The new Insider is on the web. Stuff’s happening on that new aloft Hotel proposed for the River Market district. I suspect the new approach reflects a feeling that the design plan wasn’t going anywhere at the Board of Adjustment and the Planning Commission, friendlier to developers historically, would be a better venue.

But this is amusing. Rep. Ed Garner, the Maumelle Republican, apparently has been using campaign funds to do thousands of dollars worth of business with a local bakery. He happens to own that bakery, Mama’s Manna. Is this legal? Candidates aren’t supposed to profit personally from campaign contributions. We’ll find out. The Ethics Commission has been asked to take a look.

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Side note: Garner raked State Police over the coals at a legislative hearing this week for actions of a couple of troopers. He asked a State Police official if the troopers had any ethics instruction. True story.

Also from the Garner hypocrisy watch: He voted against the severance tax increase — money to support highways — shortly after raking highway officials over the coals about not spending millions to improve road access at Maumelle.

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