Guest Commentary

by The City Wire staff - June 21, 2015 5:21 pm

Celebrating Riffraff

In 2009, a 21-year-old interior design major at the University of Arkansas took a risk, trusted her gut, and started her own business on just $100. Today, that business —…

by The City Wire staff - June 17, 2015 6:09 pm

Regulations and manufacturing productivity

Despite Arkansas’ reliance on the manufacturing industry for economic growth and jobs, manufacturing within the state has languished. According to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Arkansas’ manufacturing GDP…

by The City Wire staff - June 14, 2015 2:10 pm

A governor in Europe

A few weeks ago, I was in Silicon Valley in California. Last week, I was in Newport and Batesville. Saturday, I leave for Paris and Germany. The locations change but…

by The City Wire staff - June 7, 2015 5:33 pm

Arkansans to the rescue

As I deliver today’s radio address, the floodwaters in our state’s rivers finally should be cresting. In the coming days, the weather forecast calls for no rain and sunny skies…

by The City Wire staff - June 3, 2015 8:14 pm

As good as it gets

Imagine living in a place where you live within easy walking or bicycling distance to a university where you can take in first rate plays and musical performances; or a…

by The City Wire staff - June 1, 2015 7:04 pm

The Mayor and the vision thing

The irrelevance of the office of mayor in Fort Smith is a structural deficiency that needs to be corrected. Under our current form of government the mayor’s function is designed…

by The City Wire staff - May 31, 2015 2:48 pm

It’s time to let Iraq die

In a previous post, I outlined the tortured history of Iraq in which I noted Iraq is an artificial nation with deep divisions that was held together Saddam Hussein’s brutality….

by The City Wire staff - May 17, 2015 10:05 am

Hillary: A problematic messenger

Despite all the advantages Hillary Clinton has going for her in the upcoming 2016 presidential elections cycle, she does have some vulnerabilities and challenges that could at best diminish the…

by The City Wire staff - May 15, 2015 5:18 pm

A focus on heritage tourism

Not long ago, I was in Hot Springs as the Arkansas Arts Council named the 2015 Arkansas Living Treasure recipient. It’s a big deal. This year’s honoree was Lorrie Popow,…

by The City Wire staff - May 11, 2015 4:03 pm

Vision and the mayoral platform

Where there is no vision, the people perish, at least that is one translation of Proverbs 29:18. Although I have no ecclesiastical or apostolic authority to change the Bible, I…

by The City Wire staff - May 10, 2015 8:27 pm

No ‘team’ in Cotton (Updated)

Editor’s note: This essay has been edited to reflect that Sen. Cotton did indeed address the media following his lone “No” vote, and that Sen. Cotton called out the other…

by The City Wire staff - May 10, 2015 7:44 pm

A different approach to education

One of the best-kept secrets in Fort Smith is a non-traditional approach to learning created by Italian physician, Dr. Maria Montessori, in the early 20th century. Educational goals for students…

by The City Wire staff - May 5, 2015 6:49 pm

Highway heartburn

Speaking recently at the Arkansas Trucking Association’s Annual Business meeting in Hot Springs, Gov. Asa Hutchinson dropped a few names or positions of names likely to be on the working…