Bomb squad hopes for upgrade grants

Grant money will pay for upgrades to the Fire Department's bomb robot if city directors approve the transaction Tuesday.

Two ordinances on the agenda for Tuesday's 6 p.m. Board of Directors meeting at City Hall would authorize use of State Homeland Security grants to pay for upgrades to the F6A Bomb Robot and purchase three of the latest versions of protection suits for the bomb squad.

The $61,333 for the upgrade will provide the robot with LED lighting so it can be used longer without a battery recharge; add sensors to its joints so technicians can see an avatar version of the robot on a screen when they are operating it; put in a smaller remote control board that will allow for more flexibility in operating the robot; and upgrade the parts to newer versions.

Many of the electronics and parts on the robot are no longer manufactured, bomb squad Capt. Jason Weaver said.

"We use the robot to go down range and approach a suspected device, and we can look at it remotely. The robot has microphones where we can listen to see if the device is making any noise. It has cameras so we can see everything and get an idea of what we are dealing with without putting technicians in harm's way," Weaver said.

The squad gets called about 100 times a year for bomb threats, suspicious packages and barricade situations in the Little Rock area. The robot can disassemble a bomb or place explosives to blow it up. This feature also can be used to breach doors in barricade situations, Weaver said.

The three EOD 9 bomb suits will bring the Fire Department up to date on the latest protective gear. The department currently has one EOD 9 bomb suit and five EOD 8 suits, which are no longer standard. The bomb squad consists of nine technicians.

Military discount

covers more at zoo

The Little Rock Zoo has extended its military discount to retired and disabled veterans.

Previously, the zoo offered a $2 off regular-price admission discount to active-duty military members. The zoo's board of governors voted last week also to include retired or disabled military veterans in the deal.

Last year, nearly 7,000 people took advantage of the discount, according to a zoo report.

Identification must be shown at the gate to prove military status.

City's racial divides

topic of discussion

A presentation and community discussion on racial divides in neighborhoods will take place Monday at the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children's Library and Learning Center.

Civil-rights historian John Kirk and Jess Porter, a geography professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, will lead the discussion, sponsored by the Arkansas Community Institute.

"Little Rock today is a city separated by black and white in its housing patterns and in schools. What are the roots of this separation? Drs. Kirk and Porter will tell the story of how Little Rock neighborhoods became separated by race before the 1957 Central high crisis and how slum clearance, urban renewal and other policies have continued the pattern of black and white neighborhood geography," a news release said.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. at the library, 4800 W. 10th St. A community discussion will follow the lecture.

Kiwanis camp ready

for graduation ritual

Joseph Pfeifer Kiwanis Camp will host its 126th graduation ceremony for the Alternative Classroom Experience program today.

Certificates of achievement will be awarded to 37 third-graders from the Little Rock and Pulaski County Special school districts who have completed 20 days of "experimental education strategies and techniques," according to a news release.

The program, a project of the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Little Rock, places a special emphasis on academic performance, behavior reform and self-esteem development. Multiple partners work together to fund the program.

Little Rock School District Board President Greg Adams will speak at the commencement ceremony, scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Pfeifer Camp classroom at 5512 Ferndale Cutoff. There will be a special presentation from Pulaski County Bar Association President-elect Melanie Martin.

Metro on 05/18/2014