It was a good week for…

TOM COURTWAY. After serving as interim president for the second time, most recently stepping in after former president Allen Meadors’ was fired over presidential home renovations and a contract with a food service vendor, Courtway was named president for the University of Central Arkansas. He agreed to serve up to three years without a contract (no buyout!), no severance package and no car allowance.

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GUS MALZAHN. A year after winning the Broyles Award and, as offensive coordinator, guiding Auburn to a national championship, Malzahn agreed to become head coach of Arkansas State University. The Fort Smith native said ASU was the “right place at the right time.”

STUPID RESOLUTIONS. Rep. Mike Ross (D-Prescott) declared war against those making war on Christmas. He has a bloody shirt to wave, a House resolution asserting there are those intent on banning the mention of Christmas in public life (no names or details provided) and that Congress should protect the “symbols and traditions of Christmas.”

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It was a bad week for …

CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE. The Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint filed by Times senior editor Max Brantley that the Little Rock sales tax committee hadn’t properly disclosed its expenditures. It reported only checks to a consulting group, the Markham Group, which ran the campaign and spent money on advertising and other means in the committee’s behalf. Nonetheless, several with the Ethics Commission indicated that they would be willing to correct the reporting loophole in the disclosure law. Paul Dumas, who acted as chair at the hearing, said he’d back legislative action to tighten the statute. Graham Sloan, director of the Ethics Commission, also said he believed a recommendation for change was a strong possibility.

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NEW IDEAS TO FEED THE HUNGRY. State Rep. Randy Stewart (R-Kirby) told the Democrat-Gazette he wants to institutionalize taxpayer subsidies to process wild game to give to the hungry. This is wild game that, in many cases, the hunters don’t want to eat. Here’s an idea: How about putting a similar amount of state money into peanut butter, cheese, bean, rice and similar stores for cheap, nutritious and far more popular sources of food pantry stock for the hungry?

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