THE FORUM: NOVEMBER 2025

GIVING THANKS TO

AAs families across the country sat down around the dining room table with a feast before them on Thanksgiving, they looked upon appetizing spreads.

On dining room tables sat an inviting delicious meal with foods like Dad’s smoked turkey, Uncle John’s roasted brown sugar ham, Granny’s homemade mashed potatoes, and Mom’s pecan pie. There is, however, a large portion of the population who have an unfortunate and unique experience on Thanksgiving: those who work in retail and the service industry, who are mandated to work the holidays away from their loved ones.

Corporations are incentivized to maximize profits, and the holidays are prime time to do just that; even at the expense of employees’ home lives. Black Friday bringing in billions of dollars is more than enough of a reason for retailers like Walmart to bring customers in for their sales. The whole time, the money-making machine grinds away -- chewing up those who keep it running. All the while consumers eat it up; who knew that buttermilk and sour cream would be in such high demand, that it would drive them to argue with retail associates about not having the products in stock two days before Thanksgiving?

A Kroger Marketplace in Little Rock was still open for Thanksgiving, and business was busy as usual. The associates worked away stocking groceries and checking customers out at the registers like any other business day.

Darian Summons, 25, has been with Kroger for the last five years as he finished his master’s degree in computer science. He showed up on Thanksgiving morning at 5 o’clock and would work until 1 P.M. before being able to leave. Over the last five years, he said he’s worked almost every Thanksgiving except for the one he’s called out for.

Summons works as an e-commerce pickup associate, where he fills online orders for customers and delivers them to their vehicles curbside. He spoke about his gratitude toward the workload being easier on Thanksgiving because fewer people were using the pickup services, however the week leading up to the

holiday was an entirely different story.

corporate america A

“It can get hectic, very hectic. A lot of people are rushing in, trying to buy as much as they can for their families and friends.” Summons spoke to understanding why people shop as much as they do during the holidays before stating, “but it gets to a point, where it’s a bit too much waterto chuck out the boat.” He also spoke to corporations using the holidays as a means to earning more and more money, all the while the employees are the ones who take the impact physically and mentally.

Andrea Zini, 43, has worked for Kroger for a decade. In that time, this Thanksgiving was only the second time she had to work the holiday. She works in the toys department. Zini spoke about how her family was having Thanksgiving dinner at noon, but that her shift was from 8 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Zini had the opportunity to take a 30-minute lunch, and her family’s meal was only five minutes from her job; however, the thought of going seemed pointless to her.

“I’d rather not go because I’d be moving in a rush.” Zini said. She’d either have to rush eating through the meal and not get to “fellowship” with her family, or she’d have to talk with them as they ate while she didn’t get to eat. Neither option was ideal or worth the perceived disappointment to her. She spoke to understanding that as a grocery store, she gets why they are open; people have to eat and need stores like Kroger to get the groceries they need.

Like Summons, Zini believes that the holidays are a time that these companies push for profits, however she believes that it was not always this way; it was once a push for excellent customer service. “They did that to help everybody, not just to make a buck, but now I think they’re just in it for the money and sales,” Zini said.

This concept of driving profits and making money was a sentiment also shared by Alexis Cage, 25, another Kroger pickup associate. Cage had worked at Kroger for almost three months when Thanksgiving came around, but had worked in retail for approximately three years prior, mostly at Walmart. When asked about her thoughts on working the holiday, Cage said, “I

don’t really like it, but at the same time I don’t really have anything else to do right now. It gives me time away from the house.”

Cage is the one in her family who cooks Thanksgiving dinner, and she said she was up prepping and cooking the night before, and did not get to sleep until 3 o’clock the morning of the holiday, only for her to have to be at her job at Kroger at 8 A.M. sharp. “This could be taking away time from people with their family, and loved ones; especially the ones who came from far away.”

Scott Bowen, 61, one of the deli workers at Kroger, was also working Thanksgiving. He’s been in the retail business for almost 40 years. He said, inregard to the week of Thanksgiving, “very early on, we learned that starting about a week ago, all you want to do is get to Jan. 1.” Bowen smirked and bluntly stated, “I [expletive] hate the holidays.”

The holidays seem to be a hard time for retail workers particularly due to increased product movement, higher foot traffic, and higher expectations from atop the corporate ladder. Not to even mention that with the holidays come other problems for people in general; like for Andrew Heid, 37, who also works at Kroger in the produce department.

In his six years on the job, he has worked every Thanksgiving. This year, he said it won’t be too bad because he’ll get to have his kids for the holiday. “The years where I don’t actually have my kids is very lonely. It makes the job even more lifesucking,” he said. Heid’s parents have been able to travel to his home and help set up the meal and cook while he works so that he can have a meal with his family.

Heid also spoke about the fact that associates who work for Kroger don’t get holiday pay unless they have worked with the store for a year, and how he believes that’s the company’s idea of an incentive to stay long term. In regards to the corporate leaders getting bonuses that dwarf the average worker’s pay, Heid said, “in professional baseball where I came from, it’s either you make it to the big leagues or you don’t make the big money.”

MEMOIR FROM WORKERS ON THANKSGIVING

Chris Prieur, 43, a Kroger associate for almost 23 years, did not have to work on Thanksgiving. But, in order to get the holiday off, he had to work six days in a row prior. He said it was his choice, but he would rather have the holiday off and still get paid for it by working the days around it. Prieur said about the people who had to work Thanksgiving, “the lower someone is on the pole, the less choice they have.”

Anna Marie Rosas, 25, a produce associate at Kroger, was able to get the holiday off to spend with her family. “I think all places should be shut down Thanksgiving, except for hospitals,” she said, adding that emergency services needed to stay open as well, but that for-profit corporations needed to be more considerate of people and their families. Rosas had lost her mom due to heart complications about three weeks before the holiday and this Thanksgiving was the first without her. She forced a smilebut the grief still showed on her face and the set of shoulders. “25 is too young to be planning a funeral,” Rosas said quietly.

For many of these workers, Thanksgiving wasn’t much of a holiday; it was just another shift. It is unfortunate that this is their reality, however in the current economy the average American has to work whenever they can to keep food on the table. Still, it’s hard not to feel the weight of what they’re missing: being at home with their loved ones around a plump turkey with full bellies surrounded by warmth and love. coverage by: isaac luzader

P PO

People become scared, even desperate, when faced with the prospect of going hungry. With the government shutdown that started in October, fear began to spread as rumors circulated that SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits would stop going out starting Nov. 1. Those rumors turned to news as the government remained closed, bringing stress, anxiety, and uncertainty to tens of millions of Americans across the country.

the capacity.”

According to the Arkansas Department of Human Services website, “as of Sept. 1, more than 222,000 individuals across more than 118,000 households received SNAP benefits.” Those households would not be getting their food stamps, that they depend on, on time at the very least, or not in the full amount. Current messaging from the Trump administration and the state government surrounding SNAP benefits has consistently changed hour to hour, day by day.

As of late October, the Arkansas DHS website recommended SNAP recipients pair with local food pantries, churches and other community organizations to seek temporary assistance with obtaining food. At the Arkansas Foodbank, there was a surge of first-time food pantry visitors according to Kate Jenkins, the director of marketing and communications. Jenkins noted that local food pantries have been reporting a 10-20% increase in their first-time visitors recently in response to the potential loss of SNAP benefits.

“We can’t hold the line for all the Arkansans that need us. We see it’s about 80% the government’s job to feed everyone and 20% ours.” Jenkins said. She added, “There’s a reason why the government is the one that sent the man to the moon and built the Hoover Dam, and not the Arkansas Foodbank, just because we don’t have

There were approximately 18,000 volunteers who worked with the Arkansas Foodbank in 2024, saving the organization $1.3 million in labor costs. They serve 400 partner agencies across 33 counties, helping as many as 400,000 people.Volunteering is one way that most anyone can help out those in need, even if they don’t have the money to give themselves; by giving their time, they give help to the most needy. This was a sentiment shared by not only Jenkins, but also by Corrigan Revels, the Assistant Director for Student Leadership & Development, the CLC coordinator, and food pantry volunteer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Donations are often primary sources of provisions for all food pantries and even the Arkansas Foodbank itself.

“We can turn one dollar into five meals,” Jenkins said. Revels stated that the UA Little Rock food pantry operates through donations, grants, and volunteered time alone.

Revels pointed to the shelving unit for student orders, noting that usually only two shelves would be full with orders, but now all five levels are staying full. The UA Little Rock food pantry is open throughout the week, and any students needing assistance are able to receive food at least once every week.

At Lifeline Baptist Church, the parking lot was full of cars with families lined up around the side of the church building on Thursday, October 30, hoping to receive any food the church would be handing out. That day, 70 households came to Lifeline’s food pantry to receive whatever food they could get. The church’s food pantry is open every Thursday for those in need. Lifeline receives assistance from the Arkansas Foodbank, as well as from tithes and offerings from the church’s members.

T.L. Thacker has volunteered at the

food pantry at Lifeline for years and now oversees the operations. Thacker has frustration to the politics being played surrounding food but resolved to an emphatic standpoint by simply dvising, “people should be equal and fair; and consider the other person.”

Thacker’s thoughts echoed ideas shared by Revels.

“People need to just get off their high horse; don’t worry about why someone needs it, or who needs it. We are literally just talking about food.” Revels said regarding people who have problems giving food to those in need. Thacker’s thoughts and frustrations of politics needing to be separate from food was an idea also shared by Jenkins, saying “hunger is not political for us.” This sentiment is true especially when considering the Arkansas Foodbank serves 280,000 Arkansans on a yearly basis. According to Jenkins, they are conservatively estimating an increase of another 100,000 Arkansans seeking assistance from the potential loss of SNAP benefits. One Arkansas married couple who receive SNAP benefits, Chris and Taylor Coning, spoke about their resilience during financial difficulty.

“We’re going to take it day by day until it’s actually definitive,” Chris said regarding the constantly changing messaging on the loss of SNAP. The couple said that if the benefits happen to not come through, then they are able to get some help from family. Taylor commented, “part of me believes it’s the government trying to do scare tactics again.”

This concept of the United States government using the shutdown as a means to make the American people afraid or angry is not an unjustified or unprovoked thought. Senate Republicans blamed the Democratic Party for the shutdown and a portion of the American people working without pay. Simultaneously, the Democrats are blaming the Republicans for the shutdown for not allowing the one thing Democrats are asking for,

1. What’s the best part about playing for the UA at Little Women’s Basketball Team?

Calm, Content, Adaptive

HUNGER 4 L LITICA

Affordable Care Act healthcare subsidies to be continued.

On Nov. 10, the Senate voted to end the shutdown when eight democratic senators, who were not up for reelection next year, decided to agree to the CR bill Senate Republicans had on the table. Republicans promised that they would later find a resolution for the healthcare crisis, which is an entire looming financial crisis all in itself. With the Senate reaching this agreement to end the shutdown, with a vote of 60-40, the bill went on to the House where it passed the evening of November 12 with a 222209 margin. The bill was sent to the president who signed the bill, effectively ending the government’s longest shutdown in American history after 43 long days. Democrats and Republicans refused for 40 days to come to a compromise, all the while the American people end up being the ones who are pay the price. The government shutdown, and the subsequent loss of SNAP benefits is another moment Americans won’t forget from this chapter of history. coverage by: isaac luzader

fast break.

Alaina Payne is a senior whose hometown is Fort Worth, Texas. She played her freshman year at Morgan University and her sophomore year at McClellon Community College. She is an Applied Communications major, minoring in Business Information Systems. She plays the guard position and is 5’9.

Playing with people that have the same winning mindset & developing relationships that will last longer than my tenure here at UALR.

2. When do you feel the most inspired?

I feel most inspired when I’m doing something that has meaning or adds value to something.

3. Sweet or Savory?

Sweet 4. What’s your favorite time of day?

Mid day, I love when the sun is out!

5. What’s your favorite quote?

If my critics saw me walking on water, they’d say it’s because I can’t swim - Margaret Thatcher

6. What are you most excited about these days?

photo submission 21

Graduation & playing this season with my teammates

7. What is Something that makes you smile?

Family, Nature, or a good grade on an assignment

8. Describe yourself in three words?

9. What song is on repeat in your playlist?

Anything Drake

10. What is your favorite food?

Pasta

11. What is a movie worth watching?

Intergalactic

12. How would you define your style?

Streetwear

13. Vintage or New?

Vintage

14. What’s your idea of a perfect date?

An active date like the fair or an amusement park

15. What is the key to a successful relationship?

Honest Communication

16. What is one thing that people don’t know about you?

I am an avid reader and love gardening

17. What is your most recent purchase?

Dash pass for Doordash

18. What’s usually for dinner?

Burger/Pasta

19. What is something you are tired of or a trend you would like to see disappear?

Homework

20. Best advice you’ve ever received?

To advocate for myself & to go for opportunities

21.What’s a talent you wish you had?

Playing the piano coverage by: val bell-o.

SCALPERS & RESELLERS IMPACTING THE POKEMON COMMUNITY

C collections SCALPERS: FALL OF l t R l E i

Collectors across various entertainment franchises appear to be hard-hit due to scalpers and resellers on a global scale. The Pokémon franchise; managed by Nintendo, Creatures Inc., and Game Freak, has become a victim of this particular culture. Its products are frequently targeted and ripped off of shelves before they can reach the hands of genuine fans. Pokémon has built a reputation since their debut in 1996. They curated nostalgia, a community, intense storytelling, and strategy. Pokémon is one of the world’s largest franchises with a selection of video games, tv series, movies, a competitive card trading community, and a strong merchandise environment.

The franchise has evolved greatly with extraordinary global impact. For a business to have an impact this strong is rare, and the reality of scalpers setting in could diminish the unity that has been created.

In a storm of uncertainty and immense

boredom, the unlikely blossoms. The Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) always had its spurts of popularity. It

would become quite popular among the community, then quietly diminish until the next uprising of the hobby. The biggest spike in popularity occurred in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. The uncertainty of sickness, boredom from within the home, and stories shared online of finding rare cards and selling them for an outrageous amount created a new trend of resellers. All of a sudden, Pokémon cards weren’t just a kid’s game and cute cards to put in your pocket; they became a scalper’s playground.

The market of Pokémon TCGs became dangerous, extreme, and highly competitive. Scalpers would use previous tactics from other franchises such as coordinated group purchases, inventory tracking, and playing the waiting game to use against the Pokémon franchise.

Scalpers would line up outside of big-box retailers such as Walmart and Target before regular store hours to attempt to get their hands on multiple cases of cards before true fans could.At the peak of this frenzy, crowds would engage in harmful physical activity over a product. Due to many reports of violence, Target had to temporarily ban in-store sales of Pokémon cards due to major safety concerns. This entertaining pastime for many became a devastation for true collectors.

With empty shelves and unfulfilled fans, this new world of TCG collecting is the new, unfortunate norm. For numerous longtime fans, this heartbreak of rarely finding their niche interest can be frustrating. Parents around the world report visiting multiple stores trying to find reasonably priced for their children, only to experience desolate shelves. Dedicated collectors trying to finish card sets often find themselves scrolling through websites popular for resellers such as Ebay, Facebook, Etsy, and Poshmark opposed to opening traditional packs from in person retailers. Even competitive TCG players, who have to rely on a fast trading market, have resorted to buying from secondary sellers. All of these outcomes only feed this overpriced phenomenon. The official Pokémon Company’s Website, Pokémon Center, has become a flash for sales. Brand new pins, plushies, exclusive items, and other merchandise often sell out within minutes of release on the site. Scalpers use an automated bot snatching inventory trick to obtain items quickly before they can be put in the carts of true fans. Fans of this franchise can’t keep up with this rapid software.

A rise in investment mindsets have cultivated the minds of many. Pokémon collections once consisted around emotional value such as nostalgia, artwork, aesthetic appeal, attachment to fantasy creatures, or pure serotonin of opening a pack of cards with like-minded people around you to experience the fun. Although, with the increase of reseller culture, the simplicity in the fun of collecting has diminished greatly. Within the online communities, new collectors feel pressure to treat their personal stash of cards like gold. Keeping them well preserved, grading them, never touching them. Well known content creators that focus on Pokémon products and news will tear down an item to a sheer price tag rather than for sentimental value. Many fans started to applaud the monetary value of a product rather than the contentment of enjoying the hobby. Despite not all collectors indulging in the economics of it all, it has taken a great toll over the community and has made it less fun to be involved in. From overlycompetitive card markets to demeaning nostalgic games to a price tag, the fanbase has become mostly money hungry. The true meaning of collections has been lost.

Some resellers are limited to their personal region of product to scalp. Although, scalping has reached the level of international exploitation. Pokémon products often are region locked or have different release dates in different areas. Scalpers use this advantage to buy a product before it is released in their region to upcharge their item more than usual. This is a common trap used to increase the demand. With this occurring, this causes price spikes in many places causing the products to be harder to obtain by real supporters. When a fan is denied their product, they often turn to resellers. This phenomenon is a continuous cycle that has no view of ending anytime soon. The scalpers have taken over the market and have the supply and demand in their clutches.

In the world of Pokémon, fake packaging and counterfeit items have also been popularized. The competitive demand driven by scalpers encourages fake items and counterfeit products to take over the market. Encountering fake booster packs, promo boxes, and resealed products have unfortunately become quite popular. True fans run the risk of losing hundreds of dollars to misleading items because real Pokémon products have become almost impossible to find Some resellers will buy products in bulk, remove the valuable items from the stack, then reseal them and put them on the market as new. Marketplace sites are flooding with false advertisements of untouched, sealed products when they are actually tampered booster packs and tins. This causes widespread fear, loss of trust, and financial strain to Pokémon supporters and can damage the reputation of the franchise entirely.

The main audience of the Pokémon franchise is primarily children. Growing up, children in schools would trade playing cards during their free time, indulge in the shows curated for them, and start collections with their friends. As time went on, children have slowly been pushed out of the hobby entirely. Despite this hobby being for all ages, it has been taken over by teenagers and adults that want to profit off of the system. Children are meant to be the primary audience to Pokémon, but they are almost always unable to obtain cards, plushies, or games at normal retail sellers. Parents have reported that birthday and holiday shopping for their children has become harder than ever before. Kids who hadgrown to enjoy bringing their playing cards to school to show off and trade have diminished greatly due to it becoming an expensive hobby. This will undermine the next generation of fans to come. This culture has started a tsunami of inability to enjoy this franchise.

One of the world’s most influential entertainment franchises, Pokémon, has prevailed for decades by providing a sense of nostalgia, connections with like-minded people, immense creativity, and curating a community of fans of all ages. Despite the successes, the rapid increase of scalpers and resellers threaten to destroy the strong foundation that made the franchise flourish. Pokémon began as an imaginative world that was created to inspire joy has become almost like a battleground of sky-high prices, undersupply, and overall bitterness in the community. The unity that once held together fans has greatly fallen apart. If this trend continues, the true culture of collections will continue to fall. To protect the heart of the franchise, the supporters, retailers, and industry leaders must work together to preserve the integrity of this hobby and to ensure that Pokémon will continue to remain a funloving community of all ages. Moving forward, the true fans want a world where everyone can come together to collect, to belong, to create, and to enjoy time with each other with no financial barriers.

of nlrsd THE BOOK BAN

TThe North Little Rock School District issued a memo on Oct. 21, 2025, directing its Elementary Principals and teachers to remove 50+ books with LGBTQIA+ themes from the online reading platform Epic.

Epic is an online library for kids. It offers thousands of books, audiobooks, and short learning videos. Kids can choose what they read. Epic tracks their progress and lets them move at their own pace.

The district wrote that it removed the books to make sure materials stay “appropriate for our students and respectful of family beliefs.” There have been mixed reactions throughout the North Little Rock community

John and Stacey Lemonn have two children in the district. They say they were surprised to find out about the book removals through second hand sources. John says he first learned about it from a news outlet.

“I saw it on the Arkansas Advocate, and it was strange, because that’s where I get my Arkansas news,” he said. This one was North Little Rock, and I was like, that’s not right. Not in my city. I read that up and I was like Oh, they’re banning a lot of different books”

Stacey says she learned about the decision from a parent on Facebook.

“I found it on Facebook. One of my fellow mom friends from the school posted the internal memo that went out to the teachers. I was surprised,” she said. I did not expect our district to ever ban books. And then looking deeper into it, I was disgusted that the books that have been banned are primarily LGBTQ books.”

She also pushes back on the district’s claim that the removals protect “family values.”

“I think that’s a very opinionated thing to say. My family values are not the superintendent’s family values, apparently. Our community is diverse. As far as I understand it, the teachers do not push books on the kids. The kids just get to choose to say that a child with two gay parents is not allowed to read about other children in her circumstances is appalling.”

She points to specific titles.“Different Families. It sticks out. It is a book that celebrates diverse families. And then My Two Dads is another book that stands out,” she said. “It is a book where a little boy follows his classmate home to interview her, and he learns that she has two gay dads and he just takes photos because she is student of the week. There is nothing in either of these books to promote any ideology.”

John says the removals send a harmful message about who belongs, and that representation matters even for the young children.

“Taking these books out is saying that the only view of what a family can be is a heterosexual couple raising a child, and that does not reflect the reality of the community,” he said. “They’re not going to see that representation,

that families are different than them, that some kids are different.”

Book challenges have risen across the country. PEN America, a nonprofit organization, reports more than sixthousand book bans during the last school year across 23 states and 87 school districts. That’s according to their latest nationwide report.

Rebecka Virden sees a pattern. She is a Van Buren mother who won a federal lawsuit over book removals in her own community.

“There’s this idea that parents aren’t being heard, but that’s just not true,” she said. “Every parent already has the ability to make choices for their own kid. What they’re trying to do now is take away that same choice from other families.”

Virden has a master’s degree in library science from the University of Texas. She now runs a nonprofit that helps libraries fight censorship. She said she worries about the broader message these restrictions send.

“They all are respecting only one family type of family housing or one set of family values at the expense of others. And that is just fundamentally not how libraries ought to operate because it is placing a stigma on those books,” said Virden.

Members of the North Little Rock community say the issue raises questions about viewpoint discrimination, where people or materials are censored because of viewpoint discrimination or ideology.

Jay Bequette, an attorney for the North Little Rock School District, says he disagrees on removing mostly LGBTQ-themed books amounting to viewpoint discrimination. He maintained that the district acted lawfully. Virden says the core issue is equal access to information. “You don’t have to like every book on a shelf. You just don’t get to decide what my family or anyone else’s family can read.”

The UA Little Rock Forum requested an interview with the district. A spokesperson, Dustin Barnes, responded with an official statement.

“The North Little Rock School District is bound to comply with all state laws while continuing to foster a rich learning environment that values respect, belonging, and academic growth for every student. Our actions are not based on individual or personal beliefs, but rather on the need to adhere to state law and maintain consistency across our schools. We recognize that conversations about curriculum and materials can raise questions and differing perspectives. Please know that our educators and administrators approach this work with professionalism, care, and a focus on meeting both the academic and legal responsibilities entrusted to us.

The referenced laws are as follows: LEARNS Act (Ark. Code § 6-16-1006): This statute prohibits “classroom instruction” in public schools before the 5th grade on the topics of sexual orientation or gender

identity.

Act 372 (2023 Arkansas law on “harmful” materials in libraries): This law covers libraries (rather than just K-12 instruction) and is concerned with “material … harmful to minors” (which can affect books with LGBTQ+ themes, among others)” However, the section they referenced within Act 372 was struck down in a 2023 Federal court ruling. Timothy Brooks, U.S. District Judge blocked Sections One (referenced above) and Five. He wrote within his ruling that Section 1 was written too broadly, and that its key words aren’t clearly defined. This will cause different people to interpret it differently, and enforcement will vary depending on who’s in charge.

When asked if they were aware of the revision of this law, the North Little Rock School District provided no comment. Internal emails obtained by the Forum show how the process unfolded behind the scenes.On Sept. 12, Jacob Smith, Assistant Superintendent of School Improvement, emailed Jay Bequette, the school district’s attorney, writing: “One of my principals received this list from a parent/teacher regarding content. The concern is that students have access to this material. Please advise.” The message was copied to Superintendent Dr. Greg Pilewski and several administrators.

Carmen Langston, the district’s literacy coordinator, explained that the books were accessed through Epic. When Smith asked whether Epic was state-approved, she responded: “No…because it is not a curriculum.”

She also provided instructions for hiding books on the platform to help Bequette with his guidance.

Bequette ultimately advised the district to remove access, telling administrators: “I would definitely block access to these materials. They have no place in a public school.” Smith then directed Langston to prepare a memo. Though the emails circulated in mid-September, the formal Action Memo was not issued until October 21.

Bequette says his role was to advise the district on the legal framework, not to make final decisions about the books. When asked what criteria he used to determine the titles were inappropriate, he acknowledged he hadn’t reviewed them individually.

“I did not. I did not. I haven’t seen the books. Just based on the titles, they did not appear to me as a lay person that they needed to be in a K-5 media center,” he said.

Bequette says his guidance to the district was based on state law, but that he was not in charge of decisions. Some parents pointed out that the district cited sections of Act 372 that were struck down by a federal judge in 2023. Bequette clarified why the law was still referenced.

“Section four of Act 372 applies to school districts, and section four was not at issue in the litigation you’re referencing.

Section four…talks about, you know, media centers having written policies to establish guidelines for the selection, relocation and retention of materials.”

The policy on “Selection of Library/Media Center Materials” was last revised in 2010. Under this policy, licensed media specialists choose library materials. The school board steps in only if a formal challenge is appealed. The policy also requires schools to offer a broad range of age-appropriate

materials that support the curriculum, reflect varied viewpoints, and build critical-thinking skills.The policy also spells out a strict challenge process. A parent or resident must first meet with a media specialist. They can then file a formal reconsideration request. A review committee must read the material in full and evaluate it against the district’s criteria. The books must stay available during this process. They also cannot be removed because of the viewpoints they contain.

Bequette also addressed a key point raised by parents: the difference between “classroom instruction” and voluntary independent reading on Epic.

“Well, that’s an educated decision. I’m just addressing, you know, the legal issues, but those are your educated decisions made by educators. As a lawyer, I defer to the educators’ decisions, because they’re educators and I’m not.”

In internal emails obtained under FOIA, Bequette advised the district to block access to the books. When asked how he determined the materials were inappropriate, he said: The Lemonn family read through the books mentioned on the list. Stacey said the books did not match the rationale the district cited.

“These books are not sexual content. These books are about empathy or about community. We live in a society where there are other people like us. There’s so many different cultural things going on in society that we have to be accepting of each other.”

During public comment at a November 20 North Little Rock School Board meeting, community members, including John Lemonn, urged the district to reconsider the book removals. “I want to reiterate here that the law is not being followed and the legal counsel you received is not complete. I believe you’re opening the school district up to lawsuits because of this,” Lemonn said.

A petition opposing the removals has gathered 186 signatures, and organizers say they plan to return to each meeting until the district restores access to the books.

As the district maintains that it acted within the law, the possibility of escalating community action, and potential legal challenges, continues to grow

coverage by: emma bertram

pitterPATTER Te

Ii blankly light a smoke with rain on my windshield thinking of the crushing weight of it all there was a time you’d say you wish we met as kids that somehow it would’ve stopped the bad things that now lie atop our shoulders, dangling you blow your top, and still find jokes afterwards i suppose there’s a joke in everything but it comes to you and i hold in my laugh as i’ve tried my best to revere every word you say even hurtful ones

i’ll grin and bear it if it means you’ll bear my grin

cupped in your hands the way you used to with that magnetic glint in your blued gaze

it looks hungry for me; it looks tired of living

it looks like i matter; it looks like you could shatter yet in my head, your hand is either around my throat and we are okay or i’m wiping tears from your eyes and we are okay i wish i could tread the avenues of our wrong turns

so i knew which detours to take, but heaven’s sake you’ve jumped from the car i still remember the grass on our backs and that smile burned into my head the space of each tooth curving into a shape i’d like to know for all my days leading down to the hills and canyons of your form and i’m still convinced angels had a hand in crafting

i wish i could craft a path we could both follow yet i’m sure your hand outstretched is now a mirage of nothing more than a tree branch as i walk through this unfamiliar forest for all it’s worth i still can’t find one bad word for you just know my hand stays at attention

waiting for its other to grasp; for the day it feels once more the need to reach

i blankly light a smoke with rain on my windshield thinking of the crushing weight of it all.

poem by: tyler vandevender coverage by: rian newman

red DEVIL REFLECTS AN OLE’

RRetired Marine Maj. Gary Davis sits in his home office, smiling as he holds his old Vietnam aviator’s helmet. Around him, lining the walls are pictures of planes he has flown, framed flight certifications, shelves with hundreds of mugs, and photographs of his family.

“I got this pin for being in the 1,000-mile-per-hour club,” Davis said with a small grin. He said, in order to fly at those speeds, a pilot must get up to a pretty high elevation.

“The relative motion when you’re up that high, you know, it just doesn’t seem like you’re going that fast.” Davis is a former Top Gun pilot with the “Red Devils,” the Marine Corps’ Fighter Attack Squadron 232, its oldest and most decorated fighter squadron.

He leaned forward with a smirk, “now you want to talk fast? One day we flew through Death Valley and I was going 500 knots at 500 feet. Now that’s fast.” For perspective, 500 knots is just over 575 miles per hour at just 500 feet above the ground. “When you’re going that fast that low, everything just zooms by you.”

Davis served the Marine Corps for 22 years before retiring, and says the military took good care of him, his wife, and his two children. The day he became a 2nd Lieutenant was the same day he got his wings. More importantly to him it was the day he met his wife, Linda. They would marry six weeks later, raise two children Leslie and Greg, before getting to love three grandchildren Miranda, Emma, and Jake.

Davis talked of the different fighter jets and bombers he flew, claiming that his absolute favorite would be the F-8. During his 22 years of service in the Marines he earned multiple accolades as a highly decorated fighter pilot including the Distinguished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star with a V nine air medals, and several others. Davis flew in over 90 combat missions during his service, but before the Vietnam War when he first joined the military, he worked as a flight instructor in Pensacola, Fla. for a few years. He also flew reconnaissance flights out of Cherry Point, N.C. where he said “we would go down to Cuba, fly around, and see what they were up to in a photo squadron. So we had photo surveillance around the island.”

During the Vietnam War, he flew as a Top Gun in an attack squadron who would give air support and do bombing runs; some supporting troops but most being strategic bombings. Davis got to travel the world during his service and see many places and views from everywhere even up to 50,000 feet. He said the most interesting place he ever visited to him was when he took a Liberty tour to Hong Kong, before he went through countries across East Asia including Thailand. While in Thailand he said at one point they tried to serve him monkey as a dinner and he had to excuse himself from the table.

Davis had an interesting life and to him some of his most unforgettable experiences were two aerial accidents that he was in. One involved a rear collision with four other planes, the other was when his flight stick stopped working while he was attempting a landing. Davis has not flown since retiring over 30 years ago. “I’m not okay with paying for something I use to get paid to do,” he says as he chuckles. He looks around his office walls lined with photos of jets, his family, his service medals, his old helmet. He’s reminded of those 22 years of soaring through the skies, and it is clear the sky was his domain.

coverage by: isaac luzader

OFlegacy honor

wicked for good REVIEWED

WWicked started out its great journey as a bestselling novel, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” by Gregory Maguire. This novel is a darker and more twisted portrayal of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz.” Maguire’s novel was eventually adapted into a hit Broadway musical, Wicked, in 2003.

This franchise rapidly increased in popularity in the world of theatre. Almost two decades later, director Jon M. Chu curated the exceptionally anticipated film adaptation featuring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and more spectacular cast members. Chu brought the beloved story of Oz to

a new generation, singlehandedly revitalizing a classic story Chu’s Wicked: For Good revisited the world of Wicked that premiered in late 2024.

The adaptation portrayed a colorful, emotional and deeply heartfelt feeling of the timeless Broadway musical. Chu’s version of Wicked can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages, while it remains a classic it also has a modern flare on it. He paints a picture into the story’s themes of complicated relationships, intense popularity, identity issues, moral complexity, and corruption in powerful officials.

Visually, the movie is dazzling with creativity. From intricate set designs, immense choreography, and precise layering of color palettes to

bring Oz to life in ways a stage might not be able to. The carefully chosen cast brings a great overtone and emotion to the characters long defined by tradition. Chu’s passion for musicalstorytelling shines brightly through the cracks of the world of musicals, resulting in a dynamic film that honors the original pieces of work to make this possible while also embracing new adventures to come from it. Wicked: For Good is one of the ultimate shows that is hard to outstand.

Chu’s rendition exceeded expectations and changed the world of Wicked

coverage by & photos: emma singleton

TThe University of Arkansas at Little Rock held its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11, honoring veterans and military service members. The ceremony took place at the auditorium of the Charles W. Donaldson Student Success Center. Due to the government shutdown, most of the elements usually included in their ceremony were not present, but the spirit of gratitude and respect for those who served remained at the heart of the event.

Col. Erin B. Burns, commander of the 189th Mission Support Group at the Little Rock Air Force Base, served as the guest speaker. An alum of the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, Burns has been involved in two deployments toAfghanistan and one to the United Arab Emirates Burns emphasized that recognition needs to not only go to service members, but to their family members as well.

“Those of us who have worn the uniform know that our families sacrifice as much as we do right along with us,” Burns said. “It’s a tremendous amount of sacrifice that they go through as well. Just, you know, missing first steps, birthdays, graduations, and all the things we sometimes have to miss to get the mission done.”

Throughout his speech, Burns discussed how education has become a defining strength of today’s armed forces.

“We are the most educated military in the world, and that matters. Being smarter than our enemies is a deterrent factor. That’s the power of education and training. It makes us better every day.

coverage by: emma bertram

huddled together.

Burns stands next to his wife as he addresses UA Little Rock staff. photo emma bertram

at attention. Burns calls upon attending veterans to stand up within the audience to be honored and recognized for their service. photo emma bertram

to ualrWINTERFEST COMES

TThe University of Arkansas Little Rock brought holiday cheer to this chilly season with its Winter Fest. The new campus tradition that took place Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the new and improved Trojan Way. Guests parked at 2801 S. University Ave, at the Jack Stephens Center. A path of lights and signs were placed to guide guests from the Center to Trojan Way.

Emily Cox, Vice Chancellor for University Affairs, was the creator and overseer of Winter Fest. She discussed the brainstorming process that led to the event.

“So I was looking for ways to bring and invite community members to our campus to see all that we have,” said Cox. “And I really have been trying to think of ways to help activate the Trojan way. And this was the way to do that. I was glad they thought it was a really good idea”

Alongside Cox’s leadership, the Student Government Association played a role in shaping the event. Ainsley Kendall, SGA president, said their involvement started early as they sorted out what tasks to take on.

“We sat on the committee from the very first meeting….talking about just, like, different roles and how it would impact students,” Kendall said. “These are different roles that student government was going to play in whether it was volunteering, or advocating for different events that were going to be there, like the novelties and fun games that are going to be there.”

The event drew students, families, and community members for a festive evening of live music, skating, and holiday cheer! Attendees snacked on cookies, sipped hot chocolate, and enjoyed a holly jolly evening packed with activities for people of all ages! Months of preparation went into creating this event, which Cox said was put together by a collaborative effort throughout the campus.

“We have people from facilities from finance and administration. The police chief is anintegral part. Our community engagement coordinator in my office. And the communications team and student affairs have been really critical as well.”

She said she was most proud of being able to stay under their $100,000 budget when putting Winter

Fest together.Kendall emphasized just how much coordination went into the event. “The collaborations between the departments was pretty vast just to make sure that everybody knew what was going on,” she said.

Kendall said during organization walkthroughs the committee would have to thoroughly consider details, and handle challenges well.

“Multiple times during that we had to stop and think, think about students, think about traffic. And the committee actually worked really well together,” said Kendall. “Sometimes that doesn’t happen, but this committee was just really open to hearing ideas and making sure a person met their input.”

The main challenge for Kendall and the SGA was fitting the growing list of attractions into the available space.

“As we all got more eager, the amount of space we had turned from a big space to a small space. Just finding places to coherently put all of those things so that they made sense.”

Highlights of the Winter Fest featured live performances by the UA Little Rock Dance Team and The Rodney Block Collective. This band is a quartet that regularly performs at the Little Rock River Market every April and September for the “Jazz in the park” event. The dance team performed a lively choreographed routine to Mariah Carey’s notorious hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

Other interactive events featured within the event included an ice-skating rink, kids’ crafts and story time, an ugly sweater contest, and planetarium show within the Ottenheimer Library. The planetarium show was created in collaboration with the students of the UA Little Rock Astronomy Club, and students of the EducationDepartment took part in putting together the festive story time.

Kendall herself was in charge of the ugly sweater contest. “I’m going to make sure that everybody gets their sweaters put in,” she said. “Then I’ll work with the ugly sweater judging committee to make sure we get everything judged right at six and announce the winners.” Cox discussed her anticipation for all who would be attending the event. “I’m thrilled the community’s coming, but there wouldn’t be a campus without students. So, I’m also looking forward to seeing faculty and staff bring their families to campus fora

lighthearted, fun evening where they can be proud of where they work every day,” Cox said.

Kendall said her biggest hope is that Winter Fest becomes a long-term staple on campus. “I hope Winter Fest becomes a tradition in general,” she said. “I think that it’s really important…having events each month is really beneficial. So I think I’m excited that that might happen next year.”

You better watch out, you better not cry. You better not pout. I’m telling you why.Maximus, the beloved Trojan mascot made an appearance to grace the presence of one and all having a ball. Families could be seen gathering around the symbol of UA Little Rock.

Visitors found twinkling light displays decorated across the campus mixed with local flair and classic holiday melodies. Parking, admission, and majority of the activities were free. Local food trucks were present for those who wanted to grab a snack or nice meal for a good price.

The lineup of food trucks included: Tacos Godoy, Haygood BBQ, The Cajun Trouxth, and Cheesecake On Point! UA Little Rock students were provided meal vouchers that allowed them to exchange a ticket for a free meal or treat.

Kendall said her dream is that Winter Fest becomes a long-term staple on campus. “I hope Winter Fest becomes a tradition in general,” she said. “I think having events each month is really beneficial, and I’m excited that this might happen next year.”

When the event came to an end, students and visitors left Trojan Way carrying the remainder of their hot cocoa and leftover holiday joy. Winter Fest successfully brought the community together, providing a new way for students and faculty to bring the semester to a close together

coverage by: emma bertram

1. What’s the best part about playing for the UA at Little Women’s Basketball Team? The opportunity to play in my home state where my family and friends are at every game is amazing. I’m blessed with incredible teammates and the best, most supportive coaching staff there is.

2. When do you feel the most inspired?

When I’m rested physically, mentally and spiritually.

3. Sweet or Savory?

Sweet - blue nerd clusters

4. What’s your favorite time of day?

Evening

5. What’s your favorite quote?

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world”. C.S. Lewis

6. What are you most excited about these days?

The basketball season

7. What is Something that makes you smile?

Doing spontaneous things with my friends.

8. Describe yourself in three words? Christ follower, competitive, adventurous

9. What song is on repeat in your playlist? Man, I Need - Olivia Dean

10. What is your favorite food?

Steak and shrimp

11. What is a movie worth watching?

Both Top Gun movies

12. How would you define your style?

Very casual and simple

13. Vintage or New? New

14. What’s your idea of a perfect date?

Somewhere outdoors with good food and meaningful conversations followed by icecream

15. What is the key to a successful relationship?

Communication, loyalty, and serving the other person

16. What is one thing that people don’t know about you?

I play lots of golf in my free time.

17. What is your most recent purchase? Shoes

18. What’s usually for dinner?

Chicken, salmon or a burger

19. What is something you are tired of or a trend you would like to see disappear?

I don’t know

20. Best advice you’ve ever received?

To ask myself “Is Jesus enough?”

And while pondering that question, I’m overwhelmed with peace that yes, every single time

He is enough. That really helps me reset my perspective on things.

21.What’s a talent you wish you had?

Singing

multi-talented.

baller moves.

coverage by: val bell-o.

Brenna Burk is a sophomore from Russellville, Arkansas, who not only made All State, All Conference, and All-State tournament but also lettered in tennis and softball at Russellville high school before coming to play for the women’s basketball team at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She plays guard position and is 5’7.

photo submission

21 questions BY THE UA AT LITTLE ROCK BASKETBALL TEAM

Blessing Teamer is a junior from Dallas, Texas, who plays forward for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Women’s Basketball team. Before coming to play at UA at LittleRock, she played as a sophomore at Paris, Texas Community College, and as a Freshman, Iowa Western Community College. She graduated from Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas. photo submission

1. What’s the best part about playing for the UA at Little Women’s Basketball Team?

I think the best part for me is just creating a bond with all my teammates and coming together to fight for a championship.

2. When do you feel the most inspired?

I feel most inspired when I improve in areas I’ve been struggling in.

3. Sweet or Savory?

Sweet

4. What’s your favorite time of day?

I think my favorite time of the day is at night.

5. What’s your favorite quote?

My favorite quote is actually from the Bible

“I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me” Philippians 4:13

6. What are you most excited about these days?

I am most excited about these days because this is around the time we start playing and traveling.

7. What is Something that makes you smile?

Something that makes me smile is my family and friends.

8. Describe yourself in three words?

Funny, Hardworking, and Caring

9. What song is on repeat in your playlist?

All the Way Home by Tamar Braxton

10. What is your favorite food?

Seafood

11. What is a movie worth watching?

I think a movie worth watching is Bad Boys.

12. How would you define your style?

I would say my style is comfy.

13. Vintage or New?

Both

14. What’s your idea of a perfect date?

A perfect date would be something fun and low-pressure, like maybe dinner at a cozy restaurant or a picnic with music playing in the background.

15. What is the key to a successful relationship?

I think the key to a successful relationship is communication and trust.

16. What is one thing that people don’t know about you?

One thing people don’t know about me is that I am double-jointed in my right shoulder.

17. What is your most recent purchase?

My most recent purchase was a gift for my girlfriend.

18. What’s usually for dinner?

My usual dinner is probably some street tacos, a salad, or a home-cooked meal.

19. What is something you are tired of or a trend you would like to see disappear?

I think a trend that should disappear is taking pictures in a bathing suit when it is snowing outside.

20. Best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I ever received was to trust in God’s timing and to not worry about things you can’t control at the moment.

21. What’s a talent you wish you had?

A talent I wish I had is that I could dunk. coverage by: val bell-o.

21 questions

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