IT WAS A GOOD WEEK FOR …
DIVERSIONS. An enormous national debt, a disastrous war, a crisis in health care and what does the Republican-led U.S. Senate do? Prepare for votes on banning gay marriage and flag burning and giving an estate tax break to billionaires.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION. A circuit judge ruled that Gov. Mike Huckabee couldn’t use his office to shield an investigation of misconduct by former Parole Board member Larry Zeno.
JIM DAILEY. He announced, after 14 years, that he wouldn’t seek another term as Little Rock mayor. Why good? Because he has been underappreciated and overcriticized for his full-time devotion to a low-paying job with limited power.
WAL-MART. An original musical, big-name entertainers and a greener, friendlier management tone marked its annual pep rally/stockholders’ meeting in Fayetteville.
HOMICIDE. A spate of killings moved the LR body count for the year to 32 at press time, a record pace.
IT WAS A BAD WEEK FOR …
The STATE CRIME LAB. The Democrat-Gazette reported that, despite an infusion of new money, the lab still hasn’t been able to replace ice chests with refrigerated vehicles for moving bodies.
POLITICS. The three statewide Democratic runoffs grew increasingly shrill and petty. It was hard to choose which was worst. The bickering over debate details by the attorney general candidates may have been the most tiresome. Treasurer candidate Mac Campbell’s promises on a college savings account were the emptiest. The personal attacks on lieutenant governor candidate Bill Halter — by a Tim Wooldridge campaign that claims the “values” mantle — were the vilest.
Huckster Watch
Thirty weeks and counting