Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rockefeller Visits At Coffee

By JOHN MILLER

Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller paid a visit to Gurdon Tuesday, Sept. 30.

He was in the area to visit with the 2025 Commission, but came to Gurdon for the Chamber of Commerce Community Coffee.

Rockefeller said getting out and about with the people is a real treat for him, because this is one of the promises he made when seeking office.

"I like going around the state, keeping my ears open and listening to the people and seeing what the need," he said. "This helps make government work."

Rockefeller told those gathered at the Hoo Hoo building government is the servant of the people, not their master. He said he and Gov. Mike Huckabee want to hear what the people think and are concerned about so they will know which direction to take the state in the future.

When it came to discussing his personal plans for the future, Rockefeller was silent. He said it wouldn't be fair to those who supported him in his bid for Lt. Gov. to make a public announcement before telling them first.

So, he said, to be fair he will hold off making any announcements on his future political plans, but promised he would tell them soon.

Education, Rockefeller said, is the foundation for success. Because of this he is involved in early literacy. "You have to start with the belief education is a lifelong experience and not just kindergarten through college. You never stop learning," he said.

Rockefeller told the crowd it is vital to focus on the first three years of a child's life in helping them learn to read. These first three years, he said, help determine how they will be in the future.

If they can be started on reading during this time and develop a love of learning, they will have a leg up when they start to school.

Additionally, he said, if parents read to their children and help them learn, it strengthens the family unit. And, he added, in many cases it helps the parents improve their own reading skills.

"It's a win-win situation," he said. "With a well educated work force we're able to get better paying jobs and meet the needs and demands of industry."

According to Rockefeller, there are a lot of quality jobs available for those who have the necessary education, training and skills to do them. But, he said, the people need to make the commitment to learn how to handle the technology involved.

Arkansas, he said, has pockets where the unemployment rate is extremely low, and where it is high. People, he said, must be willing to go where the jobs are.

Rockefeller lauded those working for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), formerly the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission. He said they are doing an excellent job even though the agency is going through some turmoil at this time.

However, he said, the important thing is to market Arkansas in a positive light. "We have a great product, but we need to market it aggressively and positively. We need to be in position to respond quickly for demands of information to create economic development."

Economic development, he said, encompasses literally everything. "We can develop the economy in Arkansas and be successful. We can do this and not at the expense of future generations."