Author: Talk Business

by Talk Business - September 12, 2011 7:00 pm

State Committee Discusses Energy Regulations

There was a lively meeting today of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development as they took up a slate of proposals to increase environmental regulations on the oil and gas industry in Arkansas.

by Talk Business - September 12, 2011 7:00 pm

Hester To Challenge Summers In Senate Primary

Republican Bart Hester announced today that he will seek the State Senate seat in the newly created Arkansas District 1, composed primarily of Bentonville.  Hester is the second Republican to announce for the race meaning he will face Rep. Tim Summers in the primary.

by Talk Business - September 11, 2011 7:00 pm

Zingbot Is In Arkansas Politics

In case you missed it, we reported earlier that Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued a much-anticipated opinion today on whether someone with Shane Broadway’s credentials could be the director of the Department of Higher Education – legally speaking.  McDaniel would not comment specifically on Broadway, but he said someone who he basically describes as exactly like Broadway is ineligible under the current law.

But that’s just where the fun started.  After this news broke, zingbot fever struck in Arkansas!

Spokesman for Gov. Mike Beebe, Matt DeCample, started it all off with a zinger to the Republicans.  Two Republicans, Reps. Allen Kerr and Jane English, had pushed the issue by requesting the AG opinion regarding Broadway’s eligibility.  Cue DeCample…

“There are many people, including those behind this opinion request, who have made it clear that they would like a pricey national search at taxpayer expense, and that’s what we’re left with,” DeCample told Arkansas News.

Zing!

I could be waaaaay off here, but I don’t think "a pricey national search" – as fun as those are – was really the goal of the Republicans who requested the opinion.  It seemed more about pointing out the Governor choosing a long-time friend for the post regardless of the statutory requirement.

Anyway, the Republican Party of Arkansas could not resist joining in the fun of zingbot Monday, so they sent out this statement.

“We thank Attorney General Dustin McDaniel for providing clarification on a law that many felt was already clear in defining what was required of the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Director of Higher Education,” said RPA Communications Director Katherine Vasilos. “The Governor’s failed attempt to circumvent the law with a ‘friends of Beebe’ exception is inexcusable and should serve as a reminder that good old boy politics has no room in state government.”

Zing! Zing!

Good ol’ zingbot Monday.  Let’s hope the tradition continues.

Also, Max Brantley – Arkansas’ orginal zingbot – felt the need for Zing by basically hitting his standard talking points – Huckabee, Bryant Mayor Jill "Please Call Me Republican" Dabbs, and Mark Martin.

by Talk Business - September 10, 2011 7:00 pm

Video: Beebe, Darr Remember 9/11 At Capitol Ceremony

Around fifty firefighters, policemen, and other first responders marched in a ceremony Sunday afternoon at the Arkansas State Capitol commemorating the 10th anniversary of September 11.  They were joined by several hundred cheering supporters, including Gov. Mike Beebe, Lieutenant Governor Mark Darr, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, Congressman Tim Griffin and former Congressman Asa Hutchinson.

"Ten years ago today, Americans were rocked from their daily routines as news from the terrorist attacks against our great nation began to unfold," said Darr. "More than three thousand people lost their lives that day in those attacks; three were native Arkansans. Sarah Lowe of Batesville was a flight attendant working aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when it crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Melissa White of Bald Knob was at her desk on the highest floors of that tower in the first building struck in the cowardly attack. Operations Specialist Second Class Nehamon Lions IV of Pine Bluff was a sailor serving his country at The Pentagon. And Californian Tom Burnett – his widow Deena Burnett Bailey  lives in Arkansas – was one of the brave passengers who decided to crash United Airlines Flight 93 in a field in Pennsylvania rather than allow it to be used as an instrument of destruction."

"This country – these people that make up America – have always responded to the crisis with the kind of unity, force, and resolve that absolutely stuns the rest of the world," said Beebe. "They don’t realize; they don’t know that you can’t subjugate or bow our people. And just like a fighter who takes one to the chin once in a while, you might reel a little bit, but you come back stronger. And unlike that fighter who quits or falls, America never does."

"My hope today – and I hope your hope today – is that going forward America can rekindle that spirit of unity that we saw after 9/11, that we can decide as a people there is no obstacle we cannot overcome, that as Americans we have always faced each challenge and each generation has risen to the occassion to do what’s best not only for ourselves, but for our prosperity. And so my hope today is that while we honor those we have lost, mourn with the families that have suffered so badly, pay honor and tribute to those who protect and serve us, that we are rekindle in our own hearts that idea that in the final analysis we are all one people, we are all one country, we are all Americans. And God bless the United States of America," Beebe said.

by Talk Business - September 8, 2011 7:00 pm

Highway Commission’s Legal Chief Put On Administrative Leave

Arkansas Highway Commission Chief Legal Counsel Robert Wilson had a difficult day today at the capitol, beginning with a grueling questioning session from the Joint Audit Committee and ending with the Highway Commission putting him on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation.  All this was the result of a finding from a legislative audit of inappropriate paid absences from work.  From the audit report...

The Chief Legal Counsel of the Agency, Robert L. Wilson, allowed staff of the Agency’s Legal Division to have inappropriate paid absences from work. Employees were improperly allowed to take 4 hours (one-half day) of paid time off every three weeks on a rotating basis. Schedules assigning the one half day for the period July 1, 2007 through December 31, 2009, and analysis of corresponding leave records and other support, indicated that employees of the Division may have been paid for 2,520 hours for which they did not perform job duties. Based on the employees’ average hourly rates for the period, the estimated cost of this time totals $73,891.

After over an hour of pointed questions in which state legislators vented their frustrations, it was also apparent during the audit meeting that a rift existed between Wilson and other top Highway Commission officials, including Chairman Madison Murphy who said that Wilson had not been cooperative with an internal investigation into the matter.  Rep. Justin Harris, R-Prairie Grove, said that Wilson was "an embassment to the Commision and also to the state of Arkansas" and wondered if it was time for him to move on. This lead Rep. John Walker, D-Little Rock, to respond that the proceeding was the equivalant of a "legal lynching."

Immediately following the hearing, Wilson left without taking questions from reporters and left the capitol grounds with his attorney. Shortly thereafter, he was called back to the capitol to meet with the Highway Commission who had to wait several minutes for his arrival.  Upon returning, the Commission met with Wilson in executive session.  After opening the session back to the public, Commissioner John Ed Regenold moved and the Commission unanimously voted to put Wilson on administrative leave with pay pending the investigation.

"This is an issue that has been ongoing for quite a while. So I would view this as a culmination of events as opposed to precipitated by anything that took place this morning," said Madison regarding the Commission’s actions.

More video here and here and also here.