LITTLE ROCK – As Secretary of State Charlie Daniels encouraged military personnel to request absentee balloting for the Nov. 7 general election Thursday, his Republican opponent questioned Daniels’ performance in securing military absentee ballots two years ago.Flanked by members from each branch of the military at a Capitol new conference declaring Sept. 3-9 Armed Services [...]

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PEA RIDGE – Gaps between pay for teachers between large and small districts are a much bigger problem for small school districts than state education standards, Pea Ridge School District leaders told governor’s candidate Asa Hutchinson on Thursday.Hutchinson, a Republican, has campaigned on how inflexible application of academic standards can lead to schools being sanctioned [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – A panel of state lawmakers voted Thursday to include a variety of education associations in the development of a new public school transportation funding formula.The study by the Academic Facilities Oversight Committee will examine how the state’s 245 school districts currently pay to transport students, how many children are bused and the [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – The House and Senate education committees accepted a draft education funding adequacy study Wednesday, proposing an increase in poverty money but no increase in teacher salaries. Committee members deferred work on a revised transportation forula to the Adademic Facilities Oversight Committee, left other measures unresolved and did not put a price [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – President Bush praised Republican Asa Hutchinson as a leader at a fundraiser Wednesday while pulling in more than $400,000 to be split between Hutchinson’s gubernatorial campaign and the state Republican Party.During a three-hour visit to Arkansas’ capital city, the president also presented a Sherwood woman with a service award pin and surprised [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – The appearance of genetically modified rice in Arkansas poses no health risks but is affecting sales particularly in Western Europe, state Agriculture Secretary Richard Bell told legislators Wednesday.Bell testified before the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development about the recent discovery of LLRICE 601 in Arkansas and several other states. [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Court of Appeals on Monday ordered a new hearing in a legal battle over the surface and mineral rights to a piece of Franklin County property owned by a state legislator. The property is owned by state Rep. John Paul Verkamp, R-Charleston, and his wife Darla. Floyd E. Sagely Properties, [...]

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FAYETTEVILLE – Inset on the 9-foot wide wooden reminder, the daily countdown clock was dark. Only a TV crew cared.By now, I’m pretty sure the Arkansas players know the USC kickoff is Saturday evening. So does every other in-state resident, even if only through osmosis.In deference to list-loving fans, this is No. 2 on the [...]

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We have big Arkansas doings Saturday in Fayetteville. It’s the opening hogaholic convention of the fall.Southern Cal, which beat us last year by a 70-17 tally that wasn’t that close, comes to town with question marks, but rich, deep talent.The Trojans have had preparatory problems. As a guy from California explained it, they could effect [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – The state emergency management office announced a pilot program Wednesday pairing six counties in eastern and western Arkansas to prepare for a possible earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone in Northeast Arkansas.The state Department of Emergency Management said the program would match Mississippi County with Benton County, Crittenden County with Washington [...]

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