Between Editions

The impact happened on the 79th floor.

National Public Radio reports this week about the day a B-25 bomber flew directly into the side of the Empire State Building in New York City. The audio portion of this piece is 12 minutes long, but well worth your time.

A chilling section includes a dictation tape made by a man in a building near the ESB. On it, you can hear the dull whirring of the B-25’s engines grow louder until they finally drown out his voice. Then, a thud — the impact.

Click here for access.

The El Dorado Economic Development Board announced Wednesday plans for a “grand new monument” to help beautify the city as part of the El Dorado Forward plan.

Dubbed Mount Gushmore, the 60-foot, $2.8 million granite structure will be built to resemble the famous Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, said El Dorado Mayor Mike Dumas, who called the idea “bloody brilliant.”

Appearing on Mount Gushmore will be Dumas, Murphy Oil CEO Claiborne Deming, and local business owners and do-gooders Richard and Vertis Mason. Vertis Mason is also an El Dorado alderman.

An independent panel, hired at a cost of $400,000, was brought in to choose local figures who might look appealing in granite, and who have “done good things for the city,” EEDB members said.

Everything is being funded by the El Dorado Forward 1 cent sales tax.

“We really do feel like this is money well spent, and I’m not just saying that because my moustache will be 6 feet long and visible from Norphlet,” Dumas said. “I really think this city needs more monuments.”

Vertis Mason called the idea “odd,” but agreed that she would like to be able to see herself from the window of her husband’s plane, Red Scarf 1, as they fly into and out of El Dorado.

“Sure, it will be a little weird at first, but I think I can get used to it,” Vertis Mason said. “After all that Richard and I have done for El Dorado, this is the least they could do to pay us back.”

Deming was unavailable for comment.

The monument will be built on the old County Market site on North West Avenue. Construction is expected to begin in September.

This artist’s rendering (although crude) was issued to give the public an idea about how the monument will look.

Thanks go to local artist, and fellow satirist, “Speck,” for this cartoon.

For your perusing pleasure: The full reports from the El Dorado Economic Development Commission for 2008 and the 2007-08 budget comparison documents.

Revenues so far this year from the 1 cent sales tax and incurred bank interest total more than $2.4 million, according to the documents below. So far this year, nearly $1 million of that money has been spent. As of June 30, the total balance of the EEDB’s coffers stands at just over $3.5 million.

Note: The line item in the 2008 budget marked “land purchase, $1.5 milllion” relates to the new conference center. Also, the below documents do not indicate the waste of funds allocation of $250,000 for the golf ball washing business.

2008 EEDB Revenues Page 1
2008 EEDB Revenues Page 2
EEDB Revenue Yearly Comparison
EEDB 2008 Budget Page 1
EEDB 2008 Budget Page 2

After touring the EPD’s new station on Tuesday afternoon, it’s clear that the $3 million was well spent. The department has much more room and can better serve the city now, thanks to the new facilities. I’d like to thank Captain David Smith for his elaborate walking tour yesterday, and thanks to all of the other officers who put on smiles and pressed uniforms to greet the public.

We will have photos of the new station on the blog very soon — photos you did not see in today’s News-Times.