A Better REGION 8

Thank you first responders

I hope you got the chance to spend some time indoors this weekend with your family, toasty warm with a hot cup of cocoa and watching KAIT on the set. But there's a group of dedicated people who did not have that luxury. These are the folks who keep us safe, work to keep our power on and clear our roads. I want to send a great big KAIT salute to the power crews, police officers and deputies, firefighters, road crews, transportation departments and all the folks who worked so hard to make sure we got through this winter storm with minimal loss of power and minimal issues. Because we know things could have been a lot worse. If you happen to see one of these folks out and about today or this week, please take a moment to say thank you. Thank you from those you serve and thank you for making this A Better Region 8.

Red Wolf Boulevard is done deal

A portion of Stadium Boulevard in Jonesboro has been renamed Red Wolf Boulevard Talk about a hot topic. This proposed change was debated from Tailgate City to City Hall. It did pass, but not without some feelings getting hurt. If you follow A Better Region 8, you know I supported this change and I'm glad to see that it passed. But I certainly understand the perspective of others who did not share my view. I do understand the change affects the thousands of people who drive down that road and do business there. Jonesboro owes much of its success to ASU. Now that it's a done deal, how about we all put this behind us and get back to the business of supporting our Red Wolves. Let's take all that passion and put it into cheering on the Red Wolves on the fields or court. Supporting ASU and the Red Wolves makes Jonesboro better and A Better Region 8.

Let's put the Red Wolf Boulevard debate behind us

A portion of Stadium Boulevard in Jonesboro has been renamed Red Wolf Boulevard Talk about a hot topic. This proposed change was debated from Tailgate City to City Hall. It did pass, but not without some feelings getting hurt. If you follow A Better Region 8, you know I supported this change and I'm glad to see that it passed. But I certainly understand the perspective of others who did not share my view. I do understand the change affects the thousands of people who drive down that road and do business there. Jonesboro owes much of its success to ASU. Now that it's a done deal, how about we all put this behind us and get back to the business of supporting our Red Wolves. Let's take all that passion and put it into cheering on the Red Wolves on the fields or court. Supporting ASU and the Red Wolves makes Jonesboro better and A Better Region 8.

Remember Paul's Law, don't text and drive

This month marks the 5 year anniversary of a horrible accident involving two men and was the result of texting and driving. Paul Davidson was a 41-year old father of 2 daughters, a son and a step-daughter when he met Layne Blanchard on a Jonesboro road one day in July, 2008. Blanchard was a 27-year old executive chef at a local country club. They hit head on when Layne swerved into Paul's path. Paul was killed. Layne was not hurt and admitted on the scene he had been texting and driving. The aftermath of the accident caused Layne to slip into a deep depression and in December of 2008 Layne shot himself and died. Paul's daughter Hilary took action and pushed to have a bill presented in the legislature that would make it illegal to text and drive. Paul's Law is in effect today and there is no question this law has saved lives. The next time you reach for your phone while driving, take a moment and think about Paul Davidson and Layne Blanchard and know that text can wait. Paul's Law makes this A Better Region 8.

Go ahead and change the name

There's a proposal on the table to rename part of Stadium Boulevard as Red Wolf Boulevard. This is similar to a lot of other cities like Rebel Boulevard for Ole Miss and Razorback Road for the University of Arkansas. I think this is a terrific idea and just one more way we as a community can show our support and pride for Arkansas State University. I've looked into the change and it just seems like a win-win to me. Here are a couple of reasons why I support this plan: The impact on businesses on Stadium appears to be minimal. The post office would recognize both addresses for several years after the change. Changing the name and adding signage on Highway 63 and other roadways will send a strong message to visitors that we are aligned with A-State. Any banners or signs promoting the change would be paid for by A-State, not the city, and will not cost Jonesboro tax payers a dime! Anything we can do to support A-State and build up this major employer and force in our community will make this A Better Region 8.

Don't trash the place

No matter where you live in Region 8 it's important to remember that we must all take care of our communities and that means not using them as trash cans. I had the opportunity to talk with one our viewers recently and he was telling me about what's going on in his neighborhood. He lives on a busy street in Jonesboro and is upset about all the garbage that's being thrown out on the roads. He shared a disturbing story with me, he said he was standing by his mailbox when a neighbor tossed trash out of a car window and it landed right at his feet. This reminded him of a public service announcement that many of you may remember from the early 1970's where an Indian chief is seen crying when trash is thrown from a moving car and lands at his feet. Before you roll that window down and toss that garbage, think about the crying Indian chief and remember it's your choice to be part of the problem or part of the solution. Choosing to be part of the solution and refusing to litter will make this A Better Region 8.

Caraway could use this shot in the arm

If you live in Jonesboro or visit Jonesboro, you've probably had the chance to drive down Caraway Road and see the big open spot where the Indian Mall used to stand. It was sad to see the mall come down, but it had to be done. An empty complex like that was a huge invitation for blight. Now that it's gone, it's time to make some progress on Caraway. You no doubt have heard Kroger is planning on building a marketplace and fuel station at this location. This week, the Jonesboro Metropolitan Area Planning Commission approved the plan for the construction, and while there are still a few things to work out like how to deal with the increased traffic, I feel confident our city officials can get those issues resolved quickly. As more businesses have migrated to Stadium Boulevard, Caraway Road has started to be a less desirable shopping destination. I believe this addition to Caraway is exactly what is needed to help one of the busiest corridors thrive once again. Clearing the way for this addition will make this A Better Jonesboro and A Better Region 8.

Fill out the survey

I have the opportunity to visit with Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin from time to time and there is one thing I can tell Mayor Perrin is super passionate about and that's improving our roads. He's focused on making our roads safer and easier to travel. With that in mind, I want to alert you to a survey that is underway right now and you can be a part of it. The Survey is a study of the potential benefits of extending Parker Road from the present endpoint near Straw Floor Road to Washington Avenue. According to the survey, the benefits could offer reduced congestion on Southwest Drive/Main Street especially during the peak hours, reduced crash exposure along Southwest Drive and allow US-63 to handle longer distance trips as intended among other things. In order to gather this information, the city of Jonesboro needs you to respond to this survey by June 15th. You can fill the survey out by logging on to kait8 dot com. Click on Community at the top of the page and then click on A Better Region 8 to link to the survey. Voicing your opinion on this survey will help make this A Better Region 8. http://www.jonesboro.org/Engineer/Documents/Parker%20Road%20Extension%20SurveySend.pdf Fill out the survey on the screen then click the submit button at the bottom of the document (Internet Explorer or Chrome browsers required)

Don't complain, pick up the trash

A member of my KAIT family gave me some food for thought this week. One of our directors, Melvin Johns, told me about a small way he works to help keep Region 8 clean. Now that spring has sprung Melvin takes a walk in the mornings. He grabs a garbage bag and picks up the trash along the way. A lot of rubbish has accumulated over the cold winter months. Melvin says it's a small gesture, but we all know a small gesture made by a lot of people can make a huge impact on our community. Of course, you don't have to do it every time you walk, but instead of saying look at all of that trash do something about it. Bring a bag along. We have come a long way when it comes to litter, but unfortunately we still have members of our community who use the sides of our roads as a trash can. I think Melvin had a great idea. If you are taking a walk, grab a bag, pick up what you can safely and help make our roadways more beautiful. Helping clean up litter will make this A Better Region 8.

A hot spot for speeding

A hot spot for speeding. That's how folks in Cash describe the stretch of Highway 226 that runs through their city. Three people have died in accidents on this stretch of road in just one week. I don't have to tell you that's too many deaths. Arkansas State Police are going to do what they can by beefing up patrols. They're short staffed, but they're going to work to increase patrols and hopefully get folks to slow down. But they can't do it alone, we must help. If you travel this area, or in any area, slow down! Also, be sure and stop at ALL stop signs. As one trooper told Region 8 News -- in just a few seconds, you can either be on top of someone, hit someone that's stopped or be off in the ditch yourself. Don't become another statistic or kill someone else because you're trying to get someone a few minutes faster. Being responsible behind the wheel no matter where you travel will make this A Better Region 8.