Feb. 27 Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. conducted the annual State of the City Address at Lacey Elementary School. The address covered the progress made in the city last year, and what residents can look forward to in the coming year.

Kicked off by a performance of The National Anthem by the Madrigals, the address focused on “getting back to the basics,” specifically targeting crime, housing, and the beautification of the city.

“My grandfather told me a city has three essential responsibilities: Catch the robbers, put out fires, and pick up the trash,” Mayor Scott said.  “Those simplified priorities have always been the core of my administration.”

Scott said that homicide rates are down by 42% since 2023, but he also emphasized the importance of acknowledging that the citizens of Little Rock are not just statistics.

“They are names. And they matter,” Scott said. “Whoever they are and wherever they’re from. That is why we will not rest – we cannot rest – until we end violent crime.”

Scott continued to recognize interventionist Keith Saine, who helped get two students on the right track after a violent event.

“This intentional effort and intervention are what we mean by getting back to the basics,” Scott said.

It was also announced that the Lyon College School of Dental Medicine would open this summer, marking the presence of the first dental school in Arkansas.

The address also declared projects being implemented in the coming year, such as an AI chatbot for citizens to use to get speedier answers to questions surrounding the city and the revamping of the River Market area. 

Additionally, the address focused on progress made in 2024, such as the introduction of the Mobile Grocery Store, which targets food deserts and other areas in need.

Lastly, initiatives are being taken to provide more housing for homeless people with the announcement of a new homeless shelter that will house 75 people.