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Thursday, May 17, 2012
Construction zones: Something to feel good about (05/16/12)
Campuses were always under construction during college visits. There would be sidewalks torn up, streets blocked off and buildings being assembled and remodeled. Tour guides would always complain loudly about the construction
Time to decide who to vote for (05/09/12)
Seeing as how early voting is already under way for the May 22 Primary, it's probably about time for me to figure out who I'm going to vote for.
Mayor must be straightforward with public (05/02/12)
Maybe it was a communication breakdown. Maybe it was a matter of semantics. Maybe it was an intentional effort to mislead. Call it whatever you want, but the way Blytheville Mayor James Sanders handled last week's departure of city water plant manager Matt Mosley was a disappointment,
A dog bite and a trip up the interstate (04/25/12)
I like to consider myself a disciple of the "shop local" ideology. The idea is that when local people buy locally, local people benefit. That's why I couldn't help but feel a little guilty Saturday afternoon as I left town to seek medical care. But when it really comes down to it, I had little choice.
Why isn't the Blytheville area booming? (04/18/12)
I got an email from a reader one day last week that wasn't all too dissimilar from comments I've heard from folks around town for years.
Internet now an integral part of daily living (04/11/12)
I still remember when I was in college, and our university got access to a brand new service. It was called the "Internet," and when students first gained access, use was limited to about a half-dozen computers in the back row of the computer lab at the campus library.
City needs plan for using parks and rec money (04/04/12)
Perusing some old newspapers the other day, I came across a Feb. 11, 2011, article about a city of Blytheville Parks and Recreation Committee meeting.
Longing to travel into community's past (03/28/12)
One of my favorite places to run in recent weeks has been the Arkansas Aeroplex. I'll usually start on Memorial Drive, then venture either into the Westminster Village residential area, or into the more industrial-looking section of buildings that once served the Eaker Air Force Base.
Holding mayor's, Council's feet to the fire (03/21/12)
It's been a week since Blytheville voters OK'd a 1-cent sales tax to bail out the city from its multi-million dollar debt to the Internal Revenue Service. I've heard it said more than a couple of times that the tax was the "easy way out" for Mayor James Sanders and the City Council.
It's good to have a few goals (03/14/12)
Perusing the backpack of my son, Drew, the other day, I came upon an interesting sheet of paper. The 9-year-old had written in bold letters across the top: "Things to do before I'm 30."
Another Sportsplex season arrives at last (03/07/12)
Another season at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex is under way. For the Weld family, this marks our eighth consecutive season of playing some combination of t-ball, baseball and softball.
Maybe what we need is a common enemy (02/29/12)
A friend of mine was lamenting the other day about the overall lack of community unity within the city of Blytheville, a problem that has existed for many years.
Time to get serious about solving IRS mess (02/22/12)
Well, it looks like the IRS came to play. That point was made clear last week when the federal tax agency placed liens on all city property, including city bank accounts.
Time for this nuisance to be eliminated (02/15/12)
Events of earlier this week offer further evidence that something I've been saying needs to happen, indeed, needs to happen.
Time for the veepstakes games to begin (02/08/12)
I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that Mitt Romney gets the Republican nomination for president this year.
Staying one step ahead of the demon monkeys (02/01/12)
Why won't these demon monkeys stop chasing me?!? For many of you, the above line probably makes no sense at all. But those familiar with the hottest new game being plated on iPhones and iPads know exactly what I'm talking about.
Finding wisdom at the movies (01/25/12)
As the son of a high school history teacher, I can't help but have an affinity for a good quotation from time to time.
To get past IRS mess, Harrison's got to go (01/18/12)
Like anyone else around here, I'm more than ready for this IRS scandal to be behind us. For as long as this issue lingers, it's an albatross around our city's neck, and very little else is going to get done.
Opponents of sales tax on solid ground, but ... (01/11/12)
We've gotten several letters to the editor in the last couple of weeks voicing strong opposition to the proposed 1-cent Blytheville sales tax, which, if passed, would be used to pay off the city's $3.2 million debt to the IRS.
Newspapers still top source of local information (01/04/12)
New research from the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri shows that communities like Blytheville continue to demonstrate heavy reliance on newspapers like the Courier News for news and information.
A few more letters to Santa ... (12/21/11)
There have been a few other letters to Santa from a few other folks, that we didn't get to include in Sunday's special section. I thought I'd print some of them here:
Hoping for some changes on traffic lights (12/14/11)
I'm looking forward to the completion of the Highway 18 realignment project coming to Blytheville over the next couple of years, but not for the reasons you probably think.
Ranking my 20 favorite Christmas songs (12/07/11)
As is normal this time of year, I've been listening to a lot of Christmas music. I've always loved Christmas music; I think the fact that you only tend to hear it for a few weeks a year makes it especially appealing.
These are a few of my favorite things (11/30/11)
In a famous scene from the "The Sound of Music," Maria is attempting to calm the Von Trapp children during a thunderstorm, and she sings, "My Favorite Things."
Being thankful for more than just things (11/23/11)
As we prepare to give thanks this holiday, there are no doubt a number of things on our minds.
Latest soccer season was one for the ages (11/16/11)
I want to take a little time this week to salute a group of young people I've been privileged to spend some time with over the past few weeks.
Some things aren't as funny as they used to be (11/09/11)
So, Beavis and Butt-head are back. MTV recently began airing new episodes of the animated series, which originated in the early 1990s.
Cardinals were an acquired taste for this fan (10/26/11)
I've probably watched more baseball in the past two weeks than the rest of the summer, combined.
Cotton-picking time sparks reflection (10/19/11)
My 12-year-old daughter, Katie, and one of her friends had their photo taken Sunday afternoon in the cotton field that is behind our house. Probably a good thing they got it taken when they did, for by Monday night, all the cotton in that field had been picked.
Thought on protests, gas prices and human nature (10/12/11)
One of the growing hot topics across the country the past few days has been the "Occupy Wall Street" protest, which started in New York, and is now spreading across the country.
Community needs to keep its nice things (10/05/11)
Thunder Bayou is a great place for a run. I was out there on a Wednesday evening, just before sunset a couple of weeks ago. I was struck by how epically beautiful that golf course really is.
Nothing to do? Must not be paying attention (09/28/11)
This is one of my favorite times of the year. It's a great time of the year to enjoy the great outdoors and some of the really cool things our community has to offer.
Reports of our death are greatly exaggerated (09/21/11)
"Newspapers are dying." That was the big bold headline that appeared on the television screen in front of me at the gym one day last week as I was running on the treadmill.
Sports seasons converge in this household (09/14/11)
From a participatory standpoint, at least in my family, it's not football season. It's soccer season. And baseball season. And basketball season. And softball season. And long-distance running season.
IRS debt? Local citizens will have to pay (09/07/11)
Look at it however you want to, but when it comes to the $3.2 million owed by the city of Blytheville to the Internal Revenue Service, it is the citizens of Blytheville who are going to have to pay.
Welcoming the football season with open arms (08/31/11)
Football season is here at last. Though my wife might disagree with me, this is a good thing.
I've seen this show before (08/24/11)
You have to applaud the energy and vibrancy with which Blytheville's City Council -- half of which only took office this year -- is pursuing ways to better our community.
Which candidate is the most intelligent? (08/17/11)
The 2012 presidential election is less than 15 months away, and the campaign is already in full swing. This is especially true on the Republican side, where devotees cast ballots last weekend in a straw poll in the early caucus state of Iowa.
Warning: This column is all about poop (08/10/11)
Since the talk around town the past couple of weeks has been about community cleanup, it seems appropriate for me to mention my own area of concern: Goose poop.
October isn't that much better than the rest (08/02/11)
It seems like a lot of people around here really like October. Or at least someone is stuffing the ballot box for that month in the latest Internet poll.
End of shuttle era comes with sadness (07/26/11)
Like many other Americans, I can't help but feel a little melancholy at the end of the space shuttle program.
Gas price grumbling never goes away (07/20/11)
There seems to be lot less clamoring over gas prices these days. I don't know if it's because we've all simply accepted the notion that the days of $1 or $1.50 gas are long gone, or because paying $3.45 a gallon seems a whole lot better than paying $4.50 or $5.
River recreational area requires careful thought (07/12/11)
Kudos go to Kinder Morgan company, for its plans to donate $62,500 for a new boat ramp at the end of Highway 18 east of Blytheville.
Random thoughts from a quiet car ride (06/28/11)
It was a quiet drive during my family's road trip to Cabot and North Little Rock last weekend. The downside is that the quiet of the car left me alone with my thoughts for several hours. And that's not necessarily a good thing
23rd sports season almost in the books (06/22/11)
It's ironic that it's only officially the second day of summer, yet for many families around here, the baseball/softball season is nearly at an end.
Attendance at 20-year reunion wasn't to be (06/15/11)
My 20-year class reunion was last weekend. I did not attend.
Confessions from an overzealous baseball/softball dad (06/08/11)
Amid the euphoria that followed Monday night's dramatic win by my son's Rookie League baseball team, Drew said something which brought the jubilation down a notch, at least for me.
Summer is here: Time for vacation dreaming (06/01/11)
Now that we're past Memorial Day, I guess it's pretty safe to say that summer is officially upon us. (This week's temperatures pretty much erase all doubt.) For a lot of folks, summer means vacation time.
A bold attempt at a love story (05/25/11)
I've never been much for writing love stories. To be honest, I don't think I've even tried it one time, and I doubt I'm very good at it. But every once in a while, the situation commands a bold attempt, and this is one of those times.
A little cool, a little windy, but still good (05/18/11)
It's been a little cool this week, but if previous Delta summers are anything to go by, we ought to be pretty thankful.
One community asset stands above all others (05/10/11)
There's one local asset that has stood out over the past week or so. And local residents ought to be thanking their lucky stars we have it.
Is bin Laden's death cause for jubilation? (05/03/11)
Make no mistake -- when I heard the news late Sunday night that Osama bin Laden was dead, I was pleased.
Still confused about a great many things (04/26/11)
Like anyone else, I'd like to think of myself of a person of at least average intelligence. I listened in school, went to college and even pay attention to the news on a relatively regular basis. But despite any efforts I put forth to this end, there are some things I still just don't understand.
Never too late to build connections (04/20/11)
I have 12 first cousins. Six are on the Weld side; six on are the Fields side. For a number of reasons, ranging from age to geography to common interests, I've never been particularly close to any of them.
Whose idea was it to put a hill at mile 12? (04/12/11)
It's takes a pretty sadistic person put a large hill at mile 12 of a 13.1-mile race, but someone planning the course for the Go! St. Louis Half-Marathon was apparently just that fiendish.
School attendance shouldn't be optional (04/05/11)
For three hours Saturday morning, my kids were in school. The Armorel School District, where my kids attend, opted to utilize a Saturday to make up one of the half-day snow days it missed a fews weeks ago.
Final Four puts the "mad" in March Madness (03/30/11)
I've always said that the greatest sporting event in America is the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
Friends do a good job naming babies (03/23/11)
The latest trend among my Facebook friends -- at least those in the "new mom" category -- is old-fashioned baby names.
St. Patrick's Day not as big of a deal these days (03/16/11)
Tomorrow -- Thursday -- is St. Patrick's Day. Around here, that doesn't mean a whole lot. Some folks will make a point to wear green, and I can always count on staff writer Aaron FitzPatrick to celebrate his Irish heritage. But mostly, St. Patrick's Day is a non-event around these parts.
Have you seen the results of the lastest poll? (03/08/11)
One of the coolest features of the new Courier News website is the polling function. We've set it up so that we have a "Poll of the Week," that runs throughout the week, with the results being reported in Sunday's print edition
Not cool enough to appreciate the Oscars (03/01/11)
I guess I haven't been cool since about 1997. Of course, for anyone who knows me, this isn't much of a news flash. As many will no doubt be quick to point out, I've probably never been cool.
Can a new Delta arise from the Old South? (02/22/11)
Cleaning out my file of "mailed-in items for future consideration" one day last week, I came upon an item that caught my attention.
A closer look at the 2010 Census numbers (02/15/11)
It's hard to take the results of the 2010 Census -- released last week for Arkansas -- as anything other than bad news.
Snow on the ground? Must be time for baseball (02/08/11)
In a week in which our community is experiencing what may be the worst one-two punch of winter weather of the season, it seems a bit odd to be thinking about baseball.
MLK column generates lesson in local history (02/02/11)
Last week's column, which called for naming a Blytheville roadway in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., generated a fair bit of reaction. And some of it was pretty interesting.
Where is Blytheville's MLK Drive? (01/25/11)
We received a letter to the editor a couple of years ago that raised an excellent point that's worth revisiting. The author pointed out that Blytheville is among an increasingly smaller number of Southern cities without a street named after Martin Luther King Jr.
New CN website to feature innovations (01/18/11)
Next Wednesday will be one of the most exciting days for this newspaper in the 11 years that I have been here. That's when the Courier News will launch its "new and improved" website.
4-wheel-drive not a savior on slick roads (01/11/11)
With only an inch or so of snow on the ground, Monday morning's driving conditions certainly weren't the worst I'd ever seen. But they weren't the greatest either.
A few wishes for the year ahead (01/04/11)
With the new year still in its infancy, it's a good time to look ahead with hope and ambition for what the new year might offer. Here's a few of my hopes for 2011:
Andy Weld
Andy Weld is editor of the Blytheville Courier News.
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