries, and that only 2% of that area is currently used for hotels.  He showed pictures of different downtown buildings and their potential, with reasonable amounts of investment, for revitalizing downtown Hot Springs. He discussed the dissolution of the Central Business Improvement District #2.

Oaklawn Rotary meets each Monday at noon at the Austin Hotel.

Interactive atlas of heart disease and stroke coming to Arkansas

A promising new program will launch this month that is designed to combat two of the leading causes of death in Arkansas— heart disease and stroke. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) has access to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention program that will allow public health professionals and others to find the areas of the state where heart disease and stroke are most common. Called The Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke, the program uses maps to better identify specific problems at the local level.

Users will be able to create county maps that will show heart disease and stroke cases by gender, race/ethnicity and age groups. It will also be possible to overlay maps with congressional boundaries and locations of health care facilities. In addition, maps will be available showing the food environment, county-level poverty, education, access to health care and other social factors.

According to Paul K. Halverson, DrPH, state health officer and director of the Arkansas Department of Health, “This is a very powerful tool—one that enhances our ability to bring all this information together. It means that we can now create more effective ways to fight heart disease and stroke across Arkansas.”

You can explore the Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke program by accessing the following web link: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DHDSPAtlas/.

The launch of the Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke coincides with High Blood Pressure Education Month and National Stroke Awareness Month, both of which are observed during May. This is a time to learn ways to reduce your risk of high blood pressure and stroke by promoting small changes for a healthier lifestyle.

High blood pressure is sometimes called a “silent killer” because it often does not have any signs or symptoms. For this reason, many people with high blood pressure—about one in four in Arkansas—do not even realize they have it. That’s why it’s important to have your blood pressure checked regularly, and to take steps to lower blood pressure if it reaches unsafe levels.

A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when a blockage stops the flow of blood to the brain or when a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts. Although many people think of stroke as a condition that affects only older adults, strokes can and do occur in people of all ages. In fact, nearly a quarter of all strokes occur in people younger than age 65.

“Arkansas had the highest stroke death rate in the nation for five of the last ten years,” said Dr. Namvar Zohoori, Chair of Arkansas’ Acute Stroke Care Task Force (ASCTF). “With the development of programs such as UAMS’s Arkansas SAVES (stroke telemedicine) and the ASTCF-supported Stroke Registry at the Arkansas Department of Health, we are taking steps to reduce the burden of this disease on our state.”

Among risk factors for stroke, a history of uncontrolled hypertension has the strongest association with stroke, increasing the risk three-fold. Data from the Arkansas Cardiovascular Health Examination Survey (ARCHES) indicates that among Arkansas adults, about 48% (995,000) have high blood pressure and only 30% with hypertension have it controlled. The ADH is working to develop intervention programs to increase the number of adults with controlled hypertension.

To learn more about protecting yourself and your loved ones from high blood pressure and stroke, visit the ADH website, www.healthy.arkansas.gov or www.millionhearts.hhs.gov, a national initiative to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over five years.

Locals do well in competition

For the first time in the nine-year history of Stamp Out Smoking’s The Big Pitch contest, two teams tied for first place, and both teams are from Springdale Har-Ber High School. The “SOS Risks” and “Future Reference” teams created tobacco-free television commercials that an out-of-state panel of judges scored highest out of 79 entries received for the 2012 The Big Pitch Film Festival.

“This year marks the highest participation in the contest’s history, and therefore, hopefully more youth will never start using tobacco.” said Arlene Rose, branch chief of the Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and CessationProgram. “We are proud to see the contest grow each year because it means more Arkansas students are taking an interest in tobacco control.”

The Big Pitch Film Festival gives students across Arkansas the opportunity to film, star in and produce their own TV commercials promoting tobacco-free lifestyles.

As the first place winner, Springdale Har-Ber High School will receive $2,000 in store credit to purchase media equipment or supplies, and team members who participated in the winning television commercials will each receive a $50 iTunes gift card.

Second place was awarded to Malvern Junior High School, which will receive $1,000 in store credit for media equipment or supplies. Team members who participated in creating the winning ad, “Malaysha’s Story,” will receive $25 iTunes gift cards. The “You Promised” team, also from Springdale Har-Ber High School, was chosen as the third-place winner, and it will receive $500 in store credit for media equipment or supplies. Team members will receive $15 iTunes gift cards.

For the fifth consecutive year, SOS requested the help of Arkansans to select their favorite video entry through the “People’s Choice” Award. Videos approved for voting by the Arkansas Department of Health were posted on stampoutsmoking.com and were available for voting until April 11. After receiving more than 3,500 votes, the public selected the Springdale High School “Smuggies” team as the winner of the 2012 “People’s Choice” Award. Winning team members will receive $25 iTunes gift cards.

SOS hosted an award show and screening event to recognize the participants’ hard work and to broadcast their commercials on the big screen. More than 150 students and teachers attended the event held in North Little Rock at the Argenta Community Theatre where additional awards were given for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Editing, Best Representation of Topic and Rookie of the Year, awarded to a first-time participant school. The following schools took home the awards:

Best Actor – “One Man Wolf Pack” team from Lakeside High School
Best Actress – “BD2 Change the World” team from Parkview High School
Best Editing – “Angelic 7 Productions” team from Dover High School
Best Representation of Topic – “The Dreamers” team from Valley Springs High School
Rookie of the Year – “EAST” team from Watson Chapel High School

About Stamp Out Smoking:

SOS is the media and public education campaign of the Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program. For more information on SOS community and school programs, visit stampoutsmoking.com.

This summer at Wildwood Park

Thank you for being friends of Wildwood Park for the Arts! Because of support from friends like you, Wildwood…

Served more than 41,000 Arkansans in 2011

Piloted a new play across Arkansas to elementary schools about nutrition and healthy lifestyles

Hosted the Wine and Food Festival, Wine Reserve Dinner, RunWILD 5K, Harvest! and Lanterns! Festivals, Holiday Tour of Homes and the Champagne Azalea Walk

Master Gardeners’ Asian Woodland Garden won Arkansas State Master Gardeners’ “Project of the Year” Award in 2011

Wildwood keeps its gates open daily free of admission, our festival admissions low, and our gardens growing. However, we need your help! Please make a donation to keep Wildwood Park a place where guests can experience and fall in love with it all - nature, performing arts, visual and literary arts, as well as horticultural and culinary arts. If you are already a member, please consider increasing your membership. Whether $50.00 or $500.00, you will be an active part of your community's future!

For more information, please contact Kristi Davis, Resource Development Coordinator, at 501-821-7275, ext. #224 or kristi@wildwoodpark.org.

"Le Tour"
Exploring the Gardens of Chenal
Saturday, June 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 3 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Greater Little Rock Council of Gardens Clubs, Inc. has included Wildwood Park in the annual GLRCGC garden tour. Visit Wildwood and seven home gardens.

Stop by Wildwood Park for garden tours, beverages and a chance to win a prize donated by Arkansas Garden Center!

Ticket Prices:
$20 Advance
$25 Day of Tour

Stop by Wildwood Park to purchase tickets or visit http://www.glrcgc.net/ for tickets and more information.

All proceeds benefit the Greater Little Rock Council of Garden Clubs, Inc.


Father's Day Fishing!
On June 17 from noon to 5 p.m. join Wildwood Park for Father's Day Fishing! Father's Day Sunday is the one day a year Wildwood opens Swan Lake to the public for catch and release fishing! The fish will be hungry so come out and enjoy food and beverages for purchase and family fun all afternoon! Along with recreational fishing the Park will also be hosting a Family Fishing Derby to win fun prizes for catergories like the Biggest Fish and Most Fish Caught.

Tickets: $5 Gate Admission 'Wildwood Fishing License' per person
Children 5 and under admitted Free
(Note: If you are 16 or older, you must carry a valid Arkansas fishing license to take or attempt to take fish and frogs in Arkansas.)

Enter your Family in the Derby Today!

$5 Derby Entry fee per person
Derby Competition will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. day of event
Prizes include donations from: JB's Guide Service and Gaston's

VOLUNTEER HELP: Contact Kristi Davis at kristi@wildwoodpark.org for volunteer opportunities for the fishing event!

JUNE SUMMER CAMPS!

June 4 through 8
An Asian Summer: Journey to the Far East
9 a.m. to noon
Recommended age: 9-11 years old
(Now open for 8 year olds too!)
Instructor: Christen Bufford
Total Camp Fee: $150
Journey to the Far East through exploration of Asian culture, traditions, forklore, literature, theatre, artwork and more! This unique camp will engage and invigorate boys and girls alike.

June 11through 24
Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre's The Groundlings Company
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Performances: June 22-24 (Twelfth Night)
Recommended age: 10-18 years old
Camp Fee: $400
Instructor: Josh Rice, AST Education and Outreach Coordinator

E-mail arkshakeseducation@gmail.com for more information.

June 25 through 29
WILDKids Play!
9 a.m. to noon
Recommended age: 8-10 years old
Instructor: Brittany Kincaid
Total Camp Fee: $150
Put on your thinking caps and brush up those acting skills to create a play with beautiful Wildwood Park as your backdrop! Students will tranform children's stories into theatrical characters and playable dialogue!

MORE CAMPS TO ENJOY THIS SUMMER
July 9 through 13
WILDKids Sing!
9 a.m. through noon
Recommended age: 7-10 years old
Instructor: Leslie Harper

July 16 through 20
An Illustrated Summer: Create Your Own Comic Strip!9:00am-Noon
Recommended age: 9-12 years old
Instructor: Drew Posey

July 23 through 27
Even the Littlest Thumb Can Be Green!9:00am-Noon
Recommended age: 6-10 years old
Instructor: Carman McBride

July 30 through August 3
Kids Cook! and Create!

9 a.m. to noon
Recommended age: 8-12 years old
Instructor: Faith Anaya and Cyndi Hansen
www.kidscookarkansas.com

August 7 through 11 (Tues-Sat)
Troupe d'Jour's Midsummer Shakespeare9:00am-3:30 p.m.
Performance: 2:00pm Saturday
Recommended age: 6-18 years old
Instructor: Hal Evans and Troupe d'Jour
Enrollment deadline: end of May

For more camp information and questions contact:
Sheridan Posey, Educational Programs Coordinator at sheridan@wildwoodpark.org
or 501-821-7275, ext. #253

  Yoga today, May 26 and continuing in June every Saturday morning, join Wildwood for a free Hatha yoga class taught by veteran instructor Chuck Burks. All levels are welcome! Location of classes varies depending on weather.
Contact Sheridan Posey at sheridan@wildwoodpark.org to sign-up for a class or just show up!
Wildwood Park for the Arts, 20919 Denny Road, Little Rock, AR 72223
(501) 821-7275 * wildwoodpark.org

US Senator Pryor seeks greater employment opportunities and protections for service members, veterans

U.S. Senator Mark Pryor recently expressed concern about the high unemployment rate of young veterans, and introduced a pair of bills aimed at improving their transition to civilian life and strengthening their employment rights.

Pryor teamed up with Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) to introduce the Helping Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Return to Employment (HIRE) at Home Act. This bill will encourage states to consider the specialized military training and experience service members acquire on active duty as filling all or some of the state certification and licensing requirements. The bill applies to individuals seeking employment as a commercial truck driver, certified nursing assistant or emergency medical technician.

“Many veterans have already demonstrated proficiency through military training and experience, and they have done so while performing in a war zone. This legislation simply encourages states to consider our service members’ experience, which could allow them to skip expensive and time-consuming classes or hurdles to employment,” Pryor said. “With an unemployment rate of 29 percent last year, we need to do everything we can to help get young veterans working. I am hopeful this bill will help.”

Pryor also introduced the Service Member Employment Protection Act to strengthen employment rights for service members and veterans. First, this bill would allow veterans to take “time off without pay” from their jobs to receive medical treatment for service-related injuries. Second, the bill would suspend or bar companies who repeatedly violate military discrimination laws from receiving current or future government contracts. Finally, it would allow service members to pursue discrimination cases in federal court instead of in employer-forced arbitration.

“If we want to maintain a first-rate military, we need to care our service members while they’re on active duty and when they return home,” Pryor said. “This bill is an easy way for us to support veterans in the workforce.”

Injury prevention policy report ranks Arkansas as making progress but more work needed

“The Facts Hurt: A State-By-State Injury Prevention Policy Report”, was released yesterday by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Based on ten key questions, Arkansas joined 23 other states with a score of five. Each state was scored based on a list of 10 key indicators of injury prevention measures that states can take. According to the report, “states received one point for achieving each indicator and zero for failing to achieve it. Indicators included questions like “Does the state require booster seats?” and “Did the state enact a prescription drug monitoring program?” Zero was the lowest possible score and 10 was the highest. The highest scoring states were California and New York, each scoring 9 out of 10. Montana and Ohio scored the lowest, with 2 out of 10.”

Dr. Paul Halverson, Arkansas Department of Health director and state health officer, said, “This report demonstrates that we are making progress; however, we are anxious to move forward quickly to address pressing issues that impact the lives of our communities and have a direct impact on the quality of life for Arkansans.”

Bill Temple, Arkansas Department of Health branch chief, Injury Prevention, said “Our recent legislation mandating a primary seat belt law and graduated driver’s license are helping to prevent many injuries in our state. However, injuries – including those caused by accidents and violence – are the third leading cause of death nationally, and they are the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of one and 44. There is more that we can do as a state to secure that 10 out of 10 ranking from the Trust for America’s Health. We are hard at work with our partnering organizations to make this happen.”

Funding for injury prevention for states from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) averages only $0.28 per American – and has dropped 24 percent from fiscal years 2006 to 2010. Only 31 states have full-time injury and violence prevention directors, which limit injury prevention efforts.

10 Questions Addressed in Report with Arkansas’ Response

1. Does the state have a primary seat belt law? YES

2. Does the state require mandatory ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, even first time offenders? YES

3. Does the state have a universal helmet law requiring helmets for all motorcycle riders? NO

4. Does the state require car seats or booster seats for children to at least the age of eight? NO

5. Does the state requirement bicycle helmets for all children? NO

6. Does the state allow for people in dating relationships to get protection orders? YES

7. Did the state receive an “A” grade in the teen dating violence laws analysis conducted by the Break the Cycle Organization? NO

8. Does the state have a strong youth sports concussion safety law? YES

9. Did the state enact a prescription drug monitoring program? YES

10. Did more than 90 percent of injury discharges from hospitals receive external cause-of-injury coding in the state, which help researchers and health officials track industry trends and evaluate prevention programs? NO

The complete report is available on TFAH’s website at www.healthyamericans.org.

The report found that many injury prevention activities have been scientifically shown to reduce harm and deaths. It also notes that there is a set of emerging new injury threats, including a dramatic, fast rise in prescription drug abuse, concussions in school sports, bullying, crashes from texting while driving and an expected increase in the number in falls as the Baby Boomer generation ages.

Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. www.healthyamericans.org.

Hot Springs board of directors' meeting set

Following the Hot Springs Board of Directors’ regular agenda meeting, scheduled for 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29 in the Board Chambers at City Hall, the board will enter into executive session to consider applicants for the Board of Zoning Adjustment/Board of Adjustments and Appeals, Civil Service Commission and Planning Commission.

City manager recounts city milestones for members of Rotary Club of Oaklawn

At the Oaklawn Rotary Club’s recent regular weekly meeting, City Manager Lance Hudnell took club members on a tour through the last 34 years of city history, beginning in 1977, when he was first hired as an administrative assistant to the mayor.

Hudnell, who will retire in June, recounted the city’s challenges, accomplishments and milestones during the last three decades, and challenged club members to “move beyond the ‘good enough is good enough’ attitude” to continue Hot Springs’ progress.

Oaklawn Rotary meets each Monday at noon at the Austin Hotel.