The proposed tax increases for a new Benton County Courthouse and that controversial U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, though 89 miles apart, drew similar reactions from voters this month: Sorry, not happening.
So searches began anew for sources of revenue for both projects.
The bustling county needed $30 million for new courthouse facilities, and the museum foundation will require at least $15.3 million to complete its attraction and memorial. Both are good ideas, and a modernized and expanded courthouse is necessary as Benton County continues to swell in population.
But when the smoke from voting machines cleared, the museum request failed with 3,670 yeas and 6,726 nays, while Benton County voters cast 3,714 ballots in favor of creating a temporary tax with 6,055 against. It was a lot of time, effort and money invested to lead in a big circle back to zero.
The museum supporters now are hoping private donations can raise enough to finish what's been started. As for the county's courthouse complex? I'm not sure there is an effective Plan B at this point except perhaps to turn to reserves and scale back on plans for what some had called a "grand monument."
What about Bonnie?
Reader David A. Moore recently wrote in hopes someone reading might know anything about the unsolved 1971 death of a beautiful Malvern high school student.
"I've have been trying to gather information on the untimely death of Bonnie Faye Hughes, a classmate from Malvern High School," he said. "The Arkansas State Police got the call about Bonnie on March 15, 1971. It remains mysterious to me as the state police sent a letter dated July 9, 2007, telling me their homicide investigation into her death had not been resolved, so no information was available through the Freedom of Information Act."
"Bonnie, who was black, was very attractive and popular among boys from the upper class of students. She was elected a Junior Maid for the 1971 class year. Unfortunately, her life was taken one year from graduating with me in 1972. I have tried on my own to dig up any information on events surrounding her death including the results of the investigation."
Moore said he hopes someone will know "what happened to this precious soul whose life was snuffed out at such a young age." Have anything to share? My email appears below. I'd like to hear from you.
Votes on SB550
Reader Steve from North Little Rock wrote last week, asking if I'd report the names of every state senator who voted for SB550. That's the proposed law pushed by the State Farm Bureau that I call the Superfluous Stubblefield Stinker after its sponsor, Sen. Gary Stubblefield of Branch.
"This bill makes me ill and furious at the same time," he wrote in part. "Destroying a national treasure. Reprehensible. I guess I was too naïve and stupid to fathom they'd do the right thing."
Ask, Steve, and you shall receive. Many out there who care about protecting the water quality in our Buffalo National River and across the state are wondering the same thing about this unnecessary and hurried legislative push to transfer power over swine liquid waste disposal from the Department of Environmental Quality (cough) to the unprepared Arkansas Natural Resources Commission.
According to a LegiScan search, state senators voting to approve were: Scott Flippo, Stephanie Flowers, Bob Ballinger, Gary Stubblefield, Cecile Bledsoe, Ronald Caldwell, Alan Clark, John Cooper, Breanne Davis, Jonathan Dismang, Lance Eads, Jane English, Trent Garner, Kim Hammer, Jim Hendren, Bart Hester, Jimmy Hickey Jr., Ricky Hill, Blake Johnson, Bruce Maloch, Matthew Pitsch, Terry Rice, Bill Sample, James Sturch and Larry Teague.
Those opposing: Will Bond, Joyce Elliott, Keith Ingram, Mark Johnson (the GOP's only no vote) and Greg Leding. Senators with question marks by their names: Eddie Cheatham, Linda Pondexter Chesterfield and Jason Rapert.
Millions 'splain it
Ten of us seated at the round table during daily morning coffee in the Town House Cafe on the Harrison Square were wondering how a community of 12,943 could possibly support eight different banks and their various branches.
Several, including Stone Bank and Cornerstone Bank, are among the latest to construct handsome new offices here.
A quick check of deposits, according to the FDIC website (and help from Stone Bank branch manager Casey Patrick) answers our question. It shows the eight banks in Boone County, with Harrison as its county seat, as of June 30, 2018, held close to $800 million in deposits (that's more than $21,000 for every man, woman and child in the county).
I'm told that figure is expected to surpass a billion dollars this year, drawing ever closer to nearby Mountain Home in Baxter County (with a heavier retirement population) whose deposits totaled just over $1 billion, or more than $25,000 per resident in June 2018.
If inclined, check your own bank's deposits at FDIC.gov by drilling down first under Industry Analysis, then under Bank Data and Statistics, then under Deposit Marketshare (located under Reporting Tools), then Arkansas, then your county, then Run Report.
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Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.
Editorial on 03/26/2019