A Better REGION 8

Political Candidate Training School

Have you ever thought that you could do a better job than the people elected to represent you? Well, the filing period for the 2010 elections is just around the corner  and there are a lot of good people in Region 8 who would make excellent public servants. However, if you’re not a career politician, most folks don’t know a thing about running a political campaign. If you have ever considered running for office, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and the Arkansas Broadcasters Association have banded together to provide a Political Candidate Training School. It is non-partisan, open to all candidates and campaign volunteers, and can really help you learn the nuts and bolts of running a campaign. The seminar is January 12^th and you can call 501-570-2271 for information. There is a registration fee of $75.

 

Political experts and office holders who are familiar with the ever-changing political landscape will be on hand to cover proven strategies and techniques for running and winning a positive campaign. If you are considering running for office, this first hand, non-partisan advice from campaign professionals will be extremely valuable.

 

Folks, we need to have passionate, qualified, and informed elected leaders. Elections featuring solid candidates supported by an informed and involved electorate will keep our democracy strong and will  make this A Better Region 8.

ATTENTION: Grinches on the Roadways!!!

My family traditionally spends a lot of time driving here and there during the Christmas Season. And our experience on the highway is that the same season which inspires the best human traits everywhere else seems to bring out the worst behavior behind the wheel, with excessive speeding, dangerous lane-changing and inattention a holiday recipe for disaster. So it's a good time to remember the basics.  Obey the laws and don't do anything that will put your passengers or anyone else in danger.  Drive friendly.  Use your blinkers when turning, changing lanes or entering a highway.  Make sure your car or truck is in good mechanical shape and buckle up. And if you drink at all while celebrating over the holidays, please let someone else drive. Finally, a big thanks to all our law enforcement officers for providing the thin blue line out there.  If not for their vigilance, the roads would be even more dangerous.  If you see those blue lights in your rear view mirror, find a safe place to pull off the road and give them some room to maneuver. And if you come across an officer making a traffic stop, be sure and give them some room as you drive by.  Folks, we hate covering traffic accidents on the news.  Even one highway death is too many.  Make this a joyful and safe holiday season on the highways and get there in one piece. It will surely make this a Better Region 8.

A Novel Idea...Employ the Unemployed!

There are a lot of ideas coming out of Washington these days that reinforce in my mind the ineptitudes of our governmental bureaucracy. With the emails and comments I get from you, it seems that many feel the same way. That’s why I had to pause for a minute last week when I heard that four US Senators, none representing Region 8 by the way, had written a letter to the Commerce Secretary urging the census bureau to –wait for it- employ the unemployed to staff the 2010 Census. What a novel idea! What is really sad is that these senators and their staffs felt the need to take the time to investigate the situation and then issue the letter so that they could tell their constituents that they were creating jobs. Now the Commerce Secretary, and The Labor Secretary, and the Census Bureau Chief will send their departments into a frenzy as they all jump through hoops and spend more of your tax dollars to show that they did, in fact, employ the unemployed. Now don’t get me wrong, I agree that it’s a good idea to put people to work that are already drawing an unemployment check from the government The thing that no one in Washington seems to understand is with the national unemployment number hovering at 10%, there will be scores of unemployed people lining up for these jobs. The 2010 census will employ about 1.4 million people next year in jobs that include data processing and going door to door. These are temp jobs that will pay between $10 and $20 dollars per hour. There are a lot of folks out of work who would jump at the chance to be productive. And there are folks all over the country and right here in Region 8 who would love to earn $10-$20 dollars per hour doing it. The folks in Washington need to focus more on the problems our country faces and less on matters that should be handled with a little common sense. That would make our country and Region 8 better.

The Salvation Army

Few service organizations touch more folks in the community than the Salvation Army.  The Army provides a number of assistance roles to our neighbors in need.  We’re all familiar with the Red Kettle campaign and Angel Tree, but the Salvation Army provides services year round.  It helps our veterans, the elderly, prisoner rehabilitation, disaster relief and many others.  The Red Kettle Christmas campaign is the oldest annual fundraiser of its kind in the country.  Red Kettles symbolize help and have done so for many a generation.  When you place your money in that kettle, you not only help provide food and shelter for those folks who are down on their luck during the Christmas season, your donations help soften the burden well into the next year. This year, organizations like the Salvation Army need your help even more. The goal for the Red Kettle campaign is one hundred thousand dollars. I understand money is tight. But if you realize that this could happen if every household within the sound of my voice would drop just 35 cents into a red kettle this year, we could achieve that goal. If you cannot afford to open your pocket book, then consider opening up your schedule. More than ever, the Salvation Army needs volunteers and all that will cost you is your time. We all know that the current need is great and you can make a difference right now.  The Salvation Army helps thousands across our region, and in the process makes this a Better Region 8.

What Are You Thankful For?

As we the holiday season starts and we begin wrap up a year that has been difficult at best, it seems that Americans have a new use for the internet. Folks all across the country are taking the time to appreciate the things that we take for granted every day, and they are sharing that thankfulness with the world. Weeks ago on facebook, a simple task was requested: Post what you’re thankful for. Thousands of facebook users continue to respond daily. This morning a Google search for the words “what are you thankful for?” returned over 90 million results and that number continues to grow. In a year when the economy has been tougher than any year since the great depression, it seems Americans have stopped complaining and instead are expressing their thankfulness online. It shows just how far we have come. We have shared our hard times,  we have endured and we are now realizing just what we all have to be thankful for. It is refreshing to say the least. As you share this holiday season with family and friends, I hope you consider sharing what you are thankful for. Whether you say it in person, post it to the web, or text it from across the room, I believe you will find it refreshing and I truly believe it will make this a Better Region 8.

Putting Food in the Hands of the Hungry

You can tell by looking at me that I haven’t missed many meals in my life, but I have a question for you,  Have you ever really been hungry? I’m not talking about skipping lunch hungry, or needing a snack hungry – I mean missing meals because you have no way possible to provide food for yourself or your family.  Did you know that right here in Region 8 one in four children is at risk of hunger? One in five adults is at risk and one in seven seniors is malnourished.  Statistics like these should alarm you.   This is not a third world country we live in, this is the land of plenty. There is no reason for anyone in Region 8 to go to bed hungry tonight . . . but some will.  The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas is doing everything possible to put food in the hands of the hungry, but this year that need is greater than ever. We are nearing a hunger crisis. And we all need to pitch in to help. That’s why this Thursday KAIT and Triple FM are partnering with the Food Bank to help raise food donations. We’ll be set up at Bill’s Fresh Market at Hilltop in Jonesboro all day long and we would love to see you there. Hunger is a solvable issue. Come out and donate food to help us solve the problem. It’ll make this A Better Region 8.

One word for our Veterans... Thanks!

Saturday’s turnout in Region 8 and the support for our veterans and the troops about to deploy was heartwarming. Several folks, me included, took the opportunity to thank every man and woman in uniform for their service to our country.  After the parade the ASU Ball game was designated Heroes’ Day and the 875th was honored. The football team ran onto the field and then immediately ran to the troops to thank them for their service.  It was a proud moment. Seated immediately behind me was a soldier, Tim Augustine from Manila, who was taking his family to their first ASU game. Several of the people around us took the time to thank him for his service. He is one of many preparing for another deployment. His third. And you could just tell from talking to him, he was proud to be serving our country. Proud to provide the freedoms we take for granted every day. Many others wore the uniform before him and they deserve our thanks as well. But they aren’t as easy to spot. Without that uniform, they are the unseen among us. They are either retired or work alongside us every day. They no longer carry a rifle, just the memories and the battle scars from previous generations. They fought their battles years ago in places like Normandy, Iwo Jima, Korea, and Viet Nam. They won the Cold War.  And we enjoy our way of life thanks to all of them. So to all the active servicemen and women and to all the veterans of Region 8. Please always know that even though we don’t always express it, we love you. We appreciate you. And We are more indebted to you than we will ever even comprehend. Thank you for making this A Better Region 8. 

The Pump is Primed

Two weeks ago Governor Beebe announced that he would cut the state budget by $100 million due to a revenue shortfall. Last week Governor Nixon cut the Missouri State Budget by over $200 million for the same reason. Local officials are now looking at county and city budgets as they try to trim as well due to the state of the economy. We could all easily take a “woe is me attitude” about these events.  However, the thing to remember is that governments operate with tax receipts. Money that is measured from three months, six months and in some cases even a year ago. We all remember where we were a year ago when it came to the recession. Right? But folks, we’re now starting to see signs of life in this stagnant economy.  Leading economic indicators show that we are growing our way out of the problem. There is still a long way to go, but you cannot ignore the signs that things are beginning to get better.  This is perhaps a defining moment for our capitalistic society and perhaps a time to take some risk.  70 percent of the U-S economy is based on the spending habits of consumers.  Additionally, recent data shows that while the East and West coasts are still sluggish, the mid-section of the country is doing well and poised for a quick recovery.  It is time for consumers – both you and I - to consider making purchases that we have delayed due to the uncertain economy.  This will be the fuel to move Region 8 to the forefront of the recovery.  Local businesses have weathered the storm and most retailers are still offering aggressive price reductions and good financing terms. Now, don’t think for a minute that I am suggesting you go out and dig a hole by spending with credit cards or being irresponsible. I’m not. But it just makes sense that if there are purchases that have been delayed, now is the time move forward.  Now is also a healthy time for innovation and entrepreneurship.  The pump is primed and the power to get the economy on its feet rests in our hands. The power that consumers have in their wallet will do more than any stimulus bill ever could. If we use that power wisely we can reap the rewards and in the process make this a Better Region 8.

Our Halloween Village

Thanks to Hillary Clinton, we are all too familiar with the African proverb, it takes a village to raise a child. That saying has become somewhat of a cliché since the Clinton Administration, but I would really like you to consider its merits, specifically this week. In the last few days we have reported disturbing stories regarding the safety of children. Two little girls, one in Florida and one in Missouri went missing and were then found dead days later. Unfortunately, we have to report these types of stories far too often. With Halloween this Saturday night, we will send our children out into the night into areas where people, both children and adults, will be shielding their true identity. We will send them knocking on strangers’ doors asking for treats. It is tradition, and it is fun. However, it can be dangerous if precautions are not taken. But, we can limit the risk if we all work together. If we act as that proverbial village to guard over our children, we can increase their level of safety this Halloween.

 

Here are some things to keep in mind.

-Warn kids not to eat treats before they are examined

-Make sure, whether you’re in costume or not, that your clothing is bright enough to be clearly visible and carry a flashlight.

-Children should always be accompanied by an adult

-Children should not enter homes or apartments

-Children should only go to homes where the residents are known and have lights on

-Finally, watch out for your children, and the children of others let’s use the entire village to watch out for our kids

The safety and well being of our children should be a high priority every day, but especially during Halloween. Having a safe and happy Halloween will create lasting memories for you and your kids, and it will make this A Better Region 8.

Longer School Year?

Last week we ran a web poll on Region 8 News that asked “Would you favor a longer school year in public schools?” Almost 75% said no.  Here are some of the responses we received.

Elizabeth said:

“I would just like to know...when does a child get to just be a "kid"? They go to school long enough now. Add homework and that doesn't leave much time to be able to play and "just be a kid" before dinner and bedtime. I think they need to be given a break!”

Rebecca added:

“Sometimes we are trying to keep up with other countries and our children are paying the price for it. Do not make our kids go to school longer than they do now. They don't even get much of a break now in the summertime and what about those teachers. That is a very stressful job to begin with. Do we really want to see our teachers working longer hours too?”

Folks, these are all valid points. However, this world we live in is changing rapidly. In order to be successful, our children will have to have a better education than we did. They will have to know more, and know how to better utilize that education for this to remain the greatest country on the planet. I don’t know that simply extending the school day or the school year will make that happen. But I do know that if we all made the education system in this country a bigger priority, it would make our country and Region 8 better.