William J. Clinton Presidential Center News

Clinton Center Adds Artifacts and Interactives to Current Exhibit

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Just in time for the Fourth of July weekend, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center is introducing new artifacts and interactives to its current temporary exhibit, "Nature Unleashed: Earthquakes & Hurricanes."

The exhibit investigates the fascinating science behind these powerful natural phenomena and is based upon the exhibition "Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters," created by The Field Museum in Chicago.

Items being added to the exhibit this weekend include a hurricane simulator and Hurricane Katrina items on loan from the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans.

"We are thrilled to be adding new and exciting items to this timely exhibit," said Stephanie S. Streett, executive director of the William J. Clinton Foundation. "With the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaching, it's important that we take the time to look back and understand the events...

AP: Clinton marks start of work on bridge at library

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

By Chuck Bartels

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A decrepit railroad bridge that crosses the Arkansas River at Bill Clinton's presidential library will become a focal point for the city once it is refurbished as a pedestrian link in the area's trails system, Clinton said Friday.

When Clinton picked a Little Rock site for his library in 2001, he said the bridge would one day become a focal point for the city. Clinton raised $180 million for the library, which opened in 2004, but only recently has the $10 million needed to rehab the bridge become available.

"If we do this bridge right, there will be no city in America that will have a more defining landmark," Clinton said.

Clinton and officials that included Gov. Mike Beebe and Assistant Commerce Secretary John Fernandez broke ground underneath the bridge as several hundred people looked on Friday morning.

Area leaders...

Two Temporary Exhibits at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center’s to Close Soon

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Apr 30, 2010) -- The William J. Clinton Presidential Center will close two of its temporary exhibits on June 1, 2010. Both "Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection," and "Leadership in a Time of Crisis" will wrap up, and the Center will unveil its summer blockbuster temporary exhibit: "Nature Unleashed: Earthquakes & Hurricanes" on June 19, 2010.

"These two exhibits have been received enthusiastically from the public and we appreciate the community embracing these collections," said Stephanie S. Streett, executive director of the William J. Clinton Foundation. "We strive to bring two or three compelling temporary exhibits to the Center each year so that visitors can come back again and again and always see something different and engaging."

"Read My Pins," opened on Feb. 15, 2010, and features more than 200 pins, many of which became part...

AP: Sherwood man recalls surviving Oklahoma City bombing at 'ground zero'

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Sherwood man recalls surviving Oklahoma City bombing at ‘ground zero'

By John Lyon Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK - A Sherwood man who survived the Oklahoma City bombing remembers the darkness and silence immediately after the blast that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building 15 years ago.

Eric McKisick, then an Oklahoma City resident, was at work in the Social Security Administration's office on the first floor of the building - "ground zero," he called it - when Timothy McVeigh detonated an explosive-filled truck in front of the building on the morning of April 19, 1995.

The worst incident of domestic terrorism in the nation's history killed 168 people.

"The bomb blast came right into our reception area windows. The truck was located right outside our doors," McKisick recalled today after taking part in a commemorative ceremony at...

Earth Day 2010: Dunbar Community Garden Project

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

On April 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., join staff and volunteers of the Clinton Presidential Center and students of Dunbar Middle School as we beautify the Dunbar Community Garden that serves as hands-on outdoor education on gardening and the environment.

AP: Federal Grant of $2.6M to help connect attractions including Clinton Center

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Federal grant of $2.6M to help connect attractions including Clinton center, trail system
By Sheila Ellis

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A $2.6 million federal grant announced Wednesday will provide the final funding needed to begin the restoration of a century-old railroad bridge that will link several major tourist attractions in central Arkansas.

The 111-year-old Rock Island Railroad Bridge had originally been set to reopen with the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in 2004, but increased costs delayed the project until the most recent grant came through. The project's cost is now set at $10.5 million.

The grant will be used to convert the railroad bridge into a pedestrian and bicycle bridge, while also creating new jobs. The bridge will link attractions in Little Rock and North Little Rock that include the Clinton Center, Dickey Stephens baseball stadium, the Verizon entertainment center and the...

Press Release: US Department of Commerce Invests In Little Rock, includes Rock Island Railroad Bridge

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced $2.6 million in U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants to boost competitiveness and create new jobs for Arkansas residents.

2010 International Reflections of Hope Award to Honor President Bill Clinton

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

OKLAHOMA CITY --- The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum will honor President Bill Clinton for his work in helping Oklahoma City transform following the bombing of the federal building almost 15 years ago and for his international peace work during his presidency and over the past decade.

President Clinton founded the William J. Clinton Foundation to focus on worldwide issues that demand urgent actions, solutions and measurable actions. The Foundation’s mission is to strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and around the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence. The Clinton...

First Person: Stories of Hope

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Family Members, Survivors and Rescue Workers Share First-Person Accounts of the Oklahoma City Bombing

WHAT:
To mark the opening day of its newest temporary exhibit, "Leadership in a Time of Crisis: President Clinton and the Oklahoma City Bombing," the Clinton Center will host a special free program, "First Person: Stories of Hope."

- Guest panelists include:
* Former Governor Frank and First Lady Cathy Keating
* Donna Weaver, who lost her husband, Michael D. Weaver, an attorney for...

Clinton Center Announces Essay Contest Winners

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The William J. Clinton Presidential Center announces the winners of the "Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection Essay Competition."

Students were asked to write a 500-word (or less) essay and addressed the following questions: Imagine you are a U.S. diplomat. In what foreign country would you hope to serve? What are the most pressing issues in that country and how would you address them?

...