BITS & PIECES: The purest of holidays

We can’t think of a purer American holiday than Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Widely celebrated with tributes and marches honoring the late civil rights activist, his remembrance — now nearly six decades after his assassination — is a testament to one man’s courage to shine a national spotlight on injustice in society, and to his dream of equality for all people. Unlike so many other holidays celebrated in the U.S., MLK Day isn’t fueled by consumerism. Neither gluttony nor envy are byproducts of observing the holiday (We’re looking at you, Thanksgiving and Christmas). Juneteenth aside, MLK Day is the youngest sibling of all holidays observed in the U.S.A., and one centered around the American virtues of equality and individual freedom so that we may all have a chance at the American Dream. Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Arkadelphia.

Lots of construction vehicles on North 10th Street where the Arkadelphia Bypass will connect from Caddo to Henderson Street. The relocation of underground utilities alongside Pine Street is really ramping up. Seems like every day there’s a new pile of gravel dumped or a vehicle-sized hole dug along the street, the quantity of neither can we measure. We predict it will get even messier once actual street work begins. It’s our understanding that the Arkadelphia Bypass, although a parallel job, will be finished ahead of the widening of Pine from 10th to 26th streets to include a turn lane. We still have our doubts about the promised benefits in the way of economic development the bypass will create. Only time will tell.

It was good to see Old Glory flying at half-staff at most local locations Monday, when Donald Trump had ordered them up for his presidential inauguration. We’d like to assume government offices and bank branches were being defiant in his wishes, but we’re more apt to wager that the flags were left at half-staff because those folks weren’t at work Monday.

For the record, a flag on land flies at half-staff. Only flags on a ship or naval station ashore can be flown at half-mast.

Ozzy the Chocolate Chihuahua reports: My diddy is taking wittle seester Effy to the doggy doctor tomorrow to get her spayed. He says I can’t pway too ruff wif her for a few daze.

We estimate about 99.9% of the snow that fell last Thursday/Friday has melted, but Baby, It’s Cold Outside.

To our knowledge, there are no warming centers open locally during this dangerously cold week.

Note to self: Consult The Weather Channel next time you want to ask readers to name a winter storm.

Listening to a speech in the National Guard Armory is akin to listening to adults talk in Peanuts cartoons.

“Don’t expect no biscuits coming out around here.” A quote from Lawless we often use when someone asks a tall order. Also one we’re using this week so as not to disappoint our readers when they check this website for news. In coming days we will be carving some time from our routine news-gathering in order to sell ads (news flash: a salesman we are not!). We’ve got to sell some advertisements, or else. A paywall allowing only paid subscribers to read certain content would be an ideal fix. Hey, that brings to mind a line from Robin Hood: Men in Tights: “A toll is a toll, and a roll is a roll, and if we don’t get no tolls, then we don’t eat no rolls.”

Joel Phelps is editor of arkadelphian.com. Opinions expressed in Bits & Pieces are his own. Contact him at editor@arkadelphian.com.