Thursday, May 11, 2006
Sun up on Thursday
Today’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that prison investigators have administered lie-detector tests to the staff at the lockup in Calico Rock to determine who gave photographs and other documents to the newspaper for a story about how an unofficial inmate transfer policy may have contributed to race riots at the prison this spring. An April 23 story in the Democrat-Gazette revealed an unofficial transfer practice that sent troublesome black inmates to the remote Ozarks prison that then had an all-white staff.
Arkansas Business reports Hotelier John Q. Hammons says that, while he has shelved the idea of partnering with the city of Jonesboro to build a $45 million hotel and convention center, he'd be willing to go back to the drawing board if the city is ready. The city had planned to ask voters to approve a 1 percent sales tax on June 13 to build a convention center. Hammons said that if the tax passes, he would build the hotel. The election is on the May 16 City Council agenda.
Five days before the deadline to sign up for its new drug benefit, Medicare released numbers showing that about 6 million elderly and disabled people, including about 80,000 in Arkansas, lack coverage and face potential penalties unless they enroll.
Today’s Democrat-Gazette reports that Benton and Washington counties have seen double-digit percentage growth in house prices in recent years, but that may come to an end. Not only might the appreciation slow down, but there is a risk of a decline in prices in Northwest Arkansas in the next year or two, said Augustine “Gus” Faucher, director of macroeconomics at Moody’s Economy.com.
A circuit judge says that the name of Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Bill Halter of North Little Rock can remain on the May 23 primary election ballot.
Cable television provider Comcast Corp. has fired the latest shot in Arkansas’ telecom convergence wars, announcing the rollout next month of telephone service in metro Little Rock.
Whirlpool Corp. will close its Maytag dryer factory in Searcy by the end of the year, cutting 700 jobs.
Opponents of a $130 million shopping center and Bass Pro Shop planned for a North Little Rock wetland, and part of a taxpayer subsidized TIF district which siphons urgently needed tax dollars away from the North Little Rock School District, said Wednesday that they are considering appealing a judge’s decision barring them from suing to stop the project.
Relatives found the 28-year-old mother dead inside her Little Rock apartment Wednesday evening, marking the city’s 26th homicide of the year.
Owners and 40 patrons of a Pocola, Oklahoma adult-oriented store, Adult World, could face numerous criminal charges once investigators complete the paperwork and an extensive inventory of the items found. “We’re going to be here for a flippin’ month,” Pocola police chief Eric Helms said late Tuesday. “We are seizing explicit material all over the place.”
Patrick Antoon Sr., a Magnolia physician convicted in a scam that billed Medicare for power wheelchairs that patients did not need, was sentenced Wednesday 1 to 4/2 years in federal prison.
Two Lakeside High School students were charged with insult or abuse to a teacher after being accused of putting a laxative in tea that two teachers drank. Harry Lee Keek and Bradley William Parham, both 18, were cited with a misdemeanor count, police said Monday. The two face a hearing next Tuesday in Hot Springs District Court; two others also could be charged
The Palestine City Council unanimously voted to pay themselves $50 individually for each meeting that is held whether the councilmember attends or not.
Under terms of a law signed Wednesday, tattooing will become legal in Oklahoma on November 1.
The 17th annual Yell Fest, at Veterans Riverfront Park located on Front Street in Dardanelle, kicks off Thursday night and runs through Saturday.
Picklefest returns to Adkins this weekend. Along with the mainstays of pickle juice drinking and eating contests, this year's festival will offer many traditional and new attractions. One of the top new attractions this year is the exhibit of Scott Romine's "General Lee" car from the "Dukes of Hazard" television series.
Chuckwagon racers from across the country will compete for prizes in a variety of classes and wagon styles during the annual Chuck Wagon Race and Ranch Rodeo in Mayflower today through Sunday.
Arkansas Business reports Hotelier John Q. Hammons says that, while he has shelved the idea of partnering with the city of Jonesboro to build a $45 million hotel and convention center, he'd be willing to go back to the drawing board if the city is ready. The city had planned to ask voters to approve a 1 percent sales tax on June 13 to build a convention center. Hammons said that if the tax passes, he would build the hotel. The election is on the May 16 City Council agenda.
Five days before the deadline to sign up for its new drug benefit, Medicare released numbers showing that about 6 million elderly and disabled people, including about 80,000 in Arkansas, lack coverage and face potential penalties unless they enroll.
Today’s Democrat-Gazette reports that Benton and Washington counties have seen double-digit percentage growth in house prices in recent years, but that may come to an end. Not only might the appreciation slow down, but there is a risk of a decline in prices in Northwest Arkansas in the next year or two, said Augustine “Gus” Faucher, director of macroeconomics at Moody’s Economy.com.
A circuit judge says that the name of Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Bill Halter of North Little Rock can remain on the May 23 primary election ballot.
Cable television provider Comcast Corp. has fired the latest shot in Arkansas’ telecom convergence wars, announcing the rollout next month of telephone service in metro Little Rock.
Whirlpool Corp. will close its Maytag dryer factory in Searcy by the end of the year, cutting 700 jobs.
Opponents of a $130 million shopping center and Bass Pro Shop planned for a North Little Rock wetland, and part of a taxpayer subsidized TIF district which siphons urgently needed tax dollars away from the North Little Rock School District, said Wednesday that they are considering appealing a judge’s decision barring them from suing to stop the project.
Relatives found the 28-year-old mother dead inside her Little Rock apartment Wednesday evening, marking the city’s 26th homicide of the year.
Owners and 40 patrons of a Pocola, Oklahoma adult-oriented store, Adult World, could face numerous criminal charges once investigators complete the paperwork and an extensive inventory of the items found. “We’re going to be here for a flippin’ month,” Pocola police chief Eric Helms said late Tuesday. “We are seizing explicit material all over the place.”
Patrick Antoon Sr., a Magnolia physician convicted in a scam that billed Medicare for power wheelchairs that patients did not need, was sentenced Wednesday 1 to 4/2 years in federal prison.
Two Lakeside High School students were charged with insult or abuse to a teacher after being accused of putting a laxative in tea that two teachers drank. Harry Lee Keek and Bradley William Parham, both 18, were cited with a misdemeanor count, police said Monday. The two face a hearing next Tuesday in Hot Springs District Court; two others also could be charged
The Palestine City Council unanimously voted to pay themselves $50 individually for each meeting that is held whether the councilmember attends or not.
Under terms of a law signed Wednesday, tattooing will become legal in Oklahoma on November 1.
The 17th annual Yell Fest, at Veterans Riverfront Park located on Front Street in Dardanelle, kicks off Thursday night and runs through Saturday.
Picklefest returns to Adkins this weekend. Along with the mainstays of pickle juice drinking and eating contests, this year's festival will offer many traditional and new attractions. One of the top new attractions this year is the exhibit of Scott Romine's "General Lee" car from the "Dukes of Hazard" television series.
Chuckwagon racers from across the country will compete for prizes in a variety of classes and wagon styles during the annual Chuck Wagon Race and Ranch Rodeo in Mayflower today through Sunday.
