Razorback Stadium
Reading Wally Hall's breakdown of Arkansas' SEC schedule the other day reminded me that the naming rights to Razorback Stadium (the term I prefer to use) will expire in 2025. It's improbable that a new naming rights partner will want its contribution to go unnoticed, so I've resigned myself to the reality of never being able to genuinely refer to the stadium solely with its Razorback prefix. But let's plan now to avoid the scourge of corporate branding that has desecrated other collegiate venues across the country (some notorious examples: CEFCU Stadium in San Jose, Calif.; Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium in Seattle; L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky.).
And while the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation should be applauded for the charitable donations it's made to the U of A campus and innumerable Arkansas organizations over the decades, I'll be quite pleased for Razorback Stadium to be free of the namesake of a University of Missouri alumni. The Tigers are our biggest rival, after all.
BRANDON HOWARD
Fayetteville
Not being represented
Last Friday the ADG published the list of chosen members of three of the six work groups selected by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide feedback and expertise as the state agency implements the LEARNS Act.
Among the 80-plus individuals chosen, there is not even one representative in these work groups from the Little Rock School District. This is the second-largest school district in Arkansas and the largest in central Arkansas. Not even one individual has been chosen to represent these students, teachers, staff, and parents. Springdale School District, the state's largest school district, has two. But don't worry about representation--Stephanie, a homeschool parent, was selected. How many kids does she have? One? Two? Maybe three?
The state education agency has yet to name the members for the three remaining work groups. We will see what happens, but I suspect the LEARNS Act will be education without representation.
KIMBER BARBER-FENDLEY
Little Rock
Pay their own tuition
I agree with Attorney General Tim Griffin in his review of the LEARNS Act. The only exception that I have is that he did not address the payment of tuition for private school. I strongly disagree with this. I do not want my tax money to go to families who can readily afford to send their children to private schools. I hope that others will voice their opinions on this subject.
JUDITH JONES
Hot Springs Village
Eyes shut to the facts
Raising the debt ceiling is about paying America's bills already owed. It has nothing to do with future spending. Republicans voted three times to raise the ceiling under Donald Trump without negotiations.
If you stop getting your Social Security check and medical care under Medicare soon, Republicans are 100 percent to blame. Republicans want to tie bills we already owe to what we might spend next year. Democrats want America to pay its bills on time.
The national debt increased $8 trillion under Trump. Trump called himself the "King of debt" and proved it.
America was never energy-independent under Trump. During Trump's four years, America imported over 10 billion barrels of oil, including 750 million barrels from Russia.
While the United States Capitol building was getting attacked by an angry mob, Trump sat on his hands and watched TV for 187 minutes. Four hours into the violence, Trump said to those who brutalized and sent 120 police to the hospital: "We love you, now go home." Imagine his response if a Black man smashed out the windows of the Capitol with a police shield.
Seventy-four million Americans voted for Trump in 2020; 85 million voted against Trump. A difference of 11 million Americans.
In states where voters had the opportunity to vote on women's rights, the vote favored women every time. In Arkansas, politicians and courts will continue to decide on women's rights. Let the people of Arkansas vote on women's rights.
All Supreme Court decisions are temporary. The current Republican court proved this fact.
C.S. Lewis wrote, "One of the most cowardly things ordinary people do is to shut their eyes to facts."
WELDON TERRY DANCER
Jonesboro
Might as well try it
Instead of electing Congress members, vote for an artificial intelligence Congress. They might be able to get things done and use the algorithm to actually fix things.
CHRISTINA FEILD
Little Rock