Add Markham Hill land
to city's bond election
It would be fantastic to add the 144-acre Markham Hill property to Fayetteville's bond issue list for the city to purchase as a nature and wildlife preserve under a permanent conservation easement with the NWA Land Trust.
Markham Hill is east of Interstate 49, north of Martin Luther King Boulevard, west of Razorback Road, and south of the Marinoni property off Wedington Drive. It is a large urban forest with several acres containing two horse pastures, the Pratt Inn and Event Barn, the historic Evangeline Archer cottage, and a log home built by Julian Archer. The natural habitat of Markham Hill is helping clean Fayetteville's air and water, helping lower the effects of climate change within Fayetteville, providing walking and running trails for the University of Arkansas cross-country team and Fayetteville residents, preserving Fayetteville history and Native American sites, providing a refuge for remaining wildlife within Fayetteville, and protecting one of our older low-density neighborhoods.
In the meantime, some Fayetteville residents have filed an appeal with the Washington County Circuit Court of the recent Fayetteville City Council rezoning of Markham Hill. The rezoning allows the Oregon-based owner RMD Properties (since 2016) to have his local developer, Specialized Real Estate Group, destroy Markham Hill with commercialization and high-density housing, totally incompatible with these historic woods and the surrounding low-density residential neighborhood.
Let's keep urbanization, development and infill out of our parks and woods. We want to preserve and protect Fayetteville's charm.
Lisa Orton
Fayetteville
Bush's example worthy
standard for all people
On Wednesday, we witnessed the appointment of Hebrews 9:27 kept by the 41st president of the United States. George Herbert Walker Bush's plea for a "kinder, gentler nation" came to fruition for a day. His statement in life and legacy in death serve as a model for every government and civil employee as well as every American. It is my desire that every person will make a pledge to take Bush's motto and implement it into continual daily activity.
Too often we see the rancor and hear the vitriolic rhetoric centered around the notion of separation of church and state and yet in moments of national mourning see it as quite fitting to incorporate both the secular and sacred. On Wednesday, we saw the acrimony and ambitions of political foes put aside to honor a man who devoted his life in serving others, whether they were a head of state or an ordinary employee.
For political leaders, it is my hope they can bury the notion of compromise and in the spirit of George H.W. Bush seek genuine collaboration for what is best for America. For business leaders, it is my hope that they can bury the notion of the bottom line as the only thing that counts and that greed will give way to gratitude for the freedoms that allow the American free-enterprise system to flourish. For communities, it is my hope that we take care of each other and that volunteerism and service inspire everyone. For churches, it is my hope that we can bury sectarianism and creeds and simply unite under the banner of Christ. For families and individuals, it is my hope that we can treasure the moment and show unconditional love, regardless of the color of skin or ethnicity and be the models for good citizenship for our children.
Thank you, Mr. President, for your life of exemplary service and as model for all of us to follow. And in the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT, "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land."
Our nation needs healing!
Bill Walker
Bentonville
Commentary on 12/11/2018