Organizers of 2016
Frisco Fest deserve praise
On behalf of Sugar Creek Model Railroad & Historical Society, I wish to congratulate the organizers of the 2016 Frisco Fest. It was better promoted and set up than the past several years.
We set up five model train layouts in the Rogers Museum Annex. We had about 800 visitors to our display this year, which almost triples past attendance.
Keep up the good work. The committee did Downtown Rogers proud.
Maida Bennett
Bella Vista
Newspaper misled about injuries in photo
On Aug. 26, you published a large photo of an overturned chicken truck. The caption says, "No serious injuries were reported, but cleanup was expected to take some time."
There is no hint of concern for the animals involved; apparently, to you the animals were just objects to be cleaned up, not living creatures to be rescued and cared for, if possible. The photo shows numerous apparently dead or at least injured chickens on the ground, and large crates partially tumbled out of the truck. Those crates appear to be stuffed full of chickens, so I suspect more dead and injured ones therein. Some crates were still fully within the truck, but even those chickens must have been thrown upside down. With so many animals per crate, I doubt those still alive had room to right themselves. At best, it must have been a terrifying experience for them.
Do you not think animals can experience pain and fear?
Michele Utterson
Fayetteville
Request for hike in
POA fee within reason
We were living and working in Colorado Springs in 1983 when we received an invitation from Cooper Communities to spend three days and four nights visiting Bella Vista. We were so impressed with the lakes, golf courses and the other amenities that we bought a lot on that first visit above what is now the Scotsdale Golf Course.
We vacationed in Bella Vista every year after 1983, and then in 1995, we decided to move here. We looked at many houses and happily found the one that suited us. The Property Owners Association dues were no issue. We had been paying them since 1983 and thought they were very reasonable.
Now, we agree that an increase is needed. Just apply common sense: If you go to the website, www.usinflationcalculator.com, put in 2001 (the last time dues were increased) and $24. You will find that $24 is now equivalent to $32.68 in today's dollars due to inflation. In other words, the POA is only asking that we pay in today's dollars what they needed in 2001 to maintain the same level of services.
Bella Vista has changed over the years from a retirement/recreation community to a bedroom community for Walmart and its vendors. Retirees now make up approximately 27 percent of Bella Vista's population, so we need substantial support of the 73 percent who are not retired. If the POA doesn't get the funds to maintain the amenities here, what happens to the property values of all of us? Are you really willing to take that risk?
We have invested in Bella Vista for 33 years now and for $108 more per year, we are not willing to risk letting this beautiful place we now call home get run down! We encourage everyone to vote "Yes" for the assessment increase.
Xyta & James Lucas
Bella Vista
Commentary on 09/03/2016