You’re up. I’m off. Final words:
* TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT: I went to the program for the opening of Dale Bumpers’ gubernatorial papers at the Arkansas Studies Institute. After listening to Bumpers, David Pryor and Mike Beebe; hearing a letter from Bill Clinton, and chatting with Jim Guy Tucker, I couldn’t help but think of the stature of those already dreaming about 2014 (think Mark Darr) Where Bumpers said he’d told his New York Times obituary writer that his proudest achievement was voting against 38 proposals to amend the work of Madison and the other framers of the Constitution, I imagine Darr and his posse have 38 or more in their back pockets to limit freedoms and otherwise undo that noble work.
* SCHOOL NIGHT: Because of my conflict, I’ve talked to several people who promise to update me on tonight’s charter/voucher school pep rally at Philander Smith. I’ll pass their observations along as I’m able. Bottom line: the inclusion of Little Rock School Superintendent Morris Holmes and state Rep. John Walker markedly changed the direction of the meeting. They resisted the notion that all public schools have failed and said choice had become a euphemism for division and exclusion of the neediest kids.
* OCCUPY NORTHWEST ARKANSAS: ONWA promises a demonstration outside Herman Cain’s appearance in Springdale Thursday. Says an e-mail from Abel Tomlinson: “We will not only be protesting the policies that Herman Cain represents, but more importantly the control of elections by corporations and their owners.”
* RADIO MOGULS: Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson is getting into the radio business in Saline County with Grant Merrill. Merrill, who lives in Bryant, and Hutchinson, who represents Saline County have formed Saline River Media to buy KEWI-AM and also plan to purchase an FM signal for the station.
* CLEAN WATER WATCH: The Pulaski County Planning Board delayed a vote today on a land use plan for the Lake Maumelle watershed heavily revised to favor heavy development by Deltic Timber. The Deltic/Koch billionaires/American for Prosperity lobby turned out to protest water supply protection at the public hearing. The lake’s clean now, they argue, why worry if 10,000 homes are someday added to the watershed, each with effluvia from lawn mowers, cars, pets and other polluters rolling downhill? Barry Haas of the group working to protect Lake Maumelle was there and he reports:
