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:
[THUMBS UP] It's tempting to give the approaching permanent closing of AQ Chicken House a downturned -- and maybe a little greasy -- digit. It's sad to think about the restaurant disappearing from its north Springdale location. Then again, one can also consider the long, long odds against a restaurant lasting even half as long as AQ has. It opened just a couple of years after the conclusion of World War II and its operators -- Roy Ritter, Frank Hickingbotham and Ron Palmer, as well as current proprietor Dick Bradley -- have been sending customers away full and happy ever since. It's impossible to say how many birthdays, pending weddings or baby showers have been celebrated there, not to mention the less-formal moments from an impromptu reunion of friends to family meals after church on Sunday. Truly good times accentuated by good food. So we'll toss out an upturned thumb as a way to say "thank you" to everyone connected to AQ during the last 75-plus year.
[THUMBS UP] Not everyone gets a thrill out of an archeological find or discovery of a new wrinkle in the telling of local history, but such nuggets help give us a glimpse into the lives of the people who came before us. When new information can be linked to known details, it's as satisfying as putting in one of the final components of a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. At War Eagle Cavern near Rogers, recent work to expand access has made it possible to see a wall carving of the name "Blackburn." It's likely not coincidental that it matches up with the last name of the couple, Sylvanus and Catherine, who first built War Eagle Mill in 1832. Both the cavern and mill are tourist destinations these day. Finding a physical link to the past is like discovering a new part of the family tree.
[THUMBS DOWN] What is the point of a retirement system? Isn't it to make money for its beneficiaries? According to the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System, its mission is to provide income to its retired members, survivors and disabled members. Now, let's not pretend investing doesn't require certain moral judgments beyond just an enterprise's ability to make money. For example, one wouldn't (we hope) want a system to invest in companies known for illegal practices or for using child labor. But does it make sense for a political body like the 135-member Arkansas Legislature to designate themselves as investment managers? That's what the Arkansas General Assembly appears ready to do as it considers House Bill 1307. It would require the state treasurer and public entities to divest certain investments with financial services providers on a list maintained by the state treasurer due to the use of environmental, social justice or governance-related metrics. Such a broad ban, according to the state's retirement systems, could cost their members tens of millions of dollars, all because this GOP-controlled Legislature wants to use publicly controlled funding (not their money) to put pressure on profitable companies with policies that don't comport to their personal views. It's government officials using their temporary power to manipulate private business. We'd suggest one thing: Just don't.