The line is open. Finishing up:

* ARKANSAS REPORT CARD: Results were released today on the annual sampling of national 4th and 8th grade performance in math and reading. The so-called NAEP is a national test, drawn from a sample of students in each state, and is accorded high credibility as a measure of performance. Arkansas broke out of the pack in one area, with a statistically significant increase in 8th grade reading.

* THREE YEARS FOR ARKANSAS LOTTERY THEFT: Fox 16 reports that Remmele Mazyck, former deputy security director at the Arkansas Lottery, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for stealing more than $400,000 worth of lottery tickets and cashing them. He was ordered to pay back $478,000, but he spent all the $478,000 in winnings from 22,710 stolen tickets on more lottery tickets. He’s broke. The thefts occurred between November 2009 and October 2012. He’d pleaded guilty earlier. The lottery hopes its loss is covered by insurance.

* REPUBLICANS STACK THE DECK IN ALABAMA: Great column by Thomas Edsall in the New York Times about how Alabama Republicans have instituted a racial apartheid system to cram as many black voters into state legislative districts as possible. This makes it all but impossible to build biracial coalitions among Democrats to combat the Republican preference of white voters. White districts are REALLY white. This guarantees election of Republicans in Alabama. You can be sure a template is on file at GOP HQ on Sixth Street in Little Rock. Asa Hutchinson proposed a congressional packing plan back when he led the GOP a couple of decades ago. He was joined by a a black Democratic legislator, a future felon as it happened, who liked the idea of packing black voters into a district from which he could run for Congress.

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* ARKANSAS REPUBLICANS SEND TO MICHIGAN TO GET OUT THE VOTE: The Arkansas Republican Party today announced that Bobby Talbot had been hired as state director for “Victory Team in Arkansas.” That means he’s plugged in by the RNC to get out the vote. A grassroots “ground game” is promised. Who is Talbot? He’s a mercenary with Michigan roots. Past credits:
 

Campaign Manager at Dan Winslow for US Senate
State Canvass Director at Romney for President
Deputy Campaign Manager at Wil Cardon for US Senate
Campaign Manager at Friends of David Ramadan
Field Operations Manager at Justice Prosser Recount
12th Senate District Director at Republican Party of Wisconsin
Fix Michigan Center Field Director at Michigan Republican Party
Regional Field Director at Mike Bouchard for Governor
Intern; Foreign Policy & Defense at The Heritage Foundation

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