Friday, May 18, 2012
Let the eagle soar
Posted by Max Brantley on Fri, May 18, 2012 at 4:27 PM
- Brian Chilson
- NOT SO COOL POOL: The swimming pool at the Jim Dailey War Memorial Fitness Center is looking a little rough — literally — at the moment, thanks to a $73,000 repair job that Parks and Recreation hired out after a Health Department inspection. The bottom of the pool had cracks and there was peeling paint, director Truman Tolefree said; Harrison Contracting is replastering the surface and fixing a slide. Ever the optimist, Tolefree said the pool — a real gem in the parks system — should be open by Memorial Day, May 28.
Another week done. Final words:
* NO CONFIDENCE: The unions that once represented employees in the Pulaski County School District have voted unanimously a "no confidence" statement on Superintendent Jerry Guess and Arkansas Education Director Tom Kimbrell for busting their unions. I feel their pain. But this is pointless. A lawsuit will restore them as a bargaining agent or it won't. And the unions have plenty of improvident administration actions in recent years to cite in explaining the district's distressed state. But, year in and year out, personnel costs are No. 1 and some givebacks were coming sooner or later. They should have given back more when they still had a chance.
* REPORT MISSING: The Federal Election Commission today said it had cited D.C. Morrison, alleged Democratic candidate for 4th District Congress, for failure to file a 12-day pre-election campaign finance report. He has bought some TV time recently.
* TROUBLE IN THE 'HOOD: UAMS dispatch: "Little Rock Police are investigating a rash of vehicle break-ins near the main UAMS campus, Freeway Medical and in a neighborhood near the campus. Employees and students are reminded to lock their vehicles and take precautions to secure any items in their vehicles. All valuables – items such as cell phones, purses, computers, GPS units – should not be left in view. In addition, please be alert to your surroundings for any suspicious activity."
* THE VAST RIGHT-WING CONSPIRACY: I wrote earlier about the Republican/Democrat-Gazette effort to pump the fringe candidacy of nominal Democrat John Wolfe in the presidential primary. Scoff at my theory if you wish. But add to the promotional bill a Wolfe appearance on Mike Huckabee's Fox News show tomorrow. That ought to be good for Page One in the DOG, too, don't you think? If Monroe Schwarzlose had gotten this kind of free publicity, he'd have beaten Bill Clinton way back when.
Speaking of...
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Gays on tv! Huckabee freaked.
June 11, 2013Wasn't intending to have an all-Huckabee day, but the hits just keep on coming. Quoth the Huck: This is why the legalization of same-sex marriage is going to be a much bigger issue than just saying we let people love whoever they want to love. /more/
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Huckabee advises evangelicals to double down
June 11, 2013Former Gov. Mike Huckabee spoke last night at the 2013 Pastors' Conference in Houston on the eve of the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting. /more/
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Obama at Morehouse
May 30, 2013During President Obama's recent speech to the black men who graduated from Morehouse College he uttered this amazing statement: "Nobody cares how tough your upbringing was. Nobody cares if you suffered some discrimination. And moreover, you have to remember that whatever you've gone through, it pales in comparison to the hardships previous generations endured — and they overcame them." /more/
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Mike's men
May 30, 2013It's easy to see how Mike Huckabee could be friends with Tony Orlando and Yakov Smirnoff. He has more musical talent than Orlando and he's funnier than Yakov. There's no envy to restrain his warm feelings. /more/
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Governor slept here: Mike Huckabee's North Little Rock home for sale for $850,000
May 29, 2013Just noted on real estate listings: The home in North Little Rock's Shady Valley to which Mike Huckabee moved after he left the Governor's Mansion in early 2007 is up for sale for $850,000. /more/
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Remember Jon Hubbard? He hasn't mellowed
May 18, 2013Remember Jon Hubbard, the former Republican legislator from Jonesboro whose views proved too extreme for voters in 2012, though not for the Republican Party of Arkansas? /more/
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Monday night's Pomp and Circumstance open line
May 13, 2013Imboden high school graduation is uneventful after flap over gay speaker. /more/
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Monday morning report: 'SWATting,' raw milk, guns, Huckabee and more
May 6, 2013Items of interest this Monday morning from all over: * SWATTING ARRIVES IN LITTLE ROCK: Channel 4 reports that the "SWATting" phenomenon — making false 911 reports to draw SWAT teams to home and businesses — was reported recently at a home on Pebble Beach in West Little Rock. /more/
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Feel like praying? Send Huck some bucks
May 2, 2013I joked yesterday about how Mike Huckabee ties a commercial pitch to just about every breaking news event, often soliciting Huck PAC contributions tailored to the latest Fox slant on President Obama. /more/
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There goes Barack Obama, agreeing with Mike Ross again
April 26, 2013Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross has said he would have opposed the recent legislative effort to strip funding from Planned Parenthood for sex education and other health programs (not abortion). /more/
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