[Maumelle]

And if it wasn't known, we are getting a Taco Bueno and an Arby's.

Both of which will be shopping for fill dirt as their lots are both in holes. :-D Actually, the last time I was on Savannah Drive, I noticed the start of some dirt work already on the Arby's site.

[Everything Conway]

Now technically I'm pretty sure the NCAA voted this year to eliminate the "IAA" designation and replaced it with something like Div I, Junior Member or something when applied to football.

Division I-A is now known as the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.

Division I-AA is now known as the Division I Football Championship Subdivision.

Personally, I think the new titles are sort of corny. I think that everyone will still call refer to teams as I-A and I-AA. And I think that entirely too many people will continue to understand that I-A/I-AA only applies to football.

[Everything Conway]

Are you sure about UAPB being Division 1? UCA only started that this year.

Yep. They've been Division I-AA and members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference since 1998.

[Everything Conway]

Honestly, I was told that ASU-Jonesboro (the school I currently attend) is a Division 1-A school now. Our teams play other major schools such as Auburn and other schools. We can go to the NCAA D 1-A tourney. I believe UCA can't enter that tourney because they are D-1AA. Go Indians!!!

Not to pile on top of you in your hour of shame, but here are some more Arkansas State facts for you.

ASU has been playing I-A football for 15 years. Their current stint as a Division I-A school (which applies to football only) began in 1992. However, they were original members of I-A when the classification was created in 1978. They dropped to I-AA (again, a classification that only applies to football) in 1982.

The Indians have been in Division I since 1975. The Division I classification applies to all sports except football. This division includes the NCAA Tournament and the NCAA College World Series. There are five Division I schools in Arkansas -- UA, ASU, UCA, UALR & UAPB.

[North Little Rock Development]

I noticed the space where the Irish Pub is going to be located in downtown NLR is still torn up. Are they still planning on opening by St. Patrick's Day?

According to the Web site, their grand opening has been delayed by construction. However, the site says they still plan to have a St. Patrick's Day celebration on the 17th. For more information, see www.cregeenspubs.com.

[North Little Rock Development]

It seems like the life spans of arenas are getting shorter. Look at the Pyramid in Memphis. It was finished, I believe, in 1991, and when the Grizzlies moved there they immediately started talking of building a new arena instead of redeveloping the Pyramid. I've read that other cities with arenas that are 15-20 years old are thinking about building new facilities.

That's one of the problems with major league sports. When a city lands a franchise, the first thing the franchise does is claim that it needs a new arena/stadium/park. It seems that they think wrapping a new gift in last year's wrapping paper won't be as appealing as seeing the new in a new facility. Teams are allowed to move so easily these days. They use this power to bargain between markets for improved facilities.

[North Little Rock Development]

does anyone else think that Alltel Arena is not aging well? The roof is deteriorating and even the brick looks terrible. Its a shame they could not have spent a little more money on it originally. Even the inside is beginning to look outdated. Does anyone know if their are plans to improve/renovate? In 5 years I see there being major problems and us losing events if nothing is done.

I think a power washer would go a long way.

Perhaps I'm an optimist here... And maybe times have changed... But Barton hosted events loooong after it was too small and out of date. I think Alltel as more than five years left -- even without the TLC that it will soon start to require.

[Everything Conway]

I've never understood the hatred for a directional name.

I wish I'd graduated from a directional school.

I'm a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. ULM was known as Northeast Louisiana something-or-the-other for the better part of six decades -- Northeast Center of LSU, Northeast Louisiana State College, Northeast Louisiana University. In 1999, the then-president of the university sold our soul to the devil and we became ULM. The reason given was that double directional schools somehow lacked the credibility that a school named after a city had.

Hogwash.

The name change accomplished nothing. In fact, enrollment and available classes dropped until that president had to resign in shame in 2002. The name doesn't matter.

[Maumelle]

Is that in Maumelle or Morgan?

Almost all of the undeveloped land south of I-40 is part of incorporated Maumelle. However, if I'm looking at the map correctly and this land is located near the closed rest stop on I-40, most people would probably say the land is located in Marche. For those of us who haven't lived in the area forever, the lines between Morgan, Oak Grove & Marche are blurry at best. But the only way I know to access land near the rest stop is by Short Marche Road.

[Maumelle]

Does anyone know the exact location of the land donated for the new high school? None of the news reports had the same location and some were nonsense.

From the map in the Democrat-Gazette, it looks like the land is near the old I-40 rest stop. Long-term plans include developing the rest stop into an full-access interchange on I-40. Some money has already been pledged for this project, but I understand the city, state & feds are a long way from having this project paid for.

I'm not sure how this property would be accessed currently. Plans are to extend either Country Club Parkway or Counts Massie Road out to the interstate. However, neither goes that far now.

[North Little Rock Development]

Although conversation has been heavy on Argenta here, does anyone have any idea what sort of retail space is being constructed at JFK & D? Obviously, it's another strip center, but there doesn't seem to be that much square footage to be effective. Of course, anything beats a vacant building -- which was what was there before.