Tag Archives: arkansas democrat gazette

Republicans are no longer a rarity in Arkansas

October 11, 2011 – 7:55 am

John Brummett talks about how state lawmakers get paid today. It is problem that the Democrats created 20 years ago and the Republicans will have to correct in 2013.

In the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is an excellent article . The Republicans are going to take over soon and the Blue Arkansas Blog can rant and rave about it all they want but the good ole days for Democrats in Arkansas are over :

How to scare a governor

Show him a two-party system in Arkansas

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

LITTLE ROCK — SOME OF us are old enough to remember when Arkansas, like the rest of the South, had only one party (Democratic), one crop (cotton), and one issue always lurking behind all the others.

But the times, they’re not only changing, they done changed. (Linguistic note: The insertion of the auxiliary “done” in a verb form means it’s in the tense known as the Southern Emphatic.)

Cotton long since has been challenged by rice, soybeans and even corn in the old Cotton Kingdom.

Even the race issue ain’t what she used to be, having lost much of its power. The days when an Orval Faubus could pull it out of his sleeve whenever he wanted another term in the Governor’s Mansion seem as far behind us as George Wallace’s time in Alabama, or Lester Maddox’s in Georgia.

These days the demagogues have to settle for unsatisfactory substitutes for the race issue like fear of Hispanic immigrants. The race card itself may be played only rarely, as when a white candidate dares run for office in a largely black constituency. People just don’t seem as scared of the Other as they used to be.

Most upsetting of all, Republicans are no longer a rarity. They could show up anywhere these days. One could be living next door. Some even inhabit state constitutional offices (land commissioner, secretary of state, even lieutenant governor), and comprise most of the state’s congressional delegation. The two-party system has even raised its heads in the state legislature, where Republicans seem to occupy more seats every year. The impertinence of it. Don’t these people know their place?

It’s alarming. Mike Beebe, who’s still governor and still a Democrat, certainly sounds alarmed. “It scares me a little bit . . .” he told a Lions Club at Conway the other day—twice. For he also noted that the state’s House of Representatives was dividing more along party lines than the Senate, “and it scares me.” And it’s not even Halloween yet.

If this state keeps getting more Americanized, the two-party system could become as much a fixture of state politics as it is in Congress. And the benefits of competition might be as widely recognized in politics as they are in business.

How alarming. The governor certainly sounded alarmed. And has reason to be. For where will it all end? At this rate, some of these uppity Republicans in the Ledge might even object when a governor chooses a good ol’ boy as director of higher education whether or not he’s legally qualified. They might even go so far as to ask the state’s attorney general for an opinion that reveals how little the governor really cares about the law he’s supposed to follow.

Now that’s scary.

This article was published today at 4:30 a.m.Editorial, Pages 14 on 10/11/2011

Editorial 14

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events, Jason Tolbert | Also tagged , , | Comments (0)

Stephens Media loses John Brummett to Ark Democrat-Gazette

October 7, 2011 – 6:33 am

I will continue to comment a lot on Brummett’s articles and I have posted links to some of my past posts below. (Brummett is a liberal although some have disputed that.) Brummett is one of the best journalists I have had the chance to read. Many others have articles that don’t engage the issues of the day like he does. I started reading his articles in the 1980’s and haven’t ever stopped since.

The Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times Blog reported this morning:

John Brummett moves to Democrat-Gazette — again

Posted by Max Brantley on Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 12:01 AM

DOG GONE: John Brummett

  • GONE TO DOG: John Brummett

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has a big story this morning about the return of the prodigal — columnist John Brummett is joining the newspaper as an op-ed page columnist. 

He’ll write three columns for the newspaper and one column for on-line use only. You’ll have to subscribe to get the on-line colum.

I’ll leave it to the Democrat-Gazette to chronicle Brummett’s resume — Log Cabin Democrat, Arkansas Democrat, Arkansas Gazette, Arkansas Times/Arkansas Business, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times, Stephens Media , Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The move means he’ll be departing the pages of the Arkansas Times. He appeared here through a syndicate agreement with Stephens Media.

Brummett will be an independent contractor, not a Democrat-Gazette employee. He fills a niche — local news columnist — that has been sorely lacking in the state’s largest newspaper.

Departing Stephens Media for the Democrat-Gazette? To be edited by Paul Greenberg, who was known to take a crack or two at Brummett during the days they were on the same team?

It’s not really that surprising. He was hired away from the D-G at extraordinarily high pay when Stephens and the Democrat-Gazette were in a Northwest Arkansas newspaper war (shades of Orville Henry). The war’s over. Hussman won. He controls the operations of blended papers in the region, though Stephens shares in the profits, if any, and staffs the papers that wrap around the regional edition of the D-G. Stephens has pared its newspaper payroll nationwide substantially. Its flagship newspaper property, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is no longer a cash cow. It, too, has been rocked by layoffs. The Stephens Little Rock news bureau is much smaller than it was during the war, serving mostly to supply copy to Pine Bluff, which no longer takes AP, and Fort Smith. The Democrat-Gazette, with its statewide circulation, can make better use of a columnist. And if the subscription model works, it might even make some money on the deal.

__________________________

Related posts:

Let’s turn the table on Brummett’s comedy at Republicans’ expense

John Brummett enjoyed an evening of comedy at Republicans’ expense. Let me make two points here. First, Lorne Michaels who runs Saturday Night Live observed that it is Republicans that are better at laughing at the jokes directed to them than the Democrats. Many times Democrats get offended. Second, I laugh at all the jokes […]

Is it class warfare? Brummett says no

Take a look above at this clip. In his article “Class Warfare versus Pay it forward,” Sept 26, 2011, Arkansas News Bureau, John Brummett tries to make the case that Obama is not involved in class warefare. He quotes Elizabeth Warren to prove his point. Unfortunately, logically this argument fails because although we all benefit […]

Rick Perry says Social Security is a Ponzi scheme

Rick Perry says Social Security is a Ponzi scheme Rick Perry and Mitt Romney went after each other at the debate over this term “Ponzi scheme.” Over and over Rick Perry has said that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme and I agree with him. John Brummett asserted,”Rick Perry was last week’s savior, but then he […]

Three points where Brummett misses the boat in discussion versus Charlie Collins

Five Key Reasons to Reject Class-Warfare Tax Policy Uploaded by afq2007 on Jun 15, 2009 President Obama and other politicians are advocating higher taxes, with a particular emphasis on class-warfare taxes targeting the so-called rich. This Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation video explains why fiscal policy based on hate and envy is fundamentally misguided. […]

Brummett wrong on Capital Punishment

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Stimulus plans do not work but liberals like Brummett and Obama do not get it

John Brummett in his article, ”Will we stimulate with schools, not roads?,” Arkansas News Bureau, September 5, 2011, suggested that the Republicans have several reasons for opposing President Obama’s latest idea to stimulate the economy. However, the real reason is that none of these stimulus programs has ever worked in the past.  Many years ago Frederic Bastiat […]

Brantley and Brummett: Government needs to stimulate economy

John Brummett in his article, “More stimulus? Seriously?,” Arkansas News Review, August 29, 2011, observed: The general point, though, is simple yet profound: We are in a self-perpetuating fix of serious proportion, and when you have only one tool in the box that might work, you need to figure out how best to use it. […]

Pryor changing his views? Brummett says no!

Today in John Brummett’s article, “A Pryor offense? Surely not,” Arkansas News Bureau, August 28, 2011, noted: Meantime, another e-mailer, a Democrat in Northwest Arkansas, was highly agitated that Pryor had sounded from press reports like a doctrinaire Republican in this Rotary address, advocating cuts to Social Security and Medicare while extolling a corporate giant like […]

Potential Headlines: Beebe beats Pryor in 2014, Hillary beats Obama in 2012

It is my view that if the economy keeps stinking that Republicans will have a field day  in November of 2012. However, the same principle holds true that challengers to Democrats will be  very successful in Democratic primaries. In Arkansas many have longed for another Clinton in the White House. Could it happen? It is my […]

Brummett still resistant to vouchers because he wants us to save public schools at all cost

John Brummett in his article, “A new civil rights struggle in Little Rock?” Arkansas News Burea, August 25, 2011, asserted the main role vouchers should have is  “providing new models for regular public schools to emulate, not about replacing regular public schools.” The Heritage Foundation cares nothing about saving the public schools. If the public […]

Brummett: Republicans think Wisconsin “public employee unions are too fat”

John Brummett in his article, “Economic expansion comes to Wisconsin,” August 15, 2011, asserts: So this estimated $35 million got spent by national special interest groups on these recall campaigns, these temper tantrums. This is a big chasm; generally speaking, Republicans think public employee unions are too fat while Democrats think they are noble champions […]

Kerry and Brummett: Downgrade was Tea Party’s fault

They denied that there would be a downgrade. Then they denied it meant anything,  and now they are blaming it all on the Tea Party. The truth of the matter is that the Tea Party has been pushing for a balanced budget. So how could they have been responsible for all this overspending which is […]

 

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , | Comments (0)

New episode of Gene Simmons very enlightening

October 4, 2011 – 11:01 pm

gene simmons and shannon tweed picture1

Gene had a lot to deal with this in the opening. Gene had to commit to Shannon that he will be faithful and he did finally get around to making that verbal commitment. 30 years ago Gene should have stepped up and been faithful to Shannon or join the “he-man woman-haters club.” There is no middle ground.

 

Here is a short review:

Excuse me a moment while I flail on the floor in uproarious laughter. Call me a skeptic, but there’s just no way Gene Simmons will be able to cease his extra curricular activities; a wedding ring doesn’t make a man magically stop cheating. With their 22-year-old son Nick serving as best man and 19-year-old daughter Sophie standing as maid of honor, the KISS frontman and girlfriend of 28 years exchanged self-written vows in front of 400 guests. And yes, the wedding will be a part of the family’s reality TV show, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, airing on A&E October 18th. Image…

Related posts:

“Tip Tuesday” Advice to Gene Simmons (Part 13)

Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed Gene, 61, and Shannon, 54, have been together for 27 years and have two children, Nicholas, 22, and Sophie, 19. The ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’ hitmaker has previously made his views on marriage very clear, saying in 2007: “The problem with marriage is somebody else has a right to […]

Marriage done right:Jerry and Sally Johnson

I have known Jerry and Sally Johnson since 1983 and they are some great people. Here is an article in today’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette about them. RIGHT TIME RIGHT PLACE God, Uncle Sam in sync when plotting their future By KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE LITTLE ROCK — Jerry Johnson joined the Army hoping for a […]

Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed are now married

Some will find this next story hard to believe: Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed have tied the knot in a lavish Beverly Hills ceremony. The wacky KISS rocker and his girlfriend of 28 years, Shannon Tweed, finally said “I do” Saturday night in front of friends and family at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The happy couple – who have their […]

“Tip Tuesday” Advice to Gene Simmons (Part 12)

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Is it class warfare? Brummett says no

Take a look above at this clip. In his article “Class Warfare versus Pay it forward,” Sept 26, 2011, Arkansas News Bureau, John Brummett tries to make the case that Obama is not involved in class warefare. He quotes Elizabeth Warren to prove his point. Unfortunately, logically this argument fails because although we all benefit […]

“Tip Tuesday” Advice for Gene Simmons (Part 11) Fellowship Bible Church July 24th

Gene Simmons and his son Nick (Refer to end of post for more on Nick and Gene) 28 July 2011 Gene Simmons has proposed to long-term girlfriend Shannon Tweed. The Kiss bassist – who claims to have slept with over 2,000 women and has for a long time vowed never to marry – popped the question […]

David Barton: America’s Religious Heritage as demonstrated in Presidential Inaugurations (part 1)

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“Tip Tuesday” Advice for Gene Simmons (Part 10),

    Nick is Gene and Shannon’s son and he appears often on Gene Simmons Family Jewels show. Gene Simmons has been guilty of having affairs while on tour for years. On July 19th episode of Gene Simmons Family Jewels he told his tour manager that he was not going to the after party. Then […]

“Tip Tuesday,” Advice to Gene Simmons Part 9, Fellowship Bible Church July 24th

Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed John McArthur The Truth About Divorce, #2 (Mark 10:1-12) On the show Gene Simmons has been arguing the point that he admits that he is selfish, but he still feels he has the right to be selfish. In the conclusion of the final episode of the year on July 24th […]

Oct 1 date for Gene Simmons to get married

I thought this day would never arrive. Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed have a date to get married — finally. The KISS singer and the former Playmate have been together for 28 years and have two children. Invitations to the Oct. 1 wedding, sent out under the kids’ names, contain art by Nick, 22, and […]


									

				

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Marriage done right:Jerry and Sally Johnson

				
October 2, 2011 – 10:50 pm

				

					
I have known Jerry and Sally Johnson since 1983 and they are some great people. Here is an article in today’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette about them.


RIGHT TIME RIGHT PLACE


God, Uncle Sam in sync when plotting their future


By KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE


LITTLE ROCK — Jerry Johnson joined the Army hoping for a stint in Europe, but he was sent to Fort Sill, Okla.


“I was really disappointed because out of about 400 soldiers everyone went to Europe but nine and I was one of the nine not going,” he says. “And then the Lord showed me why I wasn’t going.”


A couple of months after arriving at Fort Sill in the spring of 1957, he went with his roommate to First Baptist Church in Lawton, Okla. Two rows in front of them sat a young lady in a big straw hat.


His roommate knew that young lady, Sally Sullivan, the church’s singles’ director and pastor’s secretary, and he introduced her to Jerry after the service.


“She’s 5-foot-10 and she had on a black sack dress and a black and white straw hat – I thought she was striking,” says Jerry, who is 6-foot-6. “But it wasn’t like love at first sight.”


Jerry began riding with his friend to church and to the activities Sally scheduled for singles.


“Every Sunday we would have 20 to 25 go to lunch and then on Tuesday night we would get together to visit prospects for the church and Wednesday nights and then Sunday nights we would have fellowships after church where we would have games and desserts and that type of thing.”


“On Saturdays, the group often did something fun, like picnicking in the mountains,” he says.


He and Sally were dating others and weren’t interested in each other then. But by December 1958, Jerry’s feelings had changed.


“I felt like I would really like to date Sally, so I prayed about it and I finally went and asked her if she would be interested in dating. We’d been very close friends and we knew a lot about each other’s families and so forth,” he says. “I felt that she’s such a wonderful young woman – beautiful inside and out – that I would be blessed to date her.”


Sally was surprised. They decided to think and pray about it over Christmas and decide when he was back from visiting his family in Knoxville, Tenn.


They had agreed they could still date other people until they made up their minds about dating each other, but his mind was only on her.


“All I did was talk about her. I was on leave and I was excited about being home, but I couldn’t think about anything else but getting back to her,” he says. “The first thing I did when I got off the bus was walk about three-quarters of a mile to her apartment. I knocked on the door and hopefully she would be glad to see me returning from my leave and it so happened that she had a date that night.”


“I was glad to see you though!” Sally interjects.


Not long after that they had their first date – a picnic in the mountains with friends from the singles group.


“We had a fun day, laughing and joking and kidding with each other,” he recalls “We really realized we were making a connection that day.”


Jerry proposed to Sally at midnight on April 16, after a party with the singles group.


“Being the gentleman I was supposed to be I thought, ‘Well, I better call her dad and ask him first,’” he says. “I called him, I think at midnight, and he said, ‘Yes, you may marry my daughter,’ and I think he never quite forgave me for calling him and waking him up.”


They were married in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church in Lawton on Aug. 28, 1959, before more than 600 guests.


Jerry worked for a while in management at J.C. Penney, but in 1968, he felt called to the ministry. He and Sally worked side by side on the staff at First Baptist in Lawton for eight years. In 1976, they moved to Little Rock, where he became family life minister and youth pastor at First Baptist Church. He developed the recreation program at the church and led the charge to build the family wellness and recreation center there.


The Johnsons have three children, Christie Erwin and Brad Johnson, both of Little Rock, and Jerry Johnson of Rancho Mirage, Calif. They have 15 grandchildren.


Jerry’s disappointment about not being sent to Europe quickly faded after Sally agreed to date him. Years later, he got the chance to lead several mission trips and conference tours to Europe and elsewhere in the world – and Sally got to go with him.


“It was,” he says, “just a blessing delayed.”


After our first date:


She says: “I was convinced that the Lord was in this and that we needed to pursue it and I was very hopeful that it was going to be the right thing.” He says: “I saw the way we interacted in a different realm than we had been that the Lord was working it out that we were going to become a couple.”


The first time I met my future in-laws:


She says: “I was very impressed with their humility and with their love for Jerry. He was their only child and I was one of nine.” He says: “They were just down-to-earth people. They had grown up with not a lot materially, but I was impressed with their family togetherness. And being an only child I was also a little shocked by the number of people.”


On our wedding day:


She says: I was nervous, excited … I’m excited now, just thinking about it. I knew that he was the one and I was just so so happy that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives.” He says: “I felt so blessed to be facing that day and knowing what God had provided for me.”If you have an interesting how-we-met story or know someone who does, please call (501) 378-3496 or e-mail:


cjenkins@arkansasonline.com


This article was published today at 3:12 a.m.


___________________


I have been doing a series on advice to Gene Simmons concerning his marriage and here are some links to those posts:




Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed are now married





Some will find this next story hard to believe: Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed have tied the knot in a lavish Beverly Hills ceremony. The wacky KISS rocker and his girlfriend of 28 years, Shannon Tweed, finally said “I do” Saturday night in front of friends and family at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The happy couple – who have their […]









“Tip Tuesday” Advice to Gene Simmons (Part 12)





Gene, 61, and Shannon, 54, have been together for 27 years and have two children, Nicholas, 22, and Sophie, 19. The ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’ hitmaker has previously made his views on marriage very clear, saying in 2007: “I don’t believe man is designed to be married. Marriage means nothing to me. Happiness means […]









“Tip Tuesday” Advice for Gene Simmons (Part 11) Fellowship Bible Church July 24th





Gene Simmons and his son Nick (Refer to end of post for more on Nick and Gene) 28 July 2011 Gene Simmons has proposed to long-term girlfriend Shannon Tweed. The Kiss bassist – who claims to have slept with over 2,000 women and has for a long time vowed never to marry – popped the question […]









“Tip Tuesday” Advice for Gene Simmons (Part 10),





    Nick is Gene and Shannon’s son and he appears often on Gene Simmons Family Jewels show. Gene Simmons has been guilty of having affairs while on tour for years. On July 19th episode of Gene Simmons Family Jewels he told his tour manager that he was not going to the after party. Then […]









“Tip Tuesday,” Advice to Gene Simmons Part 9, Fellowship Bible Church July 24th





Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed John McArthur The Truth About Divorce, #2 (Mark 10:1-12) On the show Gene Simmons has been arguing the point that he admits that he is selfish, but he still feels he has the right to be selfish. In the conclusion of the final episode of the year on July 24th […]









Oct 1 date for Gene Simmons to get married





I thought this day would never arrive. Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed have a date to get married — finally. The KISS singer and the former Playmate have been together for 28 years and have two children. Invitations to the Oct. 1 wedding, sent out under the kids’ names, contain art by Nick, 22, and […]









Advice to Gene Simmons Part 8, (“Tip Tuesday” Part D)





Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed The series I have been doing on “Advice to Gene Simmons” that I am starting what I am calling “Tip Tuesday.” For the next few months we will be looking at the Simmons family. In the July 19th episode  Nick said to his father “You were a great father but […]









Advice to Gene Simmons Part 7, (“Tip Tuesday Part C)jh17a





__________________________________ Gene Simmons Family Jewels The series I have been doing on “Advice to Gene Simmons” that I am starting what I am calling “Tip Tuesday.” For the next few months we will be looking at the Simmons family. In the July 19th episode  Nick said to his father “You were a great father but […]









Advice to Gene Simmons Part 6, (“Tip Tuesday” Part B)jh16a





Gene Simmons Family Jewels, Shannon Tweed, 54 yrs old, has been with Gene Simmons 27 years and raised two children with him. The series I have been doing on “Advice to Gene Simmons” that I am starting what I am calling “Tip Tuesday.” For the next few months we will be looking at the Simmons […]









Advice to Gene Simmons Part 5, (“Tip Tuesday” Part A) jh15a





Gene Simmons Family Jewels Adrian Rogers – [2/3] How to Cultivate a Marriage The series I have been doing on “Advice to Gene Simmons” that I am starting what I am calling “Tip Tuesday.” For the next few months we will be looking at the Simmons family. On July 19th on Gene Simmons Jewels, in a […]






									

				

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Mike Beebe’s future looking bright?

				
September 27, 2011 – 10:58 am

				

					

Red Arkansas blog quoted one of my favorite movies. Take a look at the quote above and below is a portion of their recent post. It doesn’t look like Beebe’s future is looking too bright.


Dem-Gaz Layeth The Smackdown Upon Mike Beebe




September 23, 2011


By 






Can anyone recall a time when Governor Mike Beebe was so thoroughly rebuked by the state’s newspaper of record?


Sadly, we missed this bit of stuff by failing to take a look at the opinion section of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette yesterday.


Our bad.


The written smackdown finishes strong:


HERE’S THE question that has been fascinating us of late: What th’ heck has happened to the Mike Beebe we used to know and trust? How is it that a governor who did such a good job his first term now finds himself trying to explain away one embarrassment after another?


We’ve been pondering that mystery in light of the Guv’s indulgence of these double-dippers on the state payroll…Why can’t Mike Beebe see the innate contradiction (quite aside from the double expense to the taxpayers) of rehiring the supposedly retired? What’s happened to Mike Beebe? Whatever it is, it ain’t good. Not for him and not for Arkansas.


Governor (and former attorney general!) Beebe used to be so cautious, such a stickler for the law, and so sensitive to public opinion. What’s this new Mike Beebe lacking? The best answer we’ve been able to come up with as of now is: a sense of irony.


Ouch!


If this is not a case for Arkansas Republicans to take over the General Assembly and be a check and balance to Mr. Beebe, then we don’t know what is.


We believe this conversation may have happened in Mr. Beebe’s office:


Beebe Staffer 1: The reason they’s pullin’ our pants down.

Beebe Staffer 2: Gonna paddle our little behind.

Beebe Staffer 1: Ain’t gonna paddle it – gonna kick it, real hard.

Beebe Staffer 2: No, I believe they’s gonna paddle it.

Beebe Staffer 1: I don’t believe that’s a proper characterization.

Beebe Staffer 2: Well, that’s how I’d characterize it.

Beebe Staffer 1: I believe it’s more of a kickin’ sitcheyation.



									

				

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Why no further updates available on investigation of Dexter Williams’ death?

				
September 21, 2011 – 12:22 pm

				

					
I have been asked and I don’t have an answer for why there has been no updates whatsoever since September 9th on the investigation concerning Dexter Williams death.


KATV had a story dated Sept 9th and updated the 15th.


Here is the last story from KTHV channel 11:






Dexter Williams (Photo from family)






LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – An attorney for an Arkansas meteorologist says his client has resigned.


Little Rock-based lawyer Mark Hampton says TV weatherman Brett Cummins resigned from his job with KARK on Friday.


The TV station’s general manager, Mike Vaughn, confirmed that Cummins no longer worked at the station, but he would not say whether he resigned.


Both Hampton and Vaughn declined to comment further. The TV station has removed Cummins’ biography and photo from its website.


Authorities say Cummins and the body of 24-year-old Dexter Williams were found in a jacuzzi at a Maumelle home on Monday.


Cummins has not been charged in the incident and his attorney says he is innocent.


(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.


Related posts: 




Paul Dexter Williams died from asphyxiation police said





The Democrat-Gazette reported this morning: Man in Maumelle tub asphyxiated, police say By Sean Beherec LITTLE ROCK — The state Crime Laboratory determined a 24-year-old man found dead in a bathtub with a Little Rock meteorologist in a Maumelle home died from asphyxiation, police said Thursday. The manner of death of Paul Dexter Williams of […]









Should recent events in Little Rock be reason to blog about the dangers of drug use? (jh18c)





I welcome the input from those that read my blog. Recently I received some criticism from readers and Jordan is probably more of the most vocal. He wrote today, “I hardly see a ‘tragic’ death as you call it, a morally sound reason to throw in people’s faces what drugs do to people…You know as […]









KARK answers question: Is Brett Cummins story censored?





In today’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Linda Caillouet wrote: LITTLE ROCK — When news broke of the death of Dexter Williams over the Labor Day weekend at a Maumelle home visited by then-KARK meteorologist Brett Cummins, most local news media reported details from the police report. This newspaper, KATV and KTHV reported that police said the body of […]









Little Rock story about Brett Cummins reported by CNN and Fox nationally





What started out on Sunday night September 4 as a local story now has grabbed national attention through both CNN and Fox News. Brett Cummins, 33, is seen in a photo on the website of Little Rock station KARK-TV. Cummins works as a meteorologist for the station. Police Probe Death of Arkansas Man Found in […]









Brett Cummins resigns





KATV reported: Ark. weatherman quits after found with body in tub Posted: Sep 09, 2011 5:45 PM CDTUpdated: Sep 09, 2011 6:00 PM CDT By JEANNIE NUSS Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – An attorney for an Arkansas meteorologist who was found in a hot tub with a dead body earlier this week says his client […]









Why won’t KARK cover Brett Cummins story better?





I have mentioned before that I thought it was sad that KARK ignored the fact that Brett Cummins was snorting coke with the young man, Dexter Williams, on Sunday night and that Williams died as a result. Now at least the other stations in the Little Rock Market have been covering the story. Rival Stations […]









Brett Cummins should turn over the name of his drug dealer!!!!





KARK’s website includes these words: Thursday afternoon, Brett Cummins released the following statement to CNN through his attorney: Brett Cummins is devastated by the tragic death of his friend Dexter Williams and extends his sincere condolences to Dexter’s family. They remain foremost in his thoughts and prayers. Mr. Cummins deeply regrets the grief this incident […]









Attorney: Ark. weatherman innocent in Maumelle death of Dexter Williams





Today’s THV channel 11 in Little Rock reported: MAUMELLE, Ark. (AP) – An attorney for a local meteorologist says no foul play was involved in the death of a 24-year-old Mountain Pine man. Little Rock-based lawyer Mark Hampton said Thursday that KARK meteorologist Brett Cummins is innocent. Authorities say Cummins and the body of 24-year-old […]









Ron “Pigpen” McKernan of the Grateful Dead didn’t survive but Barry McGuire did (jh17c)





Drugs and alcohol have always been a pitfall that many of the wealthy fall into. We see rock bands that become famous have lots of temptations thrown their way and many fall into these traps. Ron “Pigpen” McKernan and Barry McGuire fell into these traps. One joined the “27 Club” and the other left the […]









Dave Hope and Kerry Livgren of Kansas: Their story of deliverance from drugs jh16c





The recent events in Little Rock concerning KARK TV’s top weatherman Brett Cummins and his experience of drinking alcohol and snorting coke has left a lot of people asking questions. Since the evening ended in the tragic death of one of Brett’s friends, Dexter Williams, many questions have centered on the use of illegal drugs. […]









Pictures of Dexter Williams





These are some pictures of Dexter Williams. Unfortunately his life was cut short  while drinking and snorting coke with KARK weatherman Brett Cummins. (Cummins has resigned as of Friday.) Dexter Williams (Photo from family) Dexter Paul Williams (facebook photo) Related posts: Should recent events in Little Rock be reason to blog about the dangers of […]






									

				

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Lloyd Carr speaks to Little Rock Touchdown Club

				
September 20, 2011 – 10:14 am

				

					

Yesterday I got to hear Lloyd Carr speak to the Little Rock Touchdown Club. Below is how the Arkansas Democrat Gazette covered it.




LITTLE ROCK — Lloyd Carr coached Tom Brady at the beginning of his 13-year tenure as Michigan’s head coach and Ryan Mallett at the end.


Now, Brady and Mallett are New England Patriots quarterbacks — Brady, the NFL superstar who has three Super Bowl rings, and Mallett, the rookie backup.


Carr spoke fondly of both quarterback during Monday’s Little Rock Touchdown Club luncheon at the Embassy Suites hotel.


“If I knew Ryan was going to leave Michigan, I wouldn’t have retired,” Carr, 66, said jokingly as he stepped in front of the audience, which included Mallett’s parents, Jim and Debbie. “I remember working very hard to recruit Ryan. I know our assistant coach Scott Loeffler must have made about 30 trips to Texarkana to see him and he was exactly what we needed to be a championship team at Michigan.”



Mallett played one season at Michigan before transferring to Arkansas after Rich Rodriguez replaced Carr, but Mallett left his mark as a true freshman, throwing for 892 yards with 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions while seeing action in 11 games, including a 3-0 record as a starter in relief of an injured Chad Henne.


Carr talked about how Mallett took over after Michigan opened 2007 with a 34-32 loss to Appalachian State and a 39-7 loss to Oregon, during which Henne was injured.


“So the next week [against Notre Dame], we were starting a freshman in Ryan Mallett and he played well in a 38-0 victory,” Carr said. “A week later vs. Penn State, he made two or three plays to help us win the game.”



Carr said he is glad to see Mallett at New England, because he said he knows Mallett won’t have to be rushed into the lineup. “He’ll be everything that the Patriots need,” Carr said. Brady played behind Brian Griese— who led the Wolverines to the 1997 national championship — and had to split time with Drew Henson his last two years before becoming a sixth-round draft pick in the 2000 NFL draft.


Brady became New England’s starter when Drew Bledsoe was injured in the 2001 season.


“When Tom was a sophomore, he thought about transferring so I told him to talk to his dad and come back and see me tomorrow. When he came back, I thought he was going to leave, but he told me he was going to stay and prove he is a good quarterback,” Carr said. “He proved when you make up your mind, you can do a lot of good things.”


Brady led the Wolverines to a 45-31 victory over Arkansas in the 1999 Citrus Bowl.


This article was published today at 4:44 a.m.Sports, Pages 19 on 09/20/2011




									

				

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Bobby Bowden at Little Rock Touchdown Club (Part 2)jh25

				
September 13, 2011 – 7:03 am

				

					


I went to the Little Rock Touchdown Club and heard Bobby Bowden of Florida State speak. It was outstanding. Here is an article below on his visit from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette:




LITTLE ROCK — Former Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden is familiar with pressure brought on by high expectations.


Two years ago, after the Seminoles finished the season 7-6, Bowden, 81, wanted to coach one more season. But he was not given that opportunity.


Florida State President T.K. Wetherell asked him to step aside as coach and stay with the team in the diminished role of university ambassador — which would have given him little input on the day-to-day operations of the football team.


Bowden declined. He announced his retirement, and Jimbo Fisher, who had been appointed as the school’s coachin-waiting two years earlier, was given the head-coaching position for the 2010 season.


“That’s just the way it is now,” Bowden told members of the media after speaking to the Little Rock Touchdown Club at the Peabody Hotel in Little Rock on Monday. “I had wanted to coach one more year and try and get to 400 wins.”


Bowden retired with a career record of 377-129-4 after the NCAA forced Florida State to vacate 12 victories from the 2006-2007 seasons for academic problems with his former players.


“They are paying the head coach so much money now that they demand you to win,” Bowden said. “The thing is, head coaches make so much money now that you can retire. There aren’t going to be a lot of coaches who last as long as Joe [Paterno] and I did.”


Paterno has coached 46 years at Penn State with a 402-136-3 record.


Bowden said he made approximately $40,000 per year when he was hired at Florida State in 1976; he was making $2.5 million when he retired two years ago.


His Florida State team won 10 or more games from 1987-2000, never finished lower than fourth in the final AP poll, and won national championships in 1993 and 1999.


But during his last five seasons as coach, the Seminoles went 38-27 and only won 1 ACC championship.


“Those last few years, we didn’t do a good job evaluating players like we once did,” Bowden said. “We would see a kid we wanted, and he wasn’t as good as advertised.”


Failing to live up to expectations also cost Bowden’s sons, Terry and Tommy, their coaching jobs.


Terry Bowden posted a 47-17-1 record from 1993-1998 at Auburn, but he stepped down in 1998 with the Tigers at 1-5 and his job security up in the air.


Tommy Bowden went 72-45 at Clemson from 1999-2008, but resigned when the Tigers started the season 3-3 after being ranked ninth in the preseason Associated Press poll in 2008.


Terry Bowden is now coaching at NCAA Division II North Alabama, while Tommy Bowden is out of coaching.


Bobby Bowden still cares about Florida State football, despite not being able to retire on his own terms. The Seminoles, 2-0 and ranked fifth in this week’s AP poll, host No. 1 Oklahoma Saturday night.


Bowden also acknowledged many of other changes in college coaching, but he remains a traditionalist:


Bowden does not approve of conference realignment, but said it is inevitable.


“Texas A&M is going to leave the Big 12, and if a bunch of schools from the Big 12 leave, then it’s going to change everything,” Bowden said.


On the lack of a playoff in college football: “I don’t think we’ll have a playoff, and it won’t happen because the presidents don’t want it.”


On the coach-in-waiting concept that Florida State, Texas, Maryland and Oregon have used with mixed results: “I think it’s good for the coach-in-waiting,” Bowden said, acknowledging that the coach-in-waiting usually gets promoted or a pay raise if the school doesn’t promote him by a certain date. “The president and athletic council came up with it, and I went along with it because I was at the end of my career.”


On the value a good college football team brings to a university: “When I first came to Florida State in 1976, when I would go recruiting, the president would say, ‘When you go to Tampa, please visit this girl because she’s a straight-A student and we want her,’” Bowden said. “Four years later, we went undefeated, played in our first major bowl game and were on national television. We would take about 2,500 students every year, but were getting 5,000-6,000 applicants because a successful football team attracts students.”


This article was published today at 4:28 a.m.Sports, Pages 19 on 09/13/2011




Sports 19




Former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden

									

				

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KARK answers question: Is Brett Cummins story censored?

				
September 11, 2011 – 9:26 am

				

					
In today’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Linda Caillouet wrote:


LITTLE ROCK — When news broke of the death of Dexter Williams over the Labor Day weekend at a Maumelle home visited by then-KARK meteorologist Brett Cummins, most local news media reported details from the police report.


This newspaper, KATV and KTHV reported that police said the body of Williams, a guest with Cummins at Christopher Barbour’s home, was found in a bathroom hot tub with no water Monday morning. Williams was wearing a silver chain “consistent” with a dog collar, the police report said. Police said Barbour found Cummins, 33, asleep in the tub next to the body.


Stories by KTHV and this newspaper said Barbour told police that Cummins and Williams arrived Sunday night and, the police report said, “they then began to drink and use illegal narcotics.”


No charges were filed and no foul play is suspected, but the investigation is ongoing.


How did KARK report it?


“Maumelle Police are investigating a holiday weekend death. It happened early Monday morning at a home at 16 Village Way.


“Police say 24-year-old Dexter Williams was found dead in a hot tub. Police are investigating whether drugs and alcohol played a role.


As of right now, no criminal charges have been filed.


“Our Meteorologist Brett Cummins was at the home at the time of the death and we felt we should share this with our viewers.


“Brett will not be on the air as he is mourning the loss of his friend.


Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of Dexter Williams.”


Quite a different picture than that painted elsewhere, leaving viewers to wonder what was happening before Williams’ death. A holiday barbecue, football-watching party, family reunion?


“Why the sketchy report?” I asked KARK news director Rob Heverling.


“I’m very limited in what I can say. As far as Brett is concerned, this is a personnel matter. We must follow our companyNexstar’s policy,” he said.


“But we felt like it was important to, at the very least, acknowledge that Brett is an employee of ours. It is a story. We know it is a story. And it was important for us to at least cover the story.”


“But did you cover the story?” I asked Heverling.


“Because of our policy, this is all we can say,” he replied after a long pause.


“That is the only way I can answer that question.”


On Friday, Cummins’ attorney told The Associated Press that his client resigned from KARK. Contact Linda Caillouet at (501) 399-3636 or at lcaillouet @arkansasonline.com.

									

				

					By Everette Hatcher III
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President Obama and Jimmy Hoffa together again

				
September 10, 2011 – 12:49 am

				

					
This is an interesting story:


Union Label: “Let’s Take These Son Of Bitches Out”




September 6, 2011


By 






The Red Arkansas Blog enjoyed our brief respite culminating with the Labor Day holiday where we fondly remembered the days when our elementary school teachers devoted class time to a picture-drawing and letter-writing campaign to members of the local school board and administration as our teachers prepared to go on strike.


After all, using kids to further a political agenda instead of, you know, actually teaching them is a hallmark of teacher’s unions everywhere, and it is among the pantheon of things we celebrate every three-day weekend we get in September.


So it was no surprise to read about elected officials and would-be politicians of the Democratic Party of Arkansasmade sure to pander to the union label at events across Arkansas so that they may one day receive the largesse of organizations like the AFL-CIO, which spent millions of dollars of workers’ dues in Arkansas in 2010 supporting liberal politicians like Bill Halter and Joyce Elliott who, by the way, were unsuccessful.


In fact, in an article appearing in this morning’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Ms. Elliott did not equivocate as she declared before a pro-union picnic at the Governor’s Mansion that she was “labor to the core.”


One further wonders is the lefty blogosphere will call out these Democrats in much the same way they called out Secretary of State Mark Martin for letting his staff attend Tea Party functions.


Probably not.


One wonders how Gov. Mike Beebe got on with the labor bosses (if he was even there) since he has expressed concern that the current National Labor Relations Board lawsuit against Boeing Corp. for building a plant (that Arkansas tried to land) in the right-to-work state of South Carolinacould be “detrimental to Arkansas’ economic development efforts.”


Of course, this is the same NLRB action that Attorney General Dustin McDaniel refused to stand against, choosing not to join 16 other states in a legal challenge to the lawsuit and earning admirationfrom the Arkansas head of the AFL-CIO. (Mr. McDaniel was not in Little Rock. He was, instead, at a steel worker event in Texarkana in Rep. Mike Ross’ Fourth Congressional District. Coincidence?)


This is the same AFL-CIO that envisions a day when the NLRB suit against Boeing Corp. “ought to apply across the board to businesses.”


One must wonder which side Mr. McDaniel would take if the NLRB were to sue in a case involving Arkansas? The Republican Party of Arkansas wonders the same thing:


“If our own Attorney General does not fight this blatant assault on private industry, then what will he do if the NLRB comes down on an industry looking to locate in Arkansas because of our right-to-work law?”


Which leads us to the Mother of all Union Rallies attended by President Barack Obama and his opening act, Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa:



That deafening silence is the looney left and their press corps enablers NOT criticizing these remarks.


So much for that “new tone.”


PARTING SHOT:


We noted in the ADG article that:


“Phynaus Wilson of North Little Rock, a Democrat who worked as an aide to former U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, used the event as a forum to announce his candidacy for Senate District 34.”


I guess the DPA doesn’t think highly of state Rep. Barry Hyde’s chances against state Rep. Jane English.



									

				

					By Everette Hatcher III
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