Thursday (very) early

My morning updates are on K-106.3 The Greatest Hits of All Time with John Lee and Spirit FM at 93.3 and 100.7. You can also hear my early morning headlines on Y-95 in Camden.

I occasionally add items of state and local interest on my Lynch at Large blog  My thread on the Inauguration is entertaining reading.

https://lynchatlarge.wordpress.com/

My train blog is very popular, so check out Trains for America.

http://trains4america.wordpress.com/

Gov. Mike Beebe tapped Todd Turner, an Arkadelphia attorney who successfully challenged the state’s payday lending law to be the new chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party.

Gov. Mike Beebe says a college scholarship program for those whose parents have died during service to their communities, the state or country has been underutilized and he encouraged students who qualify to apply for financial assistance.

A Senate panel has approved legislation that would stiffen the penalties for animal cruelty.

A bill to do away with the state’s separate presidential primary in February sailed through the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee without a dissenting vote

A public employee could not be punished for seeking public records under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, under a bill endorsed Wednesday by a House committee.

FOX 16 reports the mother of a rape victim is fighting to keep her daughter’s attacker behind bars. Brian Floss has served six years in prison for the sexual assault of the 8-year-old girl. Floss was her teacher. The mother testified at Wednesday’s parole hearing.

Roby Brock’s TalkBusiness.net  reports that, while crude oil prices continue to fall, gas prices at the pump keep inching upward.

IberiaBank Corp., the holding company for Pulaski Bank and Trust Co. in Arkansas, announced net income of $7.9 million for the fourth quarter.  One year ago, IberiaBank reported fourth quarter net income of $10 million. The fourth quarter results included a negative impact of approximately $3.6 million related to a fraud situation with a client in Arkansas.

Two flavors of cookie made by Brent and Sam’s Cookies and sold in Target stores are being voluntarily recalled because they contain peanut butter supplied by a facility in Georgia linked to an outbreak of salmonella, the Arkansas company said Wednesday.

A Prairie County man faces charges accusing him of shooting at three people he thought were trespassing on his property, injuring one in the process