A Better REGION 8

Second Impact Syndrome

There are three seasons in the course of a year that have an undue influence on Region 8 men-Duck Season, Deer season, and Football season. Warning to the wives out there- some husbands may be affected by more than one of the aforementioned seasons. Football season officially kicks off this week as young men all across the region line up to do battle on Friday nights. While a lot of us enjoy watching those big plays that happen on the gridiron, I’d like to talk about the well being of the players for a minute. Specifically, the byproducts of those big hits on the field. We use to call it “getting your bell rung”. Now we know it as head trauma, or even concussion. A recent study in the journal “Pediatrics” indicates that young athletes may face a greater danger if they suffer new head blows before they're fully recovered from previous concussions. They call it "second-impact syndrome." Parents, teachers, and specifically coaches need to watch out for symptoms of concussion because young athletes may be reluctant to let anyone know. They are kids. They want to play. You can't take chances with what may be a brain injury. If there are any symptoms, even mild ones, err on the side of caution. We all want to see our team to win on Friday night but let’s make sure and keep our kids safe in the process. It will make this A Better Region 8.

Guest Editorial-Congressman Rick Crawford on Balanced Budget Amendment

Since January, Congress has worked to reduce the size of government, rein in unnecessary spending, and control the national debt. We have been successful and are moving in the right direction, but we need permanent structural reform that will force the government to live within its means.

Washington has proven that statutory budget caps don’t work to control spending.  For decades, both Republicans and Democrats have merely ignored the caps and continued to spend money we don’t have, leading us to our current economic problems. The only way to truly control our national debt is a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution.

A BBA will bind the hands of this Congress, and all future Congresses, when it comes to wasteful spending, something that no statutory legislation has ever been able to do.

It will rein in federal spending, prevent the continued expansion of the federal government, and eliminate partisan fights over the size of spending cuts. It will force Washington to spend wisely and not cut haphazardly.

Fifteen years ago, the BBA failed the Senate by only one vote. Now the stakes are significantly higher.

The House and Senate will vote on the Balanced Budget Amendment this fall. I consider this one of the most crucial I cast. I will fight for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution so we don’t punish our children and grandchildren with a national debt they didn’t create.

 

 

Letting go of the West Memphis Three

While the legal maneuvering of last Friday and the subsequent release of the West Memphis 3 left a lot of us scratching our heads in wonder, it was probably the best possible outcome we could have expected. Not the best outcome. Not by far, but perhaps the least atrocious. The deliverance of justice for those three little boys. . .for their families, will never come. We will never really know who was responsible for what happened that spring day , 18 years ago.  The facts surrounding the case were so muddied that for some, there were always doubts. Because of the Alford Plea, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley are free to walk among us, yet still stand convicted of murder. They took their best possible option. But really, who wouldn’t say whatever necessary to get off death row?  For us, the taxpayers, our state, county and local agencies will not be forced to bear the financial burden and ensuing media circus of another trial. The state, the prosecuting attorney, took what they thought was the best possible action and now our already overburdened legal system can close the books on 18 years of trials and legal maneuvering.  The expediency of the hearings on Friday did nothing to change the fact that there are families that still mourn the loss of three little boys that never got the chance to grow up.  That will never change. Bringing the West Memphis 3 case to a conclusion, putting it behind us and moving on will most definitely be difficult. But hopefully, we can put it behind us and make this a Better Region 8.

Paying Attention

School has started back and once again it seems summer has flown by at light speed. After getting my kids off to their first day of school, I posted that sentiment to facebook and immediately received a reply from my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Neala Stahl.  Mrs. Stahl was always stern but fair; definitely a disciplinarian. And she was always after me to pay attention.  So with school starting back, I’d like to take a page out of her teacher’s guide and remind all of us parents out there, me included, to pay attention. Let’s pay attention when we’re driving. Watch out for kids walking to and from school, and make sure that we slow down in school zones. Let’s be prepared to stop when busses put those flashers on and watch out for the students getting on and off.  When we’re dropping off or picking up, let’s commit to put the cell phone down and pay attention to the children ours and others weaving in and out of car lines.  And when we get the kids home, let’s make sure that we pay them some personal attention too. Let’s make sure to talk about their day, make sure homework gets done, and make sure that we give them every opportunity to succeed both at school and in life. Paying attention- A simple lesson that will make this a Better Region 8.

A Steady Diet of Peas

The stock market has now had time to adjust to the government’s loss of the coveted Triple-A credit ranking. It seems as though chaos was the order of the day as the Dow dropped over 600 points. One reporter described the approach as “sell first and ask questions later.” Millions of dollars in American wealth evaporated simply because the people we sent to Washington couldn’t, wouldn’t, and didn’t come to a sensible solution for dealing with our country’s mounting debt. Last month our president told us it was time to “eat our peas”. I guess those in Washington find it hard to understand that the American public has been living on a steady diet of peas for three years now. We are used to it. Since the economy fell apart in ’08 Americans have learned to be more frugal. When the economy first faltered, we saw friends lose their jobs and neighbors lose their homes. And because of that I think a lot of us learned to make more sound financial decisions. It is high time that our President and the leadership of BOTH parties on Capitol Hill learn to do the same. Sound leadership in Washington that remains in touch with middle America will make this a better country and A Better Region 8.

The Sales Tax Takes a Holiday

The state of Arkansas is walking away from an estimated 2.1 million dollars this weekend. Normally, we would be critical of such an action but in this case we should be proud our fine state is finally catching up with its peers. This weekend the state will join almost 20 other states by holding its first annual sales tax holiday. On Saturday and Sunday only, state and local sales taxes will not be collected on the sale of some clothing, accessories, equipment, and school supplies. If you haven’t equipped a child to get ready for school, you may not understand the significance of this “holiday”. Nationally, it costs between $400 to $1000 dollars to outfit a child for school depending on their age. By removing the sales tax on an amount that big, that’s a lot of money put back in your pocket. Sometimes we grouse about the decisions made by our state legislators on our behalf in Little Rock, but this time, they got it right. We encourage you to enjoy the savings on this inaugural sales tax holiday. It will help you stretch a dollar, and that will make this a better region 8.