Headlines

For recent articles, please click on pictures to enlarge.

Commentary on Raising Water/Sewer Rates: Some terms, rates, and issues, defined; along with some recommendations.

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NEW! Media Watch Commentary: About that last Council meeting…. It’s a good time for accuracy. We in the media have an obligation to speak truth to spin.

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Commentary: Open government: It’s an idea that should be restored to government in Eureka– and here is one suggestion residents have for helping that to happen.

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Correction on Sales and Use Tax: In a happy contradiction state law seems to say cities can levy a tax for “any purpose” the general fund can be used for at the same time it limits those levies to “capital improvements of a public nature.”

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Illegal Exaction? That’s what it’s called when a city misapplies tax moneys to a general operating fund, for example. Before the administration and the Council go any further with the two 1% taxes the city has been collecting and using, they need to get an Attorney General opinion, and hire an independent auditor.

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City Attorney Asked to Draft Ordinance. At its special meeting of May 8, 2008, the Eureka Springs Council voted to ask the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance so that one cent of a sales and use tax would be apportioned 65/35, with 65% going to the general operating fund, and 35% going to streets.

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Jail Abuses Alleged and Denied, an article by Bill King in the Lovely County Citizen. As early as 2004 allegations were being made against then Sheriff Medford for prisoner abuse. Medford denied them. Griffis was one of the inmates making the allegations. The District Court subsequently found that Medord had violated Griffis’ constitutional rights. See article below.

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Current Candidate for Sheriff Chuck Medford Found Guilty of violating a prisoner’s constitutional rights for “excessive and unreasonable” use of a restraint chair in his previous tenure as Sheriff of Carroll County. Article with commentary.

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Books in Bloom.This was the best year of all for the annual garden party gathering of writers and readers in Eureka Springs.

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Click to enlarge.

ARTrageous Parade. The parade was full of high spirits, wonderful costuming and good fun this year.

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Council postpones action on increasing water/sewer rates until needed information can be provided.
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Link. Fire at Little Portion Monastery completely destroys Chapel and Common Center. The Berryville monastery sells pasture-raised chicken at the local Eureka Farmers’ Market and to restaurants and grocers in the area.
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Commentary: Hold those horses! There is no need for the Council to act in haste to pass a water/sewer rate increase. Revenues for both water and sewer are up. Operating costs at the sewer plant should go down. Issues are being confused. Problems are being created where there are none. Council should wait until they have facts and figures at hand.

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Improv Fun. CAPC Publicist Ken Rundell has another life in improv. His troupe of three provided improv entertainment with a gratis spaghetti dinner provided by Pat Fitzsimmons of Briarwood Lodge.
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Notice from Army Corps of Engineers: “Attached is a news release that was released by our public affairs office at the end of last week. It’s a great news release and tries to inform the public that we are a long way from future spillway releases that could have greater impacts than we experienced April 10-15 below Beaver and Table Rock Dams.”

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CAPC Executive Director Jim Williams confirms his opposition to Eureka’s appearing on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
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FAX to Mayor Joy says Daily Show would come to Eureka. Producer Mark Kahn says they want to show “there is absolutely no correlation” between a visible gay community and tourism. The letter is CC’d Jim Williams, CAPC Executive Director, and Ken Rundle, CAPC Publicist. Mayoral Assistant Diane Wilkerson said no answer had been given to the Daily Show as of 4:30 pm, April 21, 2008.
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Commentary. CAPC Executive Director Jim Williams Says “Probably Not” to Invite to be on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Not all publicity is good publicity, he says.
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Good Fishing at Black Bass Lake. We ran into some folks who had phenomenal luck, but they want to keep this prime fishing place a secret. Not really, but we do want to ask if their luck has anything to do with the “Minnow Woman” front auto plate John gave his wife, Marcia. Click to enlarge picture.

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Black Bass Dam: A Sore Spot. The Mayor, Parks Director Bruce Levine, not pleased with the way things are set up.
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The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: We understand an invitation to the Mayor has come from the Daily Show, asking her and local residents to speak to our diversity in light of the homophobic film from the American Family Association, They Are Coming to Your Town.
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Commentary: Limo Service Uses City Lot for Private Business. Limo provider Rob Wagner is at it again, parking where he shouldn’t be. Next time his license should be revoked.
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Mayor Receives Summons. A summons was served on Eureka Springs Mayor Dani Joy notifying her of the lawsuit filed against her by five of the City’s residents for vetoing the election of Pat Matsukis to City Council.

Rumor Control

Plaintiffs Meet Separately Plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Mayor Joy filed as individuals, not as members of Council. They consulted separately with the attorney and so FOIA does not apply.
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“The Garish Blight of Fake Victorian Architecture:” A letter to the Mayor on the “devastating incompetence” of the Historic District Commission [HDC], the “highly improper actions of city officials who are clearly in the pockets of wealthy newcomers,” and “Suburban monstrosities;” from a resident whose family has been here since the founding of Eureka Springs in 1879.
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Commentary: Planer Hill Belongs to the City. It does not belong to one man, Lamont Ritchie, or the interests he represents.

Rumor Control
Information on the Beaver Bridge
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Legal Activities on the Seating of Pat Matsukis: On the Mayor’s side: no findings of usurpation, illegal activity, or criminal acts– at least yet. On the Matsukis’ side: one suit pending against the Mayor.
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Success! It seems almost certain that Council will not support the 22% increase in water/sewer rates the Mayor had previously asked for. They want to look for moneys elsewhere than in the pockets of citizens. Here are some of the alternatives they– and responsible citizens– developed in a workshop on April 11, 2008.
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Back to the Future Eureka Time: Black Bass Dam in 1895.
This is an amazing scene. One of the options being considered for Black Bass Dam is to restore it to its original 12-foot height. Safety and history are the two concerns raised about the dam in its present state. Lowering the water level would help relieve some of the pressure on the dam. Since access to the top of the dam has been prohibited by the state, the 1894 dam would not destroy dam access as now permitted. We will bring you more on this soon. For now, here is a photograph of the 1894 dam as it takes us back in time.
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Commentary: Settling In: The Farmers’ Market has a new home, and founder-farmer Patrice Gros says he is happy with the arrangement.

Correction: We initially said the market would be behind the old Eureka Screams. We understand now that it will be in the parking lot in front, and we have corrected our copy. We regret the error.

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Commentary: The Futzing around of Council. It needs to stop. Council has not taken on its responsibility to deal with water/sewer fees.

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Benefit Auctions for Billy Goodson

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COME NOW the plaintiffs, Pat Matsukis, Rae Hahn, Eric Scheunemann, and Ernst Schrader. The lawsuit against Mayor Dani Wilson has been filed.
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Commentary: More Information on Water/Sewer Rate Increases, and Another Option

An additional 22% increase in water/sewer rates? Intolerable and Unnecessary. In one of the few calls to action from ES Folk, we are asking you to email the Mayor and Council to oppose the unnecessary rate increase. Email addresses can be found in the article.

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Mayor Squelches Whistle Blower Complaint. We’re serious this time. It’s no April Fool’s joke.

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Mayor Forced to Take Drastic Action after Out-of-Control Council Meeting

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Matsukis Is Lead Plaintiff in possible lawsuit against Eureka Springs Mayor to gain seat on Council.

Rumor Control:

As of 11:23 am, March 28, 2008, a local bulletin board, Geekfest, and one of the town’s weeklies, The Lovely County Citizen, wrongly stated who the plaintiffs are in the possible lawsuit against the Mayor. Both omitted lead plaintiff Pat Matsukis.

The bulletin board also wrongly stated that, if the Mayor does not comply, the City will be sued. The complaint is against the Mayor, not the City.

We will continue to provide up-to-date accurate information as soon as it is available. We do not publish just to get a story out first if we do not have confirmation (although we don’t mind a scoop when we get a reliable one that has been fact-checked to the extent possible and represents “due diligence” in our reporting).

Thanks for stopping by.