Memories of the base
"Cold War looms again over state," printed on Memorial Day, brought back memories of life on Blytheville Air Force Base, where our family lived from 1960 through 1965.
The Alert Center was on the far end of the runway, surrounded by fencing topped with razor wire. It was staffed 24/7 with flight crews who were prepared to take B-52 bombers into the wild blue yonder toward a destination they might not know until they were in the air. They were the ones who would defend our nation, our homes, and our families ... even if it meant they might never come back ... even if it meant they might be the last people left alive on Earth or in the air above it.
During open house on base, people could walk on the runway, tour gigantic airplane hangars, see the huge bombers, and peek into fighter jets. The Blue Angels would fly overhead in precision formations, leaving white streaks in the sky. Everyone stood proud, and in awe. Off in the distance, the Alert Center was half buried and totally secured, a sobering reminder of Strategic Air Command's mission.
While we lived on BAFB, Charles W. Johnston, our dad, was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant. He was the first on BAFB to receive this rank, and one of the first in the nation.
It would be such an honor to see the BAFB Alert Center become the first ... and perhaps the only ... Cold War museum in the nation.
DWANA ENDERSON
North Little Rock
Favorite columnists
My favorite column was always written by Michael Storey. He always wrote interesting columns, and I looked forward to reading his. Sadly, we no longer have that sweet man.
I read the paper every day and have since I was a teenager. I guess I was surprised to find out how many people are clueless as to what is going on around them because they do not.
My new favorite is Bernadette Kinlaw. I love her column and her humorous skill of explaining language. Keep up the good work, Bernadette.
SHERRY BRUNO
North Little Rock
Ambrose misleading
Where does free speech and right to opinion end, and deception, smear and maybe even libel begin? The recent piece by Jay Ambrose started with the statement that "Elizabeth Warren wants to put CEOs in prison even when they have not committed a crime."
Now that did not sound right, or smell right, and in fact, it isn't right.
The actual proposal is readily available online. It would simply expand criminal liability to negligent executives of corporations with over $1 billion annual revenue who are found guilty, plead guilty, or enter into a deferred or non-prosecution agreement for any crime; are found liable or enter a settlement with any state or federal regulator for the violation of any civil law if that violation affects the health, safety, finances, or personal data of 1 percent of the American population or 1 percent of the population of any state; or are found liable or guilty of a second civil or criminal violation for a different activity while operating under a civil or criminal judgment of any court, a deferred prosecution or nonprosecution agreement, or settlement with any state or federal agency. They could get up to a year in jail, and up to three for a second violation. According to Vox, there "has to be a real case to be made that they were negligent or basically should have known about what was going on," which may be a little easier to prove than the current situation of having to prove criminal intent. Does it seem wrong to you to prosecute gross irresponsibility, which any of us can be prosecuted for if we harm even one person by it?
If you want to go on and call Elizabeth Warren "crazy," fine, that's your opinion. But if you want to state or strongly imply that she really wants to put innocent people in prison, that's not fine for those of us who want and expect the truth. Is it really OK with the Democrat-Gazette to print something this misleading, even in an op-ed?
VIKKI STEFANS
Little Rock
Happy with new iPad
I'll soon be 82 and have been a daily newspaper reader since I was able to read, at least the comics at first. When I heard that the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was discontinuing its daily delivery in Hot Springs Village, I thought the world had come to an end!
I attended the meeting wherein Mr. Hussman did his best to convince me along with other villagers that reading the newspaper on an iPad would be the greatest thing since we put a man on the moon and that I would quickly adapt.
Well, he was right.
After the initial setup and a "how to" explanation by a tech, I was off and running. I read the paper every day while out of town recently and what a pleasure it was: sharper color photos, videos with some articles and my crossword puzzles.
My only concern now is being careful not to spill my morning coffee on my new "newspaper."
JIM PFENNING
Hot Springs Village
Editorial on 06/25/2019