Arkansas Blog

Delphi reports, among other good legislative intelligence, on Mike Beebe's talk to Northwest Arkansas chamber of commerce types yesterday. They gave a cool reception to his idea to cut the grocery tax, preferring relief for their business taxes and the eternal promise that the  benefits they receive will leak down on the needy in time. Beebe takes a scriptural approach.

He reports, too. on Sen. Jimmy Jeffress bill to give consumers notice when tracking devices are implanted in goods they buy. (Wal-Mart and its wholly owned subisidiary, the university in Fayetteville, are leaders in developing this radio technology.)

UPDATE: The NWA reference reminds us: We just perused a copy of Sen. Tracy Steele's new newspaper targeting the black community, Stand. In addition to about seven photos of Steele, it contains a report on his trip to Northwest Arkansas to "promote" the paper and his newly formed STAND Foundation, which we've reported about previously. Steele has told us he hopes to raise enough money for the foundation to pay himself a salary (a la Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH, we suppose) and has angrily denied any appearance of impropriety in seeking financial support from major special interests for his foundation while the legislature is underway. Key lobbyists have been solicited for support. His newspaper shows him, er, promoting STAND with John White at the University of Arkansas, officials at Tyson Foods and the Walton Foundation. A look at his voting record in the future might give some indication of how he was received in NW Ark.  The paper, too, reminded us of his dogged support for Deltic Timber's efforts to take over the Lake Maumelle watershed last session of the legislature. The company has a beautiful color image ad in his paper this issue -- "developing the dream. Protecting the future."

Gov. Mike Beebe is the featured guest at a reception for the STAND Foundation Thursday afternoon at the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. Sponsor: Arkansas Arts Council. (Correction: The Council is only sponsoring the group, Afrodesia, playing at the reception.)