 |
 |
 |
« June 2006 | Main | August 2006 »
Monday, July 31, 2006 - 22:39:33
Eells dies in car accident (UPDATE)
Because rumors are flying on our open line immediately preceding this thread, let us address them and respond as responsibly and sensitively as possible.
The rumor is that longtime KATV sportscaster and "Voice of the Razorbacks" Paul Eells died in a car accident in Pope County earlier this evening.
We talked to an Arkansas State Police spokesman in the Troop J office in Clarksville, which has jurisdiction in Pope County. He confirmed an accident and a fatality, but he would not provide any additional information, including the identity of the victim.
He indicated that he would release more information later this evening.
We understand everyone's interest in this story, because Eells is a beloved figure in Arkansas, but we are proceeding cautiously, out of respect for this serious situation.
UPDATE (10:56 p.m.): Arkansas State Police trooper Bradley Gilkey reports that Eells died in a two-vehicle accident on Interstate 40 in Russellville. The driver of the other car, Billie Jo Burton of Dover, also was killed.
The accident occurred at approximately 8:13 p.m. near the 83-1/2 westbound mile marker.
Castro ailing, relinquishes power
AP is reporting that Cuban president Fidel Castro has empowered his brother Raul to run the country in the aftermath of surgery that has led to internal bleeding.
''The operation obligates me to undertake several weeks of rest,'' the letter read, adding that extreme stress ''had provoked in me a sharp intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding that obligated me to undergo a complicated surgical procedure.''
Castro said he was temporarily relinquishing the presidency to his younger brother and successor Raul, the defense minister, but said the move was of ''a provisional character.'' There was no immediate appearance or statement by Raul Castro.
Monday open line
Talk amongst yourselves, and we'll return in a few hours.St. Vincent's to expand
Arkansas Business reports that St. Vincent's Health System today announced a $40 million expansion of its facilities in Little Rock.Asa's ethics (UPDATED)
The state Democratic Party's coordinated campaign highlights findings from a recent congressional investigation into contracts awarded by the Dept. of Homeland Security, saying it raises questions about Asa Hutchinson's ethical conduct.
The report, released Thursday, named the U.S. VISIT project, awarded in part to Saflink, as one of the wasteful contracts under Hutchinson’s watch, raising questions about what terms brought Hutchinson to a seat on Saflink’s board of directors between his leaving DHS on March 1, 2005 and his appointment to the Saflink board of directors March 10, 2005.
Either Asa Hutchinson had to recuse himself from anything involving U.S. VISIT or he could not have started talking with Saflink until March 2, 2005. ...
“Since it seems unlikely that those four things could happen that quickly, did Hutchinson get a waiver as he claims to have done for his lobbyist job so that he could negotiate with Saflink and did he recuse himself from the US VISIT project listed in the report released last week if he was negotiating with Saflink?” Greg Hale, Victory 2006 campaign director, asked.
Full press release after the jump.
UPDATE (8:20 p.m.): Here is the response from Hutchinson's campaign:
"All of Asa's dealings with the private sector were approved by the Department of Homeland Security's ethics department. He had no discussions or negotiations with SAFLINK prior to his departure from DHS. It's also worth noting that the House Government Reform Committee report the Democrats reference here makes no mention of Asa Hutchinson or SAFLINK.
"So right now, we have one candidate in this race, Asa Hutchinson, who has conducted his dealings aboveboard and in accordance with all laws and guidelines, and one candidate, Mike Beebe, who has actually been cautioned by the state Ethics Commission for abusing his taxpayer-funded office."
"Every time there are new questions about Mike Beebe's credibility – whether it's his use of his Attorney General's office for political purposes or his double-talk on gay foster parenting – Mike Beebe and his supporters launch another baseless, distorted attack on Asa to distract from their problems.
"The Democrats can't change the fact that Mike Beebe has a serious credibility problem, but the least they could do is to stop making unfounded charges against Asa."
NPR highlights Arkansas court ruling
National Public Radio just posted today's Morning Edition segment about the Arkansas Supreme Court's gay foster parent ruling, reported by Arkansas freelancer (and occasional Arkansas Times contributor) Jacqueline Froelich.
Check out my diversified portfolio
Earlier this morning we referred you to an article about the increasing number of middle-aged American men who are opting out of the workforce.
At the same time, it appears that a typical middle-class fellow would have to work two jobs to afford to live in a major U.S. city.
Middle-class city dwellers across the country are being squeezed. ...
In New York, the supply of apartments considered affordable to households with incomes like those earned by starting firefighters or police officers plunged by a whopping 205,000 in just three years, between 2002 and 2005. ...
Firefighters who want to live in high-priced cities can work two jobs, said W. Michael Cox, chief economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. “I think it’s great,” he said. “It gives you portfolio diversification in your income.”
Portfolio diversification in your income? So that's like one-third in high-yield bartending, one-third in long-term firefighting, and one-third in short-order cooking?