The weather in Omaha, Neb., is usually of little concern to any of us in Northwest Arkansas, but it's been in charge of the show at the 2018 College World Series, where many eyes are trained these days. Wednesday's game was supposed to start at 10 a.m. but didn't get under way until after 2 p.m. But, hey, the Hogs are competing at the pinnacle of the college game. Go Hogs!
As we watched Wednesday's excitement, we tried to stay focused enough to pen our weekly thumb awards, at least when we weren't biting our nails.
[THUMBS UP] Spending $450,000 wouldn't necessarily make sense on every 79-year-old structure, but when it comes to one built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, it was worth every cent. The Ridge Runner Store and Cafe was seriously damaged as a result of an electrical fire. To their credit, the leaders of Arkansas state parks never considered demolishing the structure, which sits in the midst of a National Historic District that features "the most complete example of CCC park architecture." The Civilian Conservation Corps was a New Deal era program in which President Franklin D. Roosevelt put men, mostly between the ages of 18 and 25, to work on parks and conservation projects. Devil's Den State Park simply wouldn't be the same without its many CCC influences.
[THUMBS DOWN] A Rogers reader delivers this thumbs down "to the sarcophagus erected on the new roundabout in east Rogers on Arkansas Street. Who is buried in there? It looks like Grant's tomb." The rectangular monument says "Rogers" and the landscaping is pretty, but our reader suggests the money spent on the sign should have been spent elsewhere. "The city has once again done something dopey instead of something good," the reader said.
[THUMBS DOWN] If you were author of a book subtitled The Sordid and Continuing History of Political Corruption in West Virginia who was eventually elected to the state's Court of Appeals, it wouldn't be unfair for voters to have high behavioral expectations, would it? You can hear the other shoe dropping already, can't you? Justice Allen Loughry was arrested Wednesday and charged with 22 federal counts including fraud, witness tampering and misuse of government property. The criminal indictment alleges Loughry used a government vehicle and credit card on personal trips, collected mileage reimbursements he wasn't entitled to and unlawfully moved a historic desk, said to be worth about $42,000, to his home. It's an indictment, not a conviction, but it appears West Virginia's sordid history just got a new chapter.
[THUMBS UP] When is a waitress uninterested in a big tip? When the guy buying the meal is using her credit card. It happened, according to police, in Pine Bluff. On Sunday, Flora Lunsford's purse was stolen from her car at a gas station. On Tuesday, Lunsford was working her restaurant job when a man she was serving handed over a card -- her credit card -- to pay for the meal. Rather than ringing him up, she rang up the police. The big tip in this scenario is the one she delivered to authorities. The 21-year-old diner was booked into the Jefferson County jail on forgery and theft by receiving charges, as well as three outstanding warrants. One might think he might have known something was wrong: He also had her driver's license, which includes a photo showing what she looks like.
[THUMBS DOWN] A space force? One small step for President Donald Trump; one giant leap toward the ridiculous. Would someone please block the SyFy Channel from the president's cable subscription.
[THUMBS UP] Downtown Bentonville continues to grow as an investment playground for some of the Sam and Helen Walton progeny. Tom Walton a few days ago announced plans to build a 100- to 200-room hotel on a corner of the downtown square, continuing an interest in development of Northwest Arkansas' downtown areas. The Waltons have and continue to share their money with local public entities for spending on infrastructure. A Walton-related company called Springdale Downtown also recently identified a project to build retail, restaurant and office space along Emma Avenue where the old Ryan's Clothing store and adjacent San Jose Manor building sit. A lot of towns in Arkansas have watched their downtowns dry up. It's great to see the wealth of the Waltons put to use in bolstering the region where the Walton success story began.
[THUMBS UP] A robust welcome back to the golfers of the LPGA here in our neck of the woods for the $2 million Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club. Events got under way early this week in the build-up to Friday's first round. Golf Channel and other coverage will be plentiful over the next few days, spreading the word about professional golf and Northwest Arkansas. Thanks to all the companies that put their money into bringing the event to the region and the many volunteers who contribute a great deal to its success.
Commentary on 06/21/2018