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It's time for my interview with Henderson State University Chancellor Chuck Ambrose, but something has slowed us down. It's the first day of March Madness, and the 13th-seeded Furman Paladins have the fourth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers on the ropes. Ambrose is not only a Furman graduate, he's also a member of the school's board of trustees.
It's time to escape Little Rock and celebrate the fact that legislators have gone home following a session that could only be described as divisive and mean. I'm spending the day atop Petit Jean Mountain, one of my favorite spots in the state. The afternoon coffee break is at Petit Jean Coffeehouse & Mercantile, which is operated by Stephanie Buckley.
Following the worst legislative session of my lifetime, I need a trip to the mountaintop. I head for Petit Jean Mountain. Hoping for a day of relaxation and contemplation, I decide not to take Interstate 40 to Morrilton. I drive west out of the capital city, taking Arkansas 10 and 9 through the Ouachita Mountains.
When I lived on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in the 1980s, one of my favorite annual events was the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. I would visit with people from the featured parts of the country, try food from those areas and listen to music. It was a good way to spend a Saturday.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello observed Arbor Day by hosting a tree dedication and educational program April 27 at the Centennial Clock Tower at UAM.