A Better REGION 8

The Best Country in the World

Last week, President Obama announced the plan to bring our troops home from Afghanistan. We are all so very proud that our men and women are coming home. Far too long we have seen them risking and in some cases sacrificing their lives for the cause of freedom. I hope each and every one within the sound of my voice we realizes just how lucky those of us on the homefront have it as we prepare to celebrate our freedom on Independence Day. Freedom is something we should never take for granted. Our country is not perfect. We may fight amongst ourselves from time to time but yet on America’s worst day, it remains the best country in the world. We have freedoms many people in other parts of the world would die for. Freedoms that many of our countrymen have died for. While there are those evil doers that wish the worst for America, our country and our freedoms stand as a beacon of hope for far many more. We should never forget how lucky we are to live in the United States of America. And on this July 4 holiday we hope that you celebrate all that is great about our country and honor those who have served and those who continue to serve to maintain its greatness. Please have a happy and safe Fourth of July, and God bless America.

Guest Commentary-Kim Long, United Way

 

Imagine knowing that a child is going to bed hungry on a regular basis, a woman is being abused by her spouse or boyfriend or a homeless person is out in the rain, heat, or cold.  Well, it’s not imagination and it does go on here in our community in Region 8 .  Since 1955, United Way has been helping organizations in Northeast Arkansas that deal with these problems.    Within the last few years, United Way of America has urged local United Way chapters to move from funding “United Way Agencies” to making grants available for specific and more targeted “programs”. This funding approach is designed to help get at the root of problems that cause issues like those I just mentioned. This funding model is called Community Impact. United Way of Northeast Arkansas has joined this nationwide Community Impact movement and now awards grants to programs that specifically target Education, Income, and Health. Any 501©3 in our 8 county coverage area can apply for program funding. We even offer training assistance in completing the application.  Tax returns, audits, and financial statements are submitted with each application.  We also ask for a program budget, program partners, projected outcomes data and the measurement tools used to obtain the data. Several committees and our board of directors review the information and ask many questions including: Is the organization financially sustainable?  Will the program continue with or without our support?  Would it exist with only partial support?  After reviewing, considering, and discussing each application the Regional Impact Committee attempts to allocate United Way funds to affect the greatest possible Community Impact.   Now, this may seem like a cumbersome process, but it is necessary to insure that YOUR dollars, the dollars that are donated from the citizens of Region 8, are put to their highest and best use throughout our communities. With $1.2 million in requests, and only $720,000 to award in our most recent application process, a lot of difficult decisions had to be made.  These decisions were not made lightly and were heart-wrenching for many. There just simply wasn’t enough money to fulfill each request.   The bottom line is that there is a lot of need in our area & United Way is here to help fill as much of  that need as possible.  United Way of Northeast Arkansas is committed to helping make lasting changes in our communities.  Will you join the effort to LIVE UNITED to make this a “Better Region 8”

Childhood Obesity

This Week a report regarding childhood obesity was issued from the Institute of Medicine. It indicated that one in five youngsters is overweight or obese by the time they start kindergarten and it calls for better guidelines defining what and how much you should allow toddlers to eat. Among the high points in the report was a call to limit screen time including television, cell phones and digital media to less than two hours a day for children 2-5.  We support that. We would like for all you adults out there to watch KAIT as often as possible, but these days too many children, mine included,  are sitting in front of TVs and computers and are growing up not knowing the simple joys of playing outside. That same study said that 40% of kids aged 4-6 have TVs in their bedrooms. Now I would guess these kids at risk don’t shop for their own groceries. They probably don’t have a job that would earn enough money to purchase a cell phone, a computer, or TV. We parents are the ones to blame and we are the ones who must fix it. So find some time to get them out in the yard, on the swing set, or play a game of catch. You’ll help your kids be healthier, make wonderful memories, and make this A Better Region 8.

Swimming Safety

Summer officially arrived this week and each year, as we see the mercury  rise, we typically see an increase in news reports concerning people drowning. Swimming and other water-related activities are excellent ways to get the physical activity needed for a healthy life, and millions of people enjoy the water each year.Whether you like spending your summer free time at the lake or river, stream or pool, in public or in private, water does not discriminate.  It is tragic when any life is lost due to drowning and especially tragic when the life lost the life of a child. The second your kids are old enough teach them to swim and to respect the water. If they’re too young then teach them to roll on their back and float. And make sure they know either swimming with a buddy or constant adult supervision is a must. Every single person regardless of age should learn how to swim. If you know the basics take an advanced swimming class, if you know that, consider taking a life saving course . Think of it as a gift you may never use but one that will give you a fighting chance should you ever need it. Learning to swim is one of the most valuable lessons you can ever learn and teaching a little one to swim can bring you a whole lot of joy. Practice safety in the water this summer and make this a Better Region 8.

On Fathers and Father's Day

In a recent Pew Research Study, 57 percent of adults said it’s more difficult to be a father today than it was 20 or 30 years ago. That may be one reason why, in that same study, it was found that the percentage of fathers living apart from their kids had more than doubled in the last 50 years. Add to that the fact that almost half of all today’s American fathers under the age of 45 have at least one child who was born out of wedlock. Interesting information to ponder as we observe Father’s Day this weekend. While I know there are a lot of single dads doing everything they can to be a good father, there are still too many kids who are growing up without Dad in the picture these days. Not having a dad active in a kids life puts a hardship on that child. One they may never overcome. Far too many men think that they’ve proven their manhood when the kids are born.  That’s far from the truth. We cannot simply cede our responsibility at the birth of a child. It is as much a Father’s responsibility, as it is a mothers,  to care for and raise the children. There are plenty of Dad’s out there that get it and we hope they have a great Father’s Day.  And for those who need to get more involved with their kids…Use the holiday as an excuse to get started, and go make this a Better Region 8.

Guest Commentary- Paragould Mayor Mike Gaskill

Economic development is important to all the cities in the State of Arkansas.

Without economic development growth is hard to maintain and without growth, services such as medical, commercial and public safety are hard to maintain.

Most cities do not have the resources in their operational budget to do economic development.  Therefore, it is a struggle to create jobs and opportunities for their citizens.

The City of Paragould is proposing a sales tax dedicated solely to economic development.  With additional resources we will be able to create jobs and opportunities without compromising basic services.

If we are going to continue to be progressive and successful in job creation and retention, we are going to need resources to partner with the State in economic development.  Look around and see the progress that has occurred in the last decade.  Business, medical and commercial entities are attracted to communities that are growing.

Our future depends on a progressive mindset coupled with financial resources.  Our citizens have always responded to the needs of the community and have been willing to dig into their own pockets to create opportunities.  Future opportunities for our children and grandchildren may very well hinge upon the success of this election.

Tuesday, we have the opportunity to help secure that future by voting for economic development. 

Northeast Arkansans for Animals

A couple of months ago on one of the first few days of spring, I went to get to work on my yard, went to the barn to get my tools and found 2 baby kittens, no more than a few days old. This was the second year in a row for that to happen. Last year we left the kittens we found alone, and they didn’t make it. This year, we went to work and tried to save them. Wannda Turner and Northeast Arkansans For Animals came through and took them in. They put the kittens with a dog  feeding her litter and they are adopted now and doing fine. NAFA does good work looking out for animals that can’t look out for themselves.  We are roughly 150 days into the year  and NAFA has already investigated 118 cases of abuse or neglect.  That is a animal abuse case about every 3 out of 4 days.  As the summer heats up and the economy continues to be difficult for some folks, animal hoarding, neglect and abuse will continue to increase. If you find an animal and need help with it like I did, contact NAFA. They can help, but  be prepared to care for the animal  for a couple of days until they can get there. And if you see abuse occurring or if you just simply know someone who needs help taking care of their animals log onto www.nafarescue.org to find out what to do.  NAFA and other animal shelters  do their best to look out for animals in Northeast Arkansas. And that makes this a Better Region 8.

Guest Commentary-Senator John Boozman

America has a dangerous dependence on foreign oil. We import nearly two-thirds of all the oil we use and it not only costs us billions of dollars, it also challenges our national, political, environmental, and economic security.

We don’t have to look any further than our nearest gas station to see how it’s impacting our wellbeing. In Arkansas we’re seeing the average price for a gallon of regular gas nearing $4 and this is taking a toll on many aspects of our lives.  Budgets are strained from the increased costs and it’s forcing us to accommodate to meet the needs of our families.

To ease the pain we’re feeling at the pump Congress needs to encourage more production of U.S. resources. This is the only developed country in the world that refuses to use its natural resources. Opening up Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), building refineries and more nuclear power plants as well as opening offshore drilling are all things we seriously need to consider to help increase our domestic energy supply.

There is no time like today to pass legislation to fully utilize the resources of this country. I’m a proponent of increasing the supply of domestic energy and have continually cosponsored and voted on legislation that aims to make us more energy independent.

In the long run we need to increase development of alternative energies. I have supported legislation that funds research into wind, solar, hydrogen and other technologies that will ease our dependence on foreign oil and gas, but in this current crisis, American oil and gas are necessary and available.

Spending more of our hard-earned money at the pump is a costly reminder of how dependent we are on foreign oil. It is time we adopt a comprehensive energy policy that will allow us to use American-made energy and end this destructive dependency.

Click it or Ticket

There are some mornings when I back out of the driveway that I have two alarms  go off. One is that annoying little beeping noise my truck makes when I don't buckle my seat belt. The second alarm sounds a little sweeter. It's the sound of my daughter saying "Buckle up, Daddy".  Now I'm trying to do better and make sure that I buckle up each and every time I get in a vehicle. But, truth be told, it doesn't always happen and when I fail to simply reach down and fasten that seat belt, I am breaking the law. Each year in the week leading up to Memorial day we see the return of the Click it or Ticket program. Arkansas Law Enforcement has participated for the last decade. And since the seat belt law changed in '09, Law enforcement officers can and will pull you over for not wearing your seatbelt. While the "Click It or Ticket" campaign has helped boost the national seat belt use rate to an all-time high, Arkansas is still below the national average of 85 percent. Folks, we need to do better. If you fasten that belt every time you get in a car, good for you, But if you’re more like me, or worse, don’t buckle up at all, let’s try to make it click and uphold the law. It will make this A Better Region 8 and you know…It Might just save your life.