Current events

MEGAN DAVARI

Interviewee: Jonathan Strader

Interviewee chronology: 

Born June 2, 1984
Graduated from Batesville High School 2002
Graduated from Universite of Central Arkansas 2006
Joined National Guard 2001
Deployed for Iraq 2008

Possible interview questions:

1. How old are you and where are you from?
2. What motivated you to joining the National Guard? Is this a decision you are satisfied with? 
3. What type of duties have you been expected to perform while in the guard?
4. Were there any misconceptions you had about the military before joining? If so, what were they?
5. You were 18 when you joined the Guard. Do you think this is an appropriate age for making such a big decision?
6. How did your family take the news that you would be joining the military?
7. How did you first take the news that you would be deploying for Iraq this spring? 
8. What problems have you faced between your training for Iraq and now within the military?
9. What duties will you be performing while in Iraq?
10. As part of the 39th Brigade you have been with many of the same soldiers for quite a while now. What do you think the overall morale is like weeks before the deployment?
11. What fears do you have about being at war?
12. What fears do you have when it comes to your post-war life?
13. Do you think it will be easy for  you to resume your normal life?
14. Is there anythink you would say to a young person who is considering joining the military?

Wiki entries needed: Arkanasas 39th Brigade				

Interviewee: Suzon Awbrey

Interviewee chronology: 

Grew up in Jacksonville, Arkansas
Graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
Opened Sticky Fingerz in June of 2000

Possible interview questions:

1. Where did you grow up and where did you attend school?
2. You earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, while pursuing this degree did you have intentions of one day having a restaurant?
3. What previous experience did you have that made you qualified for this sort of business?
4. How did you and your partner Chris King meet?
5. Sticky Fingerz was previously 6 Bridges Bar & Grill. How did you go about buying the bar and changing it to what it is now?
6. Were there any problems you faced when it came to the opening of the restaurant?
7. What was the rivermarket area like when Sticky Fingerz came to be a part of it in 2000?
8. What has changed since then about the area, and do you think your establishment had anything to do with that?
9. What was your reaction to knowing the Clinton Library would be opening very near your restaurant?
10. What was the downtown area like from your perspective when the Clinton Library was opened? 
11.  Have the type of people or age groups changed since the opening of the Clinton Library?
12. How do you think downtown Little Rock has benefitted from the Library and the Clinton family?
13. When the Arkansas Clean Air Act was passed did you notice any changes with the business or face any problems?
14. How was the enforcing of this law benefitted or taken away from your business?

Wiki entries consulted: Sticky Fingerz					

Wiki entries needed: Suzon Awbrey				

Interviewee: Chris King

Interviewee chronology: 
Moved to Little Rock from Fayetteville
Opened Sticky Fingerz with Suzon Awbrey in June of 2000
Opened Rumba/Revolution Room in 2006

Possible interview questions:

1.  When and why did you come to Little Rock from Fayetteville?
2. You opened Sticky Fingerz with Suzon Awbrey in 2000. How and when did you decide to open Rumba/Revolution?
3. How did you decide on the location of your restaurants?
4. How do your customers differ between Sticky Fingerz and Rumba Revolution?
5. What condition was downtown Little Rock in when you opened Rumba/Revolution?
6. How has the downtown area changed since you have established your restaurants? 
7. Do you think your establishments have had any impact on the changes seen in the downtown area?
8. There was a bill trying to be passed in regards to creating an outdoor entertainment district along Clinton Avenue, which is very Beale Street inspired. How did you feel concerning this possibility for downtown Little Rock?
9. Since the trolley cars have been operating in the River Market Area have  you noticed any changes? 
10. What was it like being in the heart of downtown Little Rock when the Clinton Library was opened?
11. Have  you noticed any significant changes due to the opening of the Clinton Library? 
12. What types of changes would you like to see in the downtown area?

Wiki entries consulted: Sticky Fingerz					

Wiki entries needed: Rumba/Revolution Room and Chris King	

CASEY GAMBILL

Interviewee: Dr.Ellen "Nan" Plummer, Executive Director of the Arkansas Arts Center

Interviewee chronology: 
   – Born

    - Graduated College from  

19-- - 2002: Works as art historian, educator and administrator at the Toledo Museum of Art

September 2002: becomes Executive Director at the AAC; assumed duties on November 1, 2002, the day after Wolfe’s retirement


Possible interview questions:

Before we dive into more technical aspects of the museum, I’d like you to tell me a bit about yourself! Where did you grow up?
	Where did you go to school?
	What did you get your degree in?
	Describe your post-college employment.
	How did you decide to become a museum director?

How does the museum go about acquiring new pieces?

The museum is perhaps most famous for it’s collection of pieces by Paul Signac. Can you tell us a little bit about this particular gallery, perhaps when it was acquired?

Are first-time visitors often surprised by the pieces by well-known artists such as Cézanne, Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Rembrandt?

With numerous openings, changing exhibitions, a museum school, and an extensive calendar of events, the museum appears to be perpetually busy. What is the most frequented event or busiest time of year for the art center?

Museum brochures show that group tours are given. Do many local schools and organizations take advantage of this? 
	On average, how many group tours are given within the week?
	Are tours free?
	How large are the groups?
	What age are the group members?
	Have you ever had a particularly memorable group experience, either good or bad? Please explain.

The museum also features a gift shop and a restaurant. Is there anything you would like visitors to know about these elements of the museum? 

Compared to private donations and donations from museum visitors, how much do the gift shop and restaurant contribute to the center’s wealth? 

Could you tell me a bit more about the museum’s two-person education staff? I’m curious to find out how Kami Komm, the librarian, and Ray Smenner , the Curator of Education, play a part in daily operation.

I know that the arts center presented an exhibition entitled "Art and the White House: Presidential Selections, 1960-2000” in the Jeannette E. Rockefeller Gallery from November 19th to January 23rd during the opening of the Clinton Presidential Library. Can you elaborate on the center’s involvement with the dedication ceremonies? How did you and the Center’s Curator, Brian Young, select works from the Kennedy to Clinton administrations for the AAC exhibit?

Jane DeDecker, the sculptor commissioned by the the City of Little Rock to produce many pieces along the Rivermarket, was also involved in the Presidential Center festivities. Were you able to meet with her during that busy time? 

 How has the opening of the Presidential Library along with the revitalization of downtown Little Rock impacted visitors to your museum? 
	Number of visitors
	Visitor demographic
	Donations

How does the center remain involved with the Clinton Presidential Library? For example, are there any joint projects between the two establishments? 

Has museum funding increased since the opening of the library?

Where do you see the museum in 5 years?

Wiki entries consulted: Arkansas Arts Center, Ellen “Nan” Plumber, Clinton Presidential Center Dedication, Paul Signac

Wiki entries needed: “Art and the White House: Presidential Selections, 1960-2000", Jane DeDecker (more needed)

Interviewee: Cindy Gambill

Interviewee chronology: 

1958 FEB 12	Birth of Cindy 
Davenport, IA 

1963 -1972 Age 4 Cindy attended Bennett Community School 
Bennett, IA 

1972 -1976 Age 13 Cindy attended Bennett High School 
Bennett, IA 

1987 -1986 Age 28 Cindy attended University of Central Arkansas 
Conway, AR 

1987 AUG 19 Age 29 Birth of Cassandra Gambill 

1990 MAR 22 Age 32 Birth of Riley Gambill 
Little Rock, Arkansas 

1992 FEB 23 Age 34  Marriage of Cindy and Michael Gambill 
Greenbrier, Arkansas 

2003 -2007 Age 44 Cindy worked at Acxiom Corporation 
Conway, AR

Possible interview questions:

Full Name:  

Place and date of birth. 
Father’s name, place and date of birth, occupation. 
Mother’s name, place and date of birth, occupation. 
Grandparents: names, places and dates of birth. Any memories of them? 
When did family members come to America? 
What was their physical appearance? 
What stories have you heard about them? 
Were you told any stories about other forebears? If so, what were they? 

Childhood: 

Where did you grow up?
Describe the house you lived in. 
Describe the sort of food you ate. 
Describe the types of clothes you wore. 
Describe the games you played as a child (not only sports - skipping, marbles, etc) 
Describe the family chores.

Family activities: 

What sort of things did your family celebrate? (Christmas, birthdays, etc). 
Did you have any special traditions, perhaps ones with German influences?
What were your family’s attitudes towards alcohol? Smoking? 
What sorts of things were your parents strict about? How? Why?
Describe your siblings and your interaction with them.
How did your parents treat you and your sisters as opposed to your younger brother Dan?

Education: 

Where did you go to school? How did you get there?
How many classes were there? How many children in the classroom? 
Did you have any favorite teachers? Why did you like her/him? 
Were there any teachers you disliked? Why? 
What was the discipline like at school? Were you ever punished? Why? 
What were your parent’s views on college? When did you decide when you would go to college? When and why did you decide to be a CPA? 
Where did you go to college? 

Work: 

What was your first paid job? Where did you work? 
Describe what you did in your job. Hours of work? Wages? 
Did you give any to your parents? Did you need special clothes? Equipment? 
How did you feel about your job? Were you involved in a union? Which? How? 
What were your relations like with your workmates? With your boss? 
Why did you leave? 
What other jobs did you have during your adolescence?  

Leisure: 

What did you do in your spare time? 
(clubs/youth organizations/sports/games/dances/hobbies/cinema/theater/pub?) 
Describe what was involved. 
Did you go out in the evenings? What was a good night out when you were young? 
Did you stick to a group of friends? Did your parents expect to meet your friends? 
Did your parents disapprove of any of your activities? If so, why? 

Religion: 

Could you tell me how you spent Sundays during your childhood? 
Did you have different clothes? Did you play games? 
Did your parents think it wrong to work or play on Sunday? 
Did your parents attend a place of worship? Denomination? How often? 
Both mother and father? Did either hold any position in the church? 
Did you attend? Did you go to Sunday School? Outings? Choir? Evening classes? 
Other activities organized by the church? 
Were you taught to say prayers at night? 
Did you ever have family prayers? 
How much would you say religion meant to you as a child?
Were your neighbors and school peers religious?

Marriage/Partners: 

How did you meet your partner? 
How did you feel about him/her? Why? 
Why did you decide to get married/live together? 
Was there any pressure from your families? If so, what? 
Where did you get married? Was it a religious or civil ceremony? Why? 
Describe what you wore. 
Was there a reception held and what was it like? 
Honeymoon? Where? How long? 
How did you manage the housekeeping after marriage/living together? 
Who paid the bills? 
Who decided how the money should be spent? 
What did you do when you disagreed? 
How would you describe your relationship? 
Describe your relationship with Terry’s family.
 - How was Terry’s relationship with your family?
Did you talk to each other and share important things? 
Did you both have the same ideas about bringing up children? 
Was there anyone you talked to if you were worried about the children? 
Did you ask your mother for advice? Reasons? 
Describe your relationship with Terry. 
Did Terry hide things from you? Did you hide things from him?
How would you describe Terry? Was he controlling? Selfless? Self-absorbed?

Life Changes 

When and how did your father pass away?
When and why did you move to Arkansas? What was this time in your life like?
Did you keep in touch with family back home?
How did you become part of the community here? Was this difficult?
Describe your economic status at this time.
When did you decide to have children? 
How many did you want? Did you want a particular sex?
How did children change your daily life?
Describe “The Accident.”

The “Michael” Years

How did you meet your second husband? 
Pre-marriage, how did you and Michael enjoy time together? 
   - Can you recall any specific events or stories from this time?
How did you know that you would get married?
When were you married?
How did this marriage ceremony differ from your first?
Can you describe your adjustments to the “instant family” that came with your marriage to Michael? What was most difficult? What was most exciting or gratifying?
What has life been like in Greenbrier? How has your life changed?
Do you prefer living in Greenbrier to living in Conway? 
How long have you lived in Greenbrier?
How has this area changed since you moved there?

Current Life

How often do you keep in touch with your mother and siblings?
What are your current hobbies?
Describe your current job.
How did you decide to go back to school?
 - Describe your life as a student.
Describe your plans for the future.

Interviewee: Michael Gambill

Interviewee chronology: 

1955 OCT 17 - Birth of Michael 
Poplar Bluff, Missouri 

1960 -1962 Age 4  Michael attended Tucson Elementary 
Tucson, Arizona 

1962 -1963 Age 6 Michael attended Kinsey Elementary 
Flagstaff, Arizona 

1963 -1965 Age 7 Michael attended Flagstaff Elementary 
Flagstaff, Arizona 

1965 -1967 Age 9  Michael attended Dardanelle Elementary 
Dardanelle, Arkansas 

1967 -1968 Age 11  Michael attended Dardanelle Junior High 
Dardanelle, Arkansas 

1968 -1970 Age 12 Michael attended Trumann Junior High 
Trumann, Arkansas 

1970 -1973 Age 14 Michael attended Trumann High School 
Trumann, Arkansas 

1973 -1974 Age 17  Michael attended Central Baptist College 
Conway, Arkansas 

1974 -1975 Age 18  Michael attended East Arkansas Community College 
Forrest City, Arkansas 

1975 -1977 Age 19 Michael attended University of Central Arkansas 
Conway, Arkansas 

1977 AUG 5 Age 21  Marriage of Michael and Karen Speer 
Forrest City, Arkansas 

1981 SEP 15 Age 25  Birth of Matthew Gambill 
Cidudad Valles, San Luis Potosí, Mexico 

1987 -1992 Age 31  Michael worked at David Paul Builders, Inc. as Project Manager 
Searcy, Arkansas 

1987 JUN Age 31  Divorce of Michael and Karen Speer 
Searcy, Arkansas 

1992  FEB 23 Age 36  Marriage of Michael and Cindy Gambill 
Greenbrier, Arkansas 

1994 -2007 Age 38  Michael worked as a residential builder (Homegrown Designs); Self-employed 
Greenbrier, Arkansas 

2007 -2008 Age 51  Michael attended University of Central Arkansas 
Conway, Arkansas 

2007 Age 51  Michael worked at University of Central Arkansas as Part time carpenter 
Conway, Arkansas, Arkansas
 
Possible interview questions:

Full Name:  

Place and date of birth. 
Father’s name, place and date of birth, occupation. 
Mother’s name, place and date of birth, occupation. 
Grandparents: names, places and dates of birth. Any memories of them? 
When did family members come to America? 
What was their physical appearance? 
What stories have you heard about them? 
Were you told any stories about other forebears? If so, what were they? 

Childhood: 

Where did you grow up?
Describe the impact that so much moving around had on you as a child. 
Did it influence your siblings in a similar manner?
Describe the houses you lived in. 
Describe the sort of food you ate. 
Describe the types of clothes you wore. 
Describe the games you played as a child (not only sports - skipping, marbles, etc) 
Describe the family chores.

Family activities: 

Describe your siblings and your interaction with them.	
How did your parents treat you as opposed to your sisters?
What sort of things did your family celebrate? (Christmas, birthdays, etc). 
Did you have any special traditions, perhaps ones with German influences?
What were your family’s attitudes towards alcohol? Smoking? 
What sorts of things were your parents strict about? How? Why?

Education: 

Your first day of school has become somewhat of a family legend. Can you describe what happened that morning?
Did you have any favorite teachers? Why did you like her/him? 
Were there any teachers you disliked? Why? 
What is your clearest memory of grade school or high school?
What do you wish you could forget?
What was the discipline like at school? 
Were you ever punished in school? Why? 
What were your parent’s views on college? When did you decide when you would go to college? What did you originally want to be?
Where did you go to college? 
What caused you to drop out of college when you were young?

Work: 

What was your first paid job? Where did you work? 
How did you get this job?
Describe what you did in your job. Hours of work? Wages? 
Did you give any to your parents? Did you need special clothes? Equipment? 
How did you feel about your job? 
What were your relations like with your workmates? With your boss? 
Were there any problems getting time off? If so, describe them. 
Why did you leave? 

What other jobs did you have during your adolescence? 

Leisure: 

What did you do in your spare time? 
(clubs/youth organizations/sports/games/dances/hobbies/cinema/theater/pub?) 
Describe what was involved. 
Did you go out in the evenings? What was a good night out when you were young? 
Did you stick to a group of friends? Did your parents expect to meet your friends? 
Did your parents disapprove of any of your activities? If so, why? 
Did you ever wish that you could have done some activity that your parents denied you?

Religion: 

Could you tell me how you spent Sundays during your childhood? 
Did you have different clothes? Did you play games? 
Did your parents think it wrong to work or play on Sunday? 
Did your parents attend a place of worship? Denomination? How often? 
What was it like to have a father as a preacher?
Describe your mother’s involvement in the church.
Did you attend? Did you go to Sunday School? Outings? Choir? Evening classes? 
Other activities organized by the church? 
Were you taught to say prayers at night? 
Did you ever have family prayers? 
How much would you say religion meant to you as a child?
Were your neighbors and school peers religious?
As a “preacher’s kid,” did you ever feel that you had to uphold certain standards?
What did your parents tell you about religion?

Describe your time as a youth pastor. Did you enjoy this job?
How and when did your views on religion change?

Marriage/Partners: 

How did you meet your partner? 
How did you feel about him/her? Why? 
Why did you decide to get married/live together? 
Was there any pressure from your families? If so, what? 
Where did you get married? Was it a religious or civil ceremony? Why? 
Describe what you wore. 
Was there a reception held and what was it like? 
Honeymoon? Where? How long? 
How did you manage the housekeeping after marriage/living together? 
Who paid the bills? 
Who decided how the money should be spent? 
What did you do when you disagreed? 
How would you describe your relationship? 
Did you talk to each other and share important things? 
Did you both have the same ideas about bringing up children? 
Was there anyone you talked to if you were worried about the children? 
Did you ask your mother for advice? Reasons? 

Life Changes 

When and why did you decide to go to Aquismón, Mexico?
Did you know any Spanish before you left?
How did the adoption of your son transpire?
How was Karen’s response to the adoption different from your own?
How did your family and friends react to the adoption? Were they supportive?
When and why did you settle in Arkansas? What was this time in your life like?
Did you keep in touch with parents?
Describe your economic status at this time.
Did you and Karen want to have more children? 
How many did you want? Did you want a particular sex?
How did Matt change your daily life?
Can you elaborate on your divorce?
-	When did you first realize you would be splitting up? Where did you move? How often did you see Matt? What other recollections do you have of this time?
Can you describe your second marriage? 
-	How did you meet Lynn? Where was she from? What was her occupation? Did you meet her family? What did Matt think of her? Did she have or want any children? For how long were you married? Where did you live? 
-	What happened after you got divorced? 
-	How did you feel after two failed marriages? Did you believe that you would get married a third time? 

The “Cindy” Years

Did you date anyone in between Lynn and Cindy?
How did you meet your current wife? 
Pre-marriage, how did you and Cindy enjoy time together? 
-	Can you recall any specific events or stories from this time?
Cindy used to drive an older car during this time. Can you elaborate on this?
How did you know that you would get married?
When and where were you married?
How did this marriage ceremony differ from your first?
Where did you honeymoon?
Can you describe your adjustments to the “instant family” that came together with the marriage to Cindy? What was most difficult? What was most exciting or gratifying?
How did you go about constructing the house in Greenbrier?
-	How long did this take? Who helped out?
What has life been like in Greenbrier? How has your life changed?
Do you prefer living in Greenbrier to living in Conway? 
How long have you lived in Greenbrier?
How has this area changed since you moved there?

Current Life

How often do you keep in touch with your parents and siblings?
What are your current hobbies?
Describe your current job.
Describe your life as a student.
Why did you decide to go back to school? 
-	How is it different to attend college now than it was during your adolescence?
-	What is most frustrating? What is most gratifying? 
Describe your plans for the future.

ALLISON YOCUM

Interviewee: Jimmy Moses

Interviewee chronology: 

1978-1995 Plans 1-5 for revitalization
1996 River Market
2008 Condominiums 

Possible interview questions:

1. In your youth, what did you do when you hung out in downtown Little Rock?
2. Why was your experience in Seattle so influential to your plans?
3. Does the landscape of the River Market now resemble your vision?
4. Do you use what you learned in college and graduate school for you career now?
5. Are you happy with the way the River Market turned out?
6. What does downtown Little Rock have that other well known downtown cities don’t offer?
7. Hod did you draw businesses into the River Market?
8. How did you gain support from city member?
9. Where did you get the idea of the River Market?
10. How is Arkansas’s River Market different from the Seattle idea you drew ideas from?
11. How much has the River Market changed in the past 12 years?
12. A 1996 article said you would never leave Little Rock, why not?
13. How are your new condominiums coming along?
14. What impact do you expect them to have on downtown Little Rock?
15. What do you say when people called you the man with a vision?

Wiki entries consulted: Jimmy Moses, River Market, Farmer’s Market

Wiki entries needed: Restaurants in the River Market, River fest, and night life.