It's Thursday, so that must mean it's time for some thumbs up and thumbs down.
[THUMBS UP] We're exceedingly thankful for the good people who saw a child inside a hot, parked car in Pea Ridge and leapt into action. They didn't let a window stand in their way. Law enforcement said it was a matter of minutes before the circumstances would have led to a much more tragic conclusion. But this time, bystanders got the 4-month-old child out and took him into a nearby store where there was cooler air. In these hot Arkansas summers, seeing a small child inside an enclosed car demands action because the temperatures inside the car can skyrocket quickly. Thank goodness for those who noticed the child and those who acted to rescue him.
Give’em a thumb
Want to give some brief feedback on news? Someone who deserves a pat on the back? An idea that needs a dose of common sense? Recommend a “Thursday thumb” by calling Greg Harton at (479) 872-5026 or by email at [email protected].
[THUMBS UP] Washington County Circuit Judge Doug Martin sided with the city of Fayetteville in a nonjury trial in which a Fayetteville resident challenged the city's rezoning of the 144-acre Markham Hill property west of the University of Arkansas campus. It's not that we're just dying to see the land developed with a hotel and homes. But the silly arguments demanding the judge overturn the city's decision, if accepted, would have turned the regular process of city rezoning on its ear. The burden of proof was on the plaintiff to show the city acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner and with no rational basis. Certainly, the Markham Hill development is controversial for those who prefer the private property be left alone, but no rational basis? The city heard everyone's concerns and made a decision. That's what cities are supposed to do.
[THUMBS UP] Medical marijuana is being distributed from a dispensary now open in Bentonville and another one is on its way. It's about time. We didn't favor the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes when the issue was on the ballot in 2016, but the voters of Arkansas did. It's amazing it's taken so long to get these sites up and running so that the people it is supposedly designed to help could actually receive the help intended. This one was only the fifth to open so far in Arkansas, where as many as 32 dispensaries are authorized. We've long suggested marijuana be treated like other controlled medications. But Arkansas new law is being implemented, and as far as we can tell, the sun has continued to rise. Let's hope, at the least, some of the suffering across the state is being reduced as intended.
[THUMBS DOWN] Ohio State University -- excuse us, THE Ohio State University -- has reportedly filed paperwork the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in an attempt to trademark "the." No, that's not an incomplete sentence. That university wants to claim rights to the use of the word "the," primarily on T-shirts, baseball caps and hats, according to CNN. Yes, it's always come across as pretentious to hear an Ohio State fan -- or is it The Ohio State fan? -- insisting on the emphasized "The" in front of the school name, but what's the harm? Trademarking a grammatical article, though? It's The Dumbest Idea we've heard in a while.
[THUMBS UP] It's great to hear the pace of activity at the Northwest Arkansas Crisis Stabilization Unit is picking up. This unit, operated with state funding in a Fayetteville facility renovated by Washington County, is designed to give law enforcement authorities a place to take people in need of mental and behavioral health services. In some cases, getting those types of services will serve everyone's needs far more effectively than simply hauling the person to jail. Officials with Ozark Guidance Center, which is under contract to provide care at the center, say July was a busier month. The facility opened in June. Every person assisted through the crisis stabilization unit should be counted as a success in the work to divert the mentally ill from unnecessary incarceration. We're hopeful the pilot project happening in Washington County and a few other location in Arkansas will, over the next year or two, demonstrate effectiveness in reducing jail populations and, more importantly, giving those going through acute episodes the real kind of treatment they need.
Commentary on 08/15/2019