Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Wednesday (waiting) summary
Beginning this evening, forecasters are predicting snow for northern Arkansas and a wintry mix that may cause icy roads in the central part of the state.
Gov. Mike Beebe shook up the leadership of the state utility regulatory agency Tuesday, naming Paul Suskie, the North Little Rock city attorney, to head the Arkansas Public Service Commission.
The Senate State Agencies and Governmental Operations Committee amended and advanced House Bill 1104 by Rep. Chris Thyer on Tuesday. The bill would allow the executive subcommittee of the Legislative Council to meet while the Legislature is in session.
The House Revenue and Taxation Committee endorsed legislation Tuesday raising the state's homestead exemption on property by $50, from $300 to $350.
The Senate passed a bill Tuesday requiring courts to inform school districts when one of their students has been arrested, detained or convicted of sexually related crimes.
A bill preventing a state legislator from becoming a registered lobbyist for at least one year after his term of office expired was recommended Tuesday by the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Senate Bill 44 by Sen. Jimmy Jeffress of Crossett, requires school districts to permit access to recruiters for the Arkansas Math and Science School in Hot Springs.
The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill by Rep. Jim Medley of Fort Smith, to repeal a law that says a person carrying a knife with a blade 3 1/2 inches long or longer is considered to be carrying a weapon. Medley has said the bill would protect people who carry knives for legitimate purposes, such as hunting or fishing.
A bill to set guidelines for law enforcement officers in responding to domestic abuse incidents was endorsed Tuesday by the House Judiciary Committee. House Bill 1310 by Rep. Dawn Creekmore of Hensley, would require an officer to determine which party was the "predominant aggressor" in a domestic abuse incident.
The House Judiciary Committee has rejected a Senate bill that would allow judges to appoint attorneys to question alleged child victims in sex-offense cases, saying it would violate defendants’ right to represent themselves in court.
The Tennessee legislature likely will consider a proposal to gradually remove the sales tax from food purchased in grocery stores -- and possibly replace it with a sharp increase in the 20-cents-a-pack cigarette tax. Tennessee depends on the sales tax for the bulk of its revenue because it is one of only nine states, including Texas and Florida, without a general state income tax.
About 85 percent of parole violators that the Arkansas Board of Parole ordered arrested in December remained free this week, according to the agency’s records.
With cases on the rise in Arkansas, state health officials said Tuesday that reports of people coming down with the flu seem to be surfacing later than normal for the season.
Joe Bob Wise, Benton High School's head basketball coach who has been suspended since December, has resigned. Portions of Wise's personnel file were made available to the Courier. The file includes his Dec. 18, 2006, suspension letter from the superintendent, although several passages are blotted out. Included in that letter is a passage referring to a a Jan. 31, 2006, game at Lake Hamilton High School, where Wise allegedly made comments that resulted in a crowd disturbance, requiring school officials to call the police.
Pine Bluff Mayor Carl Redus Jr. says he intends to create a task force to produce a comprehensive long-range plan for the city and in March will present a plan to the City Council to implement results of a recent salary survey.
Lockheed Martin Corp. received a $166 million contract to make 60 rocket systems for the Army and Marine Corps, the defense contractor said Tuesday. Work is scheduled to be done at Lockheed facilities in Camden and Grand Prairie, Texas, and to be completed in February 2009.
The head of the Bancroft Cap Co. in Cabot says the military hasn’t convinced him that the hundreds of thousands of berets it has rejected contain foreign materials in violation of his contract, and he’ll reopen with 25 workers.
Officials with AT&T outlined tentative plans at a Fayetteville forum Tuesday night amid concerns from the city's telecommunications board and supporters of public access television. During the meeting, Cathy Forakker with AT&T said roll-out for the new internet-based television service, called Uverse, should be in late 2007 if approved.
The sale of International Paper’s Pine Bluff mill is expected to be completed on Wednesday (today), The Pine Bluff Commercial has learned.
Little Rock Air Force Base’s Arnold Drive Elementary School is suddenly on deck for replacement with a new $15 million facility, according to the Pulaski County Special School District facilities master plan. The new school, which would also be on the base, is listed on the master plan for funding and construction beginning in the 2009 school year.
Gov. Mike Beebe shook up the leadership of the state utility regulatory agency Tuesday, naming Paul Suskie, the North Little Rock city attorney, to head the Arkansas Public Service Commission.
The Senate State Agencies and Governmental Operations Committee amended and advanced House Bill 1104 by Rep. Chris Thyer on Tuesday. The bill would allow the executive subcommittee of the Legislative Council to meet while the Legislature is in session.
The House Revenue and Taxation Committee endorsed legislation Tuesday raising the state's homestead exemption on property by $50, from $300 to $350.
The Senate passed a bill Tuesday requiring courts to inform school districts when one of their students has been arrested, detained or convicted of sexually related crimes.
A bill preventing a state legislator from becoming a registered lobbyist for at least one year after his term of office expired was recommended Tuesday by the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Senate Bill 44 by Sen. Jimmy Jeffress of Crossett, requires school districts to permit access to recruiters for the Arkansas Math and Science School in Hot Springs.
The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill by Rep. Jim Medley of Fort Smith, to repeal a law that says a person carrying a knife with a blade 3 1/2 inches long or longer is considered to be carrying a weapon. Medley has said the bill would protect people who carry knives for legitimate purposes, such as hunting or fishing.
A bill to set guidelines for law enforcement officers in responding to domestic abuse incidents was endorsed Tuesday by the House Judiciary Committee. House Bill 1310 by Rep. Dawn Creekmore of Hensley, would require an officer to determine which party was the "predominant aggressor" in a domestic abuse incident.
The House Judiciary Committee has rejected a Senate bill that would allow judges to appoint attorneys to question alleged child victims in sex-offense cases, saying it would violate defendants’ right to represent themselves in court.
The Tennessee legislature likely will consider a proposal to gradually remove the sales tax from food purchased in grocery stores -- and possibly replace it with a sharp increase in the 20-cents-a-pack cigarette tax. Tennessee depends on the sales tax for the bulk of its revenue because it is one of only nine states, including Texas and Florida, without a general state income tax.
About 85 percent of parole violators that the Arkansas Board of Parole ordered arrested in December remained free this week, according to the agency’s records.
With cases on the rise in Arkansas, state health officials said Tuesday that reports of people coming down with the flu seem to be surfacing later than normal for the season.
Joe Bob Wise, Benton High School's head basketball coach who has been suspended since December, has resigned. Portions of Wise's personnel file were made available to the Courier. The file includes his Dec. 18, 2006, suspension letter from the superintendent, although several passages are blotted out. Included in that letter is a passage referring to a a Jan. 31, 2006, game at Lake Hamilton High School, where Wise allegedly made comments that resulted in a crowd disturbance, requiring school officials to call the police.
Pine Bluff Mayor Carl Redus Jr. says he intends to create a task force to produce a comprehensive long-range plan for the city and in March will present a plan to the City Council to implement results of a recent salary survey.
Lockheed Martin Corp. received a $166 million contract to make 60 rocket systems for the Army and Marine Corps, the defense contractor said Tuesday. Work is scheduled to be done at Lockheed facilities in Camden and Grand Prairie, Texas, and to be completed in February 2009.
The head of the Bancroft Cap Co. in Cabot says the military hasn’t convinced him that the hundreds of thousands of berets it has rejected contain foreign materials in violation of his contract, and he’ll reopen with 25 workers.
Officials with AT&T outlined tentative plans at a Fayetteville forum Tuesday night amid concerns from the city's telecommunications board and supporters of public access television. During the meeting, Cathy Forakker with AT&T said roll-out for the new internet-based television service, called Uverse, should be in late 2007 if approved.
The sale of International Paper’s Pine Bluff mill is expected to be completed on Wednesday (today), The Pine Bluff Commercial has learned.
Little Rock Air Force Base’s Arnold Drive Elementary School is suddenly on deck for replacement with a new $15 million facility, according to the Pulaski County Special School District facilities master plan. The new school, which would also be on the base, is listed on the master plan for funding and construction beginning in the 2009 school year.
