The big merger and the Lovely mural

Shortcuts are hand-picked bits of news, commentary and info from around Northwest Arkansas, the rest of the state and even from places much further away.

Here are today’s Shortcuts:

LOCAL

No more free (newspaper) news
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Morning News are planning a merger and with ADG getting control of the business side, one can only assume that the newly erected paywall will remain intact.

A Lovely learning experience
The Morning News’ Skip Descant reports that the Fayetteville Arts Council will not be able to save the Lovely mural just off Dickson Street. But there are lessons to be learned, says the council.

First Thursday in photos
Ozarks Unbound has a pictorial essay on last night’s First Thursday Fayetteville haps. Checkitout.

STATEWIDE

From 8 to 4
The Johnson post office branch is no longer on the list being considered for closure. But there are still four Arkansas POs on the list.

Violation of FOIA
An Arkansas Times columnist was denied access to WM3 documents and asks whether or not that’s even legal.

ELSEWHERE

No newspaper town
Back in July, Ann Arbor’s only newspaper printed its final daily edition. But no newspaper doesn’t mean no news coverage. With enough experimentation, the new face of news will emerge.

“Keep that man away from my children!”
A half dozen school districts across the country are refusing to show President Obama’s back-to-school speech to their students. Some parents thing a political agenda is at play. Yawn. The same thing happened in ’91.