Updates, endorsements and lions, oh my!

This will be short and sweet. We’re going to cover a few topics and then move on to a cup of coffee and piece of pie. Or beer and pizza. Or wine and cheese. Or whiskey and hookers. Or whatever it is you have available.

UPDATE ON THE CITY WIRE
We started this little venture and adventure more than 18 months ago. To be sure, expectations have been exceeded. We have had more ups than downs, more laughs than sighs and have yet to be served any legal documents by a lawyer or law enforcement agent. (Wood is being knocked.)

We’ve been told we’ve changed for the better the way people learn about and interact with the community around them. We’d like to believe that, but are too busy staying focused on providing quality business, political and cultural content to get caught up in any self-congratulation. Besides, Grandma Tilley was always quick to advise that pride goeth before destruction.

What we do know is that more than 228,000 people (unique visitors) have landed on and perused through The City Wire. Those folks have visited more than 1.6 million pages.

Another thing we know is that some folks continue to think the regular e-mails we send out Monday, Wednesday and Friday ARE The City Wire. Not true. Please know that The City Wire is a website that is updated many times EACH day with several new stories, features, photos and reader comments. The e-mails we send are just a portion of the items to be found on The City Wire.

Also, there are things we are improving. We’re not at all happy with our events calendar format. We want to incorporate more images of people and places in the region. More video is on the to-do list. There is a move afoot to limit commentary in this space to once a year.

You, Kind Reader, have been our best asset. Some folks don’t like the fact we are wide open with your comments. But we figure it’s necessary to suffer through a few fools to create a platform that allows for a glimpse into the collective thought of a community.

The real truth is, and please keep this to yourself, we get a mild kick out of knowing that our comments perturb those folks who want to control what us peasants think, say or do. (“Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives in a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.” Courtesy of Monty Python. Think about it.)

REMINDER ON ENDORSEMENTS
The primary election is May 18 — Tuesday.

The staff of The City Wire believes the election will give Fort Smith the opportunity to prove to the rest of the state we have the ability to send to Little Rock the type of folks who know how to play well with others.

For too long now we’ve sent folks to Little Rock who lead Sunday prayers at their Church but don’t have a prayer of being a leader at the Capitol. These folks believe fervently in limited government and then go to the seat of government and fervently limit our leadership in it.

We think the following folks will give the Fort Smith region a better seat at the table.
• Arkansas House District 63
J.R. Dallas

• Arkansas House District 64
Gary Campbell

• Senate District 13
Jake Files

In the GOP primary for the 3rd Congressional District, we’ve endorsed Rogers Mayor Steve Womack. In the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate, we’ve endorsed U.S. Rep. John Boozman. In the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate we’ve endorsed D.C. Morrison.

UAFS LION STATUE
It’s nice, but it’s not the Bell Tower.

While we appreciate the passion and loyalty symbolism can engender, we wonder if the private funds might not have been better used to fill in academic program gaps created by a series of state budget cuts. After all, foundation funds may be used for such things.

And at great risk of being slapped around by the more cultured and high-falutin’ among us, we wonder aloud as to what better uses our University of Arkansas at Fort Smith leaders might have pondered for the $300,000-plus ultimately spent on a big-ass lion statue.