Tuesday early headlines

As I am posting this, LR police are working a double shooting that could turn into a homicide by sunrise. It was around 10:30 1705 Arrowhead.

AND in an unrelated shooting at the Wal Mart at 19301 Cantrell. Police seeking a whie man driving a older Dodge Dart. The drive may have been the victim of a robbery and is reproted to have been shot.

The Arkansas House and Senate have formally sent bills to Gov. Mike Beebe creating a state-run lottery.

A bill to allow undocumented students to go to state-run colleges at cheaper in-state tuition rates failed to get through the Senate Education Committee on Monday.

An amended law passed by the Legislature will make domestic battery against the young and old a felony.

Gov. Mike Beebe’s office says the state will accept $59 million in stimulus money to pay unemployment-compensation benefits to more workers after written assurances that the state won’t have to keep paying for the enhanced benefits when the federal funds run out.

The Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, suffering from a sharp dip in traffic and the loss of some direct air service to major cities announced twice-weekly nonstops to Las Vegas on Allegiant Air. The same airline recently announced service from XNA to Los Angeles.

Despite a slump in both the timber and real estate business, executives at Deltic Timber Corp. of El Dorado managed increases in their compensation last year. – with the exception of Ray C. Dillon, president and CEO. No bonuses were given for the year.

Executives of J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. of Lowell saw significant increases in their compensation in 2008, thanks to restricted stock awards, improved bonuses and the exercise of stock options.

Windstream Corp. of Little Rock released its proxy statement on Monday that revealed hefty pay bumps for executives the homegrown telecommunications company.

Taxpayers spent nearly $19,000 last year so state employees could watch HBO, Razorback games and pay-perview movies like Baby Mama and Jackass 2.5 from the comfort of home.

Several lawmakers now report getting free trips to Turkey, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., after first failing to list them on the personal financial disclosure reports they are required to file.

About 20 volunteers began training Friday to help a Northwest Arkansas community take control of its Canada goose population.

Two men who reportedly fought with Pine Bluff police officers, then rammed a police vehicle while trying to escape will face felony charges after a court hearing

Monday (better late than never) heads

I knew I forgot something… just for the archives…

Pilgrim’s Pride has accepted Foster Farms of California’s $80 million offer for its Farmerville chicken processing complex, saving 1,300 direct jobs and perhaps as many as 300 independent growers’ farms.  That’s a substantial increase from the first offer of $40 million, which Pilgrim’s rejected. Foster Farms put up $40 million and the state of Louisiana put up $40 million to close the deal.

Entergy Arkansas Inc. is exploring a $1 billion project to extend the life of its White Bluff plant near Redfield and cut some pollution by more than two-thirds.

The four suspects in the Oct. 26 University of Central Arkansas campus shooting had a second pretrial Friday, where a motion was made that all four be tried separately.

The mayor of Berryville was arrested Wednesday night on charges of drunken driving and possessing marijuana, just days shy of a year since an earlier arrest on the same charges.

A doctor’s trusted employee of 10 years is charged with siphoning more than $500,000 from his former employer. Jason C. Knight — who worked at the Neurology and Sleep Disorder Center in El Dorado — allegedly wrote checks from different accounts in the name of Dr. Shailesh Vora, beginning in January 2005.

Arkansas State Police are investigating an incident in which a Magnolia man claims a trooper kicked him in the eye at a safety checkpoint.

An ultra-broadband network designed for academic researchers is now expected to tie on all Arkansas’ four-year public universities and its medical school before the end of the year, officials coordinating the project say.

Though most of the top priority issues have been addressed, hundreds of bills remain on committee agendas. Lawmakers will pare down the numbers this week, the 11th week of the 87th General Assembly.

The proposal to repeal annual legislative sessions will apparently not be going to the voters.

The Arkansas House approves round-the-clock alcohol sales at the state’s two racetracks in Hot Springs and West Memphis.

The Arkansas Securities Department says a Wynne insurance agent posing as a registered investment advisor stole over $3 million from 29 Arkansas investors. Michael Gardner has been ordered to cease and desist all actives.

A bill to allow Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Corp. to increase rates more quickly for its 440,000 customers across the state cleared a state House of Representatives committee.

Secretary of State Charlie Daniels’ proposal to require every county to hire an election coordinator cleared a state House of Representatives panel.

The state House of Representatives approved restructuring state incentives for windmill blade manufacturers, giving those businesses more time to meet job and investment targets.

Rep. Richard Carroll of North Little Rock, failed Friday in another effort to make things easier for his Green Party and other third parties.

Bill Valentine’s Ballpark Restaurant, the Italian eatery at Dickey-Stephens Ballpark in North Little Rock, will close next Friday, March 27.