Parks agency adds cemetery upkeep
North Little Rock's Parks and Recreation Department is taking over maintenance duties of the historic Thomas Cemetery, Parks Director Terry Hartwick said after meeting with the Thomas Cemetery Advisory Council Committee last week.
Thomas Cemetery, off Division Street next to the 60-acre Edgewood Cemetery, is a 2-acre cemetery that dates to 1880. The North Little Rock City Council approved eminent-domain proceedings on the cemetery's property in May 2018 after a title holder couldn't be located.
The City Council established the cemetery advisory council in September to oversee and coordinate upkeep and research of the cemetery's history.
The parks department will aid in that effort now, since it is city property, Hartwick said, by assuming responsibility for its upkeep, trimming trees and mowing grass.
According to city history, the cemetery's founders allowed free burials, mostly for children, causing it to mistakenly be labeled as a paupers graveyard. With no known owner until the city took it over, the cemetery was long neglected and many headstones were missing or broken.
A senior history class at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and Kristal Clark, a North Little Rock History Commission member, began in 2016 exploring ways to restore the cemetery grounds and record its history.
There are approximately 600 graves in the cemetery, many from the late 1800s and early 1900s, according to a May 29, 2016, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article on efforts to restore the cemetery grounds. The cemetery mainly contains members of North Little Rock's working class and their children.
Festival to feature music, arts, food
The North Shore Riverwalk Park in North Little Rock will be host to the Yadaloo Music and Arts Festival on Sept. 22 with live music entertainment and interactive art installations by local arts groups.
Food trucks and adult vendors will be on site, according to the North Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau website. There also will be a dedicated game and activity area for all ages, including a children's zone, dog park area and tethered hot-air balloon rides, among other activities, the website said.
The area is being rented from the city Parks and Recreation Department by a private entertainment company that is sponsoring the event.
Festival and ticket information is available at yadaloo.com or facebook.com/yadaloofest.
Police Department seeks applications
Applications for entry-level police officers are being accepted by the North Little Rock Police Department, according to a department announcement.
Written examinations to create an eligibility list will be at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 26 or Sept. 28 at the North Little Rock Police/Fire Training building, 2400 Willow St. More information and appointment times are available at nlr.ar.gov/jobs or the North Little Rock Human Resources Department, 120 Main St.
Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, 21 to 45 years of age by date of hire, a high school graduate or equivalent, and hold a current valid driver's license.
Completed applications must be received by 4 p.m. Sept. 13.
Metro on 08/25/2019