Under the Dome

Proposed USDA/Farm Services Agency consolidation

2012-01-30T11:27:00.001-06:00

The USDA is proposing to close 131 of its 2,113 offices throughout the U.S., and the Lafayette/Columbia County office is on the closure list. A public meeting was held this morning at the Lewisville Agriplex to discuss reasons this office should be removed from the list.

9th Annual Phantom Ball

2012-01-28T20:40:00.002-06:00

The Temple Memorial Rehabilitation Center is holding its 9th Annual Phantom here in Texarkana tonight. Temple Memorial began in 1952 for the purpose of rehabilitating children who had physical disabilities as a result of polio. Since that time, the organization has grown and changed. This year's Phantom honoree is the late Jack Trigg.

Texarkana Chamber of Commerce banquet

2012-01-27T20:50:00.001-06:00

Testing out my mobile blogging skills. Denis Washington is the winner of this year's C.E. Palmer award.

Cooper Tire workers voting on new contract today -- UPDATE

2012-01-26T10:25:00.003-06:00

Local steelworkers are voting today to ratify a contract between the tire company and workers. The Texarkana Gazette reported that 1,200 workers showed up to a ratification meeting yesterday at the fairgrounds to get details of the agreement. Voting started at 6:00 a.m. today. Here are a few highlights of the four year contract as reported by the Texarkana Gazette:

• Wage increases: Workers hired before Jan. 1, 2009: Lump-sum increase of $1,200 the first two years of the contract and a $1,000 one-time increase in the final two years of the contract. Workers hired after Jan. 1, 2009: One-time increase of $1,200 the first year of the contract and an increase of 20 cents per hour for each year worked, starting in 2013.

• Early-retirement buyout: Workers who are retirement-eligible can receive a lump sum of $1,000 for each year of completed service. The company set a limit of 50 people retiring each calendar year.

• Pensions/retirementaccount: The company’s 401(k) retirement matching program is discontinued.

I'll post an update once available. Cooper Tire is the largest employer in my senate district and employs over 1,500 workers.

Update: The contract was ratified 1,006 to 141.

SWEPCO purchases wind energy pursuant to settlement

2012-01-25T11:06:00.002-06:00

SWEPCO has signed long-term power purchase agreements for a total of 358.65 megawatts of renewable energy from wind projects in neighboring states (Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas). The company has now complied with the 400-MW renewable energy commitment in a recent settlement of legal issues involving the John W. Turk Jr. Power Plant in Hempstead County. One of the concerns with this power plant has been the use of coal, despite the ultrasupercritical technology being utilized there. The plant has entered its final nine-month construction phase and is currently employing over 1,800 workers.

Know someone on the job hunt?

2012-01-25T10:39:00.000-06:00

Two local positions close tomorrow: FDA tobacco inspections ($30K-35K) and DHS specialist ($27K-47K). Apply at https://www.ark.org/arstatejobs/index.php.

Trial court assistants

2012-01-25T08:53:00.003-06:00

It's fairly well known that one of the fiscal issues that has been at the forefront this year is the revenue shortage in the Administration of Justice Fund to pay the state's trial court assistants. Here in Arkansas, the court of general jurisdiction is the circuit court, and each of the 120 circuit judges in the state employs an assistant to facilitate the caseload that is assigned to that judge. The Administration of Justice Fund has shrunk significantly in the past several sessions for a lot of reasons, and it's obvious that this funding issue won't go away with a quick fix.

It appears as though the governor and his staff have been working diligently with the judiciary, and a short term agreement for a supplemental appropriation looks to be in place so long as a permanent fix to the Administration of Justice Fund can be considered in 2013. That looks to be in the works, and a comprehensive bill has already been drafted for the 2013 session. Absent this supplemental appropriation, furloughs would apparently take place to the trial court assistants. It appears that that drastic measure will be averted.

Construction on the UACCH-Texarkana campus

2012-01-24T08:25:00.004-06:00

I toured the ongoing construction of the initial administration building on campus at the new UACCH at Texarkana. This 10,000 sf building will be completed and classes will begin here on campus Fall, 2012.

Tentative deal struck for Cooper Tire workers

2012-01-20T09:03:00.005-06:00

Officers with the Steelworkers 752L union with Cooper Tire in Texarkana struck a tentative agreement with administrators at Cooper Tire headquarters in Findlay, Ohio late last night. The deal extends the negotiations deadline in an effort to hammer out details of the agreement and to get the agreement ratified by the 1,500 steelworkers at the Texarkana plant over the weekend. The previous contract expired at midnight last night, making this week's negotiations crucial.

Previous Cooper blog articles here on Under the Dome:
Holding up our end of the bargain
Working the plant gate
Cooper plant increases production

Pre-fiscal session budget hearings -- Day 3

2012-01-19T09:27:00.003-06:00

The Joint Budget Committee is meeting for the third day here at the Capitol this week reviewing agency budget requests and funding recommendations from the governor's proposed budget. Today we're reviewing Dept of Health and DHS budgets. It's expected that we'll get a motion to review the Department of Community Corrections budget, which was considered yesterday.

In particular, we're reviewing budgetary requests for emergency medical services and trauma, nuclear planning grants, rural physician incentives, tobacco prevention, and other health initiatives.

Ringing in the New Year in Israel

2011-12-30T23:47:00.007-06:00

I'm posting from Jerusalem while on a legislative study tour with the AIFL. Ten legislators from 10 different states are here, and we met with Ambassador Uri Bar-Ner yesterday along with Hebrew University political science professor Shlomo Avineri before visiting the Old City of Jerusalem and the Mt. of Olives. Also in Jerusalem is U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman (right).

We're meeting with Jerusalem Post journalist Khaled Abu Tomeh this morning. Tomorrow, we'll visit the Knesset and meet with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That meeting will be led by Ron Dermer, Sr. Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu. Here's a picture from atop the Mt. of Olives:

Raising the beam at the U of A - Texarkana

2011-12-01T06:11:00.004-06:00

A ceremony was held yesterday commemorating the construction and "raising of the beam" of the future University of Arkansas Community College at Hope - Texarkana campus. The governor was in attendance and made remarks, as did Dr. Don Bobbitt, the new UofA system President. Several other university and elected officials were also on hand to see the beam raised and hoisted into place on the initial building being constructed on campus.

Woo Pig

2011-11-21T11:22:00.001-06:00

My generation's Big Shootout.

Veterans Day

2011-11-11T09:09:00.000-06:00

Thank you dad, and all other veterans, for the sacrifices you made for this country.

Dad in Vietnam

Paternal Grandfather

Maternal Grandfather

The Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Day ceremony will take place at 11:00 a.m. this morning in the 2nd floor rotunda of the State Capitol. I'll participate in the Sevier County ceremony on the Cossatot College campus at the same time.

Holding up our end of the bargain

2011-09-29T14:02:00.003-05:00

In October, 2009, the State of Arkansas entered into a Create Rebate program with Cooper Tire promising a rebate based on a percentage of payroll if they brought new positions to the state exceeding $2,000,000 in annual payroll. Since that time, Cooper has hired over 700 new quality positions and are still hiring (millwights and electricians can get hired on at a salary of ~$80,000). The Arkansas Economic Development Commission brought down a check made out to Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. in excess of $272,000 for its participation in the Create Rebate Incentive Program for the state of Arkansas. Pictured are Cooper Tire plant Manager Scott Cole, Senator Steve Harrelson, and Representative Prissy Hickerson.

Arkansas Wins National Grant to Fund College Completion Efforts

2011-08-02T10:52:00.000-05:00

Governor Beebe announced today that Arkansas has been awarded $1 million that will fund efforts to increase college completion. The grant, financed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is part of Complete College America's Completion Innovation Challenge.

"Complete College America's grant is well-timed to assist in our redoubled efforts to increase the number of college graduates in Arkansas," Beebe said. "It recognizes that continued hard work will improve our workforce readiness and increase economic-development opportunities for our state."

New legislative districts adopted

2011-07-29T11:41:00.002-05:00

The Arkansas Board of Apportionment, made up of the governor, attorney general and secretary of state, met today for the purpose of approving new legislative districts for both the state House and Senate. The board is charged with modifying legislative districts every ten years following a census in order to comply with the one-man, one-vote requirement. My senate district picked up an additional 8,500 residents from northern Sevier County (DeQueen and Gillham), and I lost Taylor in western Columbia County. Here's the new Senate map:

You can see the new House map here.

Future home of a UA system campus in Texarkana, Arkansas

2011-07-28T17:04:00.002-05:00

Largest Magnolia in Arkansas

2011-07-27T10:04:00.003-05:00

Here's a picture from this morning's certification ceremony for the largest Magnolia in Arkansas. This tree stands at 46th and County Avenue in Texarkana. The Arkansas Forestry Commission recognizes the largest tree in each of 129 species based on its “Bigness Index.”

This is why you never ever give up

2011-07-26T09:19:00.005-05:00

Going into the final lap of the Big 10 600m championship race, this Golden Gopher runner gets tripped and falls from first to last place but manages to get up for a strong finish.

Mike Ross to make announcement on political future -- Updated

2011-07-25T08:33:00.004-05:00

I just received an advisory stating that Mike Ross will host a news conference to make a major announcement on his political future at 10:00 a.m. this morning at the Holiday Inn near the Little Rock airport.

Update: Ross will not seek a 7th term as Congressman from the 4th District.

Final proposed legislative redistricting maps to be published at 4:00 p.m. today

2011-07-19T14:35:00.003-05:00

I'll post a link here when they are posted online today.

Update: Here are the final proposed maps:

Senate (by governor): Link
House (by governor): Link
Senate (by attorney general): Link
House (by attorney general): Link
Senate (by secretary of state): Link
House (by secretary of state): Link

Details

California company pokes fun at Arkansas, Texarkana

2011-07-19T11:05:00.003-05:00

These commercials were sent to me and are apparently thinly veiled shots at Tyson Chicken (and not so thinly veiled stereotypical shots at our state). These commercials for Foster Farms Chicken air throughout California

Governor submits proposed senate map

2011-07-14T07:26:00.002-05:00

Governor Beebe's office submitted a map today that would revamp the state's 35 senate districts following the 2010 census and pursuant to the obligations of the Arkansas Board of Apportionment. The board is made up of Beebe, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, and Secretary of State Mark Martin. James Miller in the governor's office has been hard at work for months dealing with the next to impossible task of drawing lines to suit regional, community and political interests.

The proposed map changes what is currently Senate District 21 here in southwest Arkansas slightly. My district is approximately 8,600 residents short according to the new census data, which would place 83,312 residents in each of the 35 districts. This map places a larger portion on Sevier County into Senate District 21, including county seat DeQueen along with Gillham. This proposed map removes a small portion of Columbia County from the district, which was made up of Taylor, Bussey, and Welcome (just north of Springhill, Louisiana). The governor's office hopes to release a House map on Tuesday. The board is expected to approve the new House and Senate districts in a couple of weeks.

New census numbers nationwide

2011-07-13T13:12:00.001-05:00

Here's a pretty nifty map showing the new population numbers for each county and parish nationwide, along with the change in population since the 2000 census.