Opinion

Fridays at the Star Herald office are usually calm and quiet. Jennifer and I usually finalize projects we’ve been pushing off and then we head to Dalton for lunch. Last Friday was pretty much the typical Friday except for a little noisy afternoon visitor named Heather Hart.

Dubbed as America’s answer to William Shakespeare, Thornton Wilder’s 84-year-old masterpiece Our Town debuted at the Downtown Playhouse last Friday night. Set in the fictitious New Hampshire town of Grover’s Corners, Director Kelly Grooms has once again left the Playhouse audience speechless and emotional with this thought-provoking performance.

I’m going to ask you to use your imagination. Imagine you were visiting Randolph County in the 1880s.

My wife and I were traveling this past weekend. It has always entertained me to “people watch” at airports. All walks of life herded into cattle shoots and x-ray machines just to be crammed into a flying tin can. I’m surprised airports function as well as they do, and glad for it. There is a wealth of information to gather while you’re sitting next to someone you’ll never see again, sipping on a $8 bottle of water while eating the worst chicken strips in history. On this trip, my wife and I were discussing how much “stuff costs” and laughing at the lack of value received in exchange. It’s either laugh or cry and we choose joy. We were in Charlotte, North Carolina, and there were “Now Hiring” signs everywhere. So early in the trip we recognized the effects of rising inflation and labor market shortages. The vacation was fantastic and we are blessed to be able to absorb these higher costs but these economic issues were the topic of more than one conversation during our trip.

Dear Editor, I am not one to normally get involved in political debates or elections, however I feel the safety and reputation of our community is at risk come midterm elections. I have completed my own research on the “one-sixth rule” as to parole eligibility that creates certain timelines for convicted felons and to reintegrate into society after a brief stint in the “clink.” What Mr.

Continued from last week.... Wiley’s Green House...

Around 3am our tv turned itself on again. For 3 minutes we argued over who had the remote to turn it off. After I lost that argument I fumbled with the buttons to shut it down. I apparently hit one for the tv information because Mike says “What channel is this?” Like I care what’s on at 3am. “It says Dolly. We have a Dolly channel?” Half awake now I said “No, that’s the tv’s name.” We had to name it when Kyle was setting up Netflix. We get the tv off and lay back down. I guess it was just too much for him and he had to ask “Why is the tv named Dolly?” Mind you this is the 74” tv I won. I said “Because it’s top heavy.” No more words were spoken... just a couple of giggles.

Before resuming our nostalgic trip down Fourche River, I must bore most of you with some ad hoc genealogy. The ancestral rumination was triggered by a Maynard Junior Boys basketball game. Other than being stalwart and much beloved lads, three of Maynard’s starters share a distinction. They are all descended from two of our county’s founding families.

Birdell – One of Arkansas’ Most Popular Resorts of Long Ago Birdell, in the 1920’s and early 30’s, was the most popular center of recreation in Randolph County, and the Eleven Point River paradise drew large crowds for family reunions, picnics, swimming, socializing, and having fun. A bridge next to the resort area made access easy and the soothing noise of the Eleven Point River flowing over the old mill dam created an atmosphere of “this was the place to be.” The old steel bridge was a challenge to some of the most daring who risked diving off its top.