It's Thursday and another chance to fire off a few up or down thumbs about some of news developments in our neck of the woods and elsewhere:
The heat is on
Some folks hate summer. Give them a hot, humid day in July and it won't be long until they're pining for turtleneck and scarf weather. Not us. Arkansas' summer can be tough, especially for working folks whose jobs demand they be outdoors, but it also makes those swimming holes around the Ozarks mighty inviting. A cool dip in one of those makes it all right. We like the long hours of sunlight, too, and cringe every June 21 when each subsequent day starts getting a little shorter, minute by minute, until we're waking up in the dark and ending our workday there, too. Thankfully, Arkansas' weather year-round is pretty manageable. Fall, spring and winter all have their welcome characteristics. But don't begrudge us just a few months of long days, short sleeves and kids running through the sprinkler.
Help from a friend
Nothing says cities, counties or school districts have to help each other out. Among school districts, for instance, just making sure the buses run on time, the students are safe and teachers have an environment in which they can teach effectively demands a lot of attention. They can hardly be blamed for staying focused on their own issues. Thankfully, though, school leaders often find ways to share information, and more, to help each other out. And that's what has happened between the folks at Farmington and Decatur. The Cardinals in Farmington moved into a new football stadium in 2019, leaving them with a spare set of bleachers they really didn't need. The school districts' superintendents happened to be a meeting together about a year ago and struck up a conversation in which Decatur's need for bleachers came up. An idea was born: Could Farmington's old bleachers help Decatur out, at the same time relieving Farmington of seating it no longer needed? Absolutely. With approval of the Farmington School Board, Decatur is paying $100,000 to dismantle, transport and build back the bleachers and press box from Farmington's Allen Holland Field to Decatur's Bulldog Stadium. "It was a win-win for Farmington and Decatur," said Jon Laffoon, Farmington's superintendent. That's a great level of cooperation, problem-solving and re-use of valuable materials. Looks like both schools are starting their seasons off with a victory.
A healthy gift
J.B. Hunt Transport Services is delivering again, with its pledge of $1 million a year for the next five years to Arkansas Children's Northwest's efforts to expand the 3-year-old Springdale hospital. The gift is the second, matching one the Lowell-based firm gave in 2016 to help with the hospital's original construction. Arkansas Children's Northwest opened in 2018, bringing much of the health care so exceptionally provided at Little Rock's Arkansas Children's Hospital to our region. A spokesman for the hospital said the next five years will see its transformation "from a community hospital to an anchor pediatric institution." That's outstanding news for families in Northwest Arkansas and beyond.
Pay to play?
Our hope is that the NCAA's new approach that allows college athletes to profit by selling their name, image or likeness to promote products or services will, ultimately, help those students thrive as they pursue education and make plans for their lives after college, whether it's professional sports or other endeavors. Understandably, the situation has raised concerns about retaining the spirit of amateurism -- i.e., keeping college sports from becoming just like the professional sports. Some Arkansas players have already inked sponsorships, and good for them. There's no doubt the NIL changes will affect recruiting, and we've already seen social media comments suggesting the UA recruitment effort "pay him" when it comes to luring new talent from high schools. Of course, anyone can make a bone-headed comment on social media, but is it in Arkansas' best interests if name, image and likeness turns recruiting into some kind of bidding war? Does Arkansas come out on top if that's what recruiting becomes? The demand for name-image-likeness changes couldn't be ignored, but schools across the nation and the NCAA have a big job on their hands to figure out the right parameters to ensure success for the athletes and all the schools putting teams on the field. In short, the rules need to make sure college athletics don't become any more of a story about the haves and have nots than it already is.
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].