This item was created as a comment on a September 12, 2007, post on the popular The Iconoclast
blogspot titled "Tracy Hoskins and His Johnson."
Tracy Hoskins is a nice guy. However, he is still negotiating with the Fayetteville planners over details of his proposed
Park West. Another project in the Illinois River will require careful study, regardless of which city has jurisdiction.
As biologist Joe Neal (right, in photo above), said on a March 10, 2007, visit to the Park West, "This is all wetland prairie and none of it should be developed."
Could that be the same problem at the Johnson site?
Hundreds of acres of wetland in the Clear Creek watershed are already developed or also threatened with development. I am sure the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission will want to help with the project in order to get more Northwest Arkansas silt into the Illinois River and Lake Tenkiller.
Any stormwater and water-quality expert would see the removal of vegetation and topsoil from such an area and addition of concrete and other impervious surfaces in the Illinois watershed as creating blight.
Reply to another part of the post and a comment on it: Actually, many people considered Johnson a destination until Antonio's closed. And, of course, Susie Wong's was just across Clear Creek from Johnson but it has been closed much longer than Antonio's. Actually, I believe that the owner was Johnson Constable and then Johnson Police Chief back in the day. So maybe Susie Wong's was actually in Johnson. Those are a couple of restaurants that likely won't ever be overshadowed in the dining memories of old-timers by any of the new places opening in the area.
Posts
5 comments:
When you and your friends were slurping up that supposedly superior food, you didn't have cell phones or Ipods and you didn't have the option of going to McDonalds or Applebees. You just didn't have anything to do but eat and talk to the people across the table.
I remember when you were an outdoor writer for the Little Rock papers and promoted those "railroad prairies" on the Grand Prairie. You didn't publish any photos of butterflies and such, just mallards. What happened?
Anonymous 8:30, are you saying that McDonald's and Applebee's are somehow superior to Antonio's and Suzy Wong's? Besides being hostile, I think you are mistaken.
My guess he's still walking softly but shooting only photos.
Now if there was a catch and release possibilitiy for wetland birds, he might just do that.
He has got some nice photos of the mallards and geese at Baum Stadium pond on flickr.com!
The guy accepts and even flaunts the tag aubunique because he knows that no one agrees with him all the time and that being his own man is a plus in a world when people are identified by some predetermined doctrine they live by.
Gotta admire his willingness to risk being criticized or threatened by the powerful.
Post a Comment