Times they are a changing … isn’t that what they used to say back in the old and golden years?

Well, now the saying is “The new busy ain’t the old busy,” and things aren’t what they used to be. Words said with a sigh of nostalgia, a twinge of resentment and a gleam of relief. The only thing constant is change.

The new face of TFW, once a small town alternative newspaper with its heart on the pulse of Fayetteville arts and culture, is now a new media tabloid delivering the interests of the Northwest Arkansas metropolis. As the new editor gets wet and feels out this transition, all the community, present-company included, watch anxiously as The (new) Free Weekly gets wings.

“The Kruth Talks” was born with the death of “Daddy Warbucks.” One of the most well-read and long-lived sections, Daddy had insight into big business and behind-closed-doors encounters that kept the public informed of the capitol façade. I certainly didn’t have the connections of Daddy when it came to information, but I’ve maintained the news tidbits to keep the residents in the loop of changes that affect our everyday life.

Now as The Free Weekly gains the attention of our neighboring communities, I ask that you feel free to share your voice, your insight, your tips and your rumors with this columnist. We would know nothing at all if we did not share our thoughts, aka gossip. A big believer of the truth (Kruth is just “Truth with a K”) I will filter out the nonsense from the need-to-know and hopefully the loyal readers of the Freekly can handle the Kruth.

With all the news sources available, we want to make sure that you can still reach out to The Free Weekly as the source for entertainment, arts and activities, cultural insight and news briefs that hit home and keep you involved and informed. Welcome to our world fellow cities of NWA — we don’t say “Keep Fayetteville Funky” for nothing! We may be a bit edgy, sometimes shocking, sort of sensational and most definitely different, but we weren’t all made to be the same. Take comfort in the different. Take refuge in the change.

Get your thoughts and town featured by writing to TheKruthTalks@gmail.com.

Here’s a few thoughts for you to chew on this week …

Pay Meters Get Defaced

Parking Meters vandalized on Dickson Street! The city’s reaction is to seal off the area around the spray-painted kiosks. An unfounded claim of $15,000 issued by the city in a news release. Most damage was superficial and completely predictable. Take a punch bowl like Dickson Street, mix two parts young and rebellious with two parts hot summer night, add a splash of liquor and what do you expect?

Beyond the WAC

The Fayetteville Task Force that was created to consider and attract diverse festivals and events is already met with a challenge. Because of the new paid parking movement, the Walton Arts Center parking lot can only be closed for events 16 days out of the year. The committee will have to look beyond the obvious center of downtown to host these festivals since most of those days are already scheduled. I hear Bentonville has some nice locations to host events!

Enrollment Shift

The Fayetteville Public Schools have moved 100 fifth grade students from Holcolmb Elementary to Holt Middle School for this school year. Overcrowding at the elementary school required an additional third grade classroom. A reported increase of nearly 500 students in the district gives encouraging evidence to support the ninth grade moving into the newly built high school.

Last week, the Freekly’s cover illustration of a sledgehammer in close proximity to one of Fayetteville’s new parking pay stations near Dickson Street drew the attention of city government. No actual pay stations were harmed in the photo shoot, though $2 was fed in the machines in the process of getting pics.
The image netted a phone message Thursday from Don Marr, the mayor’s chief of staff, implying TFW was inciting a call for vandalism against the park-o-trons. An informal poll among area 5-year-olds came back unanimously with the response “Are you kidding me?”
Late Friday, the city whipped out a carefully timed news release screeching about $15,000 in damages to the e-meters, warning of felony arrests and threatening lot closures. Television stations and the Fayetteville Flyer — erroneously referred to as “news sources” — ran with the official line without bothering to verify the damage or even ask any questions. Fact gathering? Not on a Friday night, baby!
So, reporters at the Northwest Arkansas Times did some actual work. They asked a question.
The answer: $451.
Yeah, that’s the actual amount of damage prior to the news release that Fayetteville police were able to verify. Police put the original $15,000 estimate on the parking department; the parking department in turn blamed the number on police.
Vandalism stinks — no matter the amount. But city government over-reacting by sending out erroneous information in what had to be a calculated move to make a point? Well, that doesn’t just stink. That’s a betrayal of the public trust.

Results:

• The vandals — Fail. Cut it out or I’m telling your moms.
• The “news sources” — big Fail. Hey, TV, stick with what you do best — regurgitating the stories that ran in that day’s newspaper.
• The city — Epic Fail. You really embarrassed yourselves on that one — and that’s coming from the people who made the mistake of printing a Dan Savage column.

Everybody Wins! — Except Bentonville

In the quest to lure the Walton Arts Center eetteville, the Marinoni family is putting up 108 acres for a new site with 10 of those acres — a $4.5 million value — for free.

Result: Win-Win-Win, if it works. The WAC gets a great new site at a discounted price, Fayetteville improves on an important part of its arts and entertainment draw and the Marinonis rightfully make a few bucks.

The Naked Truth

Jimmy Don Engleman is being accused of attempting to blackmail a married teacher by threatening to send nude pictures of her to her husband and workplace. Even though police recorded a pretty damning phone conversation, Jimmy Don is claiming he didn’t do no nuthin’ wrong. He says the $2,000 he asked her for was repayment, and he’d been seeing the woman for a couple of months. Jimmy Don cited a former roommate as an alibi but wouldn’t give police the roommate’s contact information.

Result:
Jimmy Don — Fail. Dude, in addition to lacking class, you have to come up with a better cover story than that.
The teacher — Fail and Win! For Fail, this is an object lesson for everyone out there: Never let naked pictures of yourself out of your control. But Win! for having the guts to put the kibosh on this dirtbag instead of just paying up.

from the editor

Welcome to the all-new, all different TFW!

We’re pushing things to the Xtreme® and living on the edge. In your effin’ face! Look out, grandpa! This ain’t yer grandmother’s Freekly …

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OK, seriously, this is the revised, revamped and otherwise relaunched Fayetteville Free Weekly — now just The Free Weekly — as we move to embrace a more regional approach. (Don’t worry, Fayetteville, baby girl, you’ll still get plenty of love.)

Some quick answers:

• The awesome, amazing, phenomenal, cool Susan Porter is not gone. She’s now TFW’s general manager and vital — VITAL — to this pub. Thanks, Susan, for starting something wonderful back in 1994.
• I didn’t choose the new name. TFW? Seriously? Sing along with the jingle: “Everybody needs a little TFW!” For some interesting definitions regarding TFW, go to urbandictionary.com. The Yoda one is pretty good.
• What’s new? Well, it looks different already, right? You’ll see some new features — WTF?!!!, Eat It, Play — in this issue with more to come in the . The biggest difference coming? Beefed up news coverage in a style you won’t see in the daily newspapers or on TV.
• Many of the old favorites are still here: Pet of the Week, Risa’s Astrology, Advice Goddess. Some of the others, well … If the cuts have you so hacked off you’ve already cracked a molar with clenched jaw, write in. Let me hear it. Or if you love the changes, get to clickity-clackin’ and push the send button already. Seriously, people, let’s get a dialogue going. I want feedback!
• Yes, ladies, I am single.

When I interviewed for this job, I told my bosses I wanted to run with the Freekly’s tradition and take it to the next level. Offer news coverage with some bite and some humor. Dig deep into the community — really see what people are doing in art, music, charity work, etc. Serve it all up in a pretty, redesigned package with a bigger presence on the Web and in social media. Maybe even *gasp* add VIDEO to the website.

The truth is I took the gig because I figured I could get them n a company-paid iPhone. Which they did. Suckers.

But with a great smart phone comes great responsibility, so I’m going to be out there every day, busting my ass and trying to bring the best content possible to the loyal lovers of the Freekly and maybe even bring in some new eyeballs.

Hope you enjoy the ride as much as I do.

By Amber Kruth

I was at the Blair Library today, and it struck me that school will soon be in session. Maybe it was the quiet thought in the back of my head that this may be the last “summer session” book I pick up for my son, or maybe it was the striking new appearance of those young scholars brewing in the lobby. There are 500 more freshman this year than last year, bringing in almost 3,500 new Razorbacks next month. In a news release, Provost Sharon Gaber said the University of Arkansas is ready and anticipated the increase in attendance. Improvements in housing, the Registrar’s office, the bookstore and academic halls preceded the enrollment. Welcome to Fayetteville, freshmen!

Incoming Class Is Impressed

Speaking of the Razorbacks, I had the pleasure to sit in on a briefing with members of the Razorback football coaching staff. The coaches mentioned the recruits get enticed even more to play for the Hogs once they visit the campus. The architecture, the hills, the halls, the staff, the people of the area, the resources, the quality and, not to mention, the stadium, really light up the eyes of prospects. The UA certainly creates quite a positive impression of the area.

Top Ranked Marriott In Fayetteville

Check out this list of awards: Marriott Courtyard Hotel of the Year, Chairman’s Award for Overall Guest Service & Satisfaction, The Platinum Award, The Diamond Award, Highest Guest Satisfaction in “Least Problems Experienced,” “Overall Satisfaction,” High Quality Breakfast” and “Top Room Cleanliness.” All of these accomplishments were achieved by The Courtyard by Marriott in Fayetteville. Now that sounds like the place to stay!

Speak Green To NWACC

The Northwest Arkansas Community College is open to new thoughts for programs of sustainability in both credit and noncredit courses. If you have a concept for training or course work that should be offered at NWACC, respond to the following links:

Student survey: www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AXBKVX2T8

Community survey: www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AXDANan also log on to freeweekly.com, find my story and click on the links.

A Blocked Thought

The Block Avenue Construction is about halfway done, and the intentions of creating a pedestrian-friendly area to connect Dickson Street to the Fayetteville square are noticeable. One of the most obvious improvements is the back-in parking along the first block of Block Ave. The city of Fayetteville is also revamping the water, sewage and drainage infrastructure of this area with the reconstruction of the pavement of these blocks. I hope the city also realizes the need for a stop sign at the first block of Block Avenue, since the eastbound vehicles along Spring Street can no longer see oncoming vehicles when the parking spaces are occupied. Since this project is intended to slow driving towards the square, a stop sign for approaching traffic seems like an obvious inclusion.