Governor Beebe's Weekly Column and Radio Address: Vilonia's Return

Statement

By objective measures, 2014 has been a fairly calm year weather-wise in Arkansas. We've seen instances of drought, wildfires and flooding, but they've been fewer when compared to historic instances in the past five years. There were some extreme conditions in the winter and summer, but again, nothing unusually lengthy or unprecedented. Even Arkansas's tornado count has been below our annual average, and most of the storms we have seen rated low on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

All of these factors made the devastation we experienced on April 27, 2014, stand out in stark contrast. That night, a high-end EF-4 tornado smashed through Mayflower and Vilonia, taking 16 lives and causing massive damage. Nationally, there have been more than 1,000 other tornadoes this year, and combined, those storms claimed 26 lives. It is no surprise that we saw the level of national aid and international attention this Arkansas tragedy received, including the first Presidential visit to the State in six years.

In the months since, cleanup efforts have been followed by rebuilding efforts as each community strives to recover. Recently, I returned to Vilonia for the first time since May. There are still a lot of empty slabs alongside new and repaired buildings. Some people have moved away; many remain determined to stay in their hometown, even one targeted by two major tornadoes in three years.

I went to Vilonia for a ribbon-cutting event. I've taken part in hundreds of ribbon cuttings as Governor, but this was the first one I've attended for a family diner. This diner, called "What's For Dinner?" was not a business actually hit by the April tornado; it's a new business. In fact, it's the first new business to open in town since the storm came through. And it brings up an important point about storm recovery. Helping a community get back on its feet isn't just about rebuilding physical and financial infrastructure; it's about getting to a place where growth is again possible.

While I was in town, Vilonia's mayor wanted to show me more. He took me to a small veterans' museum in the process of being constructed. While he was proud of the meaning behind the museum, Mayor Firestone was equally eager to explain all the ways the building was being constructed to withstand future storms, demonstrating what the community has learned. Near the museum, ground has been cleared to build fields for a new sports complex. Funded by a voter-approved bond, there was some discussion after the tornado about putting the project off for a while. However, work will go on, with the credo that Vilonia needs things like new ballparks to lift spirits and keep their community foundation strong.

Through the past eight years, from Dumas in 2007 to Mayflower and Vilonia in 2014, I've seen the resiliency of citizens in Arkansas's communities. Whether it's in the aftermath of a tornado, an ice storm, a flood or a drought, our people have the faith and strength to come back from tough times. They always have, and my faith lies in the knowledge that they always will. It's just one of the many great things that make Arkansas what she is today.

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