Fort Smith is not the only city facing sewer overflow issues. It’s proving a problem in Van Buren, also.

According to Director of Van Buren Municipal Utilities Steve Dufresne, Fort Smith's northern neighbor is under a consent order by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality because of 108 manhole overflows. The overflows, he said, occurred over a three year period from October 2009 to October 2012 and were self-reported to the ADEQ.

The causes of the overflows, Dufresne said, were the result of a variety of factors.

"We have determined that for our sewer system, those overflows, which were minor during a three year period, but we figure about 10% of those were from inflow and infiltration, or rainfall and wet weather," he said.

Such overflows are similar to the problems that have been occurring in Fort Smith for many decades and has resulted in extended negotiations between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice over the city of Fort Smith's repeated violations of the federal Clean Water Act.

But in Van Buren, Dufresne said the vast majority of the problems are "routine."

"The majority are from routine stoppages from grease, debris or roots in the system," he said. "So we've determined the majority of those occurred because of grease and routine causes. And our plan for ADEQ, what we're anticipating, is we'll submit a plan and it may take them some time to review and either accept or come back and give us further guidelines."

The plan the city's utilities department would submit, Dufresne said, would focus on increasing routine maintenance and inspections to identify problems before overflows occur during dry weather periods.

"On the rain events, we are looking at what type of line replacements (are necessary) to increase capacity and at what cost."

The city utility department must have a plan submitted to ADEQ by January 2015 and he said work is ongoing to study solutions and write the plan. Since so final solution has been yet proposed by the city or approved by ADEQ, Dufresne said it would be difficult to estimate a price for improvements to comply with the consent order.

"What we're planning to submit will not be in the tens of millions (of dollars)," he assured. "But on the maintenance side, for instance, that's where there'll be more of an increase (in cost)."

According to Dufresne, the best estimate he could provide now is "up to $5 million," though he said the number could be lower. Either way, he said rate increases could be a possibility to cover any mandates handed down by the ADEQ.

"We do not have reserves to cover the costs, so yes. We're still looking at finances, but there could be a potential rate increase proposed in mid-2015 or early 2016. I can't get much more definite until ADEQ approves (the plan to address the overflows)," Dufresne said.

And while Van Buren is not dealing with the feds like the city of Fort Smith is, Dufresne said the federal government would be aware of the city's dealings with ADEQ.

"We're dealing with ADEQ, but the way I understand it is once we submit the plan to them, then it will be submitted to the EPA for review and then will be either approved by the ADEQ as is or they could respond back requiring further information or say no, we don't like what you're proposing. Right now, we're trying to decide a timeline for the milestone schedule. That's what Fort Smith has been having issues with. We're looking at options for the schedule and they may or may not approve what we may submit."

A timeline for compliance has not yet been established, though Public Outreach and Assistance Division Chief Katherine Benanati of ADEQ said the city "is to comply with the effluent limitations of its permits by the end of December 2014 and submit to the Department by January 21, 2015 a Capacity, Management, Operations and Maintenance Manual (CMOM) and a Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study (SSES)."

Any rate increase proposals that result from the final approved plan associated with the consent order must go through the Van Buren city council for approval by ordinance adoption setting municipal water and sewer rates schedules.

Wall Street is eyeing a big payday from Tyson Foods on Monday (Nov. 17) when meat giant is reports fourth quarter and fiscal 2014 year earnings, with quarterly sales estimated by some to exceed $10 billion.

Net quarterly profit could hit $268.5 million, or 76 cents per share, which would be a gain of 8.5% from the year-ago period, according to consensus of analyst estimates. Springdale-based Tyson is expected to post quarterly sales of $10.15 billion, 14% higher in part because of the recent $8.5 billion acquisition of Hillshire Brands.

For the fiscal year which ended Sept. 30, analysts predict Tyson Foods to earn a total $2.83 per share, which equates to net annual profits of $1 billion. This would be a $182 million gain from a year ago. Annual revenue is expected to be a record $42 billion, compared to $37.5 billion in fiscal 2013.

Tyson Foods, which has predominantly been a commodity business with beef previously comprising 41% of sales, is morphing into more of a packaged food supplier as it focuses on blending its prepared foods segment with Hillshire Brands products. That said, beef and chicken still comprise the largest percentage of the business.

BEEF OUTLOOK
Commodity beef packers have been running negative operating margins for the past two months as cattle prices hit record highs and there have been fewer retail promotions to encourage consumption.

From July through September, Tyson’s fourth quarter period, beef packer margins range was between $55 per head in July to $22 per head in August, moving to losses of $40 per head in September. The losses have since widened to $75 per head as of last week, according to Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

Tyson typically reports better numbers than the commodity beef margin indexes indicate.

Robert Moskow, an analyst with Credit Suisse, said his conversations with beef processors indicate beef margins are better than expected. Shorter beef supplies in the freezers are also giving packers the ability to raise wholesale prices. The USDA total pounds of beef in cold storage are down 20% from last year.

“We expect Tyson to enjoy similar benefits,” he noted.

Analysts expect beef operating income to be around $162 million, comparable to the same quarter last year.

CHICKEN GAINS
The chicken side of the business is rolling in cash amid lower grain costs and steady demand from food service and the retail business, in spite of higher prices.

Georgia Dock pricing on Oct. 1 for boneless, skinless breast meat was $2.19 per pound, coming down a from an annual high of $2.24 in mid July.  A year ago the Georgia Dock price was $1.90 per pound, up 24.3% year-over-year.

Operating profit estimates for Tyson’s chicken segment range from $185 million to $200 million for the quarter. A year ago the company reported $175 million in chicken profits.

Chicken margins have been high this entire year according to Ken Zaslow, analyst with BMO Capital Markets. He expects they should hold above historical averages for the foreseeable future. Zaslow said there will be support for margins from limited production growth and strong demand. He said Georgia Dock whole bird prices remained at record levels thanks to ongoing demand amid tight competing meat supplies and limited supply of small birds.

PORK SEGMENT
Moskow said the falling sow prices bode well for Hillshire Brands' profit margins in its first quarter under Tyson Foods.

Frozen pork supplies were down slightly from last year, according to the USDA report. Stocks of pork bellies were down 29% from last month, but up 136%  from last year.

Last year Tyson Foods reported flat pork results in the quarter, and a 20% drop in operating income during fiscal 2013. At $296 million, operating income for fiscal 2013 was hurt by reduced exports and tighter packer margins.

Analysts expect pork profits to be higher than a year ago.

PREPARED FOOD
This segment is poised to be much stronger than a year-ago after the recent marriage with Hillshire Brands. The prepared foods segment is poised to go from being 9% of company’s total sales to 18%, according to company projections.

Because Hillshire Brands is primarily a branded, higher margin business, Tyson expects a positive push on its net operating income. Prior to the acquisition, Tyson’s prepared foods segment comprised just 5% of the company’ overall operating income. The pro forma company has prepared foods with 20% of the total operating income.

During Monday’s earnings report, analysts are expecting Tyson management to provide some details on the assimilation of Hillshire into its business model. Tyson already announced closure of its older plants, and production shifts. Locally, Tyson Foods laid-off roughly 50 back office staff in its corporate offices.

Insiders at Tyson Foods told The City Wire that worker sentiment inside the corporate headquarters has been tense following the lay-off and the unknown of what this acquisition will mean for more local jobs changes.

Tyson shares traded 3% higher on Thursday (Nov. 13) at $41.18, up $1.31. For the past 52 weeks the share price has ranged from $27.85 to $44.24.

For anyone expecting a solution to the crisis facing the city of Fort Smith's general fund following Thursday's (Nov. 13) first budget meeting, keep waiting.

The nearly four and a half hour meeting touched on all the departments that make up the $48 million general fund operating budget and City Administrator Ray Gosack's proposed budget cuts and revenue enhancements proposed earlier in the week.

While Gosack has proposed fee increases and cuts to various city departments – namely the police and fire departments to the tune of about $1 million – one new funding possibility came from Fire Chief Mike Richards that would assist with the police and fire pension contribution fund, which is projected to go broke in 2019.

Richards said he had notified Gosack of a formula change the city could implement with the pension contribution fund that would free up about $400,000 per year and would help shore up the fund going forward.

Since Jan. 1, 2004, Richards said the city has been using a base multiplier of 3.28 for the pension contribution fund. When the base multiplier was adopted, the city had an $11.863 million balance in its pension contribution fund and was adding $1.346 million annually to the plan. That was before the financial crisis of 2008, when the plan started withdrawing more money than the city was putting in, setting it up for the eventual insolvency projected for 2019.

But Richards said the city has the option to revert back to a base multiplier of 2.94, saving $400,000 that can be put toward shoring up the plan. He said since many on the police and fire departments have worked long enough to have had contributions under both multipliers, the difference in retirement age would not be greatly impacted.

As an example, he said employees who worked an entire career under the 3.28 base multiplier would have to work 30.5 years in order to receive their complete retirement, while those at a 2.98 multiplier would have to work for 34.1 years.

"The difference is somewhere in the middle," he explained.

The funding solution, Richards said, was something that was known by LOPFI administrator David Clark when he met with the Board of Directors earlier this fall about the pension contribution fund shortfall, but was not discussed with city administration until he broached the subject during discussions on possible budget cuts.

Richards said he is not necessarily advocating for the change in base multiplier formulas, but since the state would allow a change and the city is in a financial bind, it is worth considering.

"Knowing the situation we're in, it has to be considered," he said. "I'm not for or against it, but it must be considered."

Richards acknowledged that the change would simply be part of a solution, not the entire solution.

The Board also discussed possible fee increases, with outgoing City Director Philip Merry proposing implementing Gosack's suggestion of a business fee projected to bring in $1.8 million annually, along with other fee increases including franchise fees on home telephone, cable and other services. Merry's collective suggestions, he said, could raise more than $2 million and he proposed finding budget cuts of $400,000 to offset some of the increases. His proposal included no funding cuts, with excess funds intended to fund the pension contribution fund for police and fire. Gosack told the Board that even if it threw $600,000 each year toward the fund, it would only delay insolvency by one year to 2020.

On the other hand, City Director Keith Lau said it was irresponsible to not include possible staff reductions in any budget cut proposals and said his constituents are demanding any fee increases be coupled with "cutting of heads."

Another aspect of the wide-ranging discussion on budgets was the city's self-insured health coverage, which has seen increases in the cost to the city of Fort Smith from the city paying 60% of the cost for employees in 2012 to 68% now.

Fort Smith Director of Human Resources Richard Jones told directors the total is still below the national average of 70%. Director Kevin Settle asked for the city’s costs per employee compared to other cities in the region, but Jones did not have those numbers immediately available.

While it does not appear that city employees will see a pay increase, City Director-Elect Tracy Pennartz pitched the idea of pay raises for city employees while at the same time raising the employees' share of healthcare costs. She said it would benefit the employee long-term due to the retirement benefits the employees would receive through higher base pay, even if the pay increase itself was not seen due to higher health insurance premiums.

The next budget meeting is set for Monday (Nov. 17) at 6 p.m. in the community room of the Fort Smith Police Department. The focus of the meeting will be enterprise funds, with Settle proposing a possible third meeting to address funding solutions on Nov. 20.

President George W. Bush will be signing copies of his book: 41: A Portrait of My Father at the Walmart supercenter in Bentonville on Saturday (Nov. 15) beginning at 10 a.m.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said customers wanting to secure a signed copy of the book must first buy the book at which time they will receive a wristband. Only those with wristbands will get the signed copies.

She said customers must get their wristbands prior to the signing on Saturday. The band will indicate the time customers need to be there for the signing.

Those with red bands need to line-up for the signing at 9.20 a.m., those with blue bands — the waitlist — are to line-up at 10 a.m.

Arvest Bank announced Thursday (Nov. 13) that it raised 1.806 million meals in its four-state “1 Million Meals” initiative launched two months ago.

The campaign total of 1,806,844 meals was made possible through donations from the bank, Arvest associates, customers and community members through fundraisers, events and nonperishable food drives in all Arvest branches throughout September and October. The bank noted that with Thanksgiving right around the corner, the success of the campaign comes just in time to help local food partners meet their increased need during the holiday season.

“Through the efforts of our associates, customers and members of our community, we are thrilled that Arvest was able to provide so many meals to our neighbors in need. Throughout the 1 Million Meals campaign we hope that our efforts increased hunger awareness in the Fort Smith/River Valley region,” Beth Presley, vice president and marketing director of Arvest Bank, said in a statement. “We will continue to fight hunger long after we’ve completed this year’s 1 Million Meals initiative by bringing people together to support those in need in our community. I am proud of our success and look forward to continuing to give back to our community.”

Locally, Arvest Bank of Fort Smith and River Valley Region partnered with Community Services Clearinghouse and Arkansas Rice Depot for the campaign.

These organizations received all local donations, and this year 138,014 total meals were provided in Fort Smith/the River Valley. All money and food items raised through this campaign directly benefitted 59 different organizations feeding local communities in four states – Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

The bank’s decision to provide one million meals was based on the fact that hunger is an issue in every community it serves. In 2012, one in six American households reported food hardship, or not having adequate funds to provide enough food for their family.

Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema announced Thursday (Nov. 13) that defensive lineman Hjalte (pronounced: Yelda) Froholdt has signed a financial-aid agreement and will join the Razorbacks in January 2015 for the spring semester.
 
A consensus four-star recruit out of the Bradenton, Fla., IMG Academy, the Svendborg, Denmark native is ranked the No. 6 recruit in Florida and No. 14 defensive tackle in the nation, according to 247 Sports.

Nine games into his senior season at IMG Academy, Froholdt has tallied 55 combined tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles – in just his second season of competitive football.
 
Froholdt selected Arkansas over offers from Florida State, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan State, Florida and others.
 
“Hjalte possesses all the uncommon qualities we look for in a Razorback,” said Bielema. “We’re ecstatic to welcome him to Fayetteville and the Razorback family. He brings physicality on the field and embodies the qualities off the field that we look for in our men. Hjalte and our early-signees are helping to shape the future of Arkansas football. Hjalte brings an unusual story from Denmark to Fayetteville and I feel he will only add to it moving forward.”
 
According to Rivals.com, Arkansas’ 2015 signing class ranks No. 18 in the nation. Froholdt joins quarterback Ty Storey, offensive lineman Zach Rogers and defensive end Daytrieon Dean as Arkansas’ early signees who will enroll January.

After surviving a somewhat unkind essay directed at one of the top Hog-xecutives at Razorback Football Inc., the Tusk to Tail crew is feeling cocky and picking the Hogs to beat LSU. A win would end the Hogs SEC losing streak that is in danger of running into the first term of the next U.S. President. Well, all but one member of the Tusk to Tail crew is picking the Hogs to win. Sean Casey says the Hogs will lose. But he’s an attorney, so ...

THE QUESTION
Which current Razorback do you think will have the biggest impact in the NFL?

Sean Casey
Dan Skipper strikes me as the one player on the roster who may be able to play at the next level. Truth be told though, I doubt anyone on this roster makes a significant impact in the NFL.

Jack Clark
Denver Kirkland has the best shot at the NFL, he's a powerful player.

Dale Cullins
I would like to think Trey Flowers, but the recent track record of Hogs in the NFL has not been great. Plenty get drafted and a lot get playing time, but none have been stand out guys on Sunday. Here's to hoping Trey is the difference maker he is at the college level.

Greg Houser
A current Razorback that could have the biggest impact in the NFL will most likely be a lineman like Kirkland. These big nasties are developing well, and I expect to maul the SEC the next two years. AJ Derby would be my next guess.

Craig May
Trey Flowers looks the part of an NFL defensive end at 6 foot 4 and 268 pounds. After his junior season, he received a 3rd round grade from NFL scouts. He’s upgraded his draft stock to a second round pick with a solid senior season for the Hogs.

David Rice
The NFL has been emphasizing the Tight End position in recent years, and Bielema has put quite a few in the pros. Based on Hunter Henry’s athletic grabs at the end of the Mississippi State game, he may have a chance to go far in the League.

Mark Wagner
Denver Kirkland will have a very long NFL career and be considered one of the better lineman to come out of Arkansas since Shawn Andrews.

J. Marcus Russell
I have no idea. Judging by the NFL these days, a lot of NFL GM's don't either. Coach B is known for his line guys. I would expect Flowers and Kirkland to be the most likely to have an impact.

Todd Rudisill
Hunter Henry.

THE GAMES
• #20 LSU @ Arkansas

Sean Casey
The Corndogs will have a hangover heading into Fayetteville after a tough loss against Bama last week. The weather will be brutal with a chance of freezing rain or even snow (meaning a certain milk and bread shortage in NWA). The Hogs are coming off a bye week, leading to the perfect opportunity to get a conference win. Unfortunately the Hogs crumble late in the game with a Brandon Allen turnover. Hogs 7, Corndogs 14.

Jack Clark
I predict that the Hogs will FINALLY break the streak and win on Saturday. It's been a long time since I've said those words.

Dale Cullins
I'm going to pick the Hogs against LSU and I most likely just jinxed them to lose yet again. The streak has to end at some point, so why not on a cold night in Fayetteville? I think the Hogs still make mistakes, but LSU makes more, and the Hogs win a tight one, 20-17.

Greg Houser
As I'm known in TTT fold as the "Kool Aid drinker," I have to go with the Piggies for their first SEC win in forever.  I'll take the Razorbacks by 10. I'm not sure we know how to win a close game, so it's gotta be a comfy lead.

Craig May
LSU feels the effects of the cold and last week’s loss to Alabama. Arkansas’ run game will rush for 300 yards and the defense will slow down LSU just enough to pull out the win for the Hogs. Arkansas 17, LSU 14.

David Rice
When Arkansas finally gets its first SEC win, whoever we beat will be infamous for breaking the nation’s longest conference losing streak. I couldn’t think of a better opponent for that to happen to than LSU. Hell freezes over as Hogs win a low-scoring affair.

Mark Wagner
Hogs win 27-21. The cold and last week’s loss get to LSU. Plus we are due.

J. Marcus Russell
Arkansas finally gets the win with LSU dropping an unheard of two in a row under Miles with 4 conference losses. Chatter increases about Miles making the jump.

Todd Rudisill
We always match up well with LSU. They are banged up after a very physical game against the Tide. The Corn Dogs get off the bus and freeze on contact in the snow. Hogs finally win a conference game. Razorbacks 27-23.

• #18 Clemson @ #24 Georgia Tech
Sean Casey
Clemson at Georgia Tech (yawn) features a couple of two-loss teams, each needing other teams to lose in order to make it to the ACC championship game. Even though Ga Tech is home I like the hot hand in this game. Clemson wins 38-28.

J. Marcus Russell
Interesting game. A friend tagged these teams "established chokers." Clemson gets their QB back, but GT is playing well the last few weeks. I will go with Clemson to make a strong final push to end the season, until they choke.

Todd Rudisill
Is anybody going to watch this game? Tech, 33-30.

• #11 Nebraska @ #22 Wisconsin
Dale Cullins
It’s going to be cold up in Madison, but Nebraska can take that. But can Nebraska go without their difference-maker at running back? I don't think so. Wisconsin is not great this year, but they play well enough to win. Wisky 27, Nebraska 14.

J. Marcus Russell
Coach Pelini is making less noise this season, which has led to an improved team.  However, Wisconsin plays well against Nebraska and wins a tough one at home.

Todd Rudisill
Cornhuskers do what Cornhuskers do in November: Lose a big game on the road.  Badgers, 29-23.

• #9 Auburn @ #16 Georgia
Craig May
Georgia still has a chance to play in the SEC Championship Game with an outside shot at the College Football playoff. Playing at home, look for Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb to control the game and the clock for Georgia. Georgia 34, Auburn 24.

J. Marcus Russell
Both teams will go all out in this game. Auburn looked shaky last week at the end of the game. Auburn is due a two-game SEC stumble. Georgia wins in an upset.

Todd Rudisill
Which Auburn team will show up? The one that was a 22-point favorite against A&M and lost? Which Georgia team will show up? The one that got smoked by Florida? Georgia has revenge on their mind after that miracle loss to the Tigers last year.  Bulldogs, 37-34.

• #2 Florida State @ Miami (FL)
Greg Houser
I think FSU is still ripe for a loss. There’s nothing like an in-state rivalry to take someone down a notch. Not that Miami would be good enough for any other playoff team.

J. Marcus Russell
Only one team in Florida matters. Florida State wins convincingly.

Todd Rudisill
Miami finally does what a handful of ACC cellar dwellers have almost done, and that is beat this overrated Seminole team. Miami, 37-35.

• #1 Mississippi State @ #4 Alabama
Mark Wagner
The undefeated and number one ranked Bulldogs of Miss State, are picked as an underdog in their game against the Tide. Bama opened as a 6.5 point favorite. Discuss amongst yourselves. 

Vegas aside, this should be a great game. Bama gets the Dogs at home, which should make it easier for them. However, neither team looked like world-beaters when they played the Hogs. Having seen both teams play in person, I think that Miss State has the better QB, Bama has the better RB & WR, and defense is a wash. Bama probably does have the better coaching staff in games of this magnitude. Whoever wins this game is the odds-on favorite to be in the Final Four and playing for the National Championship.  Bama has been there before. State, not so much. So with that in mind, I'm going to pick Alabama by a FG in OT. Final score 17-14, Bama.

J. Marcus Russell
With apologies to "The Godfather," the dream of an "Egg" champion ends. Traditional powerhouse Alabama establishes control over the SEC race one again.

Todd Rudisill
This is a hard one to pick. State has a much better offense than Bama, but I still haven’t been impressed with State. I think Bama’s defense once again wins this one at home.  Bama, 24-17.

The Arkansas Agriculture Department will honor 54 family farms around the state that will reach the Century Farm milestone this year. There are three separate ceremonies this month in Clarksville, Little Rock and Newport to commemorate the accomplishments.

Among those farms tagged for the 100-year honor there are two located in Northwest Arkansas, two others located in neighboring Sebastian County with three eligible farms in Madison County. Each of the farms have been owned and operated by the same family for 100 years in 2014.

• The Wallis Family Farm in Benton County

• Carruth Farms of Sebastian County

• Fulgham Farm of Sebastian County

• Sugar Hill Ranch Farm of Washington County

• Fritts Watermill Farm of Madison County

• Fred A. Smith Farm of Madison County

• Spurlock Family Farm of Madison County

• Spriggs Farm of Boone County

• Possum Hollow Family Farm (PHFF) of Clark County

• Pippin Farm of Franklin County

• John K. Carter Farm of Johnson County

• Meek Farm of Johnson County
• Foster Farm of Yell County

To qualify for this Century Farm designation the family must have owned the same land — at least 10 acres of the original land acquisition. The farm also must make a financial contribution to the overall family income.The farm families listed above will be honored with a sign and a certificate at a ceremony Tuesday (Nov. 18) at the Rogers Conference Center at University of the Ozarks in Clarksville.

Farms being honored at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 at the Arkansas Poultry Federation in Little Rock include:

• Bennett Farm of Arkansas County
• Frank Wolfe Farm  of Arkansas County
• Henderson Farm of Arkansas County
• Noble Family  Farm of Arkansas County
• Epstein Land Company of Chicot County
• Mary Martin Farm of Craighead County
• Jones Farm of Desha County
• McNew Charter Farm of Faulkner County
• E. T. Walton Farm of Lee County
• Chris Hallum Farm of Lonoke County
• Morris Farm of Lonoke  County
• Frances Walls Farm of Lonoke County
• Cox Homestead of Nevada County
• Fred Alston Farm of Polk County
• Robert Alston Farm of Polk County*
• Chudy Farm of Prairie County
• Greenwalt Company Farm of Prairie County
• St. Joseph Orphanage Farm of Pulaski County
• Breckenridge Farm of White County
• Heritage Ranch of White County


The 17 family farms being honored at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20 at the Jackson County Courthouse in Newport include:

• Travillian Farm of Clay County
• Osborn Family Farm of Craighead County
• Boeckmann Farm of Cross County
• Charles F. & Mary F. Hamrick Farm of Cross County
• Willett Farm of Fulton County*
• Cox Farm of Independence County
• Bowen Farm of Jackson County
• Coe Clover Farm of Jackson County
• Coe Farm of Jackson County
• Cox Farm of Independence County
• Hare Family Farm of Jackson County
• Charlie  Jones Farm of Lawrence County
• Dead Timberlake – Price Farm of Poinsett County
• Ellis Bell Farm of St. Francis County
• Jerald Burns Family of St. Francis County
• Larry Bennett Farm of White County
• The H. M Hamilton Family Farm of White County

Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Johnny Roscoe in the new director of the city of Fayetteville Aviation Division, and Charles Mark Whitaker was recently hired as Fayetteville’s building safety director.

As director of Fayetteville’s Aviation Division, Roscoe will manage the Fayetteville Executive Airport (Drake Field). The Fayetteville airport is an FAA Part 139 Class IV certified General Aviation Airport that supports commercial service passenger carrying aircraft on an unscheduled basis. The city assumed operation of the Fixed Based Operation (FBO) in March 2013. 
 
Roscoe has been involved with aviation operations at various levels throughout his career, including a staff assignment at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., where he oversaw foreign military sales programs and security cooperation efforts with Mid-East and African countries. He was an operations group commander and then a wing commander where he ran two of the largest Department of Defense airports in the world. he also has 20 years in program management and strategic operations, with experience in stakeholder management, critical issues, risk mitigation, return on investment (ROI), and cross-functional integration.
 
Roscoe was born in Centralia, Pa., and graduated in 1988 from the United States Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Science. Roscoe also holds a master’s degree in human resources development degree and in strategic studies. He became a career pilot and has accumulated more than 4,400 hours in multi-engine aircraft. 

Whitaker will manage the inspections and plan review services of the building safety division and provide a help source to other divisions such as planning and engineering and the fire department. He will also coordinate with local and state professional construction groups to ensure that Fayetteville is up-to-date and consistent with the administration of local building codes.

Whitaker comes to Fayetteville with an long career in municipal public service. He served the building codes department for the city of Little Rock in various positions for 18 years in positions that included plans examiner, plans examination administrator and deputy building official.

While in Little Rock, Whitaker also taught part-time in the ETAS Department of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for 12 years, establishing and teaching a new senior level codes class as well as other construction classes. He has also served as the senior project construction manager for the Arkansas Department of Education, which involved all new construction for grades K-12; overseeing and determining construction project funding, code compliance to applicable fire, building and PME regulations; and site visits for compliance on approved construction plans.
 
Whitaker has also served on the International Code Council (ICC) National Storm Shelter committee and helped publish the inaugural edition of the ICC 500, which is considered the premiere guidebook of Storm Shelter Design. In 2005 he traveled to Russia and met with civic leaders in Moscow, including the Vice Deputy Minister and Department Heads and gave a presentation on the I-codes. Similar presentations were also made in Novosibirsk, Siberia, and St. Petersburg. 

Walmart U.S. and Coty hosted 300 business, school and thought leaders at the fifth annual Champions for Kids Conference on Thursday (Nov. 13) at the DoubleTree Suites Hotel in Bentonville.

Champions for Kids was founded in 2004 when president and CEO Adelaide Schaeffer received a phone call from Fayetteville High School a few days before Christmas that Daniel, a teenaged boy was homeless and had nowhere to go. Schaeffer and her husband, Rick, took Daniel home and he lived with them for the next few years. 

From that beginning, Schaeffer became aware of the escalating needs of children and founded Champions for Kids with three core commitments: to provide help for all children; to focus on leveraging people to help children; and to remain true to their core values that all children should have someone who cares, a place to belong, hope for tomorrow and provisions for their journey.

In the United States, 16.8 million children go to school cold, hungry or without sufficient resources. Poverty and hunger are strongly linked in America. When a child goes to school hungry, it is likely this child also goes to school without the resources they need for success: basic school supplies, warm clothes, hygiene needs, nutritious food, dental care, eye care and more.

“If you are born into poverty as a child, you have an 80 percent chance of staying in poverty for your whole life – that’s a national statistic,” Bill Simon, former Walmart president and CEO, said at the conference. “The 20 percent that have mobility is because there was an intervention, a person or organization like Champions For Kids.”

In Schaeffer’s address, she gave the Champions for Kids’ vision for 2015 by addressing poverty in the United States and then explaining solutions the organization is using to address it.

“It is a crisis of poverty,” she said. “One out of 3 children is homeless, literally. ... It’s bigger than a hunger issue, those kids likely don’t have access to eye care, dental care, warm clothes, life opportunities. Poverty is so big, I can’t say we’re going to solve poverty or hunger. But we have to think about what we can do, not what we can’t do.”

Schaeffer said most philanthropy misses the citizen sector, where the average citizen gets involved in their community to make a difference. Champions for Kids is changing the model of philanthropy by getting ordinary citizens involved in their own communities by using a program called, “Simple Giving”, and they are partnering with Walmart to do it. 

Shoppers simply go to their local Walmart, purchase items that are highlighted as needed by children, such as school supplies or hygiene items, and drop them in a purple donation bin after checkout.  All donations go to children in the same school district. Schaeffer said Walmart is their test for the program.

“It’s a nice pilot, because if we get it right here ... it is just a step to bring it to other retailers,” she said.

Walmart began the program with just a few stores in Arkansas, but has expanded to stores in the Midwest part of the country. Champions for Kids and Walmart announced Thursday that the program is expanding to include Walmart stores in the western U.S.

Carol Johnston, senior vice president Central Plains operations with Walmart, said the program has been successful. 

“It was so simple. Our communities really do care what happens to their children. When you hand something over to associates at Walmart ... and you’ve got children involved, they just take over,” she said, adding that many cashiers actively ask shoppers to participate in the program. 

“Some of the stores we saw that had the largest poverty were the stores that were most successful,” Johnston said. “Sometimes when people don’t have anything to give, the heart finds a way to give.” 

The vision of Champions for Kids and their partners is to help 20 million children by the year 2020, Schaeffer said.

The conference on Thursday celebrated the 5.3 million children that Champions for Kids helped this year and the 233,326 people across the country who partnered with them to do it.  

As part of the celebration, several business leaders were honored as torchbearers for using their position, talents and sphere of influence to impact the lives of children. Those honored were:
• David Glass, former Walmart CEO and Kansas City Royals owner;
• Bill Simon, former Walmart president and CEO;
• Andy Carter, divisional merchandising director, Central Plains division, Walmart;
• Hank Schepps from Colgate;
• WendyJean Bennett from Tyson;
• Leslie Godwin from Kellogg; and
• Cari Taylor from Purell.

Champions for Kids inducted Labeed Diab, president of health and wellness, Walmart and Julie Murphy, EVP and president of Walmart western business unit, as lead torchbearers for 2015.

At the conference, it was also announced that an anonymous donor has agreed to give Champions for Kids $5,000 in additional funds, if the organization receives 100 gifts of any size between now and Dec. 2.  All proceeds will go to school nurses to help meet the most urgent health and education needs of kids.

Jonah Berger, author of “Contagious: Why Things Catch On,” was the keynote speaker and related his research on viral marketing to promoting the mission of Champions for Kids.

Young artists were the stars at Embassy Suites hotel Thursday night (Nov. 13) as 400 guests enjoyed the art they created for the sixth annual, “Starry, Starry Night ... Almost a Masterpiece” Art Challenge and Auction fundraiser for youth in treatment at Youth Bridge.

Youth Bridge provides preventative services, counseling and shelter for teenagers, ages 13-17. It is the only non-profit agency for court-appointed community-based services and is one of three agencies in Arkansas that provides residential substance abuse treatment for only youth. They are also the only agency in the Arkansas that operates the federal Runaway Homeless Youth transitional living program and the only provider of the National Safe Place Program in Arkansas.

For the event, youth, celebrities and other individuals created art with specified art supplies for competition and fun. Their artwork was then sold at a silent auction during the evening and all proceeds went to help fund the art therapy program at Youth Bridge.

Art therapy uses materials such as paint, oil pastels, markers, clay or crayons as a means of self-expression, Nancy Hairston, director of development for Youth Bridge, said. 

“It is a great solution for a teen that has been in a difficult situation such as divorce, abuse or violence in the home, or has struggled with an addiction or perhaps an eating disorder to communicate and identify thoughts and feelings about their difference experiences and circumstances,” she said.

Research shows that managed art therapy programs reduce anger, anxiety, addictions, depression and other mental health disorders by 30%. In those same clients, self-esteem increased by 50%. Youth Bridge depends on art therapy to create a level of trust and accomplishment in their clients. 

“Kids come into our residential program with all these emotions going on – fear, anger, angst, frustration and getting them involved in art media like painting, pottery, writing poems, doing music. ... It helps them open up because it is non-threatening,” Hairston said.

Former Youth Bridge art therapist Barbara Price Davis said, “The art that the adolescent produces can help us gain some idea of the youth’s concerns and life circumstances, especially those situations that are too risky to reveal or too embarrassing to relate. This awareness better equips us in our efforts to protect and support the adolescent during this turbulent time of life.”

As guests arrived at the event, they entered into a French country vineyard in the ballroom and visited different stations to get a feel of the fear, uncertainty and anger that a youth might feel when they arrive at Youth Bridge. Guests then continued their journey, just as a youth would, to experience trust, beauty, insight and hope.

In addition to the traditional art, culinary, visual and musical artists demonstrated their work, and professional artist Christina Mariotti painted live onstage throughout the evening. Daymara Baker, national account director, Walmart and Sam’s Club for Chiquita Brands, along with honorary chair, Brittney Duke, business development office and managing director, New York for Saatchi & Saatchi X, hosted the event.

“Serving in the communities where we work has always been a core value of Saatchi & Saatchi X,” Duke said. “Youth Bridge is one of the organizations we support through the C.A.R.E. Initiative, our employee-driven foundation, and we appreciate the work they do to turn around the lives of youth who have suffered abuse and neglect.”

Hairston said she hoped the event would raise between $25,000 and $50,000 for Youth Bridge.

Freezing weather and the potential for winter precipitation did not deter hundreds of people from waiting in line for almost two hours to get a glimpse of former President George W. Bush at his book signing in Bentonville on Saturday, (Nov. 15).

President Bush said he chose to pen his father’s memoirs in part because George H.W. Bush — 41st U.S. President at age 90 has not done so himself. The book signing for “41: A Portrait of My Father,” took place at the Walmart Supercenter on Walton Boulevard after the former president was a special guest at the retailer’s monthly Saturday morning meeting at the corporate offices across street.

The book covers the entire scope of the elder President Bush's life and career and shines new light on the accomplished statesman known best by his family.

Event security was high. Shoppers who purchased the book ahead of time were given a red wrist band which they had to present at the store with their book before they could get in line for the signing. The crowd began to gather in the store around 8 a.m. for a signing which began at 10 a.m. The parking lot was full by 9 a.m. Overflow parking was also full at the Peel Mansion and on the grassy areas between the fueling station by 9:15.

Keith Branson and his 10-year-old son Tucker from Siloam Springs were some of the first people to get into the private signing quarters which took place in the garden center of the supercenter. Branson said they got to the store around 8 a.m., and they wouldn’t miss an opportunity to see President Bush even if it was just a quick exchange.

By 9:15 the line began snaking around the massive store weaving in and out of nearly every aisle in the general merchandise section of the store. The scene looked like a Black Friday event except for the higher security and individual searches conducted by the Secret Service. Numerous local enforcement officers were also in attendance to help with crowd control.

The massive garden center where of the holiday seasonal merchandise is displayed was cleared and closed to the public during the signing which wrapped up around noon. Wal-Mart declined to say how many additional store staff was called in to help with the event, but corporate spokeswoman Kayla Whaling said reinforcement was brought in from other area stores to help with crowd control.

“We know how to hold these types of events,” she added.

David Orrick drove from Fort Smith and left his home around 6:30 a.m. and arrived at the store around 8 a.m. He purchased his book at the electronics counter and got in line. Orrick was one of the last red wristbands given out. Blue wristbands for the wait list were given after that time. Wait listed shoppers were not guaranteed to see the President Bush, because he was slated to sign books for two hours.

“It was great. I can check this off my bucket list,” Orrick said. “It wasn’t bad at all. The line moved rather quickly.”

The former president took time to greet each of the shoppers and look them in the eye as he signed book after book placed in front of him by event coordinators. Secret Service detail was within two-arms length of the president at all times during the signing.

Jim Gintner, from Cambridge, England, emerged from the signing room with two autographed books in hand. Gintner, visiting his friend Dean Goodman of Bella Vista, said he never dreamed he would get see a U.S. President during his month-long visit in the states.

“We heard about it on the television yesterday, so we ran over here and purchased the books last evening around 9 o’clock. I am a fan of President Bush. I volunteer at the World War II 100th Bomb Group Memorial and helped the U.S. team with their publication design and photo restoration,” Gintner said.

He said every other year the 100th Bomb Group volunteers meet in a different U.S. city for a reunion. In 2001. He said they met in Omaha shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.

“President Bush sent our organization a letter of thanks for our volunteer efforts to keep the memory and honor of the 100th Bomber Group alive. That memo was signed by the President and dated Sept. 11, 2001. When we read this memo and remembered the magnitude of what happened that day, we were in awe,” Gintner said. “To meet this U.S. President in person is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for a Brit like me. It caps off a wonderful visit to the U.S. and a completely unexpected last-minute surprise. … I returning home tomorrow.”

Marilyn Phillips, a recent transplant to Bentonville, volunteered in President Bush’s campaign when she lived in Minnesota.

“I can’t believe he’s really here. I wouldn’t have missed this,” Phillips said as she made her way to his signing table.

Jennifer Green and her young Republican friends from the University of Arkansas were also excited as they entered the signing room around 10:15 a.m. She purchased two books, one for herself and a Christmas gift for her dad.

“Who wouldn’t want a chance to meet a U.S. President,” Green said.

At 80, Danniella Signorino said she couldn’t believe she was able to meet President Bush. She was with her family who recently located to Northwest Arkansas from Long Island, N.Y.

“I have waited a long, long time to meet a U.S. President. It’s a first for me,” she said. “It was a great pleasure.”

The natural state of economic affairs in a market economy revolves around the interaction between supply and demand. When there is competition between suppliers over a share of the demand side, there usually ensues some ingenuity to market a specific brand so as to win over a significant share of the economic market.

The said competition is more concentrated when there is a duopoly made up of the two major competitors who vie only with each other and raise barriers to the entry of potential additional competitors. Besides, when there is a shift in the preference of buyers (demand side), successful suppliers quickly move to adapt to the changing economic environment so as to remain relevant.

No, you are not reading an article about a very simplified version of economics 101. However, you are about to read a metaphorical version of a political market place in general and the Arkansas political market place in particular.

POLITICAL MARKET PLACE: SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Like the economic market place, the political market place revolves mostly around the interaction between the supply side and the demand side. While the supply side is primarily made up of three key elements (political parties, issues, and candidates), the demand side is primarily made up of voters.

In a republican form of government in which the people elect representatives who then act on behalf of the people, the existence of political parties is a necessary condition for a proper organization and a proper functioning of a political system. Political parties help recruit, train, finance, nominate, and promote candidates to be standard bearers of the respective parties for a given elected position.

Political parties adopt an ideologically-based platform of positions on issues of concern to the voters, which then serves as a guiding principle to how candidates representing a given political party would govern if elected. This also has the added merit of helping most voters significantly reduce their information processing time on how to cast a ballot on an issue/candidate, as a candidate’s political affiliation more often signals to most voters what values the candidate is likely to represent. For example, a “REP” or a “DEM” mention in front of a candidate’s name on the ballot prompts voters to infer from a candidate’s political affiliation what worldview and values the candidate is likely to adopt.

The existence of political parties also makes it easier for the voters to hold a political party and its candidates accountable. Thus, despite the fact that over the past few decades candidates have progressively gained an ability to be somewhat independent of political parties through a separate fund raising effort and a separate campaign operation, political parties along with their platform of positions on issues and their respective candidates form a distinctive brand that has been seared in the mind of most voters for many decades. Furthermore, due to campaign finance laws and court decisions, independent expenditures of outside groups (527s, 501 c3s, 501 c4s, etc.) could now help or hurt the brand of political parties, issues, and candidates so as to encourage or discourage the voters’ support.

So, like the economic market place, the political market place is replete with marketing strategies designed to sell a specific political brand. But, unlike the economic market place in which competitors aim at making pecuniary profit, the political market place brings together competitors whose end goal is to gain, maintain, and expand power. How does this apply to the Arkansas political market place?

ARKANSAS’ CHANGING POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT
Ever since the Reconstruction era, the Democrats had been the undisputed leader of the Arkansas political market place as the voters (demand side) bought into the democratic brand for almost all the constitutional offices and for the majority in both chambers of the Arkansas legislature. Of the 35 governors who were elected between 1874 and 2006 when Gov. Mike Beebe was first elected, only three were Republicans (Winthrop Rockefeller, Frank White, and Mike Huckabee). According to the Institute for Southern Studies, the Democrats had controlled the Arkansas state legislature between 1874 and 2012.

However, since 2010 the stock value of the Arkansas Democratic brand has been crumbling and that of the Arkansas Republican brand has been on the rise. So much so that the Republicans started to pick up some constitutional offices and to gain seats in the Arkansas legislature. The Republicans went from controlling no constitutional office before the 2010 midterm elections to controlling three (Lt. Gov., Secretary of State, and Commissioner of State Lands) and could have controlled even more had they fielded candidates for other down ballot constitutional offices.

According to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Republicans went from being the minority party in the Arkansas State Legislature before 2010 to gaining 16 seats in the House of Representatives and seven seats in the Senate in the 2010 midterm elections, and gaining six additional seats in each of the two chambers in the 2012 general elections – which gave the Republicans control of the state legislature for the first time since Reconstruction. In 2014, the Republicans expanded their lead in the Arkansas House of Representatives (+13) for a total of 64 seats, and in the Arkansas Senate (+3) for a total of 24 seats.

PROBABLE EXPLANATIONS FOR MARKET SHARE LOSS
With all other things being equal, the diminishing market share of the Democratic brand in Arkansas could be due to two factors: a reactive deficiency and a proactive deficiency.

The reactive deficiency revolves around the following:
• Given the fact that ever since the 1994 midterm elections when Newt Gingrich and the national Republicans set the trend of prominently nationalizing midterm elections;
• Given the fact that since 2010 the national Republicans have successfully turned President Obama and Obamacare into electoral boogeymen; and
• Given the fact that some Arkansas Democrats (mostly Blanche Lincoln, and Mark Pryor) had enabled those two ‘boogeymen’ that many Arkansas voters love to hate, why did the Arkansas Democrats not find a way to effectively react to that changing political environment?

For example, knowing that President Obama, the National Democratic brand, and Obamacare were already a huge drag on the Arkansas Democratic brand, why let Lincoln and Pryor be the face of the Arkansas Democratic Party at the top of the ballot in 2010 and in 2014 respectively?

Why go down in flames with these two individuals when neither of them was courageous enough to articulate in simple and coherent terms why they had supported Obama’s policies and voted for Obamacare, and why they thought that was good for Arkansas? Arkansas Democrats could have at least recruited the term limited popular Gov. Mike Beebe to run for Pryor’s seat and thus save at least one seat on the Arkansas Congressional delegation for the Democrats – just as the West Virginia Democrats did when in 2010 they recruited then popular Gov. Joe Manchin to run for and save the Democratic U.S. Senate seat held by the late Sen. Robert Byrd.

As for the proactive deficiency, it is mostly because that by virtue of being in power for as long as the Arkansas Democrats had been without a strong Republican competition, this had likely caused the Arkansas Democrats to get too comfortable in power. Because for many years they did not have a viable Republican competition that could have frequently stimulated their optimal performance, Arkansas Democrats were likely lulled into a false sense of security. There is no evidence that Arkansas Democrats had been grooming young, strong, and charismatic up-and-coming candidates, and there is no evidence that they were alert enough to weather the headwinds that have recently been making the Arkansas political market jittery.

As is the case in most domains, competition is for the most part good. The lack of strong competition did not serve Arkansas Democrats well, and it also would likely not serve Arkansas Republicans well.

ARKANSAS REPUBLICANS: NEW MARKET PLACE LEADERS
Now that the Republicans would totally control the state political apparatus in Arkansas via the control of all seven constitutional offices and the Arkansas General Assembly, they ought not to get too comfortable either and realize that their historic victory is mostly because of the declining market share of the Democratic brand in Arkansas.

And since there is a de facto duopoly in the Arkansas political market place, the voters had to go with the other major brand. Besides, after many decades out of power, the Republicans are likely to face some challenges in governing. They just have to be mindful of the fact that just like in life nothing is ever permanent in politics, and they must endeavor to perform to the best of their abilities so as to be constantly worthy of the voters’ trust.

As for the Arkansas Democrats, they must go back to the drawing board and objectively take stock of why they have been losing their political market share to the Republicans. Only after that could they design an effective strategy to re-establish their distinctive brand as Arkansas Democrats who are not necessarily similar to the national Democratic brand. The essence of politics is to gain, maintain, and expand power. The Arkansas Democrats ought to regroup to figure out how to (re)gain power. Until then, the Arkansas Republicans have just gained power and are likely to strive to maintain and expand that power.

Until the ‘invisible hand’ readjusts the competing market forces of the Arkansas political market, this could be the new Arkansas for the foreseeable future. This could be the new natural state of political affairs.

November in Arkansas may soon to become known for its museum anniversaries and celebrations. This past week, with the usual dose of low, key and casual fanfare, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, located in Bentonville, Ark., celebrated its 3rd Anniversary.

Down in Little Rock, with as much fanfare as it can politically rally, the William J. Clinton Presidential Library celebrated a decade since it opened Nov. 8, 2004.

Crystal Bridges in three short years has hosted 1.5 million visitors. The Clinton Presidential Museum in Little Rock over the last 10 years has seen 3 million visit its location. There is something magical going on at Crystal Bridges. If you have never been, ask yourself a simple question: Why not?

Today, my focus and congratulations is on the third anniversary of Crystal Bridges. The brain child of Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton and her late mother Helen Walton, this beautiful art museum located in a pristine sheltered holler of the Ozarks, has welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature.

Opening on 11/11/11, visitors have enjoyed five centuries of American masterworks, a groundbreaking contemporary art exhibition, educational programs, workshops, tours, and more.

Crystal Bridges has been an instant and constant tourist draw for Northwest Arkansas. According to spokesperson Beth Bobbitt, more than 220,000 visitors a year utilize the museum’s 3.5 miles of walking trails. Chamber of Commerce folks in the quad cities – from Fayetteville to Bentonville/Bella Vista, all gush glowingly about the steady pace of visitors from elsewhere marching to Northwest Arkansas to see the American artworks.

Arkansans remain the top group of visitors at Crystal Bridges. Other states which (in order) of most visitors are Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma. After those states citizens from Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi are likely to be found as visitors Crystal Bridges, according to Bobbitt.

And what about foreign visitors to Crystal Bridges?

“We have only recently been able to track international postal codes so I don’t have specific numbers but I can tell you that in 2013, we reported visitors from over 30 countries including Canada, Germany, England, and Japan,” Bobbitt said.

Again, hotel, motel and restaurants in the entire region benefit from this museum. And what are the busiest times for the Museum? The holidays.

“Spring Break is our busiest general attendance time,” Bobbitt said. “Next is between Christmas and New Year, and then the July 4th holiday.”

With all this constant flow of visitors to Crystal Bridges and Northwest Arkansas, other than opening day in November of 2011, have there been specific exhibitions that have drawn in larger than average crowds. One of those was the exhibition of one of the most beloved American artists of the 20th Century.

“The Norman Rockwell exhibition represents our highest attendance numbers for an exhibition (March 9 - May 27, 2013) with some 122,000 people (attending),” Bobbitt said.

But the latest rave review art exhibition at Crystal Bridges may break that Rockwell attendance record. It seems, early “State of the Art” numbers are on-par and projected to surpass “Rockwell,” as the most popular exhibition in Crystal Bridges history, Bobbitt said.

As a recent visitor with two life-long Texans who were visiting, the “State of Art” exhibit it was worth the return visit to the tranquil museum in Bentonville. For those who have seen the art museum just once, you have no doubt not seen but a tiny sampling of Walton’s permanent collection. There is not enough room enough at Crystal Bridges to display all the art works Ms. Walton owns, so the collection revolves on Crystal Bridges walls.

This significant new exhibition, “State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now,” captured the national spotlight with coverage including a story on CBS Sunday Morning two weeks ago. The “State of the Art” exhibit is a result of a year-long, 100,000 mile search to bring together the artwork of 102 artists from all over the country, which has been hailed by major newspapers and publications in the art world as being most significant.

Since opening on Sept. 13, State of the Art has attracted 88,000 visitors, and is deepening understanding of contemporary art and culture. The exhibition is free and will remain on view through Jan. 19, 2015, so hurry back to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. You will be glad you did.

And congratulations to Ms. Walton and her top shelf-staff at Crystal Bridges on three fabulous years. Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas thanks you, too.

During my last year in office, I have visited many annual events and celebrated many annual traditions with a sense of nostalgia. At each of these occasions, I was acutely aware that it was my last time there as governor.

This week brought my final visit to the legislature's Joint Budget Committee. My history, in this case, far eclipses my time as governor. I was deeply involved in budget negotiations throughout my 20 years in the State Senate, as well the past eight years as governor.

Every fall, Arkansas's governor is required by law to propose a balanced budget to the General Assembly. That is still true this year, even though I will no longer be in office when the next budget is approved. Not only did I work to develop a proposed budget with our Department of Finance and Administration, I worked to develop two distinct budgets.

Two years ago general-revenue dollars, freed up by the creation of the Arkansas Private Option, opened the door for significant new tax cuts. The legislature passed about $100 million in tax relief for our current fiscal year, with additional cuts scheduled to go into effect next July. I said then that I was worried about whether we could afford that second round of reduced revenue while still maintaining essential state services. I've proposed delaying, not repealing, about $26 million in additional tax cuts. My two budgets clearly demonstrate how I foresee that delaying, or not delaying, those cuts would impact funding for our state obligations.

Arkansas needs more state funding for Medicaid, about $84 million. This is not because we've put more people on Medicaid. In fact, we fund care for fewer traditional Medicaid patients now because of the Private Option. The state's financial successes have increased the state portion of Medicaid costs required by the federal government. For a long time, that share was about 25 percent. Because of rising incomes in Arkansas, that share has increased to about 30 percent.

Delaying this next round of tax cuts would allow us to reduce our dependency on one-time surplus money to keep Medicaid intact. There are, of course, other needs throughout state government. Needs like funding additional educational adequacy requirements and ensuring that our Department of Correction can pay counties to house state inmates.

My budget proposals assume the continuation of savings from the Private Option. If it is not re-approved, $90 million in general-revenue savings will vanish. In addition, more than 200,000 Arkansans will lose their health care, creating more strains on the budget and the overall well-being of our state.

I know that Governor-elect Hutchinson will build his own proposed budget during these transition months, much as I did at the end of 2006 before taking office. Budgets are never easy, and our constitution mandates that Arkansas must have a balanced budget. There will be difficult decisions and disagreements ahead. I've added my voice to the process one last time.

In addition to my proposals, I thank everyone who has worked with me in the past for our people, and I wish the best for those who face similar challenges ahead.

Lance Beaty, the developer who transformed the eyesore that was once Phoenix Village Mall into an area that is now home to more than 1,100 jobs, hopes he is able to perform similar magic on the iconic and historic Masonic Temple in downtown Fort Smith.

Through Temple Holdings LLC, Beaty acquired the Masonic Temple on Nov. 6. in a $2.5 million deal that includes property acquisition and redevelopment costs. Beaty Capital Group, which is owned by Beaty, financed the deal.

The iconic 3-story building located at 200 N. 11th St., was designed by architect George Mann of Little Rock in conjunction with architects J.J. Haralson and E.C. Nelson of Fort Smith. It has numerous meeting rooms and a theatre capable of seating 900. The facility was listed in early 2014 with a price of $750,000. Beaty did not disclose what he paid to acquire the building.

According to a statement from Temple Holdings, the building was proposed Jan. 28 1927, and the property was acquired in February 1927 for $49,250. Bids for construction were opened in June 1928. The contract for general construction was let to Gordon Walker of Little Rock on a bid of $208,550 on June 11, 1928. Ground was broken on June 25, 1928. The corner stone was laid Dec. 7, 1928. The temple opened for Masons on Sept. 6, 1929, and was dedicated Sept. 16, 1929.

BEATYDEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Beaty is also a managing partner with FSM Redevelopment, which purchased the 35-acre and almost abandoned Phoenix Village Mall in January 2009 After investing more than $16 million in the property, the location is now home to more than 1,100 jobs. Dr. Steve Nelson of Fort Smith is also a partner in FSM Redevelopment.

The two largest employers at the Phoenix Center are Sykes Enterprises Inc., a Tampa, Fla-based outsourcing operation employing more than 500 in their Fort Smith center, and a Shared Services Center owned and operated by Community Health Systems Inc. of Franklin, Tenn.. The shared Services Center employs approximately 600 full-time employees in an almost 90,000-square-foot portion of the property.

“I have a history of successfully redeveloping distressed or other unique assets in which traditional developers haven’t seen potential,” Beaty said in a statement. “With the E.J. Stoneman coal plant in Cassville, Wisconsin, in 1996 and with the Phoenix property here in Fort Smith in 2009, we bought something that no one else wanted and created job centers that put people to work. And we did this all with private sector money and little to no taxpayer support, I might add.”

‘TEDIOUS PROCESS’
Beaty said redevelopment plans for the Temple are not complete, but hopes to release more detail in the next few months.

“The acquisition of the temple building is the first step in a long tedious process. Plans are being developed for the property consistent with the process for historically significant properties,” Beaty said. “It’s my hope that in the next few months we’ll be able to release more details. We have some innovative options for the property, and are optimistic the public will find them exciting and that the building will once again be an active part of downtown Fort Smith.”

Beaty is the second attempt at new ownership in 2014 for the historic structure.

On June 10, Fiery Moon Global announced plans to acquire the Masonic Temple from the Western Arkansas Scottish Rite Bodies. Fiery Moon, a media and event company, said the Temple Theatre, offices and dining area should be fully restored to their original grandeur and condition within 36 months. That deal never materialized.

Jerry Seiter, a listing agent with Nunnelee Wright Commercial Properties, said in early 2014 that the replacement value for the facility was estimated at $20 million.

Turkey Day traditions run deep within family tapestries and though it’s historically a day of big family meals, football and afternoon naps, shopping in recent years has become a must-do activity by a majority of moms, according to research survey by Fayetteville-based Field Agent.

It is the season for door buster sales and retailers are aggressively wooing bargain hunters with pre-Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving Day. Field Agent said 68% of moms surveyed said shopping was a Thanksgiving activity for their family. The average household will spend $302 shopping Thanksgiving Day, including online and in-store, according to Field Agent.

While shopping is high on the list, nothing trumps family time for the 250 moms in the survey. Roughly nine out 10 respondents said time with family is their top priority this Thanksgiving Day.

It’s also a time of travel as an estimated 39 million people will need to travel this year to spend time with family.

Brianna Manning of Springdale is planning a trip to southern California to see her ailing grandfather. It’s been three years since her last visit with her family there. She is taking a week to make the drive out there because family time is important no matter what day it is.

While most employers close on Thanksgiving, more retailers, logistics and service companies are open. Niski Paredes, a homemaker in East Texas, said her husband and son are slated to work Thanksgiving Day at Georgia Pacific and Wal-Mart, respectively. Her two daughters, both healthcare professionals, are also working that day taking care of others.

“It seems like the country just rolls on by as Thanksgiving isn’t anything anymore. When I was a child it was huge to me and my family,” Paredes said.

She said her faith in God, family and pets, and counting her blessings remain her top priorities for Thanksgiving Day.

Nicky Dou of Bentonville said Thanksgiving is a day for family, food and rest, in that order. She and husband Jerry and their daughter Madison plan to spend the day close to home.

“It’s the first time in seven years that we haven’t been in Mexico over the Thanksgiving holiday. We will be spending the day at home with my parents and family this year,” Dou said.

Selena Dalrymple, a postal worker in Texas, has just one priority this Thanksgiving and that is spending time with her family.

FOOTBALL FANS
The Field Agent report reveals that watching football on Thanksgiving Day became a tradition in 1934 after the Detroit Lions played the Chicago Bears in a holiday game.

Some 80 years later there will be three NFL games aired on television and it’s week 14 of college football’s regular season. The Texas Longhorns will take on the Texas Christian University Horn Frogs in Austin at 6:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Texas A&M will take on LSU in College Station with a 7:30 p.m. kick-off time on Thanksgiving as well.

Field Agent found that 67% of families in the survey plan to watch football over the Thanksgiving Holiday, if not Thanksgiving Day then some other time during the weekend. Arkansas will travel to Missouri to take on the Tigers for a 2:30 p.m. kick-off on Black Friday. Seven more college games will be televised on Saturday, (Nov. 29).

SPECIAL MEAL
For many households cooking is an important part of the Thanksgiving Day. Field Agent found that that 66% of families in the survey will sit down for an evening meal with family.

The respondents expect to spend an average of $54.18 on Thanksgiving Dinner this year. American’s are expected to spend $2.4 billion in aggregate on Thanksgiving food this holiday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

About half of the respondents plan to have their special meal at lunch time and one in four said they prefer to prepare a special breakfast for the holiday which includes fried turkey. Turkey is the traditional centerpiece for holiday meal. The USDA estimates that 51 million turkeys will be consumed on Thanksgiving Day. 

OTHER TRADITIONS
Thanksgiving Day naps are also a common occurrence among 64% of households surveyed. Moms who often get up early to prepare the feast are ready for an afternoon siesta even if it’s just a short nap during the football game.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is also a popular attraction for families. It began in 1924 and is aired each year for millions on top of the 3.5 million New Yorkers who will watch the parade live in the heart of Manhattan. 

Field Agent found that 54% of moms surveyed say they will watch the event with their children this year – some in person and but most tuning into the television broadcast.

Decking the halls for Christmas is also a family tradition for 45% of the those surveyed. Another 37% said they plan to spend time outdoors, weather permitting. Volunteering is an important tradition for 4% of those surveyed. Field Agent said a few busy moms make it a point to have their families volunteer to serve food at local shelters or deliver meals to shut-ins.

CEO Donnie Smith said Tyson Foods “2.0” is at the beginning of a new growth phase with the integration of Hillshire Brands it acquired earlier this year at a cost of around $8.5 billion.

“We have the right brands and the products people most want. This is a very exciting time to be a leading food company in the world,” Smith said Wednesday (Nov. 19) at the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer & Retail Conference in New York City.

Tyson Foods just completed a record fiscal year. Fiscal year revenue of $37.58 billion was well ahead of the $34.374 billion in the previous fiscal year, with annual income of $864 million, up 11.05% over the 2013 fiscal year. Fourth quarter revenue was $10.105 billion, up 13.6% compared to the previous fourth quarter. Income in the quarter was $469 million, up over the $416 million in the 2013 period.

On Wednesday the company gave a fiscal 2015 earnings guidance range between $3.30 to $3.40 per share, which would be a 12% net gain year over year. Smith said the company has worked hard to build credibility with investors in recent years. He said market volatility is less of a financial threat because the company found ways to insulate itself from wide swings in commodity prices.

Smith said the major operational improvements in the chicken segment and the use of a “buy versus growth” strategy has helped the company grow the majority of the birds it needs, but also buy the breast meat parts in the open market. The parts are then pushed through value-added processes to raise their wholesale margin and retail price points. 

Breast meat is the higher margin item and most favored in food service and retail, but it’s only half of the bird. The dark half often ends up in cold storage or sold for pennies per pound. Tyson’s solution is to purchase the parts it needs to fill certain orders and then make sure it can mark up the commodity price by trimming, seasoning and/or cooking the product for its customer. 

Smith said this has been a winning proposition for the company and helped to ensure it doesn’t overproduce the amount of chicken it needs to fill orders. He said the beef and pork operations at Tyson Foods are each a spread business as they procure the raw materials — cows and hogs — and they process them for added value. They have applied that same approach in the chicken segment to some degree. 

Tyson Foods has impressive depth and breadth in the products it makes. About 1 out of every 5 pounds of chicken, beef and pork processed in the U.S. comes from Tyson Foods, the company said.

The marriage with Hillshire Brands gives Tyson Foods the No. 1 market share in 11 leading categories. Tyson already has the No. 1 market share in fresh chicken, frozen chicken, frozen uncooked chicken and stack pack bacon. Hillshire Brands owns the breakfast sausage and frozen protein breakfast categories with Jimmy Dean. Hillshire smoked sausage, Ball Park franks, State Fair corn dogs and Aidells specialty sausage each also have a No. 1 market share in their respective categories.

Smith said having a No. 1 share is great, but doing it in key categories that are exploding in growth is far better. For instance, Tyson Foods commands 12% of the fresh chicken market that is growing at 6.5% annually, and which the company has 85% household penetration.

He said in breakfast sausage Jimmy Dean commands 20% of the market which has a 69% penetration level. This category is growing at 5.7% annually. The same is true for frozen protein breakfasts growing at 7% annually.

Smith said being No. 1 in the categories that are growing the fastest gives Tyson Foods plenty of upside in fiscal 2015. He said the $225 million in synergies the company has identified for fiscal 2015 are another added layer of insulation to support higher profits.

When asked about the 3% he expects chicken production to increase in 2015, Smith said it will take that much to fill the protein hole left by the shrinking beef production.

“Beef demand is still strong, but the price has gotten so high that consumers have started reaching for chicken in the meat case. We have been talking about this for two years but it’s just now happening. Millennials also index higher for chicken. These two dynamics are going to be with us for some time in the future,” he said.

Smith doesn’t expect to see beef supplies increase over the 2014 levels until 2020 given the length of time it takes to regrow a herd. Until then, Smith said consumers will eat more chicken, because it’s more affordable than beef or even pork.

Shares of Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) closed Wednesday at $43.18, up 53 cents. During the past 52 weeks the share price has ranged from a $44.24 high to a $30.75 low.

The city of Van Buren has continued a long tradition of providing $100 annual bonuses to its employees, even as the city's budget could be impacted by a rise in healthcare costs next year.

According to Mayor Bob Freeman, 132 employees will receive $100 bonuses just as the city has done for the last 30 years. The funding for this year's bonus was included in the fiscal year 2014 budget.

As for whether the tradition will continue at the same rate it has since 1984, he said it was too early to tell.

"Like I said, it was in the budget and we'll examine for next year also," he said, adding that an increase to the city's health insurance premium of $133,000 has to be considered when looking at the overall budget situation for fiscal year 2015.

The rise in health insurance rates coupled with only a modest increase in sales tax revenues of $120,000 for the year means that Freeman could bring up a discussion he had in May when news of the health insurance hikes were first brought to the city council. At that time, Freeman said it could be time to explore city employees possibly taking on some of the cost associated with insuring dependents and spouses. The city now funds all premiums for those on city health insurance.

"In May, I talked about moving forward, the employees need to pick up (the tab) for the family portion," he said. "The council put it off to see what would happen with any further increases."

Premium increases, he said, would not be happening again for the time being, but the increase earlier in the year had put a dent in the city's finances.

"But we need to examine it and that's something we need to talk about," he said of the idea of family insurance premiums not being paid in full by the city.

Freeman, whose FY2014 budget was set at $12.078 million and included a cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 1.5% for all city employees, said a final determination on pay raises for the 2015 budget year had not yet been determined.

"At this point, I don't know (what we'll do about raises). I want to talk to the city council and give them a couple of different options," he said.

While the 2014 COLA was 1.5%, he said 2013 was a 2% COLA.

"But there are some years we've not given anything," he said, pointing to 2011 and 2012.

The pay raises the last two budget years have been tied, he said, to the cost of living raises given to Social Security recipients.

It is known at this point if the COLA would apply to all city employees, included elected, or if the pay raises would exclude city staff.

A separate ordinance passed unanimously by the council last year raised the salaries of three elected officials – the mayor, the city clerk-treasurer and the city attorney. The mayor and clerk-treasurer's salaries were raised by 1.5%, while the city attorney's annual salary was raised by $500, or 4.17%.

According to the ordinance, the salaries for each position were set as follows:
• Mayor - $63,489.71 annually;
• City Clerk-Treasurer - $46,971.68 annually;
• City Attorney - $12,500 annually; and
• District Court Judge - $27,551.90 annually (the city's pays a portion of the judge's total salary).

Freeman said at the time the ordinance was similar to other years, giving city officials the same pay raises on a percentage basis that city employees receive.

"Whatever the cost of living raise was last year, we did the same thing," he said. "If there's no cost of living raise (for city employees), there's no cost of living raise for elected officials."

Crawford County's general fund budget deficit for fiscal year 2015 has narrowed by more than $100,000, but the quorum court still has to find a way to cut $229,000 from its budget within the next 30 days. County Judge John Hall said the court will meet Thursday night (Nov. 20) to discuss further cuts to the budget, but he is not sure where else there could be cuts.

Requests for expenditures by all county departments totaled $7.226 million at the start of the budget cycle, but County Treasurer Beverly Pyle said the county only has anticipated revenues of $6.817 million.

In order to meet the tight budget constraints, Hall said the court will look at every possible solution to the funding gap before layoffs become a solution to the funding problem.

"The need to take at look at what is least offensive to people in the system (county employees)," he said. "To start cutting positions is pretty hard. If there are other ways, everyone would be a whole lot happier. But I don't know what they're going to do."

The largest portion of the budget, 64.3%, goes to fund the sheriff's department and other law enforcement obligations. Requests by Sheriff Ron Brown in the 2015 budget include $2.263 million for the sheriff's department and $2.121 million for the county jail for a collective request of $4.384 million.

And according to Brown, his requests were reduced to help the county balance its budget this year, in spite of the fact that the majority of his requests include salaries. The personnel requests from his budget requests total $2.719 million. An additional $240,285 to hire six new jailers, he said, come from a portion of the quarter cent sales tax passed earlier this year to fund law enforcement operations.

"I made $140,000 (in cuts) at the last meeting. What I basically did was cut the operations out of the general fund and just used the remaining balances of the automation funds and the Act 209 money and the sheriff's communications fund and that just leave salaries coming out of that (general fund)," he said.

According to county officials speaking on background, there has been discussion of asking Brown to operate a larger part of his budget from the quarter cent sales tax since the new county jail the funds are meant to operate has not yet been constructed. But asked whether it was something he was willing to entertain to cut costs in the general fund, he said it would not solve the long term general fund issues which have cropped up in several of the last few years.

"My only concern with that is I budgeted when we started planning for this 270 bed jail and I budgeted $2.8 million," Brown said. "I get $1.4 million for the jail now. That quarter cent at the lowest (is projected to) produce about $1.5 million per year. It can grow as the economy grows. … If you take the $1.5 million and the $1.4 million, that's $2.9 million. My concern is if they start using this quarter cent on long term budget items such as salaries, when we open the new jail is there going to be money to operate the 270 bed facility?"

He equated it to have savings set aside for a family vacation, but dipping into the savings before taking the vacation.

"You dip into it for a washer and dryer, this or that with the mindset that we'll make it back. But in three years, you can't go to Disney," he said.

Hall said additional options are limited, noting that his office accounts for about 11% of the general fund budget and includes basics that literally keep the lights on, such as the electric bill and other items including property insurance for buildings.

He said 5% of the budget goes to the circuit clerk and 7% to the county clerk.

"When you get right down to it, there's not a lot of areas (to cut from)," Hall said, though he said one possibly he would float during Thursday's budget meeting is possibly cutting from the election commission which originally requested $137,000 for next year, including $72,000 in salaries, $34,000 in supplies and $31,100 for "total other services." The election commission had a total 2014 budget from the general fund of $184,200 which included a general election, something the county will not have next year.

"Is that something they can get by without?" Hall asked rhetorically. "That's half your deficit right there."

He said another option includes reviewing the level of anticipated revenues to determine if estimates from Pyles' office are too conservative and could be raised.

Regardless of what decisions must be made to balance the budget, one thing is certain — Hall said a tax increase is still "off the table." But instead of a guarantee of a veto by Hall if the court were to pass a millage increase, he said time has now made that decision.

"You have to do it (by) November, so it's totally off the table."

The Crawford County Quorum Court Budget Committee will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Crawford County Circuit Courtroom #2, 220 South 4th Street in Van Buren.