The Finest & Funkiest!

The Free Weekly is holding its annual best of the best voting contest.

Take 10 minutes to visit www.freeweekly.com/vote and enter your favorite business in the Finest & Funkiest contest.  Ten lucky entries will win $10 each in deal bucks to use on any purchase available on nwadealpiggy.com.

One winner will win $50 in deal bucks. Voting ends March 20.

Recycle

I have a request for the public service departments in the towns and cities of NWA: Recycle.

It breaks my heart that we strive to be green, conscientious and progressive but don’t fervently promote and support recycling.
My experience is particularly with the heart of Fayetteville, Dickson Street. Some, although very few, businesses have coordinated with their employees to gather the recycling and haul it down to the recycling center.

It takes cooperation from the customers as well, particularly in bars where patrons toss their own bottles. The lack of participation by some is shocking.

It is an expense that is for the benefit of our children and their future. It is a necessity of preserving this planet.

So I have a proposition. Use the profits from the new parking system to support financing for a business district recycling program. We don’t need another parking deck. The Underwood Building parking deck, Walton Arts Center parking lot, private lots surrounding Dickson Street and parallel parking along both sides of nearly every street isn’t enough? Do we really need more parking options, or do we need more incentive to carpool (the true benefit from the new metered parking system)?

If I may take my soapbox to church, I declare we use the finances raised from pay parking to build and sustain recycling for the bars and restaurants of downtown Fayetteville.

I don’t know much about policy or politics. I do believe that public service can be one of the most stressful, challenging, time consuming and all-encompassing jobs ever. Sure, there is red tape, more to the story and things beyond my comprehension, so I put faith in and encouragement towards those who have the influence to invest towards the greater good.

At the very least, do not suspend pay parking during Bikes, Blues & BBQ. It’s a charity event of great caliber that brings extraordinary outside revenue. I don’t understand the logic of turning away that kind of local stimulus.

I’m betting if the parking funds were contributing to support and maintain recycling that compliance, acceptance and even support for pay parking would result.

Now wouldn’t that be nice?

Rest In Peace, Bruce

Bruce Walker

Speaking of nice and parking, Sunday evening hosted a gathering of beautiful people at George’s Majestic Lounge in a tribute for Bruce Walker.

Bruce’s homestead, Flying Possum Leather, burned down last week, and although Bugsy, his canine guardian, made it out alive, Bruce did not.

Many area businesses contributed food, and local musicians took the stage to conduct a true community gathering with great energy and friendly faces.

About $17,000 was raised in donations for the Bruce D. Walker memorial fund.

Categories: Commentary