UAM library director narrates show
Dan Boice, library director at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, recently began his third season narrating “Naming Arkansas,” a series of 60-second radio stories on Little Rock Public Radio KUAR. Since early 2024, KUAR listeners have heard Boice share concise, engaging histories behind the names of towns, cities and natural features across Arkansas, according to a news release.
Broadcast multiple times each day, Boice’s segments trace how political figures, geographic landmarks, large businesses, military leaders, early settlers and religious traditions shaped the state’s diverse place names. His stories draw on research from his book, “Naming Arkansas: Curious Place Names from Greasy Corner to Sock City.”
The segments have featured tales of tragedy, ghost lore and unusual town names that resulted simply from penmanship errors. He welcomes emails from listeners offering appreciation, additional details or corrections.
“As an Arkansas transplant, I’m especially interested in getting set straight on the pronunciations of place names,” Boice said. “And I’ve really enjoyed learning the difference between an Arkansas toothpick and a Bowie knife.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
To listen to Boice’s “Naming Arkansas” radio segment on Little Rock Public Radio, visit KUAR’s website.”Naming Arkansas: Curious Place Names from Greasy Corner to Sock City” is available for purchase on the Arcadia Publishing website.
ARDOT to install anti-litter displays
The Arkansas Department of Transportation is installing new anti-litter displays in two locations along Arkansas highways beginning the week of December 8. The displays will be in place for approximately one month, then rotate to new locations around the state, according to a news release.
Travelers along Arkansas highways will see a series of blue highway signs with anti-litter messaging. The first sign will read, “ARDOT spends over $8 million per year combatting litter.” A second one will say, “Are you part of the problem or the solution?” The third sign will read, “Please help us keep Arkansas natural.”
At the end of the three signs, the public will see 5-foot-tall wire mesh letters spelling out “NATURAL?” The wire letters are hollow and will be filled with litter that has been picked up by crews in the area.
“The average taxpayer may not know how much ARDOT spends each year picking up litter from our highways. Our goal is to raise awareness for all Arkansans and travelers in our state,” said Steve Frisbee, ARDOT assistant chief engineer for maintenance.
The signage and litter letters were made in-house by highway department employees. They will first be installed along Interstate 555 (Exit 42) in Jonesboro and Interstate 49 (Exit 91) in Bentonville.
Alligator Gar tags available
Anglers interested in hooking into a trophy fish can apply for a 2026 Alligator Gar Trophy Tag from now until the end of 2025.
Many Arkansas anglers travel to the Gulf of Mexico each year in search of trophy fish like tarpon and sailfish. Most don’t know they are passing up a similar opportunity right here in The Natural State, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
While not truly a dinosaur, the alligator gar was alive during the Cretaceous Period (145 million to 66 million years ago) and can take decades to reach 6 feet long. They are the second-largest species of freshwater fish in North America, topped only by the white sturgeon, according to the news release.
They frequently grow longer than 7 feet and weigh more than 200 pounds. The current alligator gar sportfishing record is 215 pounds caught from the Arkansas River in 1964, nearly 90 pounds heavier than the state’s next largest Arkansas catch, a 128-pound paddlefish from Beaver Lake in 2024.
Alligator gar can take years to reach the 36-inch mark, and females aren’t able to reproduce until they are 14 years old. Their slow maturity rate, habitat loss due to dams and channeling of large rivers, and an ill-fitting moniker as a trash fish or predator of other game species have hindered populations to the point where extra caution is required for harvest.
Anyone may fish for alligator gar on a catch-and-release basis, but an alligator gar trophy tag is required to keep an alligator gar longer than 36 inches. Interested anglers can submit an alligator gar trophy tag application for $5 by visiting the AGFC Licensing Catalog under “Fishing Stamps/Permits” to be entered for one of 200 alligator gar trophy tags available for the 2026 season. The application period is open Dec. 1-31, and the drawing will occur Jan. 2, 2026. Recipients will be notified of their selection by email with instructions on how to claim their tag.