On fire
The Observer was sitting at his desk on Monday after a long, long weekend of traveling the roads and back roads of Arkansas in pursuit of a story for you, Beloved Reader, when the fire alarm went off:...
View ArticleOutraged
John Wesley Hall noticed the slogan displayed on The Hatcher Agency building in downtown Little Rock: "The Home of Outrageous Service." Hall writes: "Crimes are outrageous. Things the government does...
View ArticleGazing into the crystal ball: Hogs over 'Dogs, Tigers
The final one-third of this year's Razorback schedule isn't quite the thorny gauntlet that Part II represented. In fact, after what we suspect will be a customary dispatching at Alabama on Oct. 19,...
View ArticleCalle Soul at Juanita's
Also, Iris DeMent at South on Main.FRIDAY 8/23Salsa dancers of all levels are welcome at Juanita's, where Salsa Little Rock brings in renowned Fayetteville ensemble Calle Soul. There's a lesson from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Single rich female seeking happiness
Woody Allen fills 'Blue Jasmine' with types, not fleshed-out characters. by Mike PowellYou know who's really easy to pick on? Rich people. In a post-Bernie Madoff, post-financial crisis culture more...
View ArticleClik here to view.
NRA creates secret national gun registry
You can understand why this particular story might interest me.From Buzz Feed: The National Rifle Association has rallied gun owners — and raised tens of millions of dollars — campaigning against the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Meet Legislator X: John Burris
I wrote this morning about one of many interesting campaign finance reports on file at the secretary of state's office. I hoped to encourage some bipartisan agreement that the practice illustrated...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mature Arkansas to end publication
Arkansas Times Publisher Alan Leveritt announced this afternoon that Mature Arkansas, a monthly publication which began in November 2011, will cease publication after the September issue. Leveritt in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mark Darr used campaign money to buy Razorback tickets
Blue Hog Report continues his examination of Lt. Gov. Mark Darr's campaign financial expenditures.When last we visited, Blue Hog had totted up a lot of unusual Darr expenditures -- gas, dining,...
View ArticleThe midweek line
The Wednesday night line is now open. Final words: * TOO MUCH ACCOUNTABILITY: Benji Hardy at Legislative Digest continues his sharp observation of nuts-and-bolts legislating. He writes about a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Federal regulators don't want you to see Pegasus pipeline's spill plan
PHMSA has released ExxonMobil's spill response plan for the ruptured Pegasus pipeline — but most of the crucial elements have been completely redacted. by Naveena SadasivamFederal regulators have...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Obama rolls out college aid plan with Arkansas impact
President Obama is rolling out a big plan today intended to make colleges more accountable and affordable. His plan includes college ratings to which financial assistance may be tied. Here's the New...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Friday To-Do: Kevin Seconds, Kepi Ghoulie
KEVIN SECONDS, KEPI GHOULIE9 p.m. Low Key Arts. $5.With his band 7 Seconds, Sacramento native Kevin Seconds was one of the pioneers of melodic hardcore back in the early '80s. If you're an old punker,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Friday: Calle Soul, Big Dam Horns, Rwake and more
Salsa dancers of all levels are welcome at Juanita's, where Salsa Little Rock brings in renowned Fayetteville ensemble Calle Soul. There's a lesson from 9-10 p.m., and after that, things kick into high...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Friday: American Aquarium at Revolution
The ceaselessly touring troubadours in American Aquarium return to Little Rock Friday for a show at Revolution, with Conway rabble-rousers Swampbird opening up, 9:30 p.m., $10.[ Subscribe to the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sensual Southern-made chocolate from Olive & Sinclair
There are few foods in this world—in their pure, unadulterated form—more luxurious than chocolate. Oh chocolate…that ancient indulgence, wooing women for ages, brightening lives, enriching holidays for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lilly Ledbetter in Little Rock today; Democrats use her in push for equity...
Lilly Ledbetter, namesake of the Fair Pay Act of 2009 for her pivotal role in exposing bias against women, will be in Little Rock today to speak in the Rabbi Ira Sanders Lecture series at 6:30 p.m....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Bryant private school arms staff
Channel 4 reports on the Arkansas Christian Academy in Bryant, which has announced that anywhere from 1 to 7 of its staff members are armed every day at the school, affiliated with the Family Church....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Stephens Media in Las Vegas newspaper lawsuit
Stephens Media, the newspaper chain controlled by the Little Rock-based Stephens financial empire, is now in a court fight over a deal it has put together to end a newspapwer joint operating agreement...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mark Pryor calls for restoration of the Voting Rights Act
U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor's campaign has circulated an e-mail to gather support for restoration of the Voting Rights Act, gutted recently by the U.S. Supreme Court. A handful of Republicans support...
View Article