Arkansas news, politics, opinion, restaurants, music, movies and art, Arkansas Times

How refusing Obamacare hurts the poorest of the poor

Max Brantley — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:42:00 -0500

David Ramsey illustrated this point yesterday. If Arkansas's adoption of Obamacare through the so-called private option falls apart, the poorest of the state's poor would be left with no health coverage, while some subsidies would be provided for people with higher income. Belatedly, some staunch opponents of expanded health coverage have evinced concerns about this.

It's a national problem, particularly in states accounting for more than half the U.S. population that have refused to expand Medicaid. See Texas, Florida, Louisiana and more.

The New York Times reports on the broader picture this morning.

The refusal by about half the states to expand Medicaid will leave millions of poor people ineligible for government-subsidized health insurance under President Obama’s health care law even as many others with higher incomes receive federal subsidies to buy insurance.

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No arrest in early morning death after altercation

Max Brantley — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:33:02 -0500

The LRPD's Sgt. Cassandra Davis is up early on Saturday:

At 2:51 officers were called to 10800 Legion Hut Road to a disturbance. Officers learned that a physical altercation occurred between Mr. Haywood Miller III, 11/14/68 and the victim. During the altercation the victim fell to the ground. The victim was transported to UAMS where he later died. The suspect, Mr. Miller was arrested but later released without charges pending a file review by the prosecutors’ office and a determination as to the cause of death.

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Riverfest opens with perfect conditions, Darius Rucker

Max Brantley — Sat, 25 May 2013 06:31:00 -0500

Weather was perfect for last night's opening of Riverfest — low humidity, clear, breezy, 70s — so it's not too surprising to see the throngs depicted in the Facebook album Brian Chilson has posted, including the crowd (above) on hand for Darius Rucker. The concession stands were popular as always (below).

The Times this week has all the info you need for events today and tomorrow.

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Check out this vintage Cate Brothers performance

Robert Bell — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:39:00 -0500

Here's a very tasty jam from Fayetteville's Cate Brothers, performing in 1976 on the BBC's "Old Grey Whistle Test." This tune, "In One Eye and Out the Other," is the title track of the band's second album, released on Asylum Records.

I am heavily digging that funky clavinet, and the playing is just beyond tight. Truly one of the great under-heralded bands of the era. You can still catch Earl Cate playing with Earl & Them. They gig all the time, and they're set to play at Stickyz June 8.

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TGIF

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:27:00 -0500

Riverfest. Memorial Day. My car's 10th birthday.

I'm going to take it easy, gearing up for about my 20th trip to Arkansas Boys State next week. They're going to roll out instant polling of the delegates by cellphone for speakers this year, speakers' choice. I'm tempted to ask: "Is this speaker crazy or what?"

The line is open.

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Medicaid payment reform may be reducing costs but legislature delays further implementation

David Ramsey — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:20:00 -0500

Good news on the Medicaid cost front: in a joint Public Health committee meeting today, Department of Human Services officials testified that for the third straight quarter, cost growth of the program has slowed. This represents the slowest growth in 25 years (spending is still rising but is rising significantly more slowly than the long-term trend), and comes despite an improving economy and an increase in the rate of enrollment. Along with additional money coming in via healthcare expansion, the reduced costs mean that Medicaid providers will not face rate cuts or freezes as planned.

It’s too early to ascribe the cost reductions to the Payment Improvement Initiative, which incentivizes providers to control costs, but it’s looking more and more like the Initiative — which is in its early phases, so far only covering five episodes of care — has been effective at beginning to encourage providers to identify low-hanging fruit in terms of unnecessary spending. In health policy language this is the "sentinel effect”: basically, you’re likely to work more efficiently if you know someone is going to be looking over your shoulder.

DHS had planned to add four new episodes of care to the initiative, but they hit a roadblock today in the legislative review process. Legislators peppered them with a series of meandering questions (and comments) focused on one of the episodes, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), complete with lots of irrelevant discussion about whether it was really an illness or whether parents should just do a better job of disciplining their kids. Leaving aside the legislators’ belittling of ODD, many seemed completely unaware that whether or not Medicaid should cover it was not up for debate. The question was simply whether to include the new episodes of care in a reform effort to reduce costs (indeed, if a legislator was worried that something like ODD leads to overcharging, including it in the payment initiative would be one way to help alleviate those concerns). In the end, the committee passed on giving their stamp of review, following the dubious logic of Rep. Kelley Linck, who said "when there’s this many questions, I’ve always found that voting no or turning it down always makes it come back better" (which means that anything is bound to fail with the likes of Rep. Kim Hammer in the room, offering up a diarrhetic barrage of quantity-not-quality legislative oversight).

The final decision to delay was issued by the Senate Chair Cecile Bledsoe, who happens to also be a general opponent of the Payment Improvement Initiative (Bledsoe can be counted on to fight anything that might possibly nick at a doctor's paycheck). The decision, made informally and without discussion, will likely delay implementation of the four new episodes, which will cut into cost savings (projected to be more than $1 million per year in total, 30 percent of which is Arkansas's portion of the federal-state match).

DHS officials plan to work with Bledsoe and House Chair John Burris to get members additional information, and hope to avoid having to wait until the next joint meeting (currently unscheduled). DHS spokesperson Amy Webb added that in the future they will aim to do more to address concerns with members prior to meetings. I suspect that she is overestimating their willingness to do homework ahead of time and underestimating their ability to think up random questions on the fly, but we shall see. After the jump, a few classic Rep. David Meeks tweets (Tweeks?) during the irrelevant discussion on ODD.

I wonder how many children could be cured of Oppositional Defiant Disorder with a little discipline by the parents? #arleg
— StateRep David Meeks (@DavidMeeks) May 24, 2013

Mental disorders are another area that the church can and should have an impact on. The Bible has the answers. #arleg
— StateRep David Meeks (@DavidMeeks) May 24, 2013

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Coming soon: Jazz in the Park

Robert Bell — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:09:00 -0500

The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau recently announced an upcoming free jazz series at History Pavilion in Riverfront Park. Jazz in the Park will run on Wednesday evenings in June and July, and kicks off June 5 with a performance from Rodney Block & The Real Music Lovers.

While the concerts are free, attendees are not allowed to bring coolers. But fret not, thirsty jazz lovers: there'll be beer and wine available for purchase, with proceeds going to benefit Sculpture at the River Market. Do, however, bring a chair and/or a blanket, for sitting on. There's also seating available in the stone amphitheater at the History Pavilion.

Here's the full schedule:

June 5 - Rodney Block & The Real Music Lovers
June 12 - TwiceSax
June 19 - Adams Collins Group
June 26 - Bob Boyd Sounds
July 3 - The Johnny Burnette Group
July 10 - UA Monticello Jazz Combo
July 17 - Walter Henderson & Chris Parker
July 24 - Happy Tymes Jazz Band
July 31 - Dizzy7

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The Cash Pie Edition

Lindsey Millar — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:49:00 -0500

The arrest of State Treasurer Martha Shoffner, Bloomberg versus Pryor, Cotton's wackiest turn yet, stealing Cornish hens and big-time football at the fiscally distressed Mineral Springs School District — all covered on this week's podcast.

Stream on the jump.

Download.

Subscribe via iTunes (and give us a review; it helps people discover the podcast).

[audio-1]

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Walton Arts Center contemplating amphitheater move to Rogers

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:17:15 -0500

Interesting story brewing in Northwest Arkansas, where Fayetteville apparently faces the loss of another part of the Walton Arts Center operation.

The Fayetteville Flyer reports on talks of moving the Arkansas Music Pavilion from Fayetteville to Rogers. The center earlier had decided to build a new and larger performing arts center in Bentonville, to supplant the Fayetteville home. Bentonville is, of course, the home of the Walton fortune that has contributed to the center. From the Flyer:

“The city of Fayetteville has, for years, done whatever they could and almost whatever they were asked to accommodate the Walton Arts Center, including the AMP,” said commissioner and former alderman Bobby Ferrell, during a discussion on the future of the venue.

“I think the Walton Arts Center has an obligation to the city of Fayetteville,” said commission director Marilyn Heifner. “The city of Fayetteville stepped up 20 years ago and the citizens voted for a sales tax just for the Walton Arts Center. I think they ought to look to some place inside the Fayetteville city limits to keep (the AMP) here, especially if they’re going to build a 2,200-seat theatre in Bentonville.”

Steve Clark, president of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and a WAC board member, said he could not recommend moving the AMP without at least discussing some of the details of the proposed Rogers location.

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Multiple deaths in Scott accident

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:32:20 -0500

Channel 11 is reporting that three people were killed in an accident today in Scott when a vehicle ran off Old River Road and into a tree.

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UPDATE: Gun control group to spend $350,000 against Pryor

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:54:41 -0500

Politico reports that the gun control group backed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is following through with plans to buy TV time — $350,000 worth — criticizing U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor for helping defeat some modest gun measures recently, particularly universal background checks.

The irony, of course, is that they'll be contributing to damage of Pryor that will accrue to the benefit of the Club for Growth's Tom Cotton, a nominal 4th District representative who plans to take the Club for Greed's money to go after Pryor. Cotton is rarely depicted in his material without a gun in his hand. He's a gun absolutist. In his view, there is NO law that should be passed relative to gun regulation.

Pryor has been disappointing on the issue, no doubt. But ...

UPDATE: The ad is hard-hitting. See it above. It brings up the shooting death of former State Democratic Party Chair Bill Gwatney in as senseless an act of gun violence as I can imagine.

The ad features Angela Bradford Barnes, chief financial officer of the Arkansas Democratic Party at the time.

When my dear, innocent friend was shot to death, I didn’t blame guns. I blamed a system that makes it so terribly easy for criminals or the dangerous mentally ill to buy guns. That’s why I was so disappointed when Mark Pryor voted against comprehensive background checks. On that vote, he let us down.

Gun violence has personally affected my life in a tremendous way. I have spent years working for Arkansas’ Democrats and was at work with Bill Gwatney the day he was senselessly taken from us,” said Bradford-Barnes in a press release. “The pain of that experience will always be a part of me. Like 84 percent of Arkansans I support universal background checks. Thus, I was heartbroken to see that Senator Pryor opposed the bi-partisan bill because it will save lives. This bill may not be perfect, and it cannot undue my tragic loss, but if it stops even one person from causing this pain to another family, it’s worth it. I hope that if Senator Pryor is given another chance to lead on this issue he thinks first about Arkansas voters like me.

Pryor responded sharply:

“New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg didn’t know Bill Gwatney. I knew Bill Gwatney. He was my friend and he was killed by someone with severe mental health issues. The Mayor’s bill would have done nothing to prevent his death because it fails to adequately address the real issue and common thread in all of these shootings — mental health.

“That’s why I voted for separate legislation that strengthens funding for mental health programs; requires states, courts, and agencies to report mental health records to the background check system; increases penalties for straw purchases; reauthorizes and funds the COPS program to improve safety in schools; holds the Department of Justice accountable by forcing them to prosecute cases where individuals tried to purchase firearms illegally; and conducts a study on violence in the media. This legislation would have done all of this while protecting people’s 2nd amendment rights.

“Mayor Bloomberg’s attack ad politicizes the death of my friend by misleading people into thinking that his bill would have prevented Bill Gwatney’s tragic death. The fact is it wouldn’t have, which makes Mayor Bloomberg’s ad even more disgusting.”

The Democratic Party followed with this from Candace Martin:

“Bill Gwatney was a friend and inspiration to all Democrats. Not a day goes by that we don’t think about his tragic death and miss him. We don’t believe it is right for any organization to politicize this tragedy.”

I'm just about fed up with the "politicizing tragedy" cliche used to avoid talking about tough issues. Guns are an issue precisely because of tragedies. Pryor himself brought up storm aid votes the other day — a clear and deserved jab at Rep. Tom Cotton — in advocating help for Oklahoma. That wasn't politicizing tragedy, either, though Republican shills tried to call it that to stop references to Cotton. Actions have consequences, past and future. A death need not be provably preventable by background checks to mention it as another senseless gun death that underscored the ready availability of instruments of death without much meaningful impediment.

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Buddy Flett at White Water Tavern

Lindsey Millar — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:39:00 -0500

Here's the latest in our music video series collaboration with Greg Spradlin and Camp Friday Films. It features Buddy Flett, the legendary Louisiana guitarist, live at White Water Tavern. A founding member of A-Train and the The Bluebirds, Buddy's forthcoming album on Honeybee Records was produced by Jason Weinheimer at Fellowship Hall Sound.

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If only Arkansas had a big beer industry

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:30:00 -0500

I heard this on NPR this morning and wondered if Jason Rapert would trade fracking for seven or eight of the world's biggest breweries.

I would.

From The Telegraph:

German brewers have warned Chancellor Angela Merkel that any law allowing the controversial drilling technique known as fracking could damage the country's cherished beer industry.

The Brauer-Bund beer association is worried that fracking for shale gas, which involves pumping water and chemicals at high pressure into the ground, could pollute water used for brewing and break a 500-year-old industry rule on water purity.

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Another state treasurer in corruption probe

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:09:00 -0500

Speaking of former Treasurer Martha Shoffner, accused of taking kickbacks for steering huge sums of state bond business to the broker making the payments:

Here's another former state treasurer ensnared in a public corruption case, Tim Cahill of Massachusetts. He agreed to pay $100,000 and admitted he should have known a lottery advertising campaign he authorized (while running for governor) was illegal. The lottery ads touted his management of the enterprise. That was in March.

Today came news closer to the Arkansas situation from Bloomberg.

A former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) investment banker will pay $100,000 to resolve U.S. regulatory claims that he made improper contributions to a Massachusetts treasurer while seeking state underwriting business.

Neil Morrison, who worked on then-Treasurer Tim Cahill’s unsuccessful run for governor from November 2008 to October 2010 while he was employed by Goldman Sachs, also agreed to be barred from the securities industry for five years, the Securities and Exchange Commission said in a statement today.

The immunity from federal prosecution given an Arkansas broker who said he made cash payments to Shoffner likely doesn't end his entanglement with other agencies. Our sources have said Steele Stephens of Little Rock (no relation to the Stephens Inc. investment empire), who resigned this week as a salesman for St. Bernard Financial Services, was the key informant for the feds. We first reported in October 2011 a sharp increase in his share of state bond business, a development current and former employees linked to his friendship with Shoffner.

By the way: David Smith of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette wrote a great story this morning (subscription reqd.) on the shifting policies of Shoffner's bond investments. He had some welcome perspective on the difficulties of drawing hard conclusions — as the politically motivated audit did — about the wisdom of some of the bond trading. Auditors were readily able to see — with the clarity of hindsight — that interest rates didn't perform as traders expected in liquidating a state bond position (at a healthy gain) and putting the money in a higher yielding bond that got called because interest rates continued to drop. It includes, too, the historical shift from CDs, now paying next-to-nothing, to bond investments and then shifts from committing to bond purchases for fixed periods to riskier trading. Even then, the risks weren't nearly that taken by large state retirement accounts, which can hold investments for longer periods and endure greater risks for higher returns.

This was one of several dubious comparisons by Legislative Audit — thrown up on a huge TV screen at the time for effect — that tarred its findings. Even if the trading was bad judgment — and that's a fair question to study as office procedures are examined — it wasn't evidence of illegality. The driving question always was whether that big shift in business to one broker, even if he'd made profitable call after profitable call, had an unsavory explanation. That turned out to be true. Much as legislators might wish the FBI would throw out subpoenas and search warrants based on suspicion, probable cause is necessary. It took 18 months, but that finally arrived with a taped phone call May 9 in which Shoffner allegedly asked her bond salesman to buy her some property and then, May 18, a cash-filled pie delivery under the watchful surveillance equipment of the FBI.

It's lost to the ages, but the brokers defended their trading several times. Here. And more specifically here. Of course, even a thoroughly superior investment record is no justification for winning business by illegal means.

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Beebe to announce treasurer pick Wednesday

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:41:00 -0500

When I went to Conway this morning to film a segment of "Arkansas Week," I asked Matt DeCample of the governor's office whether a decision was coming today on Gov. Mike Beebe's appointment of someone to serve out Martha Shoffner's term as treasurer.

He said:

The governor has made his decision, but due to the procedural work needed for the appointment, and to accommodate the appointee’s schedule, we’re going to announce it on Wednesday.

Conway banker Bunny Adcock, Holly Grove lawyer Raymond Abramson and former Association of Arkansas Counties Executive Director Eddie Jones have been mentioned, although all told the Democrat-Gazette yesterday they had not talked to the governor or anyone in his office.

Off topic: But I made a whopper of a mistake on Arkansas Week this morning. In talking about the University of Arkansas's politically motivated decision to trim back tuition increase requests, I said they'd sent a conflicting message about austerity by giving UA President Donald Bobbitt a whopping pay raise. He'll move from $355,000 to $427,500 on July 1, an increase of $72,500. That's a 20 percent pay raise, which I somehow turned into a $200,000 pay raise. Sorry about that.

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Tony Orlando and Yakov Smirnoff endorse Dennis Milligan for state treasurer

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:29:00 -0500

That headline is straight from Huffington Post.

Top that, Duncan Baird.

Dennis Milligan, famous for once saying what the U.S. needed was another 9/11 to get right about terrorism, is a Republican candidate for state treasurer, not mayor of Branson, Mo. He's circuit clerk in Saline County. Endorsements here.

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Waltons Arts Center should build their own damned music pavilion in Rogers, and leave the one in Fayetteville alone

Richard Drake — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:54:00 -0500

The Walton Arts Center Board seems to be classic proof that while you may work or live in a town, you may not actually be of it.

This is a not a blanket dismissal of all of the members of the WAC board, especially those who have fought valiantly for the best interests of the people of Fayetteville - home of more local artists per square mile than any other community in Northwest Arkansas - but of the “professional” board member types who sit upon that August body.

Said board is currently considering moving the Arkansas Music Pavilion to Rogers, away from its long-time home in Fayetteville.

Peter Lane, CEO of the arts center, was quoted in the Northwest Arkansas Times today as saying, “Our mission for a long time has been to serve all of Northwest Arkansas” - along with his comments about a “multi-campus” approach to WAC’s goals.

Yeah?

Well, build your own damned music pavilion in Rogers, then, and leave the one in Fayetteville alone.

Kudos to Steve Clark, president of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, who wonders why sites such as the available 200 acres near I-540 and Cato Springs Road in Fayetteville have not been considered.

Well, no doubt the Realtors, Tyson and Walmart execs and University of Arkansas folks on the board have an answer. If they do, they should say so, publicly - particularly those who live in Fayetteville.

Then again, just cuz you live somewhere, doesn’t mean you feel any special appreciation for it. Or the people in your own community. Hell, they may not even know anything about the city in which they lay their head down to sleep every night.

This is what you get when you have an “arts” center board whose membership is mainly built up of those who can raise money for the organization, or perhaps are resume padders (oh, don’t look so shocked - every board of directors on the planet has at least one of these parasites sitting on it), or have ties to other organizations.

Note: Not only have I written about non-profit boards in the past, but I have been a board member on several.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if WAC had a number of seats open for local artists?

Painters? Poets? Writers? Photographers? Singers? Dancers? Actors? Directors? And not just well-known ones, at that?

Voting seats?

Yeah, I imagine they’ll get right on that one . . .

Oh, and “multi-campus?” Really?

Only a man who is blissfully unaware of the joke made in the 1990s about the design of WAC in Fayetteville - “Somewhere in Georgia, somebody is missing their junior high school” - could utter such a phrase with a straight face.

******

Quote of the Day

People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us. - Iris Murdoch

rsdrake@cox.net

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Saturday: Trout Fishing in America, March Against Monsanto and more

Robert Bell — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:23:02 -0500

In Eureka Springs, the May Festival of the Arts continues with a concert from veteran folk duo Trout Fishing in America, The Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

Anyone with an interest in sustainable food systems and fighting against the forces of Big Ag will probably want to be at the March Against Monsanto at the Arkansas State Capitol, 1 p.m.

Nashville indie-folk duo Elenowen (married couple Josh and Nicole Johnson who were on season one of NBC's "The Voice") play a free show at Juanita's with Cliff Hutchison, 7 p.m.

Maxine's has an evening of burly rock, with Opportunist (featuring members of Holy Shakes), Booyah! Dad, Tiger High and Black Horse, 8 p.m., $5 adv., $7 door.

In Fayetteville, space-rock riffmeisters Mothwind play an 18-and-older gig at The Lightbulb Club with locals Dying, $5.

Psych-pop quartet Tsar Bomba plays with Bombay Harambee at White Water Tavern, 9:30 p.m.

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Saturday To-Do: 7th Street Underground Festival

Robert Bell — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:58:37 -0500

7TH STREET UNDERGROUND FESTIVAL
1 p.m. 7th Street. $10.

Little Rock's 7th Street has long held a special place in the city's cultural landscape. Within a few blocks of each other, you've got The Weekend Theater, 7th Street Tattoos, Art Outfitters and Vino's, all of which qualify as institutions at this point.

So what better way to celebrate the spirited artistic hub than with an annual festival featuring art, music, food, beer and more? An outdoor stage in the lot just east of 7th Street Tattoos will host a raft of bands and other entertainment, including magic tricks, sideshows, fire spinners, spoken word performances and music from Austin Jones and Smooth Spirit, Itinerant Locals, Go Fast!, Jab Jab Suckerpunch, Peckerwolf and This Holy House.

Inside Vino's, they'll be screening episodes of "The Ren & Stimpy Show" and other cartoons from 5-9 p.m., followed by live music from Flameing Daeth Fearies, Sam Walker, Neon Skin and Flint Eastwood. There will be beer, margaritas and carnival food vendors in the lot next to 7th Street Tattoos and Vino's, naturally, will be serving up beer, wine, pizza, sandwiches and more.

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Republicans against healthcare expansion now worried about outcome if expansion doesn't happen

David Ramsey — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:49:00 -0500

You would figure that a legislator who voted against the “private option” legislation expanding healthcare coverage would be happy if that law was never enacted, or was stopped. But if you so figured, you do not know the mind of Rep. David Meeks.

At the joint committee hearing on the "private option" plan for healthcare expansion yesterday, Meeks asked about a Plan B. "Are we anticipating what we would do if something happens and we don’t get the private option?"

This is a question we certainly ought to think about because the plan is dependent on federal approval of a waiver. The law was designed as a take-it-leave-it offer to the feds and has various triggers in place to halt the legislation if the feds don't hold up their end of the bargain. In other words, Plan B is nothing.

Because of the way current law is structured here's what that means: 1) People between 100-138 percent of the federal poverty level would have to pay a little out of pocket on premiums but they would be eligible for heavily subsidized insurance on the exchange. 2) But uninsured people under 100 percent would be out of luck — without expansion, there isn't a backup. If you're worried about low-income people not having health insurance, Plan B is awful.

But Plan B — do nothing — is exactly what Meeks voted for. It's what he argued for on the House floor and elsewhere, as a vigorous opponent of both traditional Medicaid expansion and the "private option." Does Meeks realize this? Unclear, because he asked that they consider "what can we do with the [uninsured below 100 percent*] so they're not just kinda left out there."

Again, just kinda leaving them out there is indeed the result if expansion doesn't happen — and Meeks voted against expansion.

Meeks continued: "Is there any talk about what to do with the [uninsured below 100 percent] if in fact the private option goes away? I would like to encourage folks to come up with a Plan B for them. I know that you have a lot on your plate with just going forward and doing what you’re doing, and that may be something us as legislators that maybe we need to discuss."

Yeah, maybe so! Of course we just had that discussion, and this particular issue escaped Meeks's attention at the time. If you've been following the healthcare debate in Arkansas, you'll want to pick your jaw up off the floor. Well, Meeks contains multitudes.

Rep. Kim Hammer made sure to join in the lunacy, asking "if Plan A goes away, the federal government doesn’t cover the [uninsured below 100 percent], they’re just hung out to dry?" You guessed it: Hammer voted against Plan A, leaving those folks "hung out to dry."

Rep. John Burris said he was "confident in Plan A" but noted that if it fell through, the state would revert to "the default position that would have happened otherwise." Burris did not mention that this was the default position that, just a month ago, Meeks and Hammer said they wanted.

*Meeks and Hammer actually referred to this group as “the 18-100s” because parents below 18 percent are already eligible under the traditional Medicaid program. For childless adults, without expansion, 0-100 would be uncovered.

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Saturday To-Do: Collective Soul

Robert Bell — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:47:07 -0500

COLLECTIVE SOUL
8 p.m. Timberwood Amphitheater. $50-$60.

Magic Springs gets the live music rolling at Timberwood Amphitheater with a concert from erstwhile bubble-grunge megastars Collective Soul.

The Georgia quartet has kept things rolling all these years. After splitting with Atlantic Records back in 2001, after several hits and millions of units sold, Collective Soul came back in 2004 with "Youth," which is a real head-scratcher for anybody who hadn't thought about the band since "Shine" was blasting out of car stereos all over the country long about 1994. No lie: it sounds a hell of a lot like Bowie singing for, say, Supergrass (for real, singer Ed Roland sounds eerily similar to the Thin White Duke at times — eerily similar).

They dialed the power-pop/glam sound back a bit on subsequent albums, but Collective Soul is clearly a band that is much more than a one-hit-wonder grunge-lite nostalgia act.

As with all the Timberwood concerts, the show is free with admission or $5-$10 for reserved seating. In other Magic Springs news: At 10 a.m., the park hosts a grand opening ceremony for its newest attraction, the four-story water complex Splash Island. Radio Disney star Tiffany Thornton will be there.

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Food Feedback Friday: going Greek and rocking tacos

Daniel Walker — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:35:00 -0500

The weather is heating up, but it’s clear that the central Arkansas food scene is just as hot. We’ve seen a string of exciting restaurant openings over the last few months, and there’s many more we’ll be seeing in the coming months. It’s definitely a great time to be an Arkansan, and we’ve got a lot to be proud of in this bourgeoning food scene. Keep your eyes glued to Eat Arkansas, we’ve got a lot of great things still to come.

It’s time once again for Food Feedback Friday, your opportunity to sound off on whatever it is you’re shoving in your face this week. On last week’s #FFF here’s what you all had to say:

There were mixed opinions on the annual Greek Food Festival. SusieQ put down a Gyros sandwich, chicken kebob, hummus, and baklava and seemed to be pleased with her selections, but nolaguy left “extremely disappointed,” stating that “there was practically no flavor in anything” and that “my family wished we'd just gone to Layla's instead.” Kevin describes his “new favorite lunch discovery” from Rock ‘N Tacos, a chicken taco salad with “shredded chicken, lettuce, wonderful beans, rice, guac, sour cream, and fresh mango salsa.” Thanh is pleased with A.W. Lin’s, calling their seafood coconut soup “awesome as always.” Raven enjoys the Cajun turkey spread sandwich from Bray Gourmet, numbernine tried out Chuy’s stating, “it's not worth a wait of more than 10-15 minutes, but it's good,” and that their “tortillas are delicious.” And Tammy attended the Heifer International Feast in the Field, sampling a “delicious creamy carrot soup garnished with herbal creme fraiche,” and a “fall-off-the-bone Coq au Vin with spring vegetables and polenta.”

There you have it. Your turn. Let us know what’s filling your belly this week.

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Neighbors oppose pregnant teen home in old Job Corps center

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:13:00 -0500

The Pettaway Neighborhood Association is organizing opposition for a proposal before the Little Rock Planning Commission May 30 to convert the abandoned Job Corps Center building at 20th and Vance along I-30 to a home for pregnant teens.

Its letter objecting to a rezoning plan says, in part:

At a public forum held at Winthrop Rockefeller Elementary and Early Childhood Magnet School on March 2, 2013, residents asked Paradise Group LLC to share their business and community engagement plan. To date the Paradise Group LLC has failed to share their solid business and community engagement plan with our community the very place where this proposed planned development will be housed. We know of no letters or confirmed intent of support from Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) or Transitional Youth Services (TYS) or any other organizations or entities that would directly impact the specific services being provided to these pregnant teens.

Presently, the property at 2020 Vance Street has remained vacant and a nuisance for a number of years. This boarded and dilapidated historic structure is visible from Interstate 30 and has proved to be a hardship for those residents whose homes are in close proximity to this structure.

It has been the expressed wish of the PNA that the structure be demolished. However, if the structure is to be rehabilitated, the PNA requests proof that the proprietors have a solid business and community engagement plan to ensure the sustainability of whatever business is housed in this particular structure.

The Pettaway community along with MacArthur Park Historic District and the Main Street corridor is experiencing growth. People are moving in, buying vacant lots, restoring older historic homes, and building new structures. This growth is directly related to the sustained community effort to embrace community by making it safe, clean and supporting one another in our desire to live in a vibrant downtown. As much as the residents would like a positive and effective planned development at 2020 Vance Street (like the new Children's Library in the 12th Street corridor) we want to make sure that the property is not left vacant again after a short period of use.

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UA prof writes on the 'junk science' of 20-week abortion bans

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:06:00 -0500

Here's a valuable piece of writing for Science Progress from the classrooms of the University of Arkansas by Dr. Lisa Corrigan, co-chair of the gender studies program of the Fulbright College.

It's about the proliferation of abortion bans beginning at 20 weeks of pregnancy, such as Arkansas just passed. It aims at a tiny number of abortions, she notes — just a few dozen a year in Arkansas. Advocates base the laws, she writes,

...on junk science based on the pseudoscience of fetal pain to warrant the state laws prohibiting third trimester abortions. Their claims stem from erroneous assertions that the fetus feels pain at 20 weeks, despite several comprehensive literature reviews demonstrating no credible evidence of fetal pain until the third trimester. Likewise, the case for “fetal pain” rests on the argument that the rights of the fetus should take precedence over the civil rights of the mother.

One of many other problems, is that late abortions are inevitably the product of grave medical problems. Sometimes, they can't be known until after 20 weeks.

While ultrasounds administered prior to 20 weeks are generally adequate to assess major organ systems, they fail to detect major cardiac, skeletal, and craniofacial anomalies, particularly those that are lethal to the fetus.

The Arkansas law provides no exceptions for these cases or for rape and incest victims. It was passed over the veto of Gov. Mike Beebe, who said it was unconstitutional because it banned abortions at a time before a fetus could survive outside the womb, in clear contradiction of U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

For many families who have never dealt with the trauma of fetal anomalies, it may seem difficult to understand why third term abortions are necessary. But when abortion care is restricted at 20 weeks, women are often forced to carry nonviable fetuses, often to term. In the case of lethal fetal anomalies, this requirement means countless appointments, treatments, tests, and conversations about the imminent death of their fetus, inflicting preventable trauma on families who want to carry a healthy fetus to term.

You may remember a gripping first-person account of this situation in the Times during the legislative debate. It went unheeded by most Arkansas legislators. Other points by Corrigan:

* STRESS: The restrictive laws put enormous psychological burdens on families, as well as the physical stress on forcing a mother to carry a fetus to term without likelihood of survival of the fetus.

* DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT: Economic circumstances mean poor and minority are less likely to get early medical intervention.

* REJECTION OF SCIENCE: Climate change anyone? Creation science?

The reliance on junk science instead of data on fetal anomalies leads to laws that ignore double-blind, peer-reviewed science in favor of laws that punish women and doctors unnecessarily. These laws complicate the ability of doctors to provide timely and complete prenatal care for women and they elevate the fetus, regardless of viability, over the rights of women and their families.

...Legislation prohibiting access to reproductive health care at any arbitrary point alienates women from the policymaking process by objectifying them and attempting to erode their right to physical autonomy by privileging the fetus over the needs of the mother.

The 20-week bans have been struck down in several states. As yet, the Arkansas law has not been challenged. It will be, when a woman in desperate straits finds her highly personal and scientifically rooted desire to end a pregnancy comes up against Arkansas religious preference, masquerading as science. Lawyers are at work drafting the necessary request for an injunction, which, inevitably, will be granted as others have been. As a judge wrote in Idaho:

The State’s clear disregard of this controlling Supreme Court precedent and its apparent determination to define viability in a manner specifically and repeatedly condemned by the Supreme Court evinces an intent to place an insurmountable obstacle in the path of women seeking non-therapeutic abortions of a nonviable fetus at and after twenty weeks’ gestation.

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Vote fraud: Myth-busting in Ohio

Max Brantley — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:00:00 -0500

This is really important, since the Republican-majority legislature in Arkansas just joined the "vote fraud" brigade with Voter ID legislation designed to depress turnout among traditional Democratic constituencies.

At the link, Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo reports on a deep and systematic study of whether vote fraud exists in Ohio — by a Republican officeholder, the secretary of state of Ohio. The Republican directed all counties to investigate all cases of potential fraud and came up with 625 cases of irregularities in 2012 voting. Bottom line, in addition to the Republican secretary of state himself now using the word "hyperbole" about claims of fraud:

... even with an especial emphasis on finding every instance of potential fraud, they appear to have come up with 135 - and most of those were apparently caught by the simple non-voter ID methods all good canvassers use. So guilt notwithstanding, those instances had no actual effect on the race in question.

As Husted put it, “Voter fraud does exist, but it is not an epidemic. To put this into context, … that’s 135 referrals out of more than 5.6 million votes cast.”

The numbers speak for themselves. If anything I would say Husted still somewhat exaggerates the scale of the problem. But the guy deserves credit for putting this all out there.

Two points I’d make.

The first is that what really turns elections is organized vote fraud and organized voting fraud almost always requires the involvement of election administrators. This is why voter ID is itself such a fraud in my mind because it provides zero protection against the kinds of fraud that are real dangers to elections.

Second, there are clearly people who will vote in two states or try to vote absentee and then vote on election day. No sane person has ever denied this. But there are very, very, very few of them. The issue with election policy is always balancing the costs with the benefits. There’s no free lunch.

It has never been about fraud. It has always been about suppression. That's why a Koch-funded outfit invented it.

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