Wednesday morning Arkansas heads

Starting tomorrow, retired members of the armed forces who have received medals for their service can have their medals noted on a special Arkansas license plate.

The Department of Health says 18 people have died from complications of swine flu since Aug. 1.

A round of pay cuts is underway at UAMS for 3,300 employees. The cuts will save $3 million dollars and thus save an estimated 50 jobs.

Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin says the city is laying off seven employees at the end of the year to cut personnel costs.

More than 40 percent of Arkansas homeowners are eligible for a $6,500 federal tax credit if they sell their home and buy another one by June 30, according to an analysis of census numbers.

The new state lottery is having little effect on wagering at Oaklawn and Southland Park. In Hot Springs, Oaklawn EGS wagers jumped 7% from the previous month and 53% in a year-over-year monthly comparison. In West Memphis, Southland EGS numbers rose 14% in October versus the previous month.  In a year-over-year comparison, October EGS wagers increased 28%.

Gov. Mike Beebe expresses support for the state Board of Education’s decision to delay action on an application for a new charter school in Little Rock because of concerns about the school’s potential impact on desegregation efforts.

Five University of Arkansas basketball players are suspended for violation of team rules. Suspended indefinitely for “unrelated violations” are Stefan Welsh and Courtney Fortson, Glenn Bryant, Marcus Britt, and Nick Mason face shorter terms of suspension.

Hogs quarterback Ryan Mallett has been named Southeastern Conference offensive player of the week.

Pedestrians in Arkansas metropolitan areas need to be extra careful crossing the street, according to a new study that found the state’s cities among the more dangerous places in the nation for pedestrians.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine will attend a fundraiser in Little Rock tomorrow.

The Arkansas Rice Depot is marking the 25th anniversary of its leader, Laura Rhea,. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation made a $100,000 gift to ARD for the Food for Kids program, plus $50,000 to boost a relatively new effort, the Kids Coat Project.

Final arguments will be heard in the murder trial of Curtis Vance who is accused of killing Ann Pressly and the case is expected to go to the jury.

A federal appeals court has refused to dismiss a civil lawsuit against two West Memphis police officerswho were involved in the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old boy.

Filed under: Administrative

Pat Lynch TWITTERS

Would love to keep up with you on Twitter. I am @jpatlynch.

http:twitter.com/jpatlynch

Filed under: Administrative

Winter Weather

With the first little bites of sinter weather, I have added a set of links in the right hand column for weather and travel information. I have highway, radar, and airport links. If you can think of something else, please drop me a line.

Just here to be of service.

Filed under: Administrative

Friday summary 4/11/08

My morning summaries are on every weekday twice an hour on K-106.3 The Greatest Hits of All Time with John Lee, Spirit FM at 99.3 and 100.7 in Heber Springs.

The radio show is on at 9.

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

Remember that my column is in Monday’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on the Voices page in the Arkansas section.

One tornado killed some livestock in Central Arkansas, and there may have been on up in Washington County. The town of Hardy was evacuated. Roads in many Central Arkansas counties and even in Northwest Arkansas were closed. Schools in Norfork, Marshall and Viola closed. Water levels on the White River are going to rise since the Corps of Engineers opened floodgates on the top of Norfork Dam. The Arkansas River is also forecast to flood in some places, moving above flood stage at Dardanelle and Morrilton on Friday. The Buffalo River at St. Joe was about 8 feet above flood stage. The total number of counties under the state emergency declaration is now 52.

Mike Huckabee lashed out at religious leaders who did not support his failed run for the presidency, saying their help may have kept him in the race. Huckabee gave a conference call interview to Chrisma magazine. Huckabee has reportedly retained a Hollywood talent agency to represent him.

Gov. Mike Beebe said Thursday that he tends to favor a first-offense felony animal-cruelty law and will try to persuade the Arkansas Farm Bureau to agree to it.

Gov. Mike Beebe appointed Jonesboro businessman Ben Hyneman to the University of Arkansas board of trustees.

Brian S. Miller of Helena is the new federal district court judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

A federal judge has denied a request by a group of dog owners and breeders to stop the cities of Jacksonville, Lonoke, North Little Rock and Beebe from enforcing their pit-bull bans.

Two men were found beaten to death at a rural house east of Vilonia. Cousins Lonnie Franklin Brock and Bobby Don Brock apparently died of blunt force trauma.

Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. has told managers and workers at its facilities in El Dorado that the plants may be shut down if the company does not see improvement in quality and a return on its investment. That’s 1600 jobs.

Anthony B. Taylor, a priest in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, will be the next bishop of Arkansas’ Catholics.

Flagler Productions of Kansas City is asking $145 million for ownership of its collection of Wal Mart film clips that go back to the 1970’s as Flagler worked for the retail giant. That includes top execs in drag, and Sam Walton talking about corporate director, Hillary Clinton, and corporate conferences on anti-union activities. So far, Wal Mart has offered $500,000.

The long awaited extension of Interstate 530 between Pine Bluff and Monticello and link to the Interstate 69 corridor is expected to start very soon, Jefferson County Judge Mike Holcomb said Wednesday.

D. Mac is on the cover of ESPN magazine’s NFL draft special edition.

Public defender Timothy “Seth” Irwin of Russellville faces charges of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver and delivery of cocaine. Irwin was arrested with a co-defendant, Russellville businessman David Alan Stringer,

Filed under: Administrative