Thursday in Arkansas

Thursday's Calendar:
9:00 a.m. | Legislative Council Committee on Rules and Regulations (Rm. 151, Capitol) Agenda

1:00 p.m. | Lieutenant Governor Halter will award college scholarship money to students that are sons & daughters of local Law enforcement, firefighters and EMTs, first responders of Sept. 11th.

2:00 p.m. | ONE Arkansas media event (Capitol rotunda).

2:15 p.m. | Governor Beebe will tour Hino Motors to commemorate the shipment of the 100,000th axle produced at the Marion plant.

3:00 p.m. | Economic-development announcement at Hino Motors, Marion

6:00 p.m. | Southern Showdown Supper and live music (downtown El Dorado); this supper celebrates the upcoming Showdown at Sunset series, a re-enactment of the historic Tucker-Parnell feud in Union County.

Arkansas roundup:
State News:
Lawmakers question degree requirement for E.C. teachers [Ark. News Bureau]
Teachers’ degree rule is not fair, some say [ADG]
Court ruling on red dirt mine draws attention of Legislature [Ark. News Bureau]
Newspaper: Hino to announce plant expansion [AP]
Beebe plans announcement in Marion [Ark. News Bureau]
Arkansas parks join in global treasure hunting [AP]
Ark. regulators say they will fight higher electric rates [AP]
Former appellate judge choice for monitor in deseg case [Ark. News Bureau]
County jail inmate responsibility case before Supreme Court [Ark. News Bureau]
State offering free teacher workshops [ADG]

Local News:
Job fair woos former Cooper workers [Texarkana Gazette]
Ashdown atty elected pres. of state district judges council [Texarkana Gazette]
Ginger Beebe makes stop in Arkadelphia [Arkadelphia Daily Siftings-Herald]
First Lady takes state's mental health pulse [Hope Star]
Card campaign to aid museum [Hope Star]
Midland warned about facilities [Batesville Daily Guard]
Highway Commission Awards Road Improvement Bids [Ft. Smith Times-Record]
State Highway Commission opens bids [Trumann Democrat]
Entergy to raise rates [Baxter Bulletin]
Tunnel, rails mark Cricket [Harrison Daily Times]
Seminar set June 14 for grocery tax cut [Heber Springs Sun-Times]
Highway 264 to see improvements [Benton County Daily Record]
Residents in west Fayetteville want out of city [Northwest Arkansas Times]
Program aids economic stimulation [Benton County Daily Record]
Divinity Hotel won't happen on Dickson Street [Springdale Morning News]
Wal-Mart annual shareholders' meeting [Springdale Morning News]

Today's Arkansas Columns/Editorials:
Texarkana Gaz.: Lifting Cuban embargo would be good for Ark. farmers
John Brummett: 50 years later, some don't get it
Mike Masterson: Neanderthals at large
Arkansas Leader: Bottom of the barrel
Springdale Morning News: Wal-Mart puts on a show

Constituency Services: How to reach me today:
If you need information or assistance with an individual problem or case regarding a state agency, please give me a call. If it's of local or federal concern, call me anyway -- I'll put you in touch with the right person.

I'll be out of town until 2:30 today. You can reach me by calling my office (870-772-0300), and they'll connect you through to my mobile if I'm not back yet. If it's easier for you, you can also just send me an e-mail.