In timing with Martin Luther King Day, President Obama was sworn in during a private ceremony on Sunday preceding nationwide hoopla today.
Watch below, from ABC, as the president is sworn in for another four years.
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Obama sworn in for second term
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, News, Politics, Presidential Election
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Ouachita County judge held due to alleged threats
The government has requested Ouachita County Judge Mike Hesterly remain in jail while he awaits a bond hearing on federal charges of bribery and conspiracy, according to Dave Showers, the News-Times reporter on the story.
Hesterly, who turned himself in to U.S. Marshals in Union County on Thursday, was arraigned in federal court this morning. Attorneys for the state Federal attorneys asked that Hesterly be held in jail, alleging he made threats to several witnesses and the FBI agent in charge of the investigation.
He is being held on one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy to defraud an agency of the United States.
The charges stem from allegations that Hesterly awarded a FEMA contracted job to a Bearden construction company in return for a 2010 campaign contribution.
Harry Clemons Jr., of Clemons Construction, has also been arrested on one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy.
Hesterly will have a bond hearing at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at the Hot Springs Federal Courthouse.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, By Dave Showers, Court, Crime, Money, News
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Little Rock woman dies in wreck after dispatch delayed
A Little Rock woman whose vehicle slid on a patch of ice and ended in a pond, was killed Monday when a 9-1-1 operator failed to patch her call through to police and fire officials.
According to the Associated Press, Jinglei Yi and her 5-year-old son were inside her vehicle when it slipped off the road, landed in a pond and began to fill with water. Though Yi called 9-1-1 at approximately 8 a.m., the operator allegedly didn’t follow the proper procedure that would have transferred the call to local law and fire workers.
“Proper protocol would be … we have a one-button transfer switch where you get (the ambulance service) on the line and you remain on the line with them until you’re sure that they have handled the call,” said Laura Martin, the director of the city’s police and fire communications.
Shortly after the call with 9-1-1 ended, Yi reportedly contacted an ambulance service which 30 minutes later confirmed it was en route to the scene. Law enforcement and fire department officials were then dispatched.
Officials are unsure if the delay was related to Yi’s death. A medical examiner will be charged with determining the exact cause of the death.
Yi was pronounced dead at the hospital. Her son was in critical condition as of Wednesday.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, Crime, Flooding, News
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Beebe: Would repeal the death penalty
“Signing death warrants” has given Gov. Mike Beebe cause to question the death penalty to the point that he would legislate repealing them entirely, according to Arkansas News.
Rather than allow any more prisoners on death row to face the lethal injection, Beebe said he would sign legislate to repeal the death penalty and instead increase the number of resource officers.
These comments came today during a meeting of the Political Animals Club.
In his six years in the governor’s office, Beebe said he has signed seven death warrants, though no one has yet been put to death due to pending legislation.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, Court, Crime, News
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Winter weather causes closures, wrecks
Inclement weather has resulted in a number of closures throughout Union County where slippery ice-coated roads have resulted in “quite a few” personal injury wrecks, according to Union County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Bill Hickman.
Hickman was unsure at the time how many accidents had occurred or where but said he would return a call when he has more information.
Closures include Norphlet, Junction City and El Dorado schools, — the latter of which early released at 12:45 p.m. — and South Arkansas Community College at 1 p.m. The SouthArk Board of Trustees will meet as scheduled at 3:45 p.m. today in the administration building board room.
According to the National Weather Service, the expected high today is 32 degrees with a low of 26 degrees and a 90 percent chance of freezing rain this afternoon.
Tonight, there will be a 40 percent chance of a wintry mix.
More in tomorrow’s News-Times.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, Education, News, Weather
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Legislature convenes
State Reps. John Baine (D-El Dorado) and Matthew Shepherd (R-El Dorado) took their respective posts when the 89th General Assembly convened today with the first Republican majority since Reconstruction.
Baine, a freshman, was one of the 43 first-time representatives sworn in. Prior to his election to the state House, Baine was a longtime member of the Union County Quorum Court. His district 2 position has since been taken up by Justin Hendrix, a Democrat who served several terms on the El Dorado City Council.
Shepherd returned for his second term after a commanding lead during the November general election against his Independent opponent.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, News, Politics
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Day of sunshine makes way for wet weather return
Enjoy the beautiful weather today while it lasts because as soon as the weekend hits, temperatures are expected to plummet and the rain has an 80 percent chance of returning, according to the National Weather Service.
Today has been a day of reprieve from wetter weather with a high of 70 degrees and sunshine, however, this evening there is a 50 percent estimated chance of rain followed by between 70 and 80 percent chances of thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday.
Rain chances decrease, but are still present on Monday and Tuesday when NWS predicts between 20 and 50 percent chances for precipitation.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, News, Weather
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Arkansas receives Education Week B-minus
For two years running, Education Week ranked Arkansas as fifth nationally in educational policies and performance despite low ratings in student achievement and lack of success, according to Arkansas News.
The B-minus ranking — the same designation the state received in 2013 — is only outweighed by Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Virginia.
Arkansas’ two As were in transition and alignment where the state ranked second, and in assessment and accountability, where the state landed in sixth place.
However, those As were dampened slightly by a C in finance, C-minus in chance for success and D in student achievement.
The nation, overall, received a C-minus.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, Education, News
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County officials pass blame for notice failure
Former Justice of the Peace Steve Ward created something of a quagmire on Monday when he accused the Union County Quorum Court of meeting illegally on Jan. 1 to set the 2013 monthly meeting time and date.
Ward, who lost by 22 votes in his bid to retain the JP District 1 position, stood on state law which requires each county’s judge to give written notice of the first meeting of the year, which is not to be held on a holiday.
Loftin failed on both counts, Ward said.
Although Union County officials acknowledged a break down in the system by not providing notice to the public, they switched the blame from one another in where the failure occurred.
Loftin said the responsibility should have fallen to Union County Clerk Shannon Phillips, who was in charge of organizing the swearing in ceremony and, therefore, the quorum court meeting.
Phillips, however, pointed to Administrative Assistance Paula Beard, who traditionally issues notice of all county meetings to the public.
Beard, on the other hand, passed blame back to Phillips, stating in 2010 she gave that responsibility back to the county clerk.
More in tomorrow’s News-Times.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, Court, News, Politics
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Egging spree runs through El Dorado
Homeowners in several neighborhoods woke up to a congealing surprise Thursday morning when they discovered their vehicles had been egged, according to several El Dorado Police Department reports.
Upward of $2,000 in damage was estimated for the four vehicles egged Wednesday night. Neighborhoods hit included the 1500 block of West Fifth Street where two vehicles were egged, and the 100 block of Timber Hills Drive and 900 block of Brookwood where one vehicle each was hit.
Damage for two vehicles was approximately $500, for one vehicle was about $1,000 and for the fourth was not estimated.
First-degree criminal mischief above $500 in damage is a felony.
More in tomorrow’s News-Times.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, Crime, Money, News
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Fireworks display renders beautiful photos
Happy News Year from the News-Times editorial department!
To celebrate the turning of the year and the ringing in of 2013 — Particularly because we all thought the world was going to end on Dec. 21, 2012, right? — News-Times photographer Michael Orrell wanted to share these photos from the New Year’s Eve fireworks show by the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce.
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Posted in Business, By Allison Gatlin, Entertainment
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Free GED testing goes the way of the dodo
In cooperation with the implementation of the Common Core Standards, by 2014 Arkansas will join the majority of states that charge students for GED enrollment and testing, according to a report by KUAF.
Jacqueline Froelich, of KUAF, emphasized that in addition to a hefty fee anticipated to be between $100 and $150, students will be required to complete all testing on computers.
Pearson, an education and testing company, is heading up the revamping process. Within the year testing will be geared in two tracts: job skills competency and college preparedness.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, Education, Money, News
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Despite rain, Chamber promises spectacular fireworks show
Despite what the National Weather Service assures is a 100 percent chance of rain this evening, the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce said it still plans to put on the New Year’s Eve fireworks show as promised.
According to the Chamber’s Facebook page, fireworks will be lit at approximately 6 p.m. tonight at the Union County Fairgrounds.
Residents and visitors are invited to set out lawn chairs and blankets at the fairgrounds to watch, but let’s be honest, most attending will be securely warm inside their vehicles.
Posted in Business, By Allison Gatlin, Entertainment, News
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Local filmmakers vie for international acclaim
Two local filmmakers are endeavoring to win an international competition with the completion of a 48 Hour Film Project in the form of a seven-minute short film, “Fire Engine Red.”
Jim Patterson, a News-Times editor, Michael Armstrong, a graphic designer, both formerly of Camden, created the film to compete almost 4,000 other films from 115 cities internationally, according to a Sunday feature by reporter Dave Showers.
In August during the Little Rock competition, “Fire Engine Red” won best writing and runner up for best film. Check it, and other videos, out at www.cinema48.com. Voting is open through Jan. 19, 2013.
See more in this weekend’s Sunday News.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, Education, News
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Rain, rain, rain
El Dorado may be able to skip out on the freezing precipitation expected to hit central and north Arkansas on Friday, but that doesn’t mean the region will get off completely water free.
According to the National Weather Service, some of that rain is expected to head south — albeit in liquid rather than frozen form — with a 50 percent chance of rain Thursday night headed into an 80 percent chance on Friday. The night will finish up with a 40 percent possibility of the wet stuff tomorrow evening.
The city will get a brief reprieve over the weekend, but on Monday precipitation chances are expected to bounce back up to 40 percent.
Posted in By Allison Gatlin, News, Weather
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