We had another great Arkansas Times Academic All-Star ceremony this afternoon at UALR. Great students, happy parents. The highlight for me was Lindsey Millar’s slide presentation on the present activities of past winners. But also always grateful for appreciative parents. It resonates when I talk about the attention give sports stars (which some of these kids are, by the way) versus academic stars.
Another highlight was being asked by state Rep. Bruce Westerman, the Republican congressional candidate, to pose with his family. His Yale-bound son, Eli, is an All-Star. MIght be a political dynasty in the making there. I hope to see the bipartisan happiness on his Facebook page soon.
I grabbed the cell phone photo above as parents were clicking away at the group shot being made of the winners, all covered in this week’s Times.
Other news for tonight’s open line.
* TAX CHEAT: Steven Kolb of Springdale, who operated a stone and granite installation business, got 21 months n federal prison (not 21 years as an original release said) and was ordered to pay more than $117,000 in restitution for failing o turn over to the IRS employee tax withholding. That might strike fear in a few other hearts, I”d think.
* LITTLE ROCK HOMICIDE: Yet another. LRPD says a male was found fatally wounded by a gunshot at 5224 Rinke Road when officers responded to a report of a shooting. No suspect in custody.
* LR SCHOOL UNHAPPINESS: I’m tipped the Little Rock School Board could hear tonight from unhappy faculty members at one district school. LRSD patrons might want to flip on the TV.