Thursday thumbs

Downturned digits in unusually ample supply

First the weather is unseasonably warm, then we spend time in our “safe spot” while the TV weathermen warn of approaching rotation in the clouds, then the snow falls and the temperatures plummet. Maybe it’s the weather that’s got us in a foul mood and turned our digits upside down in several instances today. But spring break is just around the corner, so it’s all looking up, especially if the Hogs can advance in the NCAA tournament. Until game time, a few thoughts on recent developments:

It may be that Washington County’s veteran services director, Josh Medina, is worth every penny of the $41,766 salary he gets. And perhaps he’s demonstrated in the first few weeks of his employment under new County Judge Joseph Wood that he’s even deserving of the $2,300-a-year pay increase Wood has requested for him. But it’s hard for the public to really know very much about the inner workings of this county judge’s administration because Wood so far has proven so secretive. “He’s holding his cards pretty close to his breast,” is the way Butch Pond, a fellow Republican on the Quorum Court, put it. It seems that’s the way Wood wants to govern. Washington County government under Wood’s control has demonstrated a strong desire to (1) limit access to Wood, (2) funnel even basic information through the county attorney, who for some reason looks to be serving more as a spokesman for Wood than an attorney for the county’s best interests and (3) provide limited responses to questions previous county judges felt comfortable responding to as a matter of course. His administration has avoided details about the backgrounds of his new hires by claiming to not have any resumes or background information on file. Maybe Washington County voters elected someone who really believes their government is none of their business, or perhaps he’s insecure about his leadership or decision-making. The county has apparently been spoiled in the past with county judges that governed with confidence combined with openness to, not fear of, public scrutiny. Our hope is Wood figures out a way — or a desire — to better communicate his approach to governing, with a clear understanding he’s a temporary officeholder responsible to the public with every one of his decisions.

Speaking of Judge Wood, it was good news he backed off plans submitted to luke-warm reception last month to the Quorum Court. Wood wanted to have two deputy chiefs of staff, basically, rather than one. County government isn’t so complicated that an elected county judge and one chief of staff can’t manage things. Unfortunately, Wood spokesman and sometime County Attorney Brian Lester said Wood may reconsider at a later time. Let’s hope each reconsideration is convincing that the idea wasn’t a good one from the start.

It seems during that wonderful time of year known as Girl Scout cookie delivery season we hear some bit of news that leaves us shaking our heads. Early this week, a spokesman for the Girl Scouts in South Carolina described an incident in which a thief distracted a mother and daughter selling cookies in front of a Wal-Mart store. The thief then grabbed a money box and scurried away. Beyond the pathetic robbery of people helping out a great nonprofit organization, the thief demonstrated his lack of sense by leaving the real valuables behind: the cookies. Who can resist those things? Hopefully, South Carolina police can nab this person and show him how the cookie crumbles.

We wish Kathy Deck, director of the University of Arkansas’s Center for Business and Economic Research since 2007, all the best in her move to the University of Alabama, but selfishly from a Northwest Arkansas perspective, we’re giving the move a thumbs down. Deck has been a constant source of analysis for the economic forces at work in our region, helping to provide insights to the public, including the movers and shakers who are looking to wisely invest in the continued success of the region. Deck’s husband, a UA economics professor, was approached by Alabama officials about joining the faculty there. The University of Alabama got lucky in the two-fer transaction and Northwest Arkansas got unlucky. The region will be fine, but we’re sorry to see a great resource (and a nice person) leave the region.

Finally, a thumbs up, and it’s for U.S. Rep. Steve Womack. The other day, his office announced Womack had taken his 4,294th straight vote in the U.S. House of Representatives, a perfect record since he took office in 2011. Just voting isn’t all there is to congressional representation, but showing up is a good start. Womack’s holds the record as the longest consecutive voting streak held by any sitting member of the House. It doesn’t count for everything, especially if one disagrees with how Womack is voting, but it does count for something.

It’s an exciting time to be a fan of the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team, whether one is in Fayetteville or anywhere else across the state. Though they challenged fans’ stress levels more than once through the season, the Hogs reached the SEC Tournament championship game and earned an invitation to the Big Dance that starts in earnest this morning. The Hogs play Friday in a challenging part of the March Madness bracket. Hopefully, we have several more times to see seniors Dusty Hannahs, Moses Kingsley, Manny Watkins and the rest of this wild band of Razorbacks, in games not announced by Dick Vitale.