Fireworks, New Restaurants, New Routes

The Kruth Talks
By Amber Kruth

Go Boom

In another effort to boost sales tax revenue, the city has passed an ordinance to allow the sale of fireworks within the Fayetteville city limits. Unfortunately, for the masses that doesn’t mean more freedom within city limits. Fireworks are still prohibited from being exploded within city limits. For the fireworks stands there may be some unfavorable restrictions as well with the prohibition of the sale of “skyrockets,” “firecrackers” or other “exploding fireworks” within city limits. That law will be reviewed after this measure is passed, and hopefully will result in the sale of more than spinning tanks and sparklers.

New Routes

National Bike to Work Week spurred a discussion about better access for cyclists to the multiuse trails from nearby neighborhoods. Fayetteville’s Trail Coordinator, Matt Mihalevich, has proposed to the Fayetteville Street Committee, to paint bike lanes on streets surrounding the trails that are already wide enough to accommodate the lanes. Suggested streets are Lafayette, Sycamore, Appleby and Spring. Since construction wouldn’t be needed, the cost to establish the bike lanes is estimated at about $30,000 for signs, paint and labor. Hopefully soon the resources will come in to provide sidewalks and a bike lane along Mission Avenue from North Winwood Drive to Crossover Road.

Mary Maestri’s Closed

The Tontitown restaurant Mary Maestri’s, one of the longest operating restaurants in Northwest Arkansas and the state, has been closed for failure to pay state taxes. Daniel Maestri, the owner of the business and grandson of the founder, claimed that this move by the state is just an intimidation move. As reported by Arkansas Online, Maestri said that the business was already closed and the pink signs on the doors don’t change a thing.

New Eats

Either these owners are ambitious, crazy or just confident in Fayetteville for being a food town, but new restaurants are coming abound. Soon to open are a new Mexican spot in downtown, a Japanese sushi restaurant in northeast Fayetteville, a Scandinavian restaurant on the Fayetteville Square, a second restaurant by David Lewis of The Brick House next to Nightbird Books, a new sports bar on Dickson Street and three sports bars in restaurant row up by the mall. Let’s hope these aren’t just a flash in the pan.