Arkansas

NY Times reports on a photo exhibit of a harmonious piece of American statesmanship of the 1950s. Instead of war, the Eisenhower adminisration waged music, sending jazz bands around the globe to spruce up the country’s image. There was a spot of trouble:

[Louis] Armstrong canceled a 1957 trip to Moscow after President Dwight D. Eisenhower refused to send federal troops to Little Rock, Ark., to enforce school-integration laws. “The way they are treating my people in the South, the government can go to hell,” he said.

(Read the full post about ‘What a wonderful world’…)

Was Rogers contractor Robin Tumey, an active Democrat, a victim of a Justice Department political witch hunt? Or was she just the victim of a U.S. attorney who was, in her case, merely incompetent? The U.S. attorney, thankfully no longer in government employ, was indisputably tied up in the politicization and corruption of the Justice Department by the Bush administration.

It’s an important story by Doug Thompson, worth a look. Thanks to DBI for noting it in the overnight open thread.

Brummett proposes a peace plan for the Democratic convention with speaking roles for Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Interesting legal fight here.

An ex-cop who says he suffered permanent injuries by being shot in the ankle on the job, has been denied benefits by the state Workers Comp Commission, which apparently doesn’t believe he was injured. The commission is famously anti-worker thanks to business lobby influence on the law and governors who appoint members. The state Court of Appeals has slapped the commission down twice in this case for ignoring evidence. Now the case is going to the state Supreme Court, where biggies Wal-Mart and Tyson are weighing in on the horror of a court stepping in to help an injured working man.

(Read the full post about ‘Have pity on the working man’…)

Here you go.

FORT SMITH, Ark. — Investigators with the Fort Smith Police Department obtained a warrant for the arrest of former Fort Smith police Officer Tom Judkins for felony theft by deception, said Sgt. Jarrard Copeland Wednesday. Judkins turned himself in Wednesday afternoon Tthe Sebastian County Jail, where he was booked on the warrant and bonded out.

Judkins was being investigated for possible unauthorized charges made on the account of the Fraternal Order Of Police, Lodge 39, police said. Judkins is the treasurer for that lodge, officials said.

Judkins resigned from the force Monday after being placed on leave last week. (Read the full post about ‘Former Fort Smith Police Officer Turns Himself In On Warrant’…)

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Oklahoma state officials have appealed a federal judge’s decision to block parts of an immigration law. The officials were named as defendants in a lawsuit against the Okahoma law.

In Tuesday’s filing to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Gov. Brad Henry and other officials said the state will face drastic consequences if the ruling remains intact.

On June 4, U.S. District Judge Robin Cauthron ordered the state not to enforce parts of the law intended to prevent the hiring of illegal immigrants. Cauthron concluded those parts would likely interfere with federal rules that deal with the same issue. (Read the full post about ‘Oklahoma Officials Appeal Decision On Immigration Law’…)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A man accused in the 1999 disappearance of his 14-year-old niece has pleaded guilty to conspiring to make false statements to the FBI.

Charles Richart, 54, also admitted helping his wife bury the body and hide the murder of Christina Richart, who came to live with her aunt and uncle after the death of her father.

A grand jury indicted Charles and Wanda Faye Richart, 50, of Kingsland, Ark., earlier this year. The federal indictment accuses the Richarts of lying to FBI agents who were investigating the disappearance of Christina Richart. (Read the full post about ‘Police: Uncle Admits Burying Missing Girl’…)

WALDRON, Ark. — Construction on Scott County’s new jail is expected to be complete in the next couple of weeks, but moving in may be a problem as the county is out of money.

Scott County Can’t Afford To Open Newly Constructed Jail

Officials in Scott County said they need more space to do their job, but the problem is there’s no money to operate the new facility that’s set to be complete next month. (Read the full post about ‘Scott County Can’t Afford To Open Newly Constructed Jail’…)

ROGERS, Ark. — For the second time in a week, Mercy Health System has announced plans to eliminate jobs.

Mercy Health Systems Sheds More Jobs

The hospital confirmed Wednesday that will cut 25 additional positions as part of its reorganization effort. Managers announced last Friday that 18 people would be laid off.

The Friday announcement linked the layoffs to the cost of moving its complex to Rogers earlier this year, saying some of the positions being eliminated had been created specifically for the move.

One of the workers who lost her job said “everybody knew it was coming, they just didn’t know when or who.” The woman, who asked not to be identified, had been there five years.

“There were people that were let go that had been there a long time, a lot longer than me,” she said. (Read the full post about ‘Mercy Health Systems Sheds More Jobs’…)