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Foster Care Crisis

Foster Care Crisis

July 9, 2015

Vol 41 • No 44

Read the print version

Arkansas’s overloaded foster care system

Part one of Children in Crisis: An Arkansas Times Special Investigation.

Together but unequal

What the Supreme Court's decision did and did not do for LGBT rights in Arkansas.

Swamp country debauchery

'Magic Mike XXL' is for everyone.

Religion as excuse upends Constitution

Tirades over religious liberty since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages nationwide have awakened the ghost of James Madison, the author of the constitutional doctrine on the matter, and it isn't happy that his effort to protect religious inquiry in America is being corrupted.

Ashes

The remains of a bird lie in a vacant downtown Little Rock building.

Delta Exhibition opens at Arts Center

Also, 'Mad Max 2' at Ron Robinson, Jim Adkins at Juanita's, Sebastian Bach at Juanita's and Shuggie Otis at Stickyz.

Support CALS

On July 14, Little Rock voters have the opportunity to lower their annual property tax by 0.1 mill in exchange for agreeing to have the Central Arkansas Library System reissue bonds at a lower interest rate and extend the life of these bonds by 3 to 5 years.

Building a greater Little Rock

Despite North Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith's earlier optimism, there won't be a special sales tax election this year, maybe ever, to see if his city's voters would dedicate a penny to providing a new home for the Arkansas Arts Center in downtown Argenta.

The new Lost Cause

Also, Rapert v. Baphomet, off-brand Dilbert and better late than never.

Worrier

The Observer has become something of a worrier in our old age. There are days when we seem to worry about everything, short of a meteorite streaking out of the blue and conking us on the head. Should we be worried about that? Maybe.

Treasured boxes

By Stowe, as well as Popow eggs, Cook knives and more, at HAM.

Together but unequal

What the Supreme Court's decision did and did not do for LGBT rights in Arkansas.

Speak, Arkansas: Bob Oliver

Bob Oliver, 76, started RAO Video in 1977 as a 10-by-10-foot kiosk on the corner of Main Street and Capitol Avenue. He's relocated twice since then before ultimately purchasing 609 Main St. in 2001 and converting the 10,000-square-foot loft area above the store into his personal residence — a Hugh Hefner-style bachelor pad fit for the owner of the largest adult video collection in all of Arkansas.

ATA continues at Statehouse Convention Center

Also, 607 performs at Revolution.

Cats and dogs

As one who has rarely owned fewer than a half-dozen dogs and cats, I'm made uneasy by people who don't like pets. Often it's about control issues. The sheer otherness of domestic animals offends their self-importance. How dare a mere cat ignore them?

Big on Bobby's

West Little Rock country cookin' spot stands out.

South Carolina to banish Confederate flag

Early this morning, the South Carolina House completed the second of two readings of the legislation to remove the Confederate flag from statehouse grounds and put it in a museum. The vote was 94-20. The governor is expected to sign the bill quickly.

ACLU asks Justice Department to review Little Rock police use of force

Rita Sklar, executive director of the ACLU in Arkansas, has joined others in asking Attorney General Loretta Lynch for Justice Department review of the Little Rock Police Department's use of force.

What's HOT and what's NOT from Colonial Wines & Spirits

Summer is hot but lack of refreshment is not. At Colonial Wines & Spirits, keeping your cool has never tasted so good.

Four congressmen fight Quapaw tribe's land request

White man still knows what's best for Indians. Four members of the Arkansas congressional delegation — Sens. Tom Cotton and John Boozman and Reps. French Hill and Bruce Westerman — have joined other local officials in laughable objections to the Quapaw tribe's proposal to put ancestral lands it purchased in Pulaski County in trust, which would give the tribe autonomy over its use. Gov. Asa Hutchinson and County Judge Barry Hyde also have objected.

8th Circuit denies review of ruling striking down Arkansas's 12-week abortion ban

In a two-sentence order today, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Attorney General Leslie Rutledge's petition for the entire court to review a three-judge panel's ruling striking down the state's ban on most abortions at 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Arkansas near the top in power of a dollar

Here from the Washington Post is a chart laden with significance. It shows that the comparative value of $100 is higher in Arkansas than any state save Mississippi.

Hospital Association touts benefits of private option insurance expansion

The Arkansas Hospital Association reports that state hospitals say a sharp drop in uncompensated care in 2014 thanks to Arkansas's private option expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

Attorney general announces metal theft prevention program

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced this morning a metal theft prevention program.

Animal welfare group criticizes poultry grower in LR press conference

Mercy for Animals held a news conference in Little Rock today to accuse a Delaware poultry grower that contracts with Tyson Foods of animal abuse.

New Orleans mayor proposes relocation of Confederate monuments

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has begun discussions about relocating prominent Confederate memorials in New Orleans as well as renaming a street that now bears the name of the president of the Confederate States. Could you imagine this happening here?

UPDATED: State Board of Education votes to change school test from PARCC to ACT

The State Board of Education voted 4-2 today to use the ACT Aspire test as the measure of student achievement in public schools next year, thus reversing its June vote to reject a contract with the testing company. In addition to the two "no" votes, two other members abstained in protest — Jay Barth and Vicki Saviers.

The open line and a letter from Satanists to Jason Rapert

Today"s open line and a letter from a Satanist to Sen. Jason Rapert.

Fayetteville rights campaign begins

For Fayetteville, the group organized to campaign for a city civil rights ordinance, will have a campaign opening event at 2 p.m. Sunday at 16 W. Center on the Fayetteville square.

Summary judgment sought in lawsuit over Baxter courthouse Nativity display

The attorney in the lawsuit challenging the annual Nativity scene at the Baxter County Courthouse has asked a federal court for a summary judgment in the case.

UPDATE: What to do about Donald Trump? In Arkansas, answer is sell tickets

The Republican Party leadership thinks Donald Trump presents a problem to presidential electoral success in 2016. Meanwhile, the Arkansas Republican Party looks at Trump as a meal ticket.

Marriage suit lawyer affirms request for fees

Cheryl Maples, who filed the first action challenging the Arkansas ban on same-sex marriage, has repeated her request for $256,060 in attorney fees and $3,243 in costs for her work on the case in which Judge Chris Piazza held the bans unconstitutional.

Main Street developer puts MM Cohn, Hall buildings up for sale

Reed Realty, which bought the MM Cohn Co. Building on the 500 block of Main along with all the other buildings on the west side of that street in 2012, is selling the former department store and two other Reed properties, the Davidson building and the Hall building, at 215 W. Capitol, because of the state's new rule on historic tax credits, Josh Blevins of the company said today.

Quapaw Tribe chair responds to Gov. Hutchinson's opposition to Arkansas land proposal

John Berrey, chairman of the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma, has taken numerous exceptions to statements made by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in opposing the tribe's application to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place 160 recently acquired acres in Pulaski County into trust, for greater control by the tribe. The letter includes the strongest assurances yet that the tribe has no plans, now or in the future, for a casino on the property.

When drugs are too expensive even for working people with insurance

Kristin Agar, a Little Rock social worker, provides the example for a Washington Post article about a growing problem in American health care — expensive drugs. Too expensive for even those who work and have health insurance.

5th Circuit scrutinizes Obama's immigration order; activists rally in NOLA, including Arkansas contingent

The federal 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans is hearing oral arguments today concerning President Obama's executive orders on immigration, which would remove the threat of deportation for millions of families.

New music from Kari Faux, 'Nada'

Here is a new song by Kari Faux, produced by her frequent collaborator (and fellow Little Rock expat) Black Party. Faux is in L.A. these days, "getting checks just to live out my dreams," and it's obviously going well.

New mixtape from Cool Chris, 'Trap Conversations 2'

Here's the long-awaited sequel to Little Rock rapper Cool Chris' "Trap Conversation," just in time to salvage a mostly uneventful Little Rock summer. Chris last turned up on the Young Gods of America track "Leash," and many of his friends in the Arkansas rap collective turn up here as well, with production work by Mach Soul and Fresco Grey (who also contributes a verse on "Jame$ Bond").

New mother in same-sex couple encounters Arkansas obstacle on birth certificate

The state Health Department is not allowing both parents in a same-sex couple to be listed on birth certificates for the time being until state rules can be changed to clarify the practice. It is creating problems for parents of newborns already.

Open line and news roundup

The Friday open line and today's video headlines.

Staff Picks: Pluto, Elle Luna, South Georgia Bass

This Tuesday, July 14, NASA's New Horizons mission will reach its destination, and we'll collectively get to see things no human has ever seen before — things that surely no human should ever get to see at all, considering Pluto is a Russia-sized lump of frozen rock looping an irregular orbit some three billion miles from the only place humans have ever lived. But somehow, one thing has led to another, and now we have a little metallic child noodling its way towards trans-Neptunian space and snapping pictures. It took nine and a half years to get there, traveling almost a million miles a day. To get a sense of that scale, I suggest you force yourself to spend six or seven minutes scrolling through If the Moon Were One Pixel.

The Return of the Tech Park Takedown Edition

An obstacle for same-sex couples on birth certificates that’s likely to become a political fight, school testing, the future of the Arkansas Arts Center and doings on Little Rock’s Main Street — all covered on this week's podcast.

Street solicitation ban back on City Board agenda; also more bike lanes

A ban on street solicitations of money and bike paths are among the topics on the Little Rock City Board agenda next week.

The truth about the Oregon wedding cake case

Old news, perhaps, but I've  been doing some interesting reading about the case in which a lesbian couple in Oregon was awarded $135,000 in damages as a result of a bakery's refusal to sell them a wedding cake.

Lawsuit alleges physical abuse at taekwondo center with pre-K

The parents of a four-year-old boy have filed a lawsuit alleging the boy was physically abused last year by corporal punishment at Anderson's Taekwondo Center in Little Rock.

Senator Rapert, meet the spawns of Satan. Be very afraid.

What better way to kick off the open line than to troll Sen. Jason Rapert with this New York Times profile of the two provocateurs from Boston who created the Satantic Temple to establish a serious means of contesting politicians who like to cram their religion down the throats of others.

Test change a harbinger of one-branch government in Arkansas

John Lyon of the Arkansas News Bureau has written about objections raised to the state Board of Education's change of course last week — under pressure from Gov. Asa Hutchinson and with three of four votes from his appointees — to change the test used to measure student achievement in public schools. It's a symptom of a much bigger governmental problem

Cotton on the rampage on immigrants

The Hill features U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton's participation in the fight with others such as Sen. Ted Cruz to deny federal money to so-called sanctuary cities that don't crack down sufficiently on undocumented immigrants.

An early open line: Plus the Southern GOP's 'dream world'

I'm calling it quits early with this open line And for your reading pleasure: * THE DREAM WORLD OF THE SOUTHERN REPUBLICANS: Former New York Times editor Howell Raines, a son of Alabama, pops up in the op-ed pages of the Times today to write about a familiar topic, the demographic changes that he thin

Missing woman's body found in field in Craighead County

KAIT-TV is reporting that the body of Lavinda Counce, missing since July 3, has been found in a corn field in Craighhead County near Bay. Her car was found at a Jonesboro hospital July 4. Authorities have said they feared she was abducted and have been seeking a suspect.

Trump and Arkansas Republicans

Michael Cook, a Democratic political consultant who writes a column for Talk Businesss, boils down Donald Trump's coming visit as a headliner for the Arkansas Republican Party's big fund-raising dinner of the year to a simple question:

Whataburger chain won't allow open carry of guns

A Texas-based burger chain, Whatabuger, with 780 locations in 10 states including three in Arkansas (not including a similarly named burger joint in Russellville), has announced it won't allow open carry of guns on its properties. What's more, an AP report on the development quotes restaurant industry people as saying many others are likely to take the same approach.

CRJW moves to Main Street, announces leadership transition

CJRW, the advertising and public relations firm, has announced completion of its move from Capitol Avenue to a renovated building at Third and Main Streets with a new chief executive officer, Darin Gray.

Lottery reports million-dollar winner

The Arkansas Lottery reports that Larry Edlemon of Bono won $1 million on a $20 "Platinum Payout" ticket purchased at Jordan's Kwik Stop in Jonesboro. He gets to keep about $680,000 after tax withholding.

Resort operator Jim Gaston dies at 73

Jim Gaston, who operated Gaston's White River Resort and was one of the state's most influential members of the tourism industry as a life member of the state Parks and Tourism Commission, died early this morning at age 73, the Baxter Bulletin reports.

Report: Walmart planning 1,000 management job cuts

Kim Souza of The City Wire reports, citing unnamed sources, that Walmart plans to cut up to 1,000, or roughly 5 percent, of corporate headquarters jobs by Nov. 1, perhaps including up to 200 vice presidents. Some of the cuts will be through attrition.

Transit agency begins shift to gas

Central Arkansas Transit Authority says it will ceremonially open its compressed natural gas fuel station Tuesday morning.

Hillary Clinton's economic speech targets income inequality

Hillary Clinton delivered an economic policy speech today that most Democrats should like. She called down three Republican candidates by name for their ideas on the subject.

State says no approval given for physical punishment at taekwondo center pre-K

The state Department of Human Services says the Anderson Taekwondo Center, subject of a child abuse allegation, was NOT allowed to use physical punishment of children, despite some statements over the weekend to the contrary.

Obama commutes sentences of 46 federal drug offenders

President Obama today commuted the sentences of 46 federal drug offenders because their punishments didn't match their crimes. The move illustrates the president's desire to reform criminal justice, including a reduction of punishment for non-violent crimes.

State sued over refusal to put same-sex spouses on birth certificates

As promised last week, a lawsuit was filed in Pulaski Circuit Court today on behalf of three same-sex couples who've been unable to get the names of both parents on their children's birth certificates.

Kids: Make one-page comics with local illustrators at CALS Children's Library on Tuesday

A plug for the library's summer comics workshop series, especially tomorrow's installment.

The Monday open line; news video, and a runner's death in Fort Smith

The open line, daily video and report of a shooting death in Fort Smith, a runner gunned down for no apparent reason.

Boy Scouts moving to lift ban on gay leaders

The Boy Scouts of America is close to ending its ban on participation by gay adults, though churches that sponsor scouting units would still be free to select their own leaders.

Nuclear deal struck with Iran

The U.S. and Iran have struck a nuclear deal.

A heritage of hate: History of Lee Holiday proves Nate Bell was right

Ernest Dumas reviews the history of Arkansas's Robert E. Lee Holiday. It's about heritage, of the worst sort. Rep. Nate Bell was right to attempt to bring an end to it.

Bentonville schools and the fight for non-discrimination

Debate on a non-discrimination policy for Bentonville School District employees continued last night, with sharp words but no resolution.

And still House Republicans wave the Confederate flag

Talking Points Memo reports on how resistance from Southern Republican Congressmen (Arkansas delegation, anyone?) to a measure to remove the Confederate flag from federal grounds has gummed up the budget process.

Police circulate photos in investigation of Jackson Street homicide

The Little Rock police have circulated two photos of people that they are seeking as part of the investigation of the July 8 slaying of Fred Pohnka Jr., 68, in his home on South Jackson Street.

Catching up with Arkansas Ale House

Good eats and drinks at the North Little Rock brewpub.

BBC gets help from Little Rock on new Martin Luther King website

BBC has a new website about civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and there's a local angle. Dr. John Kirk, distinguished professor and history department chair at UALR and a frequent contributor to the Arkansas Times, collaborated on the project.

State objects to fee request in marriage equality case

The state of Arkansas has objected to attorney fees sought by winning lawyers in the same-sex marriage case as outrageously excessive.

The Tuesday open line; plus headlines

Here's the evening open line and video roundup such as it was today. I'll check in tonight on the library election at least.

Voters favor LR library tax

Voters are showing strong support for a Little Rock library property tax.

LR City Board approves ban on in-street money solicitation

KATV reports that the Little Rock City Board tonight approved a ban on all solicitation of money in the right of way of streets. Solicitors still may seek money on sidewalks, parking lots on other places.

Allegations in daycare abuse case expand to DHS employees

KATV reports on further allegations for the attorney for a mother who said her four-year-old son was beaten with a paddle at the Anderson Takewondo Center daycare, a state licensed facility that receives public voucher payments for some of its children.

Police charge two in Jackson Street slaying

Police announced last night that they had found and interviewed all three people in photographs circulated yesterday of "persons of interest" in the slaying of Fred Pohnka Jr., 68, in his home on South Jackson Street. Two arrests followed.

Tom Cotton continues his obstructionist ways

U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton yesterday blocked efforts to fill vacancies on the federal Court of Claims, 

New Game and Fish commissioner today — Joe Morgan

Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said he'd announce a new member of the state Game and Fish Commission today. I've confirmed with two people that it will be Joe Morgan, a former Stuttgart car dealer.

Bentonville school attorney suggests more study on coverage for same-sex spouses

The Bentonville School District has been discussing for months a proposal backed by at least three of seven board members to add sexual orientation and gender identity to an equal employment policy for the school district. The immediate battle is over insurance coverage for same-sex spouses and their fear of signing up should it be provided for fear of outing themselves.

Craighead County fairgrounds to be sold for debt

A bankruptcy judge has approved a plan to sell off property of the Craighead County Fair Association to pay off debt the association has been unable to repay after borrowing money to pay for new fairgrounds. The future of a county fair there is in doubt.

Attorney general report on need to ditch Milligan case lacks specifics

Why won't the attorney general represent the state treasurer's office in a defamation lawsuit. A statutorily required report on the reason falls short of providing specifics.

Rapert on the warpath over leaks. Joe McCarthy would be proud.

Sen. Jason Rapert has ordered up a witch hunt to attempt to find how his criticism of Gov. Asa Hutchinson's statements on the same-sex marriage ruling found its way into publication on the Arkansas Blog. His Republican colleagues are going along with what will amount to a gross invasion of constituents' privacy.

Delta Exhibition No. 57: Glowing bird-cage, a bodhisattva, a touch of Miro

George Dombek, who judged this year's "Delta Exhibition," is a celebrated watercolorist known for his neat, linear, objective work. That might explain the preponderance of inkjet images and watercolors in this year's exhibition, which opened last and runs through Sept. 20 in the Townsend Wolfe and Jeannette Rockefeller galleries.

The midweek open line and video news roundup. Also: Bret Bielema

An open line and video news roundup.

A return to form for Megan's Diner

An old favorite reverses a down trend by coming back into the family.
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