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I'd like to hear if anyone else thinks this is a problem.

Heading down Willow Street toward Broadway on Saturday afternoon, I noticed that the 300 block of Willow had cars parked up and down both sides of it. While on that block, I encountered another vehicle coming from the other direction, and it was an awfully tight fit. Made me wonder if there really was enough room on that block for parking on both sides AND two-way traffic. Certainly not for two full-sized SUVs; it was a pretty close squeeze with a Saturn and a Suburban on Saturday.

So, has anyone else noticed blocks where on-street parking during ball games makes for problems navigating our neighborhood streets? And has anyone experienced problems with ball fans parking in the restricted areas? Did you try to get the parking rules enforced, and what was the result? I'd like to hear what the experience has been for other Argenta denizens.

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I just got in from the Arkansas Press Association Better Newspaper Contest banquet and, for the first time since before I joined the staff of The Times of North Little Rock back in 1996, your local weekly paper did not take home first place for general excellence among the state's large weekly newspapers. That honor went to The Leader of Jacksonville, which had been The Times' biggest competition at the APA contest for years, seeming always to finish second in general excellence. The Times' run of victories therefore ends at 13 years in a row -- not bad, all things considered. A comprehensive list of awards taken home by the paper is listed on the jump.

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Too many politicians including many here in North Little Rock do not acknowledge or admit they read the neighborhood web sites and blog sites.  Some even profess ignorance about the issues raised in these neighborhood sites.  From my experience though, many of these same individuals actually have friends, relatives or their office workers read these sites and let them know what is happening. 

These neighborhood web sites and blogs each typically have hundreds of readers every day. The commenters typically only represent a small fraction of the readers of these sites.  In addition, the local print and television media regularly read these sites for story leads on what is important and happening in the neighborhoods.  Local leaders would be wise to do the same.

This attitude of not acknowledging the neighborhood web sites and blogs is short sighted and sends the wrong message to the voters.  Yes, there often is a lot of anger and frustration on these sites, particularly in the comments.  However, these are the comments and

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I want to thank everyone who read, commented, sent me leads and generally supported this site and me over the last 2 1/2 years.  That's right 2 1/2 years and nearly 2000 posts and thousands more comments.  This was a new venture for North Little Rock and not only was this web site a critical success, it spawned several other neighborhood blog and web sites in North Little Rock.  Each of you has helped in this success and I thank you and hope you keep reading and commenting with Eric France running Argenta News now.

Eric is an Argenta resident and has deep roots in North Little Rock.  I am very pleased Eric decided to to take me up on my offer to run this site.  I truly believe Eric was the best choice and I am looking forward to reading Eric's posts every day. Please be patient with Eric, he will learn and grow into this site just as I did.

Make no mistake, I will miss posting here.  Right now I have two posts left to make, one on a new neighborhood web site for Park Hill and another post on politicians and blogs.   I am moving on to a new venture.  That venture is running for Alderman representing Ward 2 (including Argenta) on the North Little Rock City Council.  I will take what I have learned here and elsewhere and continue to grow and learn with your help and support.  To that end I have created what I believe is the first web site for an alderman campaign in North Little Rock.  You can check out the web site at Scott Miller Ward 2 . This web site uses the intenet to create a place that we can communicate by e-mail, and live chat weekly.  It also serves as a resource for citizens learn about me, find out if they live in Ward 2, and are registered to vote.  You can even print out the forms to register to vote. Citizens can also see what issues I believe are important to this Ward.  The web site allows you to support the campaign in a variety of ways including yard signs, hosting gatherings and donating to the campaign online.  I want my campaign to be the most open and available campaign to the voters and citzens of Ward 2.  

I will miss Argenta News but I hope to earn your support and vote for Ward 2 Alderman.   Thank you!!!!!

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Greetings and salutations from your new Argenta Blogmeister! 

 For those of you unfamiliar with my mug, I'm Eric Francis. I live at 616 Willow St. and am a relative newcomer to Argenta, having bought my house last August but only moved in this spring. However, I've got a history with this town -- 11 years at The Times as a reporter and editor, up until April of this year. Now I'm a freelance grantwriter working out of my home.

 I'm pleased to take over the administration of Argenta News and plan to keep it something you'll be interested in. Hopefully smitten with. Possibly outraged by from time to time. But readable regarldess. To that end, I welcome your input! Not just in the form of comments on posts, but in the form of ideas for things to put on the blog. If you see something noteworthy, please let me know; or take a pic, or write something up, and send it to me. I'll be happy to post anyting relevant to Argenta and Argenitals.

 I appreciate Scott approaching me about running the blog, especially since I've been a fan of it since its inception. Naturally, he and I won't do things exaclty the same. Now, I can't tell you how the blog will change as I get into it, because I really don't know. But what I do know is I plan to take a "more is better" approach and include just about anything I think will tickle your fancy. And I definitely want your feedback.

 You can reach me most easily by e-mail, as I currently work at home and am on the computer all day. The address is This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it I look forward to hearing from y'all, and will be posting more soon.

 Sincerely,

Eric Francis

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I had an interesting conversation with the manager of the valet parking firm the ballpark has hired to provide the valet parking for Valentine's Restaurant.  As it turns out, the ballpark pays the valet firm $1000 per month to provide the parking attendants and Valentine provides the parking spaces and the equipment.  The manager hires the valets on an as-needed basis paying them $20 to $50 per event and the valets get to keep the tips, which the manager reported as good.

The injury here is that the ballpark has an extra expense of $1,000 per mointh and if used over the course of the full year amounts to $12,000.  Since the City splits the profits at the ballpark with the Travelers, this valet parking is costing the citizens of NLR up to $6,000 in money back from the ballpark.  So  not only is the City giving away public parking spaces to the ballpark to "manage" and restrict,  the City is actually giving away taxpayer dollars for the ballpark and Valentines to provide that valet service. Perhaps someone should audit the Traveler books to see what else the NLR taxpyers are paying for under the classification of ballpark expenses. 

Any other restaurant downtown want in on this sweetheart deal??? 

And what about the insult of the City giving away those 29 parking spaces??

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Click HERE for the video from the lead story about the RV Park from the Chanell 7 6:00 pm newscast on Tuesday.  Yours truly is featured talking about the issues with the RV Park and problems the City has.  The Mayor is interviewd and talks about how the City follows it's own rules or grants variances for those items that need special consideration.  The Planning Commission granted the waiver for the RVs parking within inches of each other.  However, the Commission did not adress the gravel lot or proximity to the residential  area with variances

  However, the City has not met several of the State Dept of Health regulations for RV parks.  Turns out the State has the same dstance requirement that the Planning Commission waived on Tuesday and other requirements as well.  The City on Wednesday was proceeding without meeting the State requirements or getting variances.

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