Thursday, July 29, 2010

THURSDAY JULY 29, 2010
6:55 PM

I attended the annual meeting of the board of directors of the East Arkansas Planning and Development District today. We had a very good meeting and a super lunch. The meal was provided my Mel's of Harrisburg. We had a steak and the trimmings.

One of the items of business was the election of officers for the next year. I was elected as the 2nd vice president. I have served in all of the officers of this group. I was even president for two years. I will probably move up and in two years be president again. This is the way the system usually goes.

Amy has had trouble with her remote lock for her car. Both of them have failed and cannot be repaired. I stopped by Bull Motor Company today and ordered a replacement. I called her and told her the news. I told her that it could be an early birthday gift. (It was cheaper in Wynne than a dealer in Memphis, about $50.00.)

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

WEDNESDAY JULY 28, 2010

9:40 AM

The new bridge on Martin Luther King is now open. We opened it a few minutes before 7 AM.

Monday, July 26, 2010

MONDAY JULY 26, 2010
3:45 PM

The new bridge on MLK is complete. The contractor completed the work about 3:00 pm today. We plan to open the bridge to traffic on Wednesday of this week.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

SATURDAY JULY 24, 2010
6:50 AM

Yesterday was wedding and funeral day. I had to take care of two burials at Cogbill and I performed two weddings. I had one wedding in my office yesterday afternoon and I performed one last evening. The one last evening was in front of the fountain at the courthouse. Several of the guest gave me a hard time for my Mississippi State polo. When I talked with the couple they though that there would probably not be any guest. They thought that there might me two guest. There were about twenty five guest.

I helped with the mission Wynne project this week for WBC. My Sunday school class was assigned the park on Cottonwood street. I worked on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. I had some city business to attend to on Monday night and last night I had the wedding. The three night I worked, we had more than thirty children each night. The program went well and we had plenty of workers from the Sunday school classes assigned to the park.

This week I received notification that the city has been awarded $69,500.00 to build a walking trail on the hospital property near John Hayden Smith park. Part of the trail is a bridge over the ditch south of the park. This will be a welcome addition to the walking trails in the city. This trail will be in a wooded area and should be used often when it is completed. The city worked with the staff of the hospital to develop this project. When I say worked, the hospital staff did most of the work. The application had to be submitted by the city. This trail will connect the hospital area and the John Hayden Smith Park. The hospital has had their property cleaned up in this area last year. They removed all of the small vegetation and left the trees. The city did the same type of work on the property that joins their property and the city park. This will allow much more use of this area of the city.

The bridge on MLK is almost complete. The only work to be completed is the paving of the approaches to the bridge on each side. The subcontractor will complete this work as soon as the material is available. They think that they will complete the work one day next week.

This is a much needed improvement to this street. There is a protected walk on the west side of the bridge. Citizens will be able to walk across the bridge and have a concrete wall between them and the traffic and a wall on the edge of the bridge. The walkway connects with a sidewalk on each side of the bridge.

Friday, July 16, 2010

FRIDAY JULY 16, 2010
10:05 AM


Last Sunday I made a quick trip by Wal-Mart to pick up a can of spray paint. I entered through the door at the tire and lube department. When I was walking through the waiting area I saw one of my former students. We exchanged greetings and then gave each other a big hug.

She then told me that she was glad that I had been a part of her life. She told me that when she was in high school and got pregnant. She told me that because of my advice to her she continued her high school education. She said that she had planned to quit school and that because of me she stayed in school and graduated.

She told me that she in now in the last year of college. She is in the RN program. She told me that her high school education and her attending college was a direct result of my advice for her. She said that she was very thankful that I was an important part of her life.

ONE OF THE MANY REASONS I ENJOYED BEING A TEACHER

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

WEDNESDAY JULY 14, 2010
5:45 PM

The city council had a very short meeting last night. The following items were discussed:

1. Mosquito contractor report. The bottom line is that with all of the rain the last few days there will be more. The month of June was not too bad, because of the dry weather.

2. Discussed the dog situation in Wynne. A citizen spoke about the problems he has encountered with dogs in his area of the city. There were no suggestions to improve the situation. It appeared to me that the council agrees that there is a problem.

3. Discussed an A and P tax for the city. After quite a bit of discussion there was no interest in having an A and P tax in Wynne.

The bridge contractor installed the rest of the riding surface for the new bridge on MLK today. There is still work to be completed on this project, but the big parts of the job are complete. It will take a few weeks to finish the job.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

TUESDAY JULY 13, 2010
1:53 PM

We have had some much needed rain in Wynne the last two nights. In fact in my gage at home we received 3 and 8 tenths inches on Monday night and last night we received one and 7 tenths inches. It is very much appreciated and gave us a small break from the heat.

The bridge contractor plans to install the rest of the riding surface on the bridge on MLK tomorrow. The project is going very smooth. I look forward to the day it will be complete and the citizens are able to use the new bridge.

Friday, July 9, 2010

FRIDAY JULY 9, 2010
5:15 PM

Pat and I went to Memphis on Wednesday afternoon. We spent the night with Amy. On Thursday Pat had two test at Baptist Hospital. Both test were good. No problems found.

The bridge on MLK is getting closer to being open. Today the contractor installed half of the riding surface. The concrete riding surface was manufactured in Batesville Arkansas. The foreman on the job said that the company produced some of the best products he has installed.

The city council will meet on Tuesday night. We have a very short agenda. I will make a report on this blog after the meeting.

I have to work on Sunday for the city. We are having some upgrades to some of our equipment and I agreed to work while the technicians are doing the installations. We are making the changes on Sunday so our equipment will not be out of service during normal work times.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

TUESDAY JULY 6, 2010
6:40 PM

I received a call late this afternoon from a young lady asking me to perform a wedding ceremony. I told her that I would be happy to perform the ceremony. She and her groom came over to the house a little after 5:oo PM and I married them in our living room. It was a very short wedding, but they are now married. This is my first ceremony at home. I have no idea of the number of weddings I have performed. I wish that I had keep a list of the weddings that I have performed.

I called Amy this afternoon and asked how her day went. She said fine, but it was hot. I wonder why when you consider that she operated the cremation business today.

Monday, July 5, 2010

MONDAY JULY 5, 2010
8:00 PM

Last week the new president of the Arkansas Municipal League appointed me to the Executive Committee for the league. I accepted the appointment.

I have served for the past several years on this committee. It take time, but I enjoy serving on this committee. I am able to participate first hand in the operation of the league.
MONDAY JULY 5, 2010
6:50 PM

It has been a quiet fourth of July weekend for me. Saturday I did my yard work and worked on my old truck for a short time.

Amy came over Saturday afternoon. She had planned to come earlier in the day, but she had a job at one of the funeral homes in Memphis. Pat cooked a meal of fresh garden vegetables. She went to the farmers market Saturday morning. Amy really enjoyed the meal.

Pat and I went to Church and Sunday School Sunday morning. When we got home about eleven I started the grill for hamburgers. About the time I got the fire going Amy got a call from a funeral home in Memphis. As soon as we ate Amy returned to Memphis to take care of the body for the funeral home. She has to work when she can. She made the comment that death takes no holiday.

She called this morning and she had two bodies to prepare. She later called and said that the funeral home had another body. She prepared three bodies today. Tomorrow and Wednesday she will operate the cremation business. The owner had a death in his family. She thinks that she will get to answer the phone for the funeral home the latter part of the week. Any job is money and she need every penny she can earn.

I spent most of the day working on my old truck. It was sure nice to have an air conditioner in the garage to keep me cool as I worked.

Pat and I are going to Memphis on Wednesday afternoon. She has some test scheduled for Thursday morning. We will return to Wynne on Thursday afternoon.