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| | Lighting of state Capitol set for Saturday
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2003 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The annual lighting of the state Capitol for the holiday season is scheduled at 6 p.m. Saturday, Secretary of State Charlie Daniels said Tuesday. While there may not be a million lights, like years past, the event will be spectacular, as will all the holiday events at the Capitol, Daniels said. The lighting ceremony will follow the annual holiday parade, which begins downtown at 3 p.m. and ends at the Capitol, and a 5 p.m. performance by the Arkansas Arts Center Tell-a-Tale Troup on the Capitol steps. After the Capitol lighting, Sweet Adelines Top of the Rock will perform and there will be fireworks. "It's going to be great," Daniels said. Putting together this year's holiday decorations was a little more difficult because millionaire businessman Jennings Osborne, who had been putting up the lights around the Capitol since 1996, decided not to do it, Daniels said. Osborne said he decided to stop putting lights around the Capitol because it had become more difficult in recent years. Osborne, who is friends with Gov. Mike Huckabee, said his decision had nothing to do with the fact that first lady Janet Huckabee was defeated by Daniels last year in the secretary of state's race. After Osborne announced his plans earlier this year, Daniels said he began seeking private contributions to pay for the lighting of the Capitol, but that only raised about $1,500. He and his staff then developed a more traditional holiday decorating plan with a budget of about $29,000, which is $11,000 less than last year's budget. Also, a group of Pine Bluff businessmen, led by Cooter Failla, has agreed to agreed to donate the fireworks, he said. To save money, some decorations from previous years are being used. Janet Miller, one of Daniels' chief assistants, said Tuesday that about 100,000 light bulbs will on the Capitol. In other money-saving moves, no giant tree will be shipped in and lit on the Capitol lawn and Daniels discontinued the tradition of placing 75 small trees in front of the Capitol along the promenade for individual counties to decorate. Instead, a smaller live tree was placed in the second-floor rotunda. The tree will be decorated with 75 ornaments representing each of the state's counties, he said. A wooden nativity scene will again be placed on the north lawn and the word "peace" will shine brightly from the windows under the Capitol dome. On Sunday, a ceremony honoring Pearl Harbor veterans will be held in the Capitol's rotunda at 4 p.m. The United States Naval and Marine Corps Reserve at Camp Pike in North Little Rock will act as ceremonial color guard and the Natural State Brass Band will provide the music. |
