Week in pictures

Here are a few pictures I never got a chance to post this week. We stopped by the annual get-together this morning down in Fouke at the Rocky Mound Cemetery. Good crowd, but the auction prices on the pies weren't inflated as they would be in an election year. The mound cake Camille's eyeing to the right went for a mere $30.

Miller County Circuit Clerk Mary Pankey auctions off pies at today's event in Fouke

Rocky Mound Cemetery

Here's a picture of Lee Hamilton, former congressman and co-chair of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. He also served as Vice Chair for the 9/11 Commission. He shared this thoughts on Friday about the current global situation and what it means to American policymakers. The picture below is of General Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army (ret.). He focused on the macro issues Friday that are affecting the U.S. Military and what it means for states as we seek innovative solutions to daunting domestic challenges. He also mentioned a moving quote told to him by a former colleague on the battlefield:

I know that when I die, I'll die a free man on my feet -- not on my knees with my head bowed. There are people 30 miles from here on the border that can't make that statement. Because we can make that statement, our children can make that statement, and only free people who are willing to fight for freedom can spread and bequeath democracy.

Pictured below is William Pound (Executive Director of NCSL) along with Paul Tokasz (former majority leader of the New York House) and Paul Mannweiler, former speaker of the Indiana House. This group emphsized the fact that states are more influential now than we have been in years past for a variety of reasons (flush with money, etc). They also mentioned the fact that partisanship is growing in state legislatures, as is the time commitment and time demands for legislators. Also mentioned were that technology is bringing the people closer to the process. 20 years ago, all states were operating on a paper system. Today in Arkansas, legislation can be accessed with the click of a button, and hopefully one day, all committees and proceedings in the chamber will be broadcast online.

Congressman Vernon Ehlers discusses the relationship between Congress and state legislatures

Texarkana College Commencement on Tuesday

One of the Trans Ams leaves Texarkana Tuesday on the Bandit Run commemmorating the 30th Anniversary of Smokey and the Bandit

Camille near the finish line of the Whistlestop 5K in Ashdown last Saturday