Monday, June 19, 2006
Up for Monday
The New York Times reports at least 90 officials at the Department of Homeland Security or the White House Office of Homeland Security — including the department's former secretary, Tom Ridge; the former deputy secretary, Adm. James M. Loy; and the former under secretary, Asa Hutchinson — are executives, consultants or lobbyists for companies that collectively do billions of dollars' worth of domestic security business.
The Democrat-Gazette’s Washington correspondent, Paul Barton, reports U.S. Rep. Marion Berry has received more than $800,000 in federal farm subsidies since 1994 using a corporate structure that some experts say might not have withstood close scrutiny by agriculture and tax officials.
At $6.5 million per year, a Medicaid program that pays for prenatal care for immigrant women is costing the state more than five times what officials predicted two years ago. The unexpected higher cost stems from Medicaid officials underestimating the number of women who would qualify and failing to factor in the cost of prescription drugs and hospital stays after deliveries.
Former Circuit Judge Fred D. Davis of White Hall, a convicted felon, voted in the May 23 Democratic primary election, but county officials turned him away when he tried to cast a ballot in the June 13 runoff. Prosecuting Attorney Stevan Dalrymple of White Hall says he will look into it.
The St. Francis County Election Commission will focus on issues surrounding two close races from the Tuesday primary run-off when they meet tonight. The topic will be the races for Senate District 16 between Jack Crumbly and Rep. Arnell Willis, and the race for Justice of the Peace in District 3 between Billy Gene Ray and Larry White.
For the second time in three weeks the fate of two Jackson County justice of the peace candidates was decided by lottery following a recount that left the pair tied with 236 votes each. Jim Bishop, former sheriff, ultimately unseated incumbent Kenneth Grady Sr.
State lawmakers voted Friday to investigate the source of voting problems encountered during the May 23 primary, with one Republican senator saying whatever problems exist should be fixed in time for the November general election.
Cynthia Howell reports in the Democrat-Gazette that Relatives of Paron High School students told a Pulaski County circuit judge Friday that closing the rural Saline County school and sending the approximately 100 students to Bryant Middle and High schools will put their children on hazardous roads for close to two hours each way, jeopardizing their safety and academic success.
About 150 people — including Pine Bluff School District officials and teachers, elected officials, community leaders and other patrons — gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony that marked initiation of construction at nine sights within the district.
Arwah Jaber cried as he testified that he never planned to join the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in June 2005, despite making such statements to University of Arkansas professors and students out of anger.
Bernard Byais, of Jonesboro, is charged with criminal attempt to commit capital murder and arson for a May 17 incident which seriously injured his mother. Witnesses reportedly told police that Byais had planned to set his parents' home on fire with them inside the structure. Evidence showed the fire started in a couch near the front door. During a police interview the younger Byais told officers he "did not care for his parents and made the statement that nobody has got proof I set nothing."
The DNA testing of prisoners in the Arkansas Department of Corrections has resulted in the arrest of Ronald Lipe, an inmate Cherokee Village serving time on drug charges, for a 1999 rape in St. Francis County.
Faulkner County Sheriff's deputies worked Cadron Settlement Park last week. Undercover deputies and reserve officers allowed themselves to be solicited and arrested eight individuals.
The Springdale City Council is expected to approve the demolition and removal of 16 structures to allow room for widening the south side of Huntsville Avenue and creating a four lane avenue. This phase of a $105 million bond program is expected to begin this summer.
The American Taekwondo Association World Championships, which will kick off this week in Little Rock, will infuse some $3.5 million into the city’s economy, according to the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For Winky Wright and Jermain Taylor, it was a draw Saturday night at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis. Under terms of the contract, a rematch is not necessary if there is a draw.
Arkansas' unemployment rate rose another two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.3 percent in May. The declining payrolls were especially hard on minorities as the jobless rate for that sector of the labor force hit double digits for the first time since November 2004.
About 255 workers at Superior Industries in Fayetteville will be laid off this summer. The California-based company blamed the lay offs at the chrome-plating plant on a slowdown in the sales of expensive chrome wheels.
Wal-Mart is being sued for allegedly selling counterfeit versions of Fendi brand bags and wallets at Sam's Clubs. But Wal-Mart claims its Fendi products are authentic and that it has the documents to prove it.
The Democrat-Gazette’s Washington correspondent, Paul Barton, reports U.S. Rep. Marion Berry has received more than $800,000 in federal farm subsidies since 1994 using a corporate structure that some experts say might not have withstood close scrutiny by agriculture and tax officials.
At $6.5 million per year, a Medicaid program that pays for prenatal care for immigrant women is costing the state more than five times what officials predicted two years ago. The unexpected higher cost stems from Medicaid officials underestimating the number of women who would qualify and failing to factor in the cost of prescription drugs and hospital stays after deliveries.
Former Circuit Judge Fred D. Davis of White Hall, a convicted felon, voted in the May 23 Democratic primary election, but county officials turned him away when he tried to cast a ballot in the June 13 runoff. Prosecuting Attorney Stevan Dalrymple of White Hall says he will look into it.
The St. Francis County Election Commission will focus on issues surrounding two close races from the Tuesday primary run-off when they meet tonight. The topic will be the races for Senate District 16 between Jack Crumbly and Rep. Arnell Willis, and the race for Justice of the Peace in District 3 between Billy Gene Ray and Larry White.
For the second time in three weeks the fate of two Jackson County justice of the peace candidates was decided by lottery following a recount that left the pair tied with 236 votes each. Jim Bishop, former sheriff, ultimately unseated incumbent Kenneth Grady Sr.
State lawmakers voted Friday to investigate the source of voting problems encountered during the May 23 primary, with one Republican senator saying whatever problems exist should be fixed in time for the November general election.
Cynthia Howell reports in the Democrat-Gazette that Relatives of Paron High School students told a Pulaski County circuit judge Friday that closing the rural Saline County school and sending the approximately 100 students to Bryant Middle and High schools will put their children on hazardous roads for close to two hours each way, jeopardizing their safety and academic success.
About 150 people — including Pine Bluff School District officials and teachers, elected officials, community leaders and other patrons — gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony that marked initiation of construction at nine sights within the district.
Arwah Jaber cried as he testified that he never planned to join the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in June 2005, despite making such statements to University of Arkansas professors and students out of anger.
Bernard Byais, of Jonesboro, is charged with criminal attempt to commit capital murder and arson for a May 17 incident which seriously injured his mother. Witnesses reportedly told police that Byais had planned to set his parents' home on fire with them inside the structure. Evidence showed the fire started in a couch near the front door. During a police interview the younger Byais told officers he "did not care for his parents and made the statement that nobody has got proof I set nothing."
The DNA testing of prisoners in the Arkansas Department of Corrections has resulted in the arrest of Ronald Lipe, an inmate Cherokee Village serving time on drug charges, for a 1999 rape in St. Francis County.
Faulkner County Sheriff's deputies worked Cadron Settlement Park last week. Undercover deputies and reserve officers allowed themselves to be solicited and arrested eight individuals.
The Springdale City Council is expected to approve the demolition and removal of 16 structures to allow room for widening the south side of Huntsville Avenue and creating a four lane avenue. This phase of a $105 million bond program is expected to begin this summer.
The American Taekwondo Association World Championships, which will kick off this week in Little Rock, will infuse some $3.5 million into the city’s economy, according to the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For Winky Wright and Jermain Taylor, it was a draw Saturday night at the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis. Under terms of the contract, a rematch is not necessary if there is a draw.
Arkansas' unemployment rate rose another two-tenths of a percentage point to 5.3 percent in May. The declining payrolls were especially hard on minorities as the jobless rate for that sector of the labor force hit double digits for the first time since November 2004.
About 255 workers at Superior Industries in Fayetteville will be laid off this summer. The California-based company blamed the lay offs at the chrome-plating plant on a slowdown in the sales of expensive chrome wheels.
Wal-Mart is being sued for allegedly selling counterfeit versions of Fendi brand bags and wallets at Sam's Clubs. But Wal-Mart claims its Fendi products are authentic and that it has the documents to prove it.
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Subject(s): 2006 Elections, Investigations, Politicians, Republicans
Local Area(s): Arkansas
June 18, 2006 at 11:28:04 Permalink
A Perfect Storm Of Injustice
by Roy Murtishaw
http://www.opednews.com
A Perfect Storm Of Injustice
Attn: Gov. Mike Huckabee
P.O. Box 7406
Little Rock, AR 72217
Dear Governor Huckabee,
On May 5,1993, a perfect storm of horrifying injustice followed the even more horrifying murders of three eight-year-old buddies in West Memphis, Arkansas. Multiple elements of human incompetence, human prejudices, human hysteria, human arrogance and human complacency swirled together to create an unnatural disaster that continues to stain the consciences of those who have bothered to investigate the travesty.
Though all the boys had been stripped, bound, bludgeoned, tortured, murdered; only one had also been sexually mutilated . Following an incredibly inept....perhaps even a corrupt investigation by the West Memphis Police authorities in which obvious leads were ignored; the case seemed stymied until the focus--- albeit aided by a hysterical child's shifting tales and by the active efforts of the child's mother in her plans to entrap three area teenagers ...zeroed in on Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Miskelly. A review of the scant facts of the case suggests Damien's crimes were his adolescent rebellion, his changing his name from Michael to Damien and his grossly violated psychiatric history; 112 pound Jason who was 16 years old though looked barely pubescent committed the crime of being Damien's friend and Jessie who stood just over five feet tall had a history of intellectual/academic retardation very probably committed the grave crime of falsely confessing in an illegal police interrogation. With considerable additional help from police authorities, Jessie also falsely implicated Damien and Jason.
Today, 13 years later , Damien is on Arkansas' Death Row, while Jason and Jessie are serving life without parole. All three boys were convicted despite no tangible evidence related to gruesome, bloody murders...no blood at the scene, no ability to transport themselves to and from the scene, no weapons.... convictions supported only by grotesquely pro-prosecution sentiments of the presiding judge,community hysteria, proven police corruption, the obscenely biased testimony of pathetically unqualified "experts" and a legal review system in Arkansas that appears solely devoted to "covering ass"!
The facts surrounding the unusual circumstances adherring to the one and only murdered child who was also brutally and sexually mutilated in an obvious " act of rage " rather than a " satanic cult ritual " leads to a profoundly unexplored avenue of any search for truth. This ignored search is further fueled by the eerily mysterious death of the mutilated child's mother a few months after the tragic murder of her son.
Mr. Reverend Governor, this case now referred to the world over as the WM3 Travesty cries out for your active review and your demand for justice. Isn't it time for you to provide more than pious lip service to your Christian principles ?
Isn't it time for you to.. as is your delight in using sports metaphors..to " step up to the plate "?
Roy Murtishaw
Pine Bluff,AR
I'm a 62 year-old disabled psychotherapist who is a proud activist/liberal despite having lived amidst extreme conservatives all my life. I was also a single father to a now 36-year-old Lawrence Berkley liberal/scientist and am now a single father of a 12-year-old budding liberal/activist tennis player/carpenter.
Local Area(s): Arkansas
June 18, 2006 at 11:28:04 Permalink
A Perfect Storm Of Injustice
by Roy Murtishaw
http://www.opednews.com
A Perfect Storm Of Injustice
Attn: Gov. Mike Huckabee
P.O. Box 7406
Little Rock, AR 72217
Dear Governor Huckabee,
On May 5,1993, a perfect storm of horrifying injustice followed the even more horrifying murders of three eight-year-old buddies in West Memphis, Arkansas. Multiple elements of human incompetence, human prejudices, human hysteria, human arrogance and human complacency swirled together to create an unnatural disaster that continues to stain the consciences of those who have bothered to investigate the travesty.
Though all the boys had been stripped, bound, bludgeoned, tortured, murdered; only one had also been sexually mutilated . Following an incredibly inept....perhaps even a corrupt investigation by the West Memphis Police authorities in which obvious leads were ignored; the case seemed stymied until the focus--- albeit aided by a hysterical child's shifting tales and by the active efforts of the child's mother in her plans to entrap three area teenagers ...zeroed in on Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Miskelly. A review of the scant facts of the case suggests Damien's crimes were his adolescent rebellion, his changing his name from Michael to Damien and his grossly violated psychiatric history; 112 pound Jason who was 16 years old though looked barely pubescent committed the crime of being Damien's friend and Jessie who stood just over five feet tall had a history of intellectual/academic retardation very probably committed the grave crime of falsely confessing in an illegal police interrogation. With considerable additional help from police authorities, Jessie also falsely implicated Damien and Jason.
Today, 13 years later , Damien is on Arkansas' Death Row, while Jason and Jessie are serving life without parole. All three boys were convicted despite no tangible evidence related to gruesome, bloody murders...no blood at the scene, no ability to transport themselves to and from the scene, no weapons.... convictions supported only by grotesquely pro-prosecution sentiments of the presiding judge,community hysteria, proven police corruption, the obscenely biased testimony of pathetically unqualified "experts" and a legal review system in Arkansas that appears solely devoted to "covering ass"!
The facts surrounding the unusual circumstances adherring to the one and only murdered child who was also brutally and sexually mutilated in an obvious " act of rage " rather than a " satanic cult ritual " leads to a profoundly unexplored avenue of any search for truth. This ignored search is further fueled by the eerily mysterious death of the mutilated child's mother a few months after the tragic murder of her son.
Mr. Reverend Governor, this case now referred to the world over as the WM3 Travesty cries out for your active review and your demand for justice. Isn't it time for you to provide more than pious lip service to your Christian principles ?
Isn't it time for you to.. as is your delight in using sports metaphors..to " step up to the plate "?
Roy Murtishaw
Pine Bluff,AR
I'm a 62 year-old disabled psychotherapist who is a proud activist/liberal despite having lived amidst extreme conservatives all my life. I was also a single father to a now 36-year-old Lawrence Berkley liberal/scientist and am now a single father of a 12-year-old budding liberal/activist tennis player/carpenter.
# posted by 
: 8:26 AM
: 8:26 AM
Pat Kudos Ad Nauseum
Lynch should forsake trying to impart wisdom about sports and politics. He continues to belittle the efforts of an Arkansas Sports Treasure; Jermain Taylor, while continuing to trumpet the laughably inept Jim Holt by suggesting Bill Halter absolutely must
'neutralize the “charismatic” Holt.'
Lynch even guffaws over Winky Wright"s not showing up for the 12th round which Lynch smugly proclaims cost Wright the victory. Lynch must have forgotten Wright gained the tie only because the Texas judge scored that self-same 12th round for WRIGHT! I'll wager the bloated bloviator did not even view the fight.
Lynch's weekly satirical column in today's Ardemgaz concludes with this jewell of satirical advice for Bill Halter: " If Halter runs strong, Holt is less help for Hutchinson. "
Post a Comment
Lynch should forsake trying to impart wisdom about sports and politics. He continues to belittle the efforts of an Arkansas Sports Treasure; Jermain Taylor, while continuing to trumpet the laughably inept Jim Holt by suggesting Bill Halter absolutely must
'neutralize the “charismatic” Holt.'
Lynch even guffaws over Winky Wright"s not showing up for the 12th round which Lynch smugly proclaims cost Wright the victory. Lynch must have forgotten Wright gained the tie only because the Texas judge scored that self-same 12th round for WRIGHT! I'll wager the bloated bloviator did not even view the fight.
Lynch's weekly satirical column in today's Ardemgaz concludes with this jewell of satirical advice for Bill Halter: " If Halter runs strong, Holt is less help for Hutchinson. "
# posted by : 10:36 AM
: 10:36 AM<< Home
