By Joel Phelps | The Arkadelphian

You’ve likely noticed an uptick in the number of display advertisements on our website. It is because of ads that our readers are able to visit this website for no cost. A year ago today we were fortunate enough to take on our very first annual advertising agreement with Stewart Properties, a local business that took a risk in investing in this startup enterprise known as The Arkadelphian LLC. At that time we didn’t even have annual rates, as we wanted to test the waters of viability ourselves. Asked if we would be here in a year’s time, a skeptical nod and shrug was the answer. Yet here we are, a year later, asking for their continued business to keep our own in operation.

But to toot our own horn, Stewart most definitely got their money’s worth. Since February, their advertisement has been seen well over 500,000 times, and we’ve got statistics to prove it. Because we updated the plugin that manages our ads in February, we unfortunately are unable to share the true number of how many times that ad has been loaded onto a viewer’s screen since September 2021. So our very special thanks to Stewart Properties for being a part of what keeps us going.

Fly high, #96

During the “routine business” portion of Tuesday’s meeting of the Arkadelphia City Board, a director requested that more attention be given to tall grass in the city. We agree that tall grass is unsightly, and that it can be aggravating to maintain your own lawn when, say, your next-door neighbor may as well be Fred Sanford. But don’t talk about how dirty our porches are when yours needs a helluva good sweepin’. How long did it take to repair that pothole on Pine Street near 22nd? Long enough that pieces of our vehicle certainly fell off and down into that hole to China.

We have good news we’d love to share about being named a category finalist in an upcoming journalism awards ceremony, but unfortunately we’ve been instructed to keep mum for now. If we suddenly disappear to a big city next month for a couple of days, hopefully we’ll return with that award. It’s so hard for a reporter to keep a secret when it’s our job to tell everyone what we know.

Now, if you’ll excuse us, there are lawns to take care of. It’s kind of an emergency/public safety matter that’s in your best interest, so ta-ta for now — we’ve got to go!

Joel Phelps is publisher and editor of The Arkadelphian. The grass on his lawn is short but the alignment on his car is all out of whack! Email Phelps at editor@arkadelphian.com or call him at 501-304-2134.