Main Street Arkansas Calendar June 21-25

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MONDAY

TUESDAY Mark and Susan – Transportation Program Workshop in LR

WEDNESDAY Nancy – Batesville, Susan - Texarkana

THURSDAY Mark – Rogers, Susan & Caroline - Searcy

FRIDAY

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Back to the basics of business

Retail Expert Rick Segel reflects on the basics of small business after a peaceful retreat without cell phone service. An excerpt reads:

As you revisit your dream, add this to the equation. Ask yourself how you and your business can enhance the lives of your customers. Are you bringing unique merchandise that they can’t find elsewhere? Are you providing a service that is so special they wouldn’t go elsewhere? Or realize that your competitive advantage is the location and the convenience you offer your customer? Just know what makes you special and/or why your customers think you are special. After all, if you are going to be a specialty business, it’s time you put special back into your businesses. http://blog.ricksegel.com/

Historic law library and more in downtown Paragould

For most of us a law library would not be very interesting. But what about the location that the library was located in? The building itself part of history..part of Paragould's history. http://www.kait8.com/global/story.asp?s=12661694

A Green Model in Arkansas

MSA staff attended a lunch seminar last week about the Green Built Arkansas Model Home. The Model Home is located in the Woodland’s edge, the first 4-star Green Certified Neighborhood in West Little Rock. Although not quite compatible with historic building rehabilitation, there are some basic principles on best practices in sustainability and green building on their web site. Web site also includes a list of Certified Green Professionals in the state. www.hbaglr.com/Green-Built-Arkansas.

Eleven principles for creating great community places

The Project for Public Spaces (PPS) identifies 11 key elements in transforming public spaces into vibrant community places, whether they’re parks, plazas, public squares, streets, sidewalks or the myriad other outdoor and indoor spaces that have public uses in common. http://www.pps.org/11steps/

Tips for State Transportation Fund Applicants

For those of you who are applying with your cities for the Arkansas State Highway Transportation Enhancement Funds (deadline: Augst 25!), the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse’s web site is a great resource. There are plenty of Arkansas examples in the Project Examples section: West Memphis Broadway Revitalization, Rogers Frisco Park and Trail, and Hot Springs Creek Greenway. Also the Searles Prairie in Rogers in the Environmental Mitigation section, and the Big Dam Bridge Little Rock in the Pedestrian-Bike Facilities section. http://www.enhancements.org/index.asp

Application deadline for the Arkansas Transportation Enhancement Program is August 25, 2010. If you have questions about this program please call a Main Street staff member.