Arkansas Politics News

Vandy Nash, a fourth grade teacher at Indian Hills Elementary in North Little Rock, has just been presented the 2010 Teacher of the Year award of the state Department of Education at the Governor's Mansion gala. Which gives me an opportunity to post this story from the New York Times Magazine about one teacher's experience trying to make a difference in the Arkansas Delta.

Consider this open line No. 2.

Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, the Little Rock communications firm, was awarded an advertising contract by the University of Central Arkansas.  The board approved the contract this afternoon.  After the infamous Lu Hardin era, the university could use some good P.R. - but it's going to cost them.  Sam Eifling at Arkansas Business has the details.
 

The Nation's David Corn asks, "Is the tea party gang turning the GOP into a party of hate?" 

When John Boehner, the Republican leader of the House, appeared at the Tea Party rally at the Capitol on Thursday afternoon, it was a dramatic signal: The wing-nuts have taken over the GOP.

Think I'm being harsh? The angry folks at the protest -- which attracted several thousand conservatives -- held up signs with messages of hate: "Get the Red Out of the White House," "Waterboard Congress," "Ken-ya Trust Obama?" One called the president a "Traitor to the U.S. Constitution." Another sign showed pictures of dead bodies at the Dachau concentration camp and compared health care reform to the Holocaust.

Roby Brock reports on some sweet and sour news from Conway.  Although the town will be home to an Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield data center that will employ roughly 15 to 20 workers, the bus manufacturing plant owned by IC Corporation will consolidate operations with another plant and close to 477 jobs could be lost.