Thursday’s thumbs

Based on these digits, things are looking up in NWA

Our thumbs are a little tired from the firm grip we’ve kept on our umbrellas the last couple of days, but we’ve done a few exercises to loosen them up for our weekly round of Thursday’s thumbs: Fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball team don’t have anything left to cheer about as far as this season goes since the Hogs were booted from the NCAA Tournament. Freshman center Daniel Gafford, however, provided some cause for celebration this week when he announced he would return for his sophomore season. The lure of the NBA is strong among college players, so count us among those skeptical that he would return. But his announcement strengthens the team for 2018-19 significantly if Gafford continues to improve as a college player. Gafford was among the Hogs’ top four scorers, and the three others just completed their senior seasons. We’ll all see Gafford in the NBA one of these days, but it’s exciting to know the El Dorado resident will be contributing at Bud Walton Arena next year. A reader checked in Wednesday to ask where Charles Krauthammer’s columns have gone. Krauthammer’s columns appeared frequently in our pages until last year, when he abruptly took a hiatus for medical issues. Last we heard, he’s doing better, but still recuperating from complications from a surgical procedure. Rest assured, Krauthammer fans, we’ll look for opportunities to publish his column once they are again available. Until then, here’s hoping that recovery speeds along well. We couldn’t think of a more deserving institution to go into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame than the Venesian Inn in Tontitown. Locals know the restaurant has been serving up delicious fried chicken, pasta, garlic salads, rolls and other tasty food since 1947. A visit there is always fun, filling and full of friendliness. The eatery joined McClard’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant in Hot Springs and Franke’s Cafeteria in Little Rock in the Hall of Fame this year. Is anyone getting hungry? Last we heard, the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees is slated to consider in meetings today in El Dorado a new policy on criteria for firing tenured faculty. First proposed last fall, the policy is “much better” than it was back then after negotiated changes, according to the president of the Academic Senate the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Tenure, of course, is meant to protect faculty and give them freedom to teach without political or administrative pressures. That deserves protection. But it’s false to suggest every tenured member of faculty should be untouchable, especially if their overall performance contributes negatively to the institution and students they are there to serve. The new policy lists 12 examples of reasons for dismissal or discipline rather than the old four reasons, along the lines of incompetence, neglect of duty, intellectual dishonesty and moral turpitude. Tenure exists for a good reason and should not be undone lightly, but UA leaders also deserve some flexibility to deal with situations in which corrections need to be made for the benefit of student education and institutional operation. Fayetteville Housing Authority Director Deniece Smiley lives in the real world where people need roofs over their heads and decent living conditions under those roofs. The University of Arkansas Community Designer Center offered some grant-funded planning layouts for the aging Willow Heights public housing complex that examined building frontages on existing structures, landscaping and added market-rate units. Sure, it’s nice to look at such plans and incorporate them into thinking for the future, but public housing is as much about the living conditions inside as outside, and the biggest challenge for the Housing Authority is keeping Willow Heights livable on its tight budget. “This all looks great. I think everybody would love the fact they have a covered porch or a new roof or that type of thing,” Smiley responded. “But we want to make sure they’ve got decent housing — interior, not just outside.” And that is the name of the game in public housing. An incredible crowd showed up Wednesday for the official ribbon-cutting for the new Arkansas Children’s Northwest, including a veritable who’s who of local political and civic leaders. Chances are few of us can completely grasp the full impact having a medical facility like this will have for the long-term benefit of the region, but Wednesday as a day of pride to launch many years filled with outstanding stories of healing for children. Kudos to the donors and Arkansas Children’s supporters who had the vision to bring these medical services and jobs to Northwest Arkansas.