Tuesday Wrap Up...

Hopefully Something Will Come of This…
An article in today’s Dem-Gaz front page (link) points out that the FTC will investigate potential price gouging of gasoline prices in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina under a bill signed by President Bush last week.

Our own Senator Mark Pryor called for the study and attached it to a $58 billion appropriations bill for the Commerce, Justice and State Departments for the current fiscal year.

“I have a suspicion there is market manipulation going on within the oil industry” Pryor said on Monday as quoted in the article.  The bill provides up to $1 million to study the possible price gouging on both the wholesale and retail markets.

I find it to be one heck of a coincidence that there was no price gouging according to the oil companies but yet they reported profits in the BILLIONS for the third quarter up several hundred percent over the same quarter last year.

I’m going to be very interested to see what happens with this and how the oil companies can defend themselves if they are found to have gauged prices…

So Long Lowell Ruffcorn

Longtime Arkansas broadcaster Lowell Ruffcorn passed away on Monday November 21st according to Pat Lynch’s blog today (link).  While I never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Ruffcorn in person, I do remember hearing him on my grandparent’s radio in the mornings.  Early mornings with my grandparents at their kitchen table are some my fondest memories right next to my Dad taking flying in a single engine Cessna when I was that age as well.

Ok….What is his REAL motiviation?
An article in the Arkansas Section of today’s Dem-Gaz (link) reports on a lawsuit files by former state representative Mike Wilson.  His lawsuit contends that the legislature cannot direct money to local projects because it violates Amendment 14 of the state constitution.

In the lawsuit, he challenges funds that were appropriated from the state’s General Improvement Fund to 11 projects/entities.  On September 20th, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Willard Proctor issued a restraining order preventing the state from distributing those funds.

Some of the projects/entities included:  the City of Bigelow, the Jacksonville Museum of Military History, the Jacksonville Boys and Girls Club, the Cleburne County Library and the city of Jacksonville.  I notice that several of the other entities listed have to with the city of Jacksonville or North Pulaski county.

I would like to know what his real motivation is for this lawsuit?  In the article, he claims that Jacksonville has prided itself in funding its own improvements over the years and accepting state monies would “taint” the projects….

Another Stupid Move in Little Rock

There is an entry in Pat Lynch’s Blog (link) about the Alltel & Dillard’s wanting to build a 4 lane road from Rodney Parham & Cantrell down to the Arkansas River, crossing Jimerson Creek and tying into Rebsamen Park Road.  This road if built will run right through Murray Park and run along the River Trail.  

The premise of this road according to Lynch’s blog is to assist their employees in their daily commute from their homes in West Little Rock to their offices by relieving traffic on Cantrell Road.  There are several issues that I see wrong with this proposal:

First, the existing Jimerson Creek Bridge is a pedestrian bridge which means a new bridge for both vehicle and pedestrian traffic will have to be built.  Who is going to be asked to pay for that?  Certainly not Alltel or Dillard’s.  Second, I don’t think there is enough room between the Little Rock Western railroad and the river for a 4 lane road AND a bike/jogging path without building up the shoreline on the Arkansas River.  If they do that, then they will have go through the permitting process with the Corps of Engineers which will take years.  Third, how will this new road be affected or how will it affect the pedestrian bridge currently under construction crossing the Arkansas River?

I think this proposal is stupid from the get-go.  The River Trail is a wonderful part of Pulaski County (when it’s finally done) and I think this road will ruin that.  The River Trail is something that many other communities would love to have in their town and Little Rock wants to destroy it for all effective purposes.  I have heard from several people in Northwest Arkansas who say that we are very lucky to have this trail network being developed because they have nothing similar to this up there.

It just sickens me that if this proposal goes forward because the Little Rock city Board of Directors will probably once again ask the tax payers for ANOTHER tax increase in order for them to ruin the River Trail.