Gang War

Our old friend, Steve Nawojczyk, was up in Springfield, Missouri the other day and a television report of his visit fell into my hands. I know that many local business leaders have been uncomfortable with Steve for committing the unpardonable sin of telling the truth. He has helped countless young folks and it is good to see his still going strong. It is also sad that he still needs to be going strong. Here’s the link.

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Another round of audio!

This morning’s interview with the master manipulator of all Arkansas media, Max Brantley, has been posted on lyncho.com and is available for listening and free download. Of course, we discuss the Huck, Asa, Republicans, Blanche, Mark, and the deeper meaning of life.

There is a new target to be LYNCHED! Rep. John Paul Wells of Paris has pre-filed two drug-crime bills One will allow prosecuting attorneys to seize the home of anyone who uses the home in violation of state drug laws. The second would add an extra 10 years to the sentence of people convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine if there are elderly or mentally incompetent people in the home or building. You will want to hear my opinion snapshot.

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Thursday shivering summary

The Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Association has gifted the first lady 20 sets of three-piece crystal place settings, costing about $2,000. Also, a gift to Janet Huckabee of china place settings costing about $4,500 was announced Oct. 8 during the dedication of the Janet M. Huckabee Grand Hall at the mansion.

Gov.-elect Mike Beebe and his wife, Ginger, are to share a flight with first lady Janet Huckabee this weekend to a West Virginia retreat for newly elected governors – on a state police airplane.

Lt. Gov.-elect Bill Halter said Wednesday that former state Democratic Party Chairman Ron Oliver will be his chief of staff when Halter assumes office Jan. 9.

Attorneys representing black students in the Little Rock School District have asked federal judge Bill Wilson to continue federal oversight of the district, in part, because of recent allegations that the local school board has been receiving inaccurate information concerning the district’s performance.

Bentonville Republican Rep. Horace Hardwick has filed the first bill of the 2007 session of the General Assembly. If enacted, the bill will reduce the state sales tax on food to 1.5 percent by 2011, from 6 percent currently.

Rep. John Paul Wells of Paris has pre-filed two drug-crime bills:
One will allow prosecuting attorneys to seize the home of anyone who uses the home in violation of state drug laws. The second would add an extra 10 years to the sentence of people convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine if there are elderly or mentally incompetent people in the home or building. Wells also filed another bill which would designate the Diana Fritillary as the state’s official butterfly.

State Agriculture Secretary Richard Bell is asking lawmakers to authorize nine new positions paid $464,000 a year to the department’s budget in the next biennium to help promote Arkansas’ agriculture industry.

Officials from the state’s two largest airports caucused with state lawmakers Wednesday night in an effort to find a way to tap state revenues to help finance $500 million in capital projects between the two.

A lawyer for Deltic Timber Corp. said Wednesday that the company will not take its land battle with Central Arkansas Water back to the state Legislature.

A federal drug distribution trial under way in Little Rock for Newport Alderman Pinkey McFarlin has been scheduled to resume Friday morning, a day after the defendant is expected to be released from a Little Rock hospital. McFarlin went to the hospital complaining of chest pains.

Of the 57 arrests for delivery or intent to deliver drugs in Rogers since the first of 2005, 43 were Hispanic and 25 were illegal immigrants, according to statistics gathered by Mayor Steve Womack. Since first announcing plans to come up with some kind of local process for dealing with illegal immigrants, Womack has maintained many of the drug cases city officers handle concern illegal immigrants.

Although arrests were made in at least 79 felony cases, the Helena-West Helena Police Department has forwarded just 15 felony cases this year to the prosecuting attorney’s office for review and charging decisions, according to a letter from a deputy prosecutor to the city’s police chief.

Bull Shoals police suspect a sewer saboteur has been vandalizing equipment at the city’s wastewater treatment plant, while also shutting down some of the pumping stations that send sewage its way.

Baptist Health reported an 8 percent increase in revenue for 2005 compared with 2004 even as the hospital system saw its inpatient count fall by 11 percent, according to a filing with the Internal Revenue Service this week.

Most Arkansas landowners in the Fayetteville Shale natural gas area are out of luck if they are waiting to sign a contract and get a fat check for their mineral rights, a Houston energy consultant said Wednesday.

Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical company, will enter into partnerships with three Arkansas school districts to provide health awareness and screening services. Harrison, Paragould and Dollarway will each receive $1 million in services as part of a nationwide program.

The Walton family poured $415 million into their charitable foundation last year, climbing to 37th among America’s wealthiest private foundations.

Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott returned to the Senate’s top ranks Wednesday as minority whip, four years after he was driven from the Republican leadership for comments praising Sen. Strom Thurmond’s 1948 segregationist run for president.

After a plea agreement, Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Frank Melton entered a “no contest” plea to misdameanor charges of carrying a gun on a school campus and will remain in office. The mayor still faces several felony charges related to his alleged role in an Aug. 26 incident in which he and his police bodyguards are accused of using sledgehammers to damage a duplex the mayor claims was a drug house.

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Land of Lincoln

You have, no doubt, heard the old saying, “Be careful what you pray for.” Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln must be thinking that as she and the Democrats advance in seniority, and will control the agenda of the United States Senate.

Lincoln beats the drum for agriculture and the elderly, but her enhanced position on the Finance Committee must come with its’ own target. This is the bunch that has first shot at fixing the Medicare Part D Drug Program. Small business health insurance is one of her areas of interest, and I am sure everybody, especially the uninsured, wishes her well. A former Arkansas first lady, Senator Hillary Clinton, has been promising to get busy on health care reform again, and that is good news. It is also politically dangerous.

I predict that, before long, Blanche Lincoln will be juggling political hand grenades. The Finance Committee also deals with taxes and there is plenty of discussion about raising taxes. A good place to begin is the inheritance taxes, which have been shamelessly reduced on behalf of the ultra-greedy top two percent. You better also get ready for the push to tax medical benefits as regular income.

Blanche Lincoln had best enjoy the post election glow. It won’t last.

(Broadcast November 15, 2006)

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