BITS & PIECES: Trying something different

This post has been updated to correct the name of a breeding company.

We’ve fielded numerous questions lately about our e-newsletter. At last count we had nearly 600 newsletter subscribers, and we owe them all an apology. We haven’t sent out a newsletter in a few months because, frankly, we’ve never liked the controls of our plugin and haven’t found one we like that’s user-friendly. In recent weeks we’ve added a subscription form, found at the bottom of each post, that allows readers the opportunity to get an email each time we post an article. It looks like this:

In fear of cluttering readers’ inboxes with hourly articles, we’ve opted to schedule posts, in groups of 3 or more, three times per day (7 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m.). We think it’s a happy medium, but we’re open to suggestions. If anyone wants a refund on newsletters not received, well, remember this is free.

The nighttime hours of Monday were touch-and-go as tornado warnings continued popping up. At one point early on we counted nine active warnings in the ArkLaTex region. Our last look at NOAA radar Tuesday morning, as Beryl exited Arkansas, showed the storm’s geographical reach. It stretched from Cherokee Village in far northern Arkansas all the way to Toronto, Canada.

After we broke the story, more details emerged online regarding last week’s fatal dog attack on an Arkadelphia resident. A blog devoted to documenting dog attacks points out that the owners had purchased the canine from a local breeder, Nelson Bullies LLC. Readers may point the blame at either the breed or its raising. That’s not for us to decide. One of the best dogs we’ve ever grown to love was a pit bull. But facts are facts. It will be interesting to see whether the city tightens up on its regulations concerning dogs after this unfortunate event.

It warms our heart to know that citizens of Clark County were supportive of a pair of ballot measures enshrining our right to know. Unfortunately, the statewide effort was unable to garner enough signatures to submit to the Secretary of State. A group of dedicated volunteers — all of them local citizens, regardless of what some yahoos want to lead you to believe — spent countless hours in sweltering heat to gather these signatures. Arkansas Citizens for Transparency released a map showing which counties met the goal, and we were surprised by a few of them. Had there been enough signatures in places like Union County (El Dorado) and Hot Spring County (Malvern), Arkansas voters would likely have decided in November whether we stand behind the Freedom of Information Act. We’ll be back in 2026.

That’s if Your Highness Sarah doesn’t pit state lawmakers against us again in an effort to completely gut FOIA. It worries us what could happen, and it should also concern our readers. If not for FOIA, we wouldn’t have access to much information to relay to you.

The deadline to vote in the Coolest Thing Made in Arkansas contest is this Friday. Local manufacturers Siplast and Hostess are both in the running to make it to the Exceptional 8. On a side note, if corn hole boards beat IQ lasers, we’re moving to Florida. CLICK HERE to vote in the contest. 

Sorry, not sorry: The Ten Commandments don’t belong in classrooms, Louisiana. Your doofus governor has opened the door to court challenges from the Church of Satan to include statues of Baphomet alongside the commandments. Dumb move, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Your Highness Sarah copies/pastes the idea for Arkansas classrooms. Our take: elected officials should be required to ace a 7th grade civics exam as a requirement to run for office.

Dadgummit, if’n Chris Caldwell kin dew his Cap’tul bidness wid a dead ‘coon in tha back o’ his Silva-Rahh-Doe, din I reck’n he ought’n ta be a Game-N-Fish commishna. Embarrass us more, please Madam.

This week last year we reported that Ashley Collier, sister of former Chief Aaron Collier, was hired to lead the Caddo Valley Police Department. CLICK HERE to read that story.

Better late than never: In May, Arkansas Business ranked Arkadelphia 32nd in citywide sales tax receipts collected in 2023, with $6.52 million, a 3.75% increase over the previous year. 108 cities were listed. Clark County ranked 30th in countywide sales tax receipts, with $7.44 million, a 1.16% decline from the previous year.

Joel Phelps is publisher and editor of arkadelphian.com. Opinions expressed in this column are his own. Contact him at 501-304-2134 or email editor@arkadelphian.com. I love you, Pookie, forever!