Lynch at Large

Utility regulators in Arkansas and Louisiana are aghast after comments by Entergy Corp.’s chief executive officer that it could sell its Arkansas and Texas operations - and perhaps divest or spin off its nuclear division as well. Arkansas Public Service Commission Chairman Sandra Hochstetter called Wayne Leonard’s statements “bizarre” and “nonsensical,” “disappointing” and “disturbing.”

Mike Beebe had a busy first day as governor-elect of Arkansas on Wednesday, stopping by an early morning legislative committee meeting, naming a transition team and announcing that poultry special interest lobbyist Morrill Harriman will be the new chief of staff.

State legislators took their first crack at the Department of Health and Human Services’ budget Wednesday, comparing the largest state agency’s requests with the scaled-back recommendations from Gov. Mike Huckabee’s office.

Arkansas has been awarded $6.5 million to build apartments for low-income elderly and disabled people, up slightly from $6.2 million last year.

The election isn't over for Benton County. Election coordinator Jim McCarthy said late Wednesday afternoon that a possible computer error with vendor Election Systems & Software will force election workers to examine every ballot again.

The new White County judge and whether the Searcy mayor keeps her job will be determined in runoffs later this month, but Tuesday’s election spelled defeat for Sheriff Pat Garrett, whom voters ousted in favor of his Republican opponent.

Saline County’s three circuit court judges on Wednesday reiterated that Sheriff Phil Mask has until Nov. 15 to file a written response to a prosecutor’s report accusing the sheriff of misdeeds and mismanagement.

An Altus couple is asking a judge to throw out votes cast Tuesday for mayor-elect Gary Zolliecoffer on the grounds he is a convicted felon.

59% of Marion County voters have approved the sale of alcohol in the formerly “dry” county.

Pine Bluff voters approved a living wage issue for employees of city hall and gave Mayor Carl Redus Jr. authority to hire and fire police and fire chiefs in Tuesday’s general election.

Now that Little Rock’s mayoral contest has been decided, the city’s lawyer said he expects to soon release a longawaited legal opinion about winner Mark Stodola’s business ties to the airport.

It’s not easy being the Green Party in Arkansas. The party failed to snag the 3 percent gubernatorial vote in Tuesday’s general election that state law requires for party certification, which would allow the party to nominate candidates for the next election without gathering voter signatures to put the party nominees on the ballot.

ittle Rock recorded its 54th homicide of the year early Wednesday when a 22-year-old man was shot in the head by a masked gunman

A high school student taken from his classroom has been placed into police custody on suspicion of shooting a Fort Smith man who is in critical condition. Misael Uribe was arrested at Northside High School on suspicion of first-degree battery in the shooting of Arturo Martinez.