More On The Flu
By Amber Kruth
Flu Season
Health officials are encouraging citizens to get vaccinated for the regular winter flu now and the swine flu when the vaccine is available. It’s safe to receive both. Fayetteville schools will offer free vaccination to students with parental consent the first week of December. Medi-Serve, Walgreens and Walmart’s Care Express currently offer the regular flu shots for $25 to $40. If one place is out of stock, call around, or call back in a few days.
The Weight Of 1,097 Opinions
The notorious 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll revealed that Walmart “Best Symbolizes America Today.” However, 52 percent of those polled said they would not be a patient of Walmart for health care, dental or vision services. I’m assuming they would much rather Medicare pay for these with the 50 percent tax on millionaires they also support according to this poll. Granted, the 1,097 people surveyed by phone may not represent the 300 million Americans not polled.
BGO Gets Loan
The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks requested a grant from the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission to help with operational costs. Instead they will receive a zero interest loan of $50,000 from A&P to help get through the winter and hire an executive director to fundraise. TheatreSquared, Lights of the Ozarks, First Night Fayetteville, The 540 Film Festival and Lewis and Clark Adventure Races were also granted funding.
Government Contracts
Four local food companies reaped the benefits of government contracts as the federal fiscal year closed. Tyson, a huge supplier of foods for school lunches and government sponsored food programs (including military and prison) gathered more than $113 million. Allen signed on for $31.21 million. Shaver Foods and Simmons Foods also received contractual funding.
Commissioners Lose Pay
The 2010 Fayetteville city budget will not include the $375 monthly stipend for members of the Fayetteville Planning Commission. The income was added to the city budget in 2006 when there were several large development plans that took hours to review. The general feedback from commission members is astounding and humbling acceptance.
