Economic leaders in Pine Bluff and Jefferson County are pushing for a half-cent countywide sales tax that would generate up to $4.5 million annually for economic development recruiting and incentives. Other cities and counties in Arkansas have recently enacted dedicated taxes to generate funds that can help sweeten financial incentives or to invest in necessary [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – Martha Dixon of Arkadelphia knew it wasn’t just a friendly call when Hillary Clinton phoned her on Mother’s Day.“She called me and wished me a happy Mothers Day, and I said, “Happy Mothers Day to you, Hillary – now what is the real reason you called?’” Dixon said last week.She already know [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – Often used to illustrate the loss of scorers from a basketball team, the percentage is a talking point more than anything else.For instance, when the Arkansas media guide comes out in the fall, Robby Edwards can point out that 70 percent of the Razorbacks’ offense went away with six seniors. Despite those [...]

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Count Gov. Mike Beebe out of any speculation over who the Democratic vice presidential nominee will be.Asked Friday if he would accept an offer of the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket, Beebe gave a one-word answer: “No.”That isn’t surprising, according to Hal Bass, a political science professor at Ouachita Baptist University.“There’s no question [...]

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It could have been one of the Oval Office’s more embarrassing moments. Yours truly was invited to participate in a 45-minute round-robin interview with President Bush, who, at the time, was trying to sell Congress on his plan to revamp Social Security. The six of us who gathered in the West Wing were escorted into [...]

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I propounded a theory a couple of weeks ago that the candidate who wins the votes of East Arkansas farmers wins the state.Al Gore lost Arkansas because farmers didn’t trust his environmental advocacy. Mark Pryor, Blanche Lincoln, Mike Beebe, Mike Ross, Marion Berry – all hold office because they are sensitive and connected to farmers, [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – Officials dedicated a new $32 million state facility to treat the mentally ill Friday.The new 130-bed State Hospital is a major improvement over the existing 44-year-old facility, which has drawn the ire of mental health advocates who complained it was woefully inadequate to meet the needs of the mentally ill.“Just as the [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – Simmons First National Corp.’s board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 19 cents per share this week.The dividend is payable July 1 to shareholders of record June 16. It represents an increase of 1 cent per share, or 5.6 percent, over the dividend paid for the same period in [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – Most of the unverified Social Security numbers of college students found by the state Department of Higher Education probably belong to people who are in Arkansas legally, Gov. Mike Beebe said Friday.The department, following an edict from the governor to make sure illegal aliens are not paying in-state tuition to attend state [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – The upcoming U.S. Open was supposed to be a “gimme” for Tiger Woods. To pucker up to the silver trophy, all he had to do was sign a correct scoreboard four days running.Now, that crowning is about as shaky as Woods’ left knee at The Masters.The conclusion that he would win at [...]

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