Fate of CNG station on officials' minds
Decisions are expected soon about the troublesome compressed natural-gas station at Curtis Sykes Drive and North Olive Street, according to a city spokesman.
The station has been inoperable since early this year, after constantly requiring repairs since it opened in 2011 with much hoopla. Compressed natural gas was touted as a clean-energy, low-cost alternative to gasoline and diesel fuels.
City officials have been going through options and taking quotes on a possible selling price, Nathan Hamilton, the city's communications director, said Friday. Mayor Joe Smith has said alternatives for the station's future will be presented to the City Council "soon," according to Hamilton.
Smith told the council in November that the city would need to decide this year whether to spend an estimated $250,000 to make the needed repairs to the station, sell it or "mothball it."
The city spent $258,219 in taxpayer money to open the station six years ago this month, using state and private grants to fund the rest of the $725,469 construction cost.
Exhibit to feature campaign posters
An exhibit featuring rare political posters will be displayed Aug. 18-Sept. 20 at the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College's Windgate Gallery in the Center for Humanities and Arts.
"Sign of the Times: The Great American Political Poster, 1844-2012" explores a variety of styles, design trends and printing technology of posters used during political campaigns, according to a college news release.
Exhibit hours will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the center at 3000 W. Scenic Drive.
An opening-night reception will be 6-8 p.m. Aug. 17, featuring a gallery talk at 6:30 p.m. by Hendrix College professor Jay Barth.
The exhibit, organized by Exhibits USA/Mid-America Arts Alliance, and the reception are free to the public.
Bid for a rezoning in Lakewood pulled
The Planning Commission recently announced the withdrawal of a rezoning request meant to allow a gas station and convenience store on the northwest corner of North Hills Boulevard and Waterside Drive.
The request was to be considered at Tuesday's commission meeting after being postponed for a month from the commission's July meeting. Many Lakewood-area residents had flooded social media and City Council members' emails in opposition.
The proposal was to rezone property from residential to commercial to allow for "a convenience store with fuel pumps" next to the Plantopia Home and Garden nursery and in front of the Lakewood Dam on Lake No. 1.
The rezoning request has now been pulled from consideration.
City attorney offices get new occupants
Offices for three city officials have relocated to the former city attorney offices in the back of City Hall, 300 Main St.
The relocation involves Communications Director Nathan Hamilton, Special Projects Director Jim Billings and Fit 2 Live Director Isaac Henry. Their offices had been across from the city clerk's and treasurer's offices at the front of City Hall.
The city attorney moved into the former Community Development building at 116 Main in June.
Metro on 08/06/2017