Opinion

Editor’s Note: A version of this column originally was published in March 2020, before that year’s preferential primary. It has been modified to reflect that the 2022 general election will be held Nov. 8.

Today, I would like to talk about the essence of our democracy which is our right as citizens to vote. Voting is a responsibility that we all share whether we are Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or Independent.

As some readers likely have noticed by now, we recently placed a paywall on our website, www.Carroll-CoNews.com. Frankly, it was far past time that we did so.

I’ve recently introduced the television series, “West Wing” to my mom. I’ve watched it before, and I am inspired by the zeal, drive and ideals of some of the characters concerning our country, democracy and politics. We’ve been watching it while I work on the newspaper late at night. I knew she would like it as she has always been interested in the world and politics. She’s always subscribed to various newspapers throughout her life and keeps up with news. There are seven seasons in the series, and we were watching an episode titled, “West Wing Special Episode” in Season 3 the other night. This particular episode highlights some former people that have worked within the White House as they discussed their former positions. They all had very demanding jobs that took over their personal lives, and yet they all said they loved it.

Arkansas Farm Bureau has advocated for the agriculture industry and rural communities for nearly 90 years, and we represent more than 180,000 member families across the state. On Nov. 8, Arkansas voters will be asked to cast ballots that would have an incredible impact on our state’s constitution.

Nearly two years ago, I arrived in Carroll County as a stranger to almost everyone. In fact, I could count the number of local residents I knew on two fingers. One of them, Scott Loftis, has been a good friend, adviser and confidante for more than 20 years.

Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney, an Entergy retiree, has had his eye on the former Entergy building in Berryville for a while now. McKinney believed the building could provide extra space for the Berryville city government, and the asking price of $429,500 for a 5,832-square-foot commercial building sitting on 2.137 acres is a bargain for any buyer.

Iknow there are those who believe that the death of the newspaper would have no impact on their town. And they would be wrong.

My first alarm normally rings at 4:30 a.m. on Mondays. Then I hit the snooze button four or five times, finally drag myself out of bed around 5:15 and hope to be in the office by 6:30 to deal with a 2 p.m. deadline.

Today I’d like to talk about the recent opening of a new academic center to promote the forest industry in Arkansas. Agriculture is the leading industry in our state, and timber plays a critical role in our state’s economy.