Win! / Fail :(

Land Ho!

The city of Fayetteville finally got the 200 acres of land promised to it in the wrangling over the intended SouthPass residential and commercial development project.

For years, the ambitious 800-acre landzilla hoopla that is SouthPass has been mulled, plotted, finagled, bandied about and otherwise discussed between developers and city staff and officials. So far, for naught.

Now at least the city can begin working on its grand vision for a regional park with the about $3.7 million set aside to develop it.

Result: Call it a Draw 😐

The city gets the 200 acres for the park, but the $1 million developers also promised to donate with it has gone *poof*. And SouthPass is now just another grand idea gone belly-up, though the land’s new owner, Chambers Bank, is gamely indicating it still wants to pursue the development.

Also, SouthPass is one of the stupidest names ever with its two mashed-together words and capital letters. While you’re trying to make this lousy name stand out and grab attention, why not go really radical and replace all the S’s with Z’s? ZouthPazz! It’s not your grandma’s McMansion-filled subdivision!

Techno Fever

The Lincoln School district has the fever and the only cure is more computers. Some grades in the district will be getting 13-inch screen Apple MacBook laptops, moving the district forward in its ability to teach students in the 21st Century.

Result: Win! Holy crap, it really is 2010!

No, no fancy flying cars or robot butlers yet, but actually introducing technology that students can carry around with them in the classroom and at home is a great step forward in using the best of what we already have.

Keep Water Funky?

Yeah, it’s that time again when tap water tastes and smells funny due to the algae in Beaver Lake.

Result: Gross. But there’s no one to blame besides Mother Nature, and I’m not going there. I’m still haunted by those Chiffon margarine commercials I watched as a kid. www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLrTPrp-fW8

Categories: Commentary