Carol Coletta specializes in developing cities and creative communities. She is leading ArtPlace, a new national initiative to accelerate creative placemaking across  the U.S. ArtPlace is a collaboration of the nation’s top foundations, leading banks, federal agencies and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Prior to joining ArtPlace, Carol was president and CEO of CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders building and sustaining the next generation of great American cities. For ten years, she hosted and produced a nationally syndicated public radio show, Smart City.

She also served as executive director of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design, a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, U.S. Conference of Mayors and American Architectural Foundation. Carol is a passionate advocate for cities, and she has devoted her life to answering the question: What makes cities succeed?

Carol was a Knight Fellow in Community Building at the University of Miami School of Architecture and was named one of the world’s 50 most important urban experts by a leading European think tank. She is a Senior Fellow with the Design Futures Council and completed graduate work in future studies and design.

P. Allen Smith is the Presenting Sponsor along with his partners VanZyverden; ProMix  and Jobe’s Organics for the Argenta Tulip Festival.

To kick off the celebration, a press conference will be held March 7 at 9:30am at North Little Rock City Hall located at 300 Main Street, Argenta Arts District, downtown North Little Rock.

The Argenta Tulip Festival events will include;

March 10 – 31 – Argenta Flower & Garden Mart each Saturday from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

March 14 – Argenta Arts Foundation Awards Reception honoring Linda and Paul Leopoulos at the Argenta Community Theater

March 16 – 3rd Friday Argenta Art Walk

March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 19 – 24 Argenta Restaurants will feature specials all week.

March 22 – Argenta Film Series at the Argenta Community Theater

March 13, 20, & 27 – Tales From the South each Tuesday night at Starving Artist Cafe.

Live Music each Friday & Saturday night at Cregeens Irish Pub, Reno’s Argenta Café, Cornerstone Pub & Grill, Riverfront Steakhouse and Benihana Restaurant

The Argenta Farmers Market plaza will be surrounded with 45 containers of blooming tulips to join the 42 beds of tulips located along Main and Maple Streets.

So many photos were taken last spring when the tulips were in bloom we decided to provide a Photo Bragging Wall located outside of the Argenta Market for tulip photos to be shared with others. Everyone is welcome to take photos, but please don’t pick the tulips! For more information, contact Donna Hardcastle, Argenta Arts Foundation,501-993-1234.

Then, join us for the Third Annual Krewe of Barkus Parade Feb. 19 @ 2:00 p.m. The parade starts and ends at the CityGrove Art Park on 5th Street between Main and Maple. Bring your dogs and beads to join in the parade fun!

The Wise Kids, directed by Stephen Cone, is a feature film set in and around Charleston, South Carolina and deals with questions of faith and friendships. It follows the lives of Brea, an introspective pastor’s daughter experiencing debilitating doubt; the hyperactive Laura, Brea’s best friend and a devout believer; and Tim, the open-hearted son of a single father, confronting his homosexuality for the first time.

Ride the River Rail February 6-14 and register for a chance to win a free night’s stay at Baker House Bed & Breakfast in Argenta or to have a private part on the trolley or to win a gift basket. Wear red and you’ll have two chances! Regular fares apply. Sponsored by the Arkansas Heart Association, Central Arkansas Transit Authority, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, Downtown Little Rock Partnership, Argenta Arts Foundation, and North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau.

A proposed project will construct a new bridge and ramps to replace the existing Broadway Bridge (Highway 70). The project is scheduled to be let to contract in 2013. At the meeting, conceptual drawings, various project estimates and aerial photos of the project location will be on display.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 7, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., in the Training Room of the Arkansas Transit Association building, 620 W. Broadway, in North Little Rock.

North Little Rock is expected to be the focal point of all-day festivities leading up to the 8:00 p.m. concert at Verizon Arena on March 1. Off Riverfront Drive, 103.7 The Buzz will host a FREE tailgate party with live entertainment adjacent to the I-30 Bridge south of the seawall from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission will be free to the general public. Gates will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for tailgating south of the seawall. Sites are available based on a first come first serve basis. No vehicles will be permitted south of the seawall after 3 p.m. General parking will be available all day with certain business parking lots being available after 5 p.m. Visitors are reminded that Main Street parking is limited to 2 hours during business hours and posted parking restrictions will be enforced. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the following websites for the complete parking map,North Little Rock Visitors Bureau (www.northlittlerock.travel), City of North Little Rock (www.northlittlerock.ar.gov), Verizon Arena (www.verizonarena.com), Argenta Arts Foundation (www.argentaartsdistrict.org), and the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce (www.nlrchamber.org).

For those looking to stay overnight and close to Verizon Arena, a limited number of RV reserved camping sites are available through the Downtown Riverside RV Park at 501-340-5312.

For more information on parking or events down at the river, please call the North Little Rock Visitors Bureau at 501-758-1424.

The list, which only considers cities with populations of 100,000 or more, bases its selection on the availability of segregated bike lanes, municipal bike racks and bike boulevards, to name a few.

Cities must also support a vibrant and diverse bike culture and must have smart, savvy bike shops.

“The [Little Rock] city center needs work, but neighboring North Little Rock boasts the longest bicycle-pedestrian bridge in the world,” says the magazine.

No. 1 on Bicycling’s list is Minneapolis, Minn., followed by Portland, Ore. and Boulder, Colo.

Tickets, priced at $27.50, $57.50, $77.50 and $99.50, will go on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 28 at Verizon Arena box-office, all Ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone at (800) 745-3000 or at www.ticketmaster.com and livenation.com.

The North American tour includes the band’s first show at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival where they will headline the first weekend of the annual event on April 28.

Preparation is by appointment only, no walk-ins, and is available between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. If filing jointly, both filers must be present. Filers must bring the following items: Government photo issued ID, Social security card(s) for all to be included on return, W-2, 1099s or other documentation reflecting all income to be filed, Last year’s tax return (if available), Deduction and credit info such mortgage interest and daycare information.

Electronic filing is available for federal taxes only, in which a refund can be received in about 10 days if using direct deposit. Refund anticipation loans are not offered. Please call 501-374-0622 to make an appointment or email taxprep@argentacdc.org to learn more.