LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To The Editor:

A few weeks ago my traveling companion and I took Gianni- her car- on a three-day two-night jaunt to Bentonville to revisit Crystal Bridges, take in the Momentary, and have a couple of nice dinners at restaurants around the square. We’re vaccinated and all that, so it seemed to be a reasonable trip. Advancing age has somewhat diminished my interest in fighting the crowds and weather for Razorback football games, so it had been some years since either of us had spent any significant time in NWA, most especially Bentonville. To the casual observer, the city comes across as progressive, youthful, energetic, diverse, expanding in amenities and housing, and full of intelligent busy young people- a city that seems to be running on all cylinders.

Coming home, we pass through Little Rock, and the contrast between the two regions becomes increasingly stark. We are accustomed to what we are accustomed to, but as we enter El Dorado it’s pretty hard to ignore the problems. We see abandoned buildings on major thoroughfares, many streets nearly impassable, the forever water main breaks within a system that outlived its reliability decades ago, no attempt to enact or enforce signage laws, green spaces poorly maintained, gateways into the city looking worse every year, a diminishing population. Need I go on? We do have a functional town center square thanks to the hard work of two private citizens, but even the future of that is always in jeopardy. MAD is certainly an asset to the downtown environs, but the pandemic has taken a toll on the project, which will certainly need city support to rejuvenate and be successful.

And so we wonder why this is and how it got this way, this state of affairs in our fair city. And then we read Tia Lyons accounts of governmental affairs as reported in this newspaper over the past few weeks, and some of our questions are partially resolved. We have city council meetings that devolve into shouting matches, with nothing of substance accomplished. We see fights over minor appropriations for such things as animal control. We remember that, to the best of our knowledge, the severe weather warning system, nonfunctional for years, has still not been updated.

We note that the automatic system to read water meters is already outdated and will cost significant money either in litigation or replacement. We see reports of the parks commission presenting a plan to the El Dorado Works Board apparently being rejected for lack of detail, such as where bathrooms would be placed! Reported in that joint meeting is a debate about whether the recreation complex is part of the city park system, something that should have been clarified long ago. And then we have the quorum court last fall shirking its duty and passing the buck to the voters regarding the confederate monument on the square, begging the question as to what the quorum court actually does.

It seems pretty obvious that we have a dysfunctional government, one that has no overall plan, one that cannot develop consensus, one that seems perfectly satisfied with the status quo. Prior to the pandemic I spent a couple of days a week at the LRVA mentoring GI Fellows- physicians who have completed residency in Internal Medicine and are in a threeyear fellowship- in gastrointestinal endoscopy. I’m frequently implored to “send one or two down here when they’re finished.” Not jolly well likely. If they stay in the state, they’re going to NWA.

Clearly some people will say “if it’s so bad, just leave too.” To that I say, I’ve lived here for forty-four years and worked here for thirty-nine. This is my home, it’s where my people are, and it’s where I’ll be. I just wish for more stable, productive and progressive city and county governments, though I don’t see much hope for that Steve A. Jones M.D. El Dorado

To the Editor:

I really appreciate what you doing for the community I asking everyone pretty please donation one Saturday a month go mower sentor citizens property,& disbitiy citizens and help them.

Keep their property up I asking all building supplies pretty please donation use building supplies that they throw it away like paint lumber to help sentor citizens and disbable citizens. I’m asking all contraction to take one Saturday repair sentor citizens and disbable citizens house pretty please donation their time for free pretty please let show God loves I asking all citizens take time help citizens that good though very hard time pretty please call me 870-944-4478 for more information about it would love to see churches to work with me to make happen for seniors citizens and disbable citizens miliary citizens

Thank you very much for helping families in the community and let a smile on God face and show God loves I asking all city in smackover eldordo, I All the city in union county pretty please quit fighting with citizens it this don’t take citizens to court at all I see the court it backup that went help the judge out I really feeling for the judge sorry about the judge have to work long hours on cases pretty please tell the judge we appreciate him for all the hard work he doing for our great union county Donald (dondi) Hopkins Jr Smackover

Dear Editor,

This year National Travel Advisor Day is Wednesday, May 5th. Now, more than ever, the value of booking with a travel advisor is clear. Last year, as borders were closing and travelers scrambling to get home, we stepped in.

When travelers spent hours on hold negotiating refunds or navigating their way home, our clients didn’t have to lift a finger because it’s our job to handle that on their behalf. When things go wrong, we have your back. It’s our job to read the fine print and understand what’s a good fit for our clients. Like an attorney or financial advisor, we have a fiduciary duty to do what’s best for our clients. Given the overwhelming complexities of the post-COVID travel industry, I’m here to remind readers how important it will be to work with a professional like me.

While my part of the travel industry was devastated by COVID, travel interest is picking back up at record pace. As more Americans are getting vaccinated, they are thinking ahead to where they might want to go on their long-overdue vacation. In fact, according to a study conducted by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), forty-four percent of Americans are getting vaccinated so that they can travel. That is why I can say confidently that travel advisors are poised for a renaissance of their own, and the golden age of travel is on the horizon.

2020 was a year of introspection for all of us. We asked questions like: What really matters? How do I recover from a year of isolation? Where is my bucket list? Travel is the common denominator to all these questions because travel is how we heal.

As a travel advisor, I am the person behind the scenes helping us connect again. When I say connections, I’m not just talking about flights! I have relationships and industry knowledge that take a lifetime to build. The benefits of my relationships and experience are passed along to my clients in the form of free hotel upgrades if available, late check-out, spa credits, free breakfast and so much more. These are things you can’t get on your own when you book your own.

If you really want to travel confidently, use a professional travel advisor. According to ASTA, there is a 98% chance that the travel agency you work with is a small business and a 66% chance they’re female-owned. By working with an advisor you can feel good about supporting a small business, but you’ll feel even better when you see what we can do for you.

Since you can only do your first post-pandemic vacation once, I highly recommend that travelers don’t DIY something that important. As the world starts traveling again, travel advisors are here to help…and here to stay! Sincerely,

Temeke Butler Camden

To Editor:

I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to Sabrina King, Founder New Creations Life Center for her many hours of dedication to assist in coordinating the Autism Awareness Block Party & Resource Fair held in Smackover, AR on April 24, 2021. I would like to also recognize the many supporters: Complete Home Care, Purple Passion Printing, First Baptist Outreach, DJ’s BMoe and C.E.O., Musicians, John Porchia & Joseph King’s Families, Emily Barnes, our special Autistic Greeters, and other volunteers. Special thanks to the following organizations who traveled from Texas: Reed’s Royal Designs, Winners, On Time Lab Services, Print Inspired, and SHOL. We thank each representative present from the following organizations: Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, Autistic Voyage, B.L. Breggs & Associates Insurance, Champagnolle Landing, Complete Home Care, OCMCAccess Group Inc: “Project Search”, Salvation Army, Character Me-Andrea Lovett, NCLC. Lastly, I would like to thank UAMS, Partners for Inclusive Communities, Arkansas Transition, El Dorado Boys and Girls Club, SADCCF, Arkansas Union County Cooperative Extension, Cross Oil, Javan Fuller, Jr Insurance Agent for providing additional resources. Thank all of you that were in attendance to help increase the awareness of Autism!

Sincerely,

Betty Fuller- Morgan, Coordinator