Thursday’s thumbs

Chicks, churches and a fair-ly good time

Hard-core supporters of Donald Trump may want to hold off reading beyond this point, as today’s Thumbs have not been reviewed and given the approval of the president. Others who aren’t quite ready to turn the nation’s free press over to the White House can read on to see this week’s collection of thumbs.

It’s just down the road f rom where Tyson Foods was born, and as of Wednesday, it’s also where the future of the company is being hatched.

Tyson Foods on Wednesday officially opened its modern, 75,000-squarefoot incubation center at East Huntsville Avenue and North Monitor Road in Springdale. The facility will supply chicks for the company’s Northwest Arkansas broiler chicken and Cornish hen operations. It replaces hatcheries in Lincoln and in Springdale with a building that features advanced technology, including biosecurity and robotics.

It’s a big step for one of the nation’s major food suppliers and one of the state’s largest employers.

A thumbs down to the Fayetteville Public Library? Not really, because what’s not to love about the library? But the approach the library leadership took to get a millage approved for expansion — a project we supported — still leaves us uncomfortable in the wake of this week’s library board meeting. Executive Director David Johnson said the preliminary drawings used leading up to last year’s millage increase election are now being trashed. He explained to board members that the project’s architect said “Forget everything that you’ve seen. Wipe your mind of all the ways you’ve been shown. We’re starting all over.” What, exactly, was the point of even drawing up those preliminary views? Certainly, one would expect modifications as more specific drawings are made, but to say “forget everything” about what was shown to the voters? The words “bait and switch” come to mind, although we’re unconvinced the library board was being deceptive prior to the election. To their credit, several public input sessions will be held as the design process continues. But the strategy of showing the public plans then tossing those plans aside entirely is like wrapping a book jacket for “The Great Gatsby” around a volume of Donald Trump’s “The Art of the Deal.” Maybe both are worth reading, but what’s inside isn’t what the jacket referenced. We would never want any other public body to show the public one blueprint then toss it aside once voters approved the money. But we’re also pretty sure the public will be pretty forgiving when it comes to the city’s beloved library.

Cross Church’s own pastor, Ronnie Floyd, has been selected to serve as president of the National Day of Prayer. That’s a great honor. Will he lead the nation in prayer for President Trump to exhibit a more Christian approach to, well, just about everything? Any person of faith ought to be praying for our nation, and that includes the president.

The gates of the annual Washington County Fair open Tuesday for its five-day celebration of agriculture, rural life, arts, crafts, carnival rides and tasty treats. The event has been around since 1857 and its organizers have worked hard to stay true to its roots while also bringing it well into the 21st century. It’s great down-home fun for young and old, rural and city folk. The fair will continue through Sept. 2.

The members of Prairie Grove Christian Church deserve praise for their compassion and generosity in helping build houses for people who find themselves in tough circumstances, such as a family in the church’s own community now living in a horse trailer because their house was flooded. Church members are building them a new home, working to get “in the dry” so the homeowners can continue the work later as they have money. Nothing feels so nice — and responds to their faith — quite like helping a neighbor in need.