Between Editions

From the Arkansas Times Blog:

The overnight LRPD report includes:

As they used to say on Hill Street Blues, be careful out there.

I’ve decided to create a special page detailing the various initiatives and referendums that you will see on your ballot when you head to the polls.

Click here for access. You can also access this information by clicking the “Ballot information” link under the “Pages” column at the top of this blog.

The rumor that’s slowly circulating around town about layoffs at Chemtura is not true. Patty Cardin, a spokesman for the company, confirmed Thursday that the rumor is false.

“We’ve been hearing that, too, and we’re not quite sure where it’s coming from,” Cardin said. “But I can tell you that I’ve checked with all levels of management, and there are no plans for layoffs at Chemtura.”

Janine Turner, from “Northern Exposure” fame, will speak at 2 p.m. 4:30 p.m. today inside the Callaway Theater at the South Arkansas Arts Center. She plans to discuss her career in the movies, on television and on stage, according to a news release.

Turner is also speaking at South Arkansas Community College tonight. The event begins at 7 p.m. inside the gym. Both events are free and open to the public.

Oh, and if you don’t remember Northern Exposure, it was that quirky show about life in Alaska.

Before Sarah Palin.

**UPDATE** THE EVENT HAS BEEN PUSHED UP TO 4:30 p.m. Turner is running late, I’m told.

**UPDATE 2** THE EVENT AT THE ARTS CENTER HAS BEEN CANCELLED. Janine Turner is still scheduled to appear at South Ark at 7 p.m., however.

Last night’s local political debate at the South Arkansas Community College Library was, well, not a debate.

No incumbents showed. Why? Some claimed they didn’t know about it. However, we published the information in the paper and here on Between Editions leading up to the event.

No excuses, as far as I’m concerned. If you’re running for public office, you should be more in touch.

Very. Poor. Showing.

Seems to me that voters in the following races should carefully consider this before they cast their ballots.

City Council Ward 2, Position 2: Democrat LaQuita Rainey held her own. I heard many comments about Rainey’s performance from those who attended. All thought she did well. On the “We Promise” debacle, Rainey said that the choice should have been “City of Promise, because what are we promising here? We can’t promise them jobs or affordable housing. What are we promising.”

Well said.

I wish I could have told you what Incumbent Independent candidate Judy Ward said. She wasn’t there.

City Council Ward 1, Position 1: Democrat Vertis Mason was a no show. I guess she was too busy preparing for her Thursday radio program. Her challenger, Republican Frank Hash, at times strayed off topic. When I asked him to evaluate the success of the El Dorado Forward initiative, he began talking about the El Dorado Promise.

Hash also said that he hopes the Promise doesn’t attract people to El Dorado who are just looking to take advantage of the Murphy Oil gift.

District 3 Justice of the Peace: Incumbent Harrell Chandler had a good excuse for not attending. He was in Colorado. I give him a pass on that one. His challenger, Republican Kermit Parks, performed well last night. He said that one of his goals, if elected, is to unite both county and city leaders. That’s something we desperately need. Parks is a formidable opponent.

District 8 Justice of the Peace: Incumbent Democrat Donny Crawford was a no show. No word on why. His Republican opponent Randy Hendricks claimed that he didn’t know about the debate until 25 minutes before it started. Mr. Hendricks, do you read the News-Times?

Hendricks agreed with Parks and said that city and county leaders should host joint meetings from time to time. He said his top priority as a JP would be jobs.

“The El Dorado Promise is great, but if we educate these kids and don’t have jobs for them, they’re not going to come back here.”

You know, El Dorado does have a lot going for it downtown. Architecture is one of the treasures. During lunch, I grabbed my camera and snapped this photo of the First Presbyterian Church bell tower. I changed the tone to Sepia. This could be anywhere in Europe.

Just wanted to share.

I haven’t really been covering the national economic situation here for the past week or so, mainly because I think you guys know what’s going on, so there’s no need in being redundant.

At least today the markets are up. Maybe things are heading in the right direction again. But Easy Street it ain’t.

I’m trying to provide as much local content as I can for the blog. I am still looking for suggestions and ideas, so if you have them, please hit the comment box below and have at it.

Here’s a post — with photos — from News-Times photographer Larry Singer:

On a well-traveled stretch of roadway between El Dorado and Moro Bay sits an unusual, and highly detailed, piece of life-sized folk art.

Resting in the Old Union front yard of Russell Rowland, who calls himself a political humorist, is a row boat filled with a variety of props, including a life-sized blow-up dummy representing the Republican presidential ticket. The items leave no doubt on Rowland’s take about our country’s woes.

Rowland said he got the Sarah Palin doll at a local emporium and the wig atop her bespeckeled head at Wal-mart.

The only thing missing from his creation, Rowland said, are lights, so motorists driving by at night can also appreciate his quirky sense of humor.

I’ll be helping moderate tonight’s debate at the SouthArk Library. It’s scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and should last about two hours.

Races for El Dorado alderman include: LaQuita Rainey (Democrat) vs. Judy D. Ward, the incumbent (Independent) in Ward 2, Position 2; and Frank Hash (Republican) vs. Vertis Mason, the incumbent (Democrat) in Ward 1, Position 1.

Justices of the Peace races include: Harrell Chandler, the incumbent, vs. Kermit Parks (Republican), in District 3; and Donny Crawford, the incumbent (Democrat) vs. Randy Hendricks (Republican in District 8.

Any question suggestions?

**UPDATE**
Apparently, from what I’ve heard today, no formal invitations were sent to candidates. The JAYCEES are in charge of the event. Several candidates have told the News-Times today that they don’t plan to participate.

In conjunction with the new “We Promise” slogan, the city is now looking for a logo design that will go along with the promise brand and themelines, according the El Dorado Promise and Forward Marketing Director Cindy Langston.
 
Click here to apply

News-Times reporter and fellow cubemate Sara Mitchell snapped these photos today of the El Dorado Homecoming Parade.

This is some pretty fancy horse (and camera) work. Thanks, Sara, for the great pics.

Yes. It’s been a busy week, so I apologize for not posting much. If you guys have anything to say, use the comment box on this post to stir something up. It could be fun. I will do my best to provide more posts today.

I mulled it over for a couple of days… . This is just too rich not to post, in case someone missed it.

This vice presidential debate spoof from the most recent episode of Saturday Night Live is probably one of the best skits in the show’s history. Tina Fey nails it. Again.

I think I’m gonna start calling myself “Joe Sixpack.”

It seems that the billion dollar bailout hasn’t stemmed fears on Wall Street. The Dow today dropped below 10,000 for the first time since 2004. And it isn’t over, folks. Click here for the latest.