Morning Roll Call~ News You Need to Know

 Arkansas News

Notice of Another Crisis? Storage …

In a story that has been playing out for a few days, outgoing Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk, Pat Obrien is wanting to shred court documents. In a story from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette “O’Brien said the records needed to be shredded to help avert a storage crisis. The files had been electronically duplicated, and made easily and reliably accessible by computer to the judges”

The story also reported that over 50,000 files from cases dating from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s by Obrien’s predecessor. So why the brouhaha now? Maybe someone in Pulaski county could let me know.

Game and Fish Commission Angling Again

Evidently the Chairman of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission feels that the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act is a detriment for endangered species. YEA I would say shady officials. For months now this commission has been angling to dodge transparency, that begs the question, WHY?

Well I am sure it has nothing to do with a new story in the news today of a request from a former chairman to investigate the commission’s contract with a Little Rock communications firm.

Here’s the stories from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette Agency: No papers for claim on species and     Nelson: Look at panel’s PR deal Wildlife funds misused, he says. What a bunch of rubbish.

Don’t let the Name Fool Ya

Progressive Arkansas is doing a series on Arkansas State Senators I would encourage you to read it and familiarize yourselves with those that govern us, come January it could prove useful.

The 2009 Tobacco Tax:

Was Children’s Health Care the Big Loser?  

Governor Beebe made a huge issue out of the tobacco in 2009. Tons of “promises” were made but according to this report from the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families only 5 of the 23 promised programs have been fully funded.

Revenues increased by an estimated $80.5 million so where is it? Check out the story~

Here, Here

John Brummett and I rarely see eye to eye but in his column “Here’s Government without Politics” he did a wonderful job

FEEDS

@ArkansasOnline

Beebe revives state workers’ cost-of-living raises: Gov. Mike Beebe announced Thursday that he’s reinstating cos... http://bit.ly/hVgBke

Don’t shred files, justices tell O’Brien: A three-sentence order issued Thursday by the Arkansas Supreme Court e... http://bit.ly/guB5VF

Flu virus arrives in Arkansas, outbreak minimal: The Arkansas Health Department says seven cases of influenza ha... http://bit.ly/fUAoPZ

@Region8News

Arkansas Marine killed in combat in Afghanistanhttp://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=13610234

@ur_tax_break

Beebe: No general revenue for highway improvements: Arkansas has a per-gallon gasoline sales tax of 21.5 cents, ... http://bit.ly/fcLd9x

@fayetteville_ar

University Of Arkansas Announces Retroactive Pay: University of Arkansas officials say career-service and merit ... http://bit.ly/fMABpq

@ArkEducNews

U.S. commits to providing a complete & competitive education for every student, from cradle through careerhttp://bit.ly/eHTPlp

Update 120210

Sounds like the making of a 24 episode~

Fox16 reports~ Radioactive gauge reported missing

According to the Arkansas Department of health, the gauge fell off a truck while it was being transported between Little Rock and Bryant.

Topsy vs Turvy

This is extremely confusing on report says;

 “Department of Finance and Administration Director Richard Weiss said Thursday the state's net available revenues in November were $47.2 million below last year and $3.4 million below forecast. The state's net available revenues for the year are above forecast by $25.4 million.”

Vs

This report:

“The Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration reported Thursday that year-to-date (July-November) total revenues are $2.198 billion, up 2.4% over the same period in 2009. The percentage gain for the first five months of the fiscal year slipped from the 7% overall revenue gain in the first four months of the fiscal year.”

 Giving way to this story

“Gov. Mike Beebe on Thursday said he's asked the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration to end the freeze on state worker pay.”


UPDATE~
Earlier today I posted a story (http://ow.ly/3j72I ) that the way I read it Arkansas was $47.2 million down from last year, when in fact that was just the November number.  After a discussion with the Governor's office I have learned that Arkansas is $51 million ahead of last year and that is why the Govern unfroze gov't pay raises.~
(sorry Blonde moment) 

More money (I mean debt) pouring into Arkansas

TalkBusiness.net “U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced a $1 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to Pulaski County to help build the Six Bridge Innovation Conference Center at the Verizon Arena in downtown North Little Rock.”

Twitter Feeds

@ ArkansasOnline

Supreme Court declines to hear order on court shredding: The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday declined to cons... http://bit.ly/hoGWam

Negotiators work on tax deal as House holds vote: A Democratic bill to make middle class tax cuts permanent whil... http://bit.ly/hdoKFn

@RobyBrock

#ARLeg 1st bill filed that draws attention to majority/minority party representation. Filed by Rep. Jane English (R). http://bit.ly/g7jyMe

Nov. dip in state revenues slowed YTD growth from +7% in 1st 4 months to +2.4% in 1st 5 months of fiscal year. http://bit.ly/hs0OIm

#ARLeg Advocacy group says programs touted in tobacco tax inc. not funded or underfunded.http://bit.ly/fwrWm7

Morning Roll Call~ News You Need to Know

Arkansas News-

Bringing Home the Bacon- $90 Million Worth

If ever a case were made for parents and citizens to go to school board meeting it is now~ Arkansas's School's will receive $90 million of a $10 billion federal Education Jobs fund signed into law last August  Fayetteville School Dist will get $1.6 million and Springdale $3.5 million. 

The NWA Times Reported:

“Each district will receive $193 per student based on its 2009-10 enrollment. It must be spent by Sept. 30, 2012.

Money can be spent on existing salaries, new hires, rehires or raises and bonuses, according to a memo from the state department.”

The bill $16 billion for Medicaid over 10 years, Congressman Boozman voted against the final version of the bill because he believes we need to cut spending and this is not the way to do it.

Congressman Ross voted for the bill and Representatives Marion Berry and Vic Snyder were absent for the final vote.

From TalkBusiness.net:

BEEBE: 'HAVE A WAY TO PAY' FOR TAX CUTS 

Gov. Mike Beebe told Arkansas Farm Bureau members at their 2010 convention on Wednesday that lawmakers must have a plan for proposed tax cuts in the 2011 legislative session.

Twitter Stories

@RobyBrock-

Shale drilling drives growth in U.S. natural gas reserves to a 40-year high. http://bit.ly/hdkm5K

#ARLeg Beebe gives some of his strongest comments to date regarding potential tax cuts in 2011 leg. session. http://bit.ly/eZhhVM

@ArkansasOnline-

Arkansas National Guard troops to depart state: One-hundred-seventy Arkansas National Guard troops are leaving f... http://bit.ly/et5rR9

O’Brien is out of line, justices told: Pulaski County Circuit Clerk Pat O’Brien does not have the authority to s... http://bit.ly/g6KzUk

LR school chief agrees to resign: Little Rock School District Superintendent Linda Watson will step down from he... http://bit.ly/hNW8WF

@KARK4News

Are Better Highways down the Road for Arkansas? http://bit.ly/fxyk8h

Baxter Co. Sheriff's Office Warns of Counterfeit Billshttp://bit.ly/fz9Ffk