James O. Powell, the liberal voice of the Arkansas Gazette editorial page for so many years, died this afternoon. Jim, who was in his 90s, had been in failing health for some time. His family was with him, Carrick Patterson reports.
The midweek line is open.
Oh, but by the way, Sen. Blanche Lincoln has joined a handful of Democratic senators standing in the way of student college lending reform. The bill they're blocking would expand student aid, but also end millions in government subsidies to private lenders
The Pulaski County School Board will have yet another "emergency" school board meeting at 5:30 p.m. tonight, this one "for investigation into improper dissemination of personnel matter at board level only."
The Board faction that backed Rob McGill for superintendent is apparently going to produce a circus over the leak of the report that more or less cleared him of making an insensitive racial remark.
The witch hunt is a needless continuation of hostilities. The investigation should have been released immediately anyway. McGill wanted it released. Those quoted in the report should not have had their names redacted. It was not a personnel matter about them, but about McGill. The racially polarized fight has gotten deeply personal. Nobody will win, least of all the school district. If there's a better illustration of the board's failure to get beyond race -- even as it tries to free itself from desegregation supervision -- I can't think of it.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 19:15:16
This week's cover story is on
Rwake, a band I've long known was a big deal nationally, but one, until this story came along, I hadn't really delved into much. Count me as a convert. It's challenging music, but hugely rewarding after a few listens, once you've adjusted your ear to cope with the demon screams and heaviness. What Erik Larson, of Alabama Thunderpussy and Avail, said to me about Rwake was so apt, I thought: "It's almost like jazz."
Now that I'm a new convert, I'm ready to dig deeper into the underground metal scene.
"Slow Southern Steel" looks like the ticket. It's a documentary on the Southern underground metal scene that Rwake's CT, who's a huge player in underground community, has been working on for a couple years now.
He's hoping to premiere it either at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Fest or SXSW 2011.
Score.
Lucero will open for Black Crowes Saturday on the Clinton Stage, while the
Juke Joint Duo, AKA Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm open for Robert Cray on Sunday on the Triple-S Stage.
Click
here to go to our running list of the roster, with info about each act.
Wonder if this will meet any of Paper Trails criteria? On Monday, our favorite chronicler of "Wheel of Fortune" contestants with local ties buried an item about the addition of Black Crowes, Blake Shelton and Cross Canadian Ragweed — well below a really riveting short piece on a Paron boy scout featured in the March issue of the Boy Scouts' magazine — with her take appended: "Sorry, still not rocking my world. We wait. And hope for more to come..."
It's gonna be hard to wait until Friday to hear what she has to say about these two.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 09:32:03
The hubster and I dined last night at a little place up here in Eureka Springs that I just adore, Café Soleil. The Eureka Springs eatery specializes in a different twist on American and International food. They do a lot of great things with their menu.
I had to give a new item a try, the Smoked Duck with Dried Cherries and Pecans. Now, I’m not a big duck eater. But this? I ate up. The careful preparation of the duck had given it a steak-like consistency, firm yet yielding easily to the knife, savory but not wild. Paired with the dried cherries it was mouthwatering and saucy. The pecans were a nice touch but in my opinion unnecessary.
I liked the roasted carrots that came with it, too. Not so much the garlic mashed potatoes, which were pretty heavy on white pepper. But the sides were plentiful.
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