Thumbs column
The month of May blew into town with a bluster, but hopefully sunnier days and warmer temperatures are in store aplenty for denizens of Hot Springs and Garland County.
Weather forecasts aside, “May Days” in the resort city are always filled with a plethora of activities and amusements this time of year.
Despite last weekend’s rains and winds, the Hot Springs Solid Waste Department merits a great big “Thumbs-up” for braving the elements to hold its annual Spring Fling citywide cleanup.
Large roll-off containers were placed in each of the city’s six districts so people could conveniently dispose of items from their homes and properties on Saturday and Sunday. The Garland County Environmental Services also participated in the cleanup effort, making three drop-off locations available for refuse disposal until 1 p.m. Saturday.
According to Monday’s Page 1 story in The Sentinel-Record, the free event drew a steady stream of people getting “mean on clean” and getting rid of long unused items and unwanted clutter. Randy Atkinson, director of the city’s Solid Waste Department, said 88 tons of trash had been collected by 1:30 p.m. Saturday and that unless more rain and wind kept citizens away on Sunday, the city could surpass its 2016 total of 198 tons.
Kudos to department employees and all of the hardworking volunteers.
Speaking of sprucing up things in and around the Spa City, here is a “Thumbs-down” to some of the seedy-looking, cigarette butt-laden sidewalks along Central Avenue near the King Expressway, several segments of which are littered by overgrown weeds that sprout forth in great profusion.
Such sorry sights are not the best welcome signs for our visitors.
Conversely, here is a definite “Thumbs-up” to developer Mark Shirley for the impressive landscaping at the Keystone Crossing business center. The trees, flowering bushes and other natural touches are great enhancements to the area.
Clearly a lot of thought went into environmental plan and other commercial establishments would benefit from such attractive additions.
By the same token, we send out a “Thumbs-up” to Monica Norman, a 2013 Lake Hamilton High School graduate recently recognized as one of the eight most outstanding graduates of Arkansas State University’s 2017 class.
Norman, daughter of Kevin and Vicki Norman, received the Distinguished Service Award that recognizes meritorious “leadership, scholarship, and citizenship.”
Norman and fellow DSA recipients “provide countless hours of service to the community, their classmates, their departments, colleges and to the university.”
We also applaud and give a “Thumbs-up” to the National Park College Foundation and the many beneficent donors — individuals and organizations who made possible the recent presentation of $68,000 in nursing student scholarships.
Fifty-two scholarships were awarded to 85 students during a Nursing Honors Day program in the Dr. Martin Eisele Auditorium of the Frederick M. Dierks Center for Nursing and Health Sciences.
Congratulations and best wishes to all.
The Thumbs Column appears in The Sentinel-Record the first and third Wednesday of each month. The newspaper welcomes readers’ comments and suggestions, which should be submitted in writing with a name, telephone number, and address for verification.