Monday summary 3/24/08

My column is in today’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. It’s on the Voices page in the Arkansas section. It’s all about the payday lenders.

You will hear my one-minute news capsules twice an hour on K-106.3 The Greatest Hits of All Time and Spirit 93.3, which is also carried on100.7 KAWW FM in Heber Springs. They come up between 6 and 9, so tune in.

The show starts at 9.

KSMD 99.1 FM – Searcy/Batesville
KWCK 1300 AM – Searcy
KAPZ 710 AM – Bald Knob/Augusta
KAWW 1370 AM – Heber Springs/Clinton

North Carolina 108 – Arkansas 77

Number 2 seed Texas is off to the Sweet 16 after a close call against Miami 75 – 72.

There is not official agreement between Republicans and Democrats on how to beat North Little Rock state legislative candidate Dwayne Dobbins, but there was a conversation. Dobbins wife, who is the incumbent, did not file for reelection, and Dwayne Dobbins filed papers with less than two hours remaining to file. Originally facing felony sexual assault charges, Dobbins resigned from the legislature in2005 as part of a negotiated plea agreement.

Governor Beebee will call a special session to pass the compromise increase in the natural gas severance tax. The governor says he has the 75% needed for passage and lawmakers should convene next Monday and meet for three days.

Of 10 central Arkansas payday lending companies contacted by Conway’s Log Cabin Democrat, only one reported closing its doors this week, and it was a Conway business.

Flooding is causing worry for Arkansas farmers who may have no crops to harvest later in the spring. A levee broke in three places near Pocahontas closing parts of U. S. 67. FEMA has started demanding levee improvements since Hurricane Katrina.

A welder at the Cargill Meat plant in Boonville sparked the explosion that destroyed the huge complex and forced the evacuation of a thousand nearby residents because of an ammonia leak. There were no serious injuries.

A Cabot police officer, responding to a domestic abuse call, shot a suspect twice after the man twice tried to take her gun. The unidentified man died later at a local hospital.

Russellville city government is taking steps on property and streets as the new John Q. Hammons Convention Center project moves forward there.

Benton County will consider an ordinance to force companies that refuse to fix roads they damaged to pay a surcharge that will help recoup repair costs.

Longtime Berryville mayor Timothy McKinney was arrested early Sunday on charges of speeding, driving while intoxicated and possession of a controlled substance, according to a police report.

Benton County won’t be fined or formally cited for illegally demolishing a barn, burning it on county-owned property then moving the debris to a second site, state environmental officials have decided.

Major-league baseball player Torii Hunter committed $500,000 on Friday afternoon toward a proposed $9 million University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff baseball complex, which will bear his name.

Filed under: Arkansas, Uncategorized