Lately, it's been tempting to hide our thumbs in a warm pair of gloves, especially with the bone-chilling winds the last couple of days. But sometimes you just have to whip them out and give people a sign of how things are going, and mostly, that's been pretty good lately.
[THUMBS UP] OK, it's almost impossible to cheer for an increase in season ticket prices to see games at Razorback Stadium on the University of Arkansas campus. Who wants to pay more to get in the gate? UA officials want to expand the stadium on the north end, primarily with high-end suites and seats that bring in big bucks. To support that, they'll use donations and higher ticket prices to pay off bonds. So a lower-stadium seat that cost $300 last season would cost $360 next season. So what earns a thumbs up? At least now the UA is differentiating prices a bit for those seats in the upper deck. The 500-level seats, which cost $300 this year, will be $250 next season. Maybe that will open the door to some folks who haven't been season ticket holders before and those upper decks will fill out with actual people. It always seemed nuts for a guy all the way up in the "cheap seats" to have paid the same face-value ticket price as a guy sitting 20-feet away from the field. At least someone's getting a break. As for the growing costs for other ticket holders, it is perhaps worth remembering that a day at a Razorback football game falls far short of a necessity in life. Season ticket holders are doling out disposable income for this form of entertainment. For those miffed about it, well, don't spend the money. A number of people have converted the money they once spent on donations and tickets into wonderful back-yard escapes with large-screen televisions perfect for watching not just the Razorbacks, but other college and NFL games. And when the Hogs' games are over, there's no need to put up with standstill traffic and sometimes asinine traffic directions.
[THUMBS UP] It never seemed fair that Benton County Sheriff Kelley Cradduck would face arraignment on criminal charges the day before the March 1 election, but that was the original plan after his arrest on accusations he tampered with a public document. That schedule would have necessitated Election-Day headlines about his criminal case. Cradduck faces three opponents in the GOP primary, so that schedule was unfair from the very beginning. Cradduck's attorney and the special prosecutor who decided to file the charges recently agreed to move the two-term sheriff's arraignment to Feb. 22. That was a good decision in the name of fairness.
[THUMBS DOWN] Enrollment at Northwest Arkansas Community College has declined again. It recently reported 7,181 students enrolled, down by 127 students from last spring's semester. College officials blame (is that the right word?) a good economy. Enrollment at community colleges, they say, are inversely related to unemployment: When people have jobs, they don't seek out community college education and training as much. The college's enrollment has dropped since 2011, and that has ripple effects on the institution's budget. This, however, is life at a community college. It's always better to see things on an upswing, but in any case, we're glad the community college is there for the thousands of students every year who benefit from what it has to offer.
[THUMBS UP] With the troubles that have plagued the Washington County Road Department over the last year or so, it's great to see the Quorum Court's Personnel Committee backing a measure to upgrade a heavy equipment operator job to training officer. We often hear county leaders glowingly declare that county employees are the most precious resource, but the lackadaisical attitudes toward safety demonstrated in the Road Department in recent years demands attention. We encourage the full Quorum Court to support the changes so that Road Department employees can continually have their safety practices updated and reinforced.
[THUMBS UP] Fayetteville has its new superintendent in Matthew Wendt, who has led as a superintendent or assistant superintendent in four districts and will take over for the retiring Paul Hewitt at the end of this school year. Congratulations to him and the school district for the selection. Our hope is he's the right person to lead Fayetteville Public Schools well for many years to come.
[THUMBS UP] Young people who have an appreciation for the many positive aspects of life in Springdale have formed a group called Stitches, with a goal of overcoming negative perceptions about the community. About 15 teens are organizing efforts to promote service and art projects that will help divert young people's attention from selfishness to selflessness. A lot of teenagers aren't at all worried about having a positive impact on their community, so kudos to these teens for taking it upon themselves to make a difference.
[THUMBS UP] Along the same theme as those young people in Springdale, an Ozark Guidance program was recently in Fayetteville urging kids to think about others before themselves. The program was launched last year in schools in Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll counties. The goal is to have a lasting influence on the reduction of bullying and on the forces that sometimes encourage gang involvement. It's hard to imagine a down side of a program that gives teens the tools they need to navigate the complexities of adolescence, and it's encouraging to see attention paid to such important matters within area schools.
Commentary on 02/10/2016