We realize our readers want to be in the know about fast food restaurants: why McDonald’s was closed, whether Arby’s is re-opening, why Dairy Queen shut down — the list goes on. We want to know, also, and because we know how popular those articles are, we do what we can to shed light on those situations. With all the red tape involved in corporate communications, getting the scoop is much easier said than done. To date, we’ve been unsuccessful in getting KFC, Arby’s and Dairy Queen to respond to our inquiries, and it wasn’t until we published what we knew about Sonic’s temporary closure that we got an official response. We had given up hope in trying to seek answers from any corporate-owned chain. When we learned that McDonald’s in Arkadelphia had been taped off with a pest control outfit parked outside, we resorted to observational reporting. Although our hunch was spot on — it was a rodent infestation — we didn’t realize, until the franchise owner called us, that the eradication was mostly in preparation of selling the restaurant to a new owner. Steve Montgomery was pleasant and open about the issue, and we thank him for talking to us. For the record, his store in Hope is about the best McDonald’s we’ve ever visited. Now that the McDonald’s rat saga is over, we wish Mr. Montgomery well in his retirement and a prosperous future for the new owners. That situation has led us to pull the trigger the decision to publish local restaurant health inspections. Look for them to start in early June.

Unlike our print counterpart, our copy editor, Ozzy the Chocolate Chihuahua, does not condone the murdering of dogs. Neither should you.

We would be just fine if the 15th Street bridge spanning Mill Creek remains out of commission forever. Our neighborhood on Martindale Hill has been pleasantly quiet since the additional traffic has come to a screeching halt. We’ve suspected for some time now that the obnoxiously noisy vehicles must come from the newer apartment complexes between Forrest Park Drive and Country Club Road. Since work began on the bridge late last week, Martindale Hill now feels and sounds like the neighborhood it must have been when it was developed in the mid-20th century. Good fences make good neighbors. So do fallen bridges, apparently.

This week last year we reported Clark County had a labor force of 8,362 persons. For the same month in 2024 there were 8,449 Clark Countians in the labor force. CLICK HERE to read the 2023 report or to see the 2024 report.

We would gladly endorse former Congressman Mike Ross if he tried another run for Arkansas governor.

Pine Street is in worse condition than the road to Tate’s Bluff (if you know, you know). Ouachita Road 86 is maintained by Ouachita County. Until Pine Street is widened to three lanes it will remain under the ownership of the state, which means it’s currently maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation.

The Spouse doesn’t believe the constant buzz outside is the sound of cicadas. She remains convinced that a crypto mining facility is operating nearby. If she’s right, there must also be a crypto mining operation (an even noisier one) across the river from our little cabin in rural Ouachita County.

We wonder if Ouachita Baptist University is proud of Sarah Huckabee Sanders‘s job governing Arkansas.

A friendly reminder to our readers that The Arkadelphian does not withhold names of those who are booked into the county jail or are cited/released and named in police incident reports. The last clause of our disclaimer goes precisely like this: “don’t even think about asking.”

Which brings us to our next point: what is said at public meetings is fair game for us to publish. Period. Expect more live-streaming of the meetings we attend. We would gladly live-stream every public meeting in Clark County were it not for the fact that each governing body at some point decided it would be a fantastic idea to conduct their business at the same time on the same day every month. The City Board of Directors share an attorney with the Arkadelphia Board of Education. What will happen when both panels simultaneously need his guidance and presence?

Joel Phelps is publisher and editor of arkadelphian.com. Opinions expressed in this column are his own. Contact him at 501-304-2134 or editor@arkadelphian.com. What do you think they would say / If I stood up and I walked away?