Arkansas

NEW YORK — Veteran CBS newsman Bob Schieffer said that he plans to step down as “Face the Nation” anchor next January when a new president is inaugurated.

Schieffer said that the start of a new administration provides a natural transition. But he still hopes to have some relationship with CBS.

CBS News President Sean McManus said that Schieffer can work at CBS News “as long as he wants to,” adding that he hopes that’s a long time.

But there’s always a chance of a second career. He plays guitar in the country band Honky Tonk Confidential.

He said if he ever gets to the Grand Ole Opry, he’ll move right into country music.

Schieffer turns 71 next month. (Read the full post about ‘Schieffer To Leave ‘Face The Nation’’…)

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County authorities said that an autopsy on Christian Brando did not immediately determine what killed the eldest son of the late actor Marlon Brando.

Coroner’s official Ed Winter said the cause of death was listed Tuesday as deferred pending results of toxicology tests that may determine whether Brando had prescription or other drugs in his system and whether a medical condition was involved.

Results should be available in six to eight weeks. (Read the full post about ‘Christian Brando Autopsy Results Inconclusive’…)

Methodists unhappy about the plans to put the George W. Bush library on the SMU campus — particularly on account of a policy institute planned there — are pressing for the deal to be approved by a regional delegates council that includes Arkansas delegates.

Bishop Scott Jones of Wichita, Kan., president of the jurisdiction’s College of Bishops and a trustee at Southern Methodist, said Sunday in Dallas that the bishops had voted 10-to-0 this month, with one abstention, to allow the process to go forward. “S.M.U.

(Read the full post about ‘Mad Methodists’…)

Joe Conason brings a balanced outlook to Bill Clinton’s campaigning in recent days and his impact on Hillary.

By comparing Mr. Obama’s huge win to earlier victories by Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988, he was making a factual point that could hardly be denied. Both Mr. Obama and Mr. Jackson are black men who benefited from the dominance of African-American voters in that state’s Democratic primary.

In some circumstances, Mr. Clinton’s statement would have been heard as harmless. After all, The Nation magazine dubbed South Carolina “the black primary” on its cover not long ago, and no one took offense.

(Read the full post about ‘The first man’…)

Have at the Florida vote.

Republicans: McCain finishes ahead of Romney. Then Giuliani and Huckabee was a distant fourth, with about 13 percent. McCain supporters in Arkansas hope the fear of throwaway votes will drive enough votes into his camp in Arkansas to hold Huckabee under 50 percent in our primary. What do you tihnk?

But the national pundits also think Huckabee staying in is good for McCain nationally, because he’s presumed to take votes from Romney. Thus, in an ultimate McCain nomination, might Huck be vice presidential nominee?

Democrats: Hillary, 50; Barack, 33; John, 15.

Yes, yes. It’s meaningless on the Democratic side.

(Read the full post about ‘On to Super Tuesday’…)

The prosecution has rested the dubious case against the Jonesboro school shooter — the federal crime of being in possession of a gun while "being an unlawful user of or addicted to" a controlled substance. Problem for government: A crime lab chemist testified that she was sure the stuff taken from the defendant wasn’t pot.

UPDATE: Guilty. 

Hedge fund investors that now own more than 5 percent of Dillard’s stock are continuing their criticism of management, which apparently has– surprise — ignored their request for discussions about ways to improve performance of the Little Rock-based department store chain. Things are going from bad to worse, the investors say.

Read the latest missive here.

News coverage here.

WASHINGTON — Sometimes the Super Bowl and the ads are all about noise. But one humorous Pepsi ad will be silent.

Video: Watch Pepsi Ad

The 60-second spot is in American Sign Language with captions. The actors are really Pepsi employees who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and who are members of EnAble, an employee network whose mission is to promote a more inclusive environment for people with disabilities.

It shows a couple of guys in a car driving down a residential street in the evening looking for their friend’s house. Both of them forgot to bring the address. (Read the full post about ‘Silent Super Bowl Ad Gets People Talking’…)

Guillermo de Toro, the creative force behind the fantasy films “Hellboy” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” is negotiations to direct the “Lord of the Rings” prequel films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The news comes just after a month after “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy’s Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson had settled litigation with studio New Line Cinema that prevented the project from moving forward.

Jackson and partner Fran Walsh will be the executive producer of the “The Hobbit” and a planned sequel, which will be co-financed by New Line and MGM. (Read the full post about ‘‘Hellboy’ Director May Take Helm Of ‘Hobbit’’…)

LOS ANGELES — Police said that they were called to Britney Spears’ neighborhood after someone reported a swarm of paparazzi trespassing in her gated community.

Los Angeles police Officer Mike Lopez said officers received a call around 7 p.m. Monday about a group of photographers “stepping onto the grounds” of the private neighborhood while following Spears.

When officers arrived, they didn’t see anyone trespassing. Lopez said officers did issue citations for several illegally parked cars. (Read the full post about ‘Paparazzi In Spears’ Neighborhood Spur Complaints’…)