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Retro Metro Column/About

AuthorBrick at its best is a Retro Metro Column. The rest of the time, Brick is a wordy blog. Brick in recent years includes a recipe repository.

Retro Metro refers to the tradition of print papers having one or more commentators prominent on a local news page — not the editorial page — several times a week.

Brick is independent, not affiliated with any commercial publication or other entity. Alas, the author is, some 40 hours a week. Ben S. Pollock assumes readers of Brick can tell the difference.

This is the About the Author page. That’s Ben S. Pollock in black-and-white, an old column standing-hed mug shot, fairly early in his 38-or-so-year journalism career. In mid-2016 he joined the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions as its web manager. In late 2017, Mr. Pollock joined the university’s labor union, was elected to the Local 965 board in the next year. From 2019-2022 he served as secretary and communication director of UA-Fayetteville Education Association/Local 965. Mr. Pollock was elected the local’s 2022-24 vice president and communication director.

Mr. Pollock was 2012-16 director of media for the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, having been its 2010-12 president. He currently is treasurer of the NSNC Education Foundation.

In 2014-15 he was the inaugural assistant director of the University of Arkansas Center for Ethics in Journalism. In 2002-03 he was a UA graduate teaching assistant in journalism. Previously, he graduated kindergarten. For more on Mr. Pollock post pre school, visit his Mirthology, a Loose Leaflet, which comprises his way-back archives and related material.


Acme Brick Co. sample

Note: This image of a brick wall used often in the website is provided courtesy of Acme Brick Co. This is not a random choice. Growing up in Fort Smith, Arkansas, acreage that included a clay quarry was on two sides of my childhood home (situated on a cul de sac). It belonged to Acme Brick, and its kiln works was nearby. As a child, my friends and I explored that land; it included a horse pasture as well. Kiln production ended in 2018, and I’m not sure about the quarry, but a retail brick store remains a block away.

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