Wednesday early (chilly) headlines

We are staying off the roads this morning, so I will not be on the Wednesday Wake Up n KARK TV Channel 4. I guess Bill Vickery gets a free pass. It is just pat 6 and (although the roads are better) I-630 has accidents at the Rodney Parham exit in BOTH DIRECTINS. There is also something cooking at the Morgan exit on I-40. If all hell breaks lose, I will probably have a thread on my blog (see below).

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. Friday is my last day (for now) on these stations.

You can also hear my early morning headlines on Y-95 in Camden.

Occasional news and commentary on my Lynch at Large blog  Also, remember that I have a section of winter weather internet links.

https://lynchatlarge.wordpress.com/

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

http://trains4america.wordpress.com/

State Police report hundreds of accidents and three fatals in connection with the bad weather.

The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas was without power Wednesday and did not publish a print edition.

Governor Beebe has declared a state of emergency. The declaration allows state agencies to coordinate with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. Beebe has also signed an emergency proclamation to assist in the movement of utility trucks to areas affected by the storm. The Inclement Weather Policy for state government in the Little Rock area will remain in effect for Wednesday. For now, State offices are scheduled to again open two hours late.

The Pine Bluff Commercial notes various reports in the national and international media have brought attention to the Pine Bluff Arsenal’s production of white phosphorous, which, according to various sources, has been used by Israeli forces in Gaza. The Pentagon will neither confirm not deny.

Dan Hawkins of Harrison, recently appointed to the Tobacco Cessation Advisory Committee sent an email to lawmakers in support of the Governor’s proposed tobacco tax. He claims “70 percent of cigarettes are smoked by people who are mentally ill and that 30 percent of smokers have an Axis II personality disorder, i.e., they not only have one or more serious psychiatric illness(es), but may also be bad people.”

Rep. Ed Garner, R-Maumelle, has filed HB1238, which would raise money for a statewide trauma system through greater fines of DWI and other criminal offenses that cause trauma.

The state House on Tuesday approved a bill it previously rejected that seeks to protect the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act from surreptitious tinkering.

House Bill 1013 by Rep. Ray Kidd, D-Jonesboro, would designate texting and talking on a cell phone while driving primary offenses for which law enforcement officers could pull a driver over and issue a citation without warning.

HB 1119 by Rep. Allen Kerr, R-Little Rock, prohibits the use of a cell phone by drivers under 18-years-old, and requires drivers 18 to 20 to use only hands-free devices, not cell phones. The bill also covers voice calls and text messaging.

Beverly Pyle, State Rep from Cedarville, has a bill to allow concealed guns in church.

A state Board of Health with clearly defined subpoena powers might have been able to investigate an illegal mattress-selling operation connected to jailed minister Tony Alamo, an agency attorney told a state House of Representatives panel Tuesday.

Arkansas unemployment rose to 6.2 percent in December. Still not as bad as the 7.2 national figure.

Target will close its Maumelle distribution center. Scratch 500 jobs.

Verizon Wireless, which earlier this month completed a $28 billion deal to acquire Alltel Corp. of Little Rock, reported on Monday a 15 percent increase in fourth-quarter earnings, adding 1.4 million subscribers. That does not include former Alltel customers.

Pulaski Tech announces a 3.9 percent tuition increase.

Andrew Wilson of Pine Bluff, the driver of a car that struck a vehicle in 2007 causing the death of a newborn girl was sentenced to probation Monday after a hearing in Jefferson County Circuit Court. Wilson’s  BAC was .19 percent.

Randolph County Sheriff Gary Tribble is refusing to release the names of a man and woman arrested in the death of Pocahontas native Ronald D. Cathey.

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons confirmed Tuesday that first-degree murder charges have been filed against a Cleveland County couple in connection with what authorities believe was the forced-drowning death of their 14-year-old niece in 1999.

NLRDailyNews.com reports the North Little Rock budget director gave city council some bad news. Sales tax collections are lagging about 12%in the fourth quarter of last year.