LITTLE ROCK — Aided by 100 powerful portable generators from the federal government, crews are restoring power to water and sewer works, other vital utilities, hospitals and shelters in areas of northern Arkansas devastated by this week’s ice storm, Gov. Mike Beebe told legislators Thursday.

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Two recent reports released by The Task Force For the 21st Century Economy and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission are highlighting the key strategies that will propel Arkansas’ Economic Future.

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LITTLE ROCK — Database giant Acxiom Corp. reported a third quarter loss of $11.5 million despite revenues of $321.1 million.

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Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey will get invited to a debate when he arrives hear to oppose the tobacco tax increase, I’m told. The Step-Up Coalition, an affiliation of 30 organizations that favor policies that stop tobacco use, will issue the challenge.

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LITTLE ROCK — Some of the interested parties want to come see the animal cruelty bill signed, but can’t make it because of the weather.

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This is too rich. Lost in all the hubbub about the Obama congratulatory resolution’s derailment by petty Republicans in the House was the news that a virtually identical resolution, sponsored by Sen. Tracy Steele, was passed without a problem in the Senate Jan. 15, in time to be delivered to the new president’s inaugural. They don’t call [...]

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Would you like to know something else about that resolution celebrating Barack Obama’s election that a House committee voted down Wednesday because it stated the plain fact that some of our nation’s founders owned slaves, and, I’m now told, because it celebrated demographic groups rather than a unified entirety of us? You do? OK, then. I [...]

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Looks like Mike Huckabee won’t have his former campaign manager as chairman of the Republican National Committee. Looks like Chip Saltsman won’t make the ballot. Already under fire over the "Barack the Magic Negro" tune on a gift CD he’d sent around to voters, Saltsman had more recently come under fire from the important Hispanic [...]

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The Arkansas House just failed to pass the $10,635 appropriation to the Board of Registered Interior Designers. The funds that were to be distributed to them are collected through registration costs of the board’s members. Rep. Dan Greenberg took this board on last summer and spoke against the appropriation request. He’ll now [...]

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Arkansas State University has had to close for the week, too, on account of intermittent power failures thanks to ice damage. Ice photos from the Northeast welcome. max@arktimes.com Utilities briefed legislators and executive agencies today. Bad, in case you didn’t know. The Electric Co-op reports it has 7,000 poles down, far more than were downed in the [...]

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