Opinion- Daddy Warbucks
Chamber honors builders
The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce held it’s annual Construction Industry Appreciation Night recently. As usual the love fest between the
Chamber and those folks who nail boards and pour concrete was mutual.
For a city with so much regulation – the Chamber sure loves to coddle the builders and that’s nothing but good business. So now, without further ado, the envelope please. Here are the various award winners. Congrats to
all. Hey, who paid for all this banquet, the red carpet and these lofty awards anyway?
Landmark Award: KINCO Construction for renovation project of Old Main on the UA campus.
Historic Restoration Award: Milestone Construction for work on Bank of Fayetteville
Adaptive Reuse Award: Steve Mansfield and Greg House for the Santa Fe Train Depot on Dickson Street.
Visionary Development Award: Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks
Golden Shovel Award: Miller Boskus Lack Architects for the new Shogun restaurant.
Supplier of the Year: National Home Center.
Contractor of the Year: CDI
WHAT DID YA PAY?
One year ago, with the war still raging in Iraq, here at the gas pump you paid $2.08 and grumbled. A year later, war still raging, and we are still grumbling, paying $3.08. Wow.
ARMY MOVES
The United States Army Recruiting office has moved form the Northwest Arkansas Mall. It has found a home in the University Square shopping center at I-540 and Sixth Street in Fayetteville.
LOW BUT UP
While Benton County boast the lowest unemployment rate in the state, their numbers are still rising. Benton County was a3.7 percent from 3.3 percent a year ago. Washington County’s rate was also up from 3.5 percent in 2006 to 3.7 percent in 2007
MOVIN’ ON UP
While marketing itself as a “blue-collar” bank, Legacy Bank could not wait to open a branch outside Springdale (it’s home base). And where did it go? To where the money is – Pinnacle gated community near Rogers.
ROUGH ON STOCKS
The recent downturn in the stock market has been hard on Arkansas based companies. In fact only four of the 20 or so companies based in Arkansas – can show you a profit on that mythical $1,000 investment made each Jan. 1. To date those ahead and the amount they are worth on that $1,000 investment: Alltell ($1,175.83), Baldor ($1,042.79), J.B.Hunt ($1,256.62), and Murphy Oil ($1,457.03).
MAJESTIC LUNCH
George’s Majestic Lounge is now offering lunch – at noon – as in 12 noon. The offerings include pizza and spaghetti. Remember George’s had one of the first counter ovens (an early convection oven) back in the early days. Just another innovation to the 90-year-old nightclub, bar, gathering place on Dickson Street. Drop on by.
SATURATED
Is Arkansas overrun with Wal-Marts? Well yes, if the company figures are correct. There is approximately one Wal-Mart for every 30,215 Arkansans.
The No. 2 state for Wal-Mart saturation is Oklahoma—just slightly less than Arkansas. The states with the least Wal-Marts per capita—California and New York. In California there is one Wal-Mart for every 175,000 folks and in New York one for every 180,000 shoppers.
WHERE’S THE HOG BALL?
Will the building downturn change the sponsorship of the Hog Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve in Fayetteville? The Barber Group, which has more or less gone into hiding as of late, was the sponsor last year. The old Hog Ball Drop device was out in the weather among construction materials most of the year on the site of the proposed, but sacked, Divinity project across from the Dickson Street Post Office. Now it’s gone. Is it in mothballs? Is it being refurbished? Daddy W. wants to know it the big B will be dropping on New Year’s Eve.
BEER AND BEEF
Another Bentonville business, a new restaurant called Beef O’Brady’s is asking the state for a private club permit so it can serve up libations in the dry Benton County.
