Thursday’s thumbs

Kudos to the after-storm responders

It’s Thursday and another chance to fire off a few up or down thumbs about some of news developments in our neck of the woods and elsewhere:

In Washington County, nonprofit groups are understandably disappointed county leaders have, so far, seen fit to reject or ignore requests for some of the $46 million in covid relief from the federal government. Policy differences come and go. It’s the nature of leadership that decisions are made by majorities and that carrying the vote doesn’t always translate into being right. That’s an eye-of-the-beholder judgment. In Sunday’s coverage in this newspaper, it was clear much of the frustration with county government arises from its teasing of nonprofit groups, intentional or not. In other words, county leaders have at times made a show of speaking as though helping nonprofits was a goal, but delivering on the talk? Not so much. Washington County has no problem accepting the gift of covid-19 relief funding from the federal government, but some of its leaders seem to think that’s as far as charity ought to go. They’ve appeared content to freeze out nonprofit groups working to fill needs within the community — such as hunger — exacerbated by two years of a pandemic. It’s fair to say county leaders haven’t wasted the money, but out of $46 million, there’s no room for a few crumbs to fall from the county’s federal bounty?

Many details are yet to come about the shooting the other night in the Walton Arts Center parking lot, but it’s astonishing that the three men police say were involved — all of whom had moments earlier emerged from a Dickson Street nightclub — were reported to be carrying handguns. Take whatever Second Amendment position you want, but we know this: Firearms and alcohol are a horrible, and often deadly, combination. According to what the police revealed, it also sounds like one man pulled his gun in defense against another who was wielding a gun, then the third man opened fire in defense after seeing the first man show his weapon. The result: a shootout at the Walton Arts Center Corral, limited in its damage because one man’s gun apparently jammed. This isn’t the Dickson Street experience anyone wants.

Kudos to all the folks and organizations — too many to mention knowing someone would inevitably get left out — who have responded with concern and compassion to the folks in need in the wake of the tornado that hit Springdale recently. The helpless feeling that can come from such a powerful weather event is made worse when it seems you’re alone in its wake. We appreciate those who work hard to soften the blow of such a disaster.