Thursday’s thumbs

Land acquisition for biking, hiking gets a big move

Why do we offer thumbs as an editorial indicator? Why not, in short? But also because thumbs are so versatile. They can tell us whether someone is adept at gardening or they can be used in conjunction with a nose to cop an attitude. Get a couple of them together and it’s possible to while away the hours. And, of course, people have been known to keep someone else “under” this appendage. There are so many ways to use one’s thumbs, it’s hard not to use them from an editorial vantage point. To do so, it seems would make us stick out like a sore … Fayetteville took a huge step in its drive to prevent land within its borders from being developed by purchasing 228 wooded acres northwest of the Interstate 49/Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard intersection. The land was about to be auctioned by Centennial Bank, but through the efforts of the Walton Family Foundation, the city was able to seize the $3.3 million opportunity to eliminate its potential use for commercial or residential purposes and devote it in perpetuity as a natural space. Instead, city leaders believe its topography “makes it a perfect opportunity for citizens from the region and beyond to engage in recreational opportunities such as mountain biking and hiking.” The city’s economic development specialist says construction of trails through the area will raise Fayetteville’s profile in the world of “mountain biking tourism” and competition, all while enhancing Fayetteville’s “enduring green network.” Mayor Lioneld Jordan credits the foundation, which is putting up nearly $1.7 million in a grant and a zero-interest loan of $1.65 million the city can pay back over five years. The acquisition is undoubtedly a once-ina-lifetime opportunity, so kudos to all involved for their efforts. Tuesday night’s Razorback basketball game was special not just because of the victory over a ranked opponent, but because seniors Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon in playing their final home court game were able to enter the record books. Both players surpassed the 1,000-point mark for their careers in Tuesday’s game. They may have been Razorbacks in an official capacity for two years — both were junior college transfers — but they’ve left great memories with fans, and hopefully can create quite a few more before this season comes to a close. Congratulations to Jim Hendren, the state senator from Sulphur Springs, whose fellow Republicans nominated him to serve as the next president pro tempore. He’ll assume the office in 2019. It certainly never hurts for the region’s lawmakers to earn their way into positions of leadership in Little Rock. Forget “coulda been.” Siloam Springs was a contender, but came up a little short in the town’s effort to be featured in Season 3 of the Hulu show Small Business Revolution: Main Street. Alton, Ill., took the prize, which includes a half-million dollars for revitalization efforts to be featured in the show late this fall. Amanda Brinkman, one of the show’s hosts, said Siloam Springs and the other contenders “should be immensely proud of how they came together and championed why they love their small towns.” In the final tally, 14,000 towns applied to be featured on the show, and Siloam Springs made the cut time after time, until it was in the top five. Word came Wednesday that Hope Hicks, one of President Donald Trump’s most aggressive defenders and supporters, is leaving her White House job as communications director. There’s no direct word about why. Some speculate it had something to do with her testimony a day earlier before the House Intelligence Committee, but there’s plenty of reasons someone might be burned out in a White House job: It’s got to be exhausting. But our down-turned digit isn’t criticism of the White House. It’s lamenting the fact that President Trump’s advisers can’t seem to stick around. Whether one appreciates the policies promoted by the Trump administration or not, it’s clear the president benefits from good advice. His fromthe-gut Twitter reactions usually do more damage than good. The theory, which predates Trump, is that even bad presidents can accomplish good things if they’re surrounded by smart advisers. The turnover in 14 months of the Trump administration creates a level of churn that is unhealthy for the administration of our government.