IDA-Arkansas Section officers Jason Wallawine and Wade Van Arsdale, along with members of the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society hosted staff from the Arkansas Times Magazine at the C.A.A.S. facility northwest of Little Rock, AR. on Saturday, November 1st, 2008. The Times staff is working on a cover story for their magazine regarding light-pollution and its impact on the environment and the economy.

The Arkansas Times is a widely distributed and read magazine based in Little Rock, AR. The Times covers a wide range of topics and has proven to be one of the most popular magazines in the state, with one of the largest readership bases.

An interview session and facility tour was conducted with the Times writer and his photographer. After dark, the light-pollution domes of nearby Little Rock and Conway and their effects on the night sky were demonstrated to the Times writer and photographer by the hosts. A written cost analysis specific to local power companies and overview of the various types of lighting hardware and their respective operating costs and advantages was given to the Times staff. A compact disk full of economic and general information regarding the benefits of shielded lighting with sodium-based bulbs was also given to the Times writer for use in his article which is expected to be the cover story for the magazine’s November 27th edition.

It is our hope that the benefits of shielded lighting in terms of lower operating costs, energy savings, and reduced pollution to the ecosystem will be emphasized in the Times article. This was the primary focus of the information given to the Times staff which utilized many useful fact sheets from the IDA website.

The IDA-AR Section would like to thank the C.A.A.S. membership for their enthusiastic help and turnout for this very successful and educational event.

Thanks,
Wade Van Arsdale
IDA-AR. Section V.P.
C.A.A.S. Member