Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Town Branch Neighborhood meeting begins on August 30, 2011

More video clips from the meeting linked at Town Branch Neighborhood Web log.
More are being added to You Tube and will be available maybe by morning and over coming days.

Monday, August 29, 2011

David Whitaker announces candidacy for Arkansas House of Representatives District 85

Press Release: Whitaker Announces for House District 85


FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas – Democrat David Whitaker announced on Monday that he is running for the Arkansas House of Representatives in the 2012 election.

Whitaker, 50, announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination for the newly created House District 85, which consists of the city of Farmington and several precincts in Fayetteville.

“I am proud to stand up for working families in Fayetteville and Farmington, and I will carry their voice to the state legislature in Little Rock,” Whitaker said on Monday.

Whitaker pledged to fight for good-paying jobs, better support for public school districts, and a responsive government that will put the middle class first.

“It’s time for Arkansas to claim our place at the top when it comes to educating our people, building our economy and ensuring the well-being of our children,” Whitaker said in his announcement.

He also pledged to stand beside Governor Mike Beebe when it comes to putting Arkansas families first, and rejecting the divisive politics of Washington.

“I am proud to have supported Mike Beebe, a governor who cut taxes and created jobs in one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression. If you send me to Little Rock, I will stand beside Governor Beebe as we lead our state to even greater successes,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker first entered public service in 1983, when he joined the United States Air Force as a Cryptologic Linguist, and was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1989. He attended the University Of Arkansas School of Law and graduated in 1999. He clerked for the 4th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney in Fayetteville, before coordinating the Washington County Domestic Violence Task Force from 1999-2000.

In 2001, Whitaker was appointed Assistant City Attorney for the City of Fayetteville, where he worked until 2009, when he ran for US Congress. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary and gathered over 56,000 votes in November’s general election.  He is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and past Chair of the Association’s Law School Committee. He was named Outstanding Government Attorney by the Association’s Government Practice Section in 2007. Whitaker is currently an adjunct faculty member at Northwest Arkansas Community College.

The District 85 seat is currently held by Representative Uvalde Lindsey (D – HD88), who announced on Saturday that he would be seeking the State Senate seat being vacated by Senator Sue Madison (D-SD7).

To find out which House District you live in, please visit www.arkansasredistricting.org
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Friday, August 26, 2011

City street crew uses vacuum truck to remove limestone base material spilled by mistake in July WITHOUT allowing any of it to fall in the Town Branch

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Two members of city crew use vacuum tube to remove spilled base material from streamside

Monday, August 22, 2011

Monday at World Peace Wetland Prairie nature takes its course

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Robber fly captures dragonfly




Robber fly grabs dragon fly


Monday, August 15, 2011

Photos of a couple of creatures that want continuous wildlife corridors in Northwest Arkansas cities and rural areas: Free program at 6 p.m. today at Fayetteville Public Library to offer how and why to make plan reality Free to public

Clearwing moth on native thistle at World Peace Wetland Prairie on August 15, 2011

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Female black form tiger swallowtail and male share a thistle on August 12, 2011, at World Peace Wetland Prairie. Photo by Aubrey James Shepherd

Monday, August 15, 6-7:30pm –“Critical Links; Wildlife Corridor Strategies for Northwest Arkansas”

Representatives of the Fayetteville Community Wildlife Habitat™ Project partnership, including the Environmental Action Committee and the Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association, will discuss the regional green infrastructure map and the importance of individual pieces of property in wildlife-corridor preservation.

For information on the Fayetteville Community Wildlife Habitat™ Project, go to http://habitat.accessfayetteville.org or contact Terri Lane at treehuggerlane@cox.net.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Fritillaries and swallowtails enjoying swamp milkweed, Asclepias incarnata

Please click on image of swamp milkweed in bloom on August 10, 2011. Click on the enlargement to enlarge further.
Photo by Lauren D. Hawkins

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Take the guilt out of keeping your property natural by learning about the life that depends on your benign neglect




Please click on individual images to ENLARGE. Click on enlargement to get even closer of view of Antheraea polyphemus, the giant Polyphemus moth, at World Peace Wetland Prairie on August 7, 2011.
For more about the life cycle of the Polyphemus moth, please see Fairfax, Virginia, public-school Web site.
Antheraea polyphemus a short-lived but giant moth whose caterpillars mostly feed on various oaks and many other trees: One magnificent reason never to rip off dead leaves or spray anything on your trees just because caterpillars are eating the foliage, and don't destroy crumpled leaves hanging or on the ground because they may be a beautiful moth's caterpillar in its chrysalis




For information about Antheraea polyphemus, the Polyphemus moth, see Wiki
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Males have bushier antenae than females have

Saturday, August 6, 2011


Offering fruit to Polyphemus moth futile. Their caterpillars store up the food and the moth lives only a short time with the goal of mating and laying eggs on a suitable host tree


Mouth parts don't allow such moths to feed

Friday, August 5, 2011

Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan presents certificate of recognition to Pinnacle Foods' plant manager, Doug Bryson

For thousands more photos from Pinnacle Wet Prairie, including some from this event at the bottom, please click Flickr link.
For more than 800 photos made July 4, 2011, at Pinnacle wet prairie, please see Flick set.
For direct links to You Tube videos from Aug. 5, 2011, at Pinnacle Foods, please click on You Tube link.
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Doug Bryson and Lioneld Jordan



Recognition of Pinnacle Foods Inc's. significance to Fayetteville



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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Swamp milkweed trying to bloom on August 3, 2011, no surprise because I have been watering this one; but there were surprises today

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Asclepias incarnata


Lycoris squamigera


'Have You Got Gas? The Van Buren County Gas Advisory Board wants your opinion of Frackin' in the Fayetteville Shale area

Dear All.
We have received a large volume of responses to the
Public Input Survey inserted in the V.B. County
Democrat last month.
We also displayed the survey titled "Have You Got Gas?"
in banks, senior centers, quick picks, etc.
But we need more, many more to get a better reading
of public sentiment (pro and con) around the issue
of gas drilling in the Fayetteville Shale Play.
If you don't have a survey you can download it
or fill out online at jeff@VBCGAB.org.
The Van Buren County Gas Advisory Board wants your
input on the pro's and con's of gas drilling if you
live in the Fayetteville Shale Play. Your opinion matters
to us, your elected officials and to the
entire community. Speak out.

Thanks. tom e. kimmons, member VBCGAB.

stoparkansasfracking.org

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Watering at night keeps a few things blooming at World Peace Wetland Prairie

Wasps enjoy blue fennel on August, 2, 2011
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Wasp on Blue Fennel at World Peace Wetland Prairie peace circle
Swallowtail on Flox

Two species of skipper moths on basketflower

Swallow on Flox
Clearwing moth resting before beginning day's work