Friday, October 13, 2006
Fair Friday summary
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, violated Pennsylvania labor laws by forcing hourly employees to work through rest periods and after their shifts had ended, a state court jury found Thursday. Jurors in Philadelphia sided with two former Wal-Mart workers who sued on behalf of almost 187,000 current and former employees in Pennsylvania. The workers’ lawyers will seek as much as $162 million in damages in a second phase of the trial that starts today.
Supporters of a failed ballot measure that would have increased sales taxes to generate money for the Pulaski County jail raised more than $114,000 for their campaign and spent even more, according to final financial reports filed Thursday. Citizens for Safe Neighborhoods spent $174,156, with the bulk of the money going toward campaign management and advertising before the Sept. 12 election. Taxpayers Against Wasteful Spending, which successfully opposed the quarter-cent sales tax, raised $3,670 and spent $3,621.
Little Rock National Airport officials are considering creating their own police force after being presented with a proposed contract that would increase police protection at Adams Field to nearly $2 million a year.
The Majestic Hotel Resort Spa will close Oct. 22 after 124 years of business, and the owner said he is in negotiations with several parties, including one that has an “extremely exciting vision,” for the renovation of the hotel
It’s common practice for state lawmakers to become lobbyists when they leave office, but a study released Thursday shows that Arkansas has more legislators spinning through that revolving door than most states. According to the Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas ranks #11 nationally. The Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan organization, counted 35 registered lobbyists in 2005 who at one time were members of the Arkansas Legislature.
Bentonville school officials are thinking about building a new high school to accommodate growth in population. Bentonville high now has over 2,900 students.
Russellville police officers say they never gave “severe or unjustified beatings” to a man who died after being taken from jail to a Little Rock hospital. That assertion came in a response to a federal court lawsuit filed by the family of the late Bobby Lee Rylee, 61.
Razorback Pipeline Co. fired two employees after an investigation found they caused a 67,000-gallon gasoline spill on Oct. 3, a company official said Thursday.
A 33-year-old homeless man caught with a Little Rock Zoo sheep in a garbage can earlier this year was ordered into the State Hospital on Thursday after a state psychologist found him to be psychotic. Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza committed Grady Allen Carnahan for treatment at the State Hospital until doctors can determine if he will ever be fit to stand trial.
An Arkansas prison work-release van driver on the loose for about a week turned himself in to Missouri authorities early Thursday, telling deputies that he was tired of running. Kenneth Stumbaugh, a convicted thief and forger, drove away Oct. 6 in a work-release van from the Benton Unit instead of picking up fellow inmates at a southwest Little Rock business.
The Arkansas State Fair begins today in Little Rock. In the days leading up to today’s opening, amusement ride inspectors from the Arkansas Department of Labor checked 68 rides to make sure they met safety standards. The State Fair, which officials said drew about 439,000 attendees last year, runs through Oct. 22 at the Fairgrounds on Roos- evelt Road in Little Rock.
The King Biscuit Music Festival will make its debut on Beale Street next spring, almost six months later than planned. No date has been set. John Elkington, Beale Street developer and chief executive of Performa Entertainment Real Estate Inc., said he pushed the festival to spring so that it wouldn't conflict with last week's Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival in Helena, Ark. The music festival had been set to begin today.
Evanescence’s second album, Open Door, has debuted at the top of Billboard’s Top 200 chart. With 447,000 albums sold so far, Open Door tops the pop group’s first venture, Fallen. Lead singer Amy Lee is from Little Rock )daughter of legendary broadcaster John Lee).
Three board members and the president of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation joined more than 300 Bradley County residents and guests Wednesday to dedicate the Donald W. Reynolds YMCA of Warren and Bradley County.
The 61st annual Yellville Turkey Trot begins today and local officials expect events to include the unscheduled and unsanctioned dropping of live turkeys from an airplane. Local officials say that these are wild turkeys, and they can fly.
Supporters of a failed ballot measure that would have increased sales taxes to generate money for the Pulaski County jail raised more than $114,000 for their campaign and spent even more, according to final financial reports filed Thursday. Citizens for Safe Neighborhoods spent $174,156, with the bulk of the money going toward campaign management and advertising before the Sept. 12 election. Taxpayers Against Wasteful Spending, which successfully opposed the quarter-cent sales tax, raised $3,670 and spent $3,621.
Little Rock National Airport officials are considering creating their own police force after being presented with a proposed contract that would increase police protection at Adams Field to nearly $2 million a year.
The Majestic Hotel Resort Spa will close Oct. 22 after 124 years of business, and the owner said he is in negotiations with several parties, including one that has an “extremely exciting vision,” for the renovation of the hotel
It’s common practice for state lawmakers to become lobbyists when they leave office, but a study released Thursday shows that Arkansas has more legislators spinning through that revolving door than most states. According to the Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas ranks #11 nationally. The Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan organization, counted 35 registered lobbyists in 2005 who at one time were members of the Arkansas Legislature.
Bentonville school officials are thinking about building a new high school to accommodate growth in population. Bentonville high now has over 2,900 students.
Russellville police officers say they never gave “severe or unjustified beatings” to a man who died after being taken from jail to a Little Rock hospital. That assertion came in a response to a federal court lawsuit filed by the family of the late Bobby Lee Rylee, 61.
Razorback Pipeline Co. fired two employees after an investigation found they caused a 67,000-gallon gasoline spill on Oct. 3, a company official said Thursday.
A 33-year-old homeless man caught with a Little Rock Zoo sheep in a garbage can earlier this year was ordered into the State Hospital on Thursday after a state psychologist found him to be psychotic. Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza committed Grady Allen Carnahan for treatment at the State Hospital until doctors can determine if he will ever be fit to stand trial.
An Arkansas prison work-release van driver on the loose for about a week turned himself in to Missouri authorities early Thursday, telling deputies that he was tired of running. Kenneth Stumbaugh, a convicted thief and forger, drove away Oct. 6 in a work-release van from the Benton Unit instead of picking up fellow inmates at a southwest Little Rock business.
The Arkansas State Fair begins today in Little Rock. In the days leading up to today’s opening, amusement ride inspectors from the Arkansas Department of Labor checked 68 rides to make sure they met safety standards. The State Fair, which officials said drew about 439,000 attendees last year, runs through Oct. 22 at the Fairgrounds on Roos- evelt Road in Little Rock.
The King Biscuit Music Festival will make its debut on Beale Street next spring, almost six months later than planned. No date has been set. John Elkington, Beale Street developer and chief executive of Performa Entertainment Real Estate Inc., said he pushed the festival to spring so that it wouldn't conflict with last week's Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival in Helena, Ark. The music festival had been set to begin today.
Evanescence’s second album, Open Door, has debuted at the top of Billboard’s Top 200 chart. With 447,000 albums sold so far, Open Door tops the pop group’s first venture, Fallen. Lead singer Amy Lee is from Little Rock )daughter of legendary broadcaster John Lee).
Three board members and the president of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation joined more than 300 Bradley County residents and guests Wednesday to dedicate the Donald W. Reynolds YMCA of Warren and Bradley County.
The 61st annual Yellville Turkey Trot begins today and local officials expect events to include the unscheduled and unsanctioned dropping of live turkeys from an airplane. Local officials say that these are wild turkeys, and they can fly.
