Monticello Live

Over the past several years, consumers have grown increasingly aware that their behavior affects the environment. People are building homes, office buildings, and schools with materials and techniques that lessen the negative impact on the environment. We see more hybrid cars every day, and alternative energy sources are becoming an increasingly viable means of powering our homes, offices, appliances, and vehicles.

Along with improving energy efficiency and contributing to environmental conservation, innovations in green technology have a more direct and tangible benefit for our State. Green technology creates new jobs. Earlier this week, I participated in a job announcement that does just that. ElectroCraft of Searcy, which manufactures electric motors for heaters, air conditioners, refrigerators, and military vehicles, has joined forces with SN Tech, a Korean company. Together, they will begin creating a new, “greener” motor that costs less to produce, lasts longer, and is more energy-efficient than those used previously. (more…)

On July 17, Arkansas lost a true American hero. As a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army, serving in Vietnam in 1968, Nick Bacon displayed unselfish bravery and heroism in the face of intense enemy fire, even while wounded. His leadership of his platoon during that dangerous battle was so remarkable that he was honored with the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration this Nation bestows for acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. I was fortunate to know Nick Bacon well and to work with him often after he returned to his native Arkansas. (more…)

It has been a month since a flash flood claimed 20 lives at the Albert Pike Recreation Area in the Ouachita National Forest. In the weeks since the tragedy, my staff and I have visited with families of the men, women and children who died that morning. Along with sharing their grief, these families had stories of inspiration and appreciation that they asked me to pass along. I want to recount some of them with you today. (more…)

Governor Mike Beebe has announced his intent to grant eight pardons. An additional 18 clemency requests were denied and 21 had no action taken upon them. These include requests from both inmates and non-inmates.

The eight applicants intended for pardons have completed all jail time, fulfilled all parole-and-probationary requirements and paid all fines related to their sentences. There is a 30-day waiting period to receive public feedback on the pardons before final action is taken.

Include in this group,Governor Beebe intends to grant a pardon to Shawn Wylie, Sr. (Monticello): Delivery of Marijuana

This notice is issued based on the date of conviction (1998 – Drew County), the fact that all terms of the applicant’s sentence have been completed and there have been no further criminal-law violations. There are no law-enforcement objections to the application.

While we have just passed the halfway mark for the year 2010, in the world of state government, it is the beginning of a new year. The state budget runs on a fiscal calendar that begins July 1st and runs through June 30th. As we begin this new fiscal year, I am pleased to report that our conservative budgeting and cautious spending have put Arkansas in an advantageous position. (more…)

Too many times in recent years, I have seen the physical damage and personal havoc that natural disasters can wreak on communities. Rebuilding can be a long and arduous process, one that requires patience, teamwork, and resilience in the face of rubble and ruins. However, with time and perseverance, we begin to see the results of that recovery.

We all remember three years ago, when a powerful tornado ravaged the City of Dumas. In the aftermath, dozens of people were injured, homes were splintered, and the city’s center of commerce was the scene of nearly total destruction, putting more than 650 people out of work. (more…)

Last week, I had the distinct privilege of spending an evening with American heroes. Sixty-eight years after defending the USS Yorktown at the Battle of Midway until it sank under Japanese fire, survivors of the battle and their families assembled in Little Rock for their annual reunion. These U.S. Navy veterans come together every year to continue their long history of friendship forged in battle, a friendship that began with their brave service to our country. (more…)

Our corrections system is one of the three biggest obligations of state government, along with education and human services. We work to protect public safety while punishing those who have broken the law and by putting them on the path to becoming productive members of society after they’ve done their time.

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Last week, I was honored to address the first graduates of Helena-West Helena’s KIPP Delta Collegiate High School. Made up of 82 schools nationwide, KIPP is a network of free, college-preparatory public institutions. The system has a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. KIPP, which stands for Knowledge Is Power Program, puts learning first, and its students are motivated to soak up all the wisdom and information they can. The results are stunning: Every member of KIPP Delta’s class of 2010, once counted among the highest-risk youth in Arkansas, will attend college this fall. (more…)

Building a workforce that can attract higher-paying jobs to Arkansas will require more education and training for our students. The Arkansas Works Initiative has been in action since 2008, making our State more competitive by coordinating education, training, and economic development in Arkansas communities. Today, we are launching another new component of that Initiative.

The ACT Summer Remediation and Preparation Program will target 700 students in 21 counties in an effort to improve their ACT scores and to reduce college remediation. Every year, Arkansas spends $65 million to remediate students who are admitted to college but who lack basic academic skills.

The Department of Career Education has partnered with the Arkansas Department of Workf (more…)

Recently, violent storms tore through Arkansas. Tornadoes and flooding rains damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, demolished the community of Scotland, and took the lives of three Arkansans while injuring many others. (more…)

Education is a lifelong endeavor that begins at birth and extends throughout our lives. Arkansas has made a significant investment in pre-kindergarten education to ensure that our children receive a good start in school. That investment has made Arkansas a national leader in early childhood education.

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Governor Mike Beebe attended a local fundraising event and reception, held in his honor, Wednesday evening, at the home of Drs. Tim and Sylvia Simon.

Many local business and community leaders were present to hear the governor briefly address a couple of topics of local interest, and complimenting UAM and it’s chancellor, Dr. Jack Lassiter.

Governor Mike Beebe is again searching for leaders from the Delta region to participate in the Delta Leadership Institute (DLI). The DLI brings together community leaders from across the Delta to work together to provide solutions to the challenges that confront the region. This year-long program is sponsored by the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) in partnership with the University of Alabama’s College of Continuing Studies. (more…)

We recently received some great employment news as Verizon Wireless announced a major expansion in the State, preserving far more Arkansas jobs than they had anticipated when they purchased Alltel Corporation in January, 2009.

At that time, the company predicted that its Arkansas workforce, which numbered about 3,000 employees statewide, would be reduced to 800. This latest announcement indicates that the company plans to maintain approximately 2,500 employees in Arkansas and invest $30 million in upgrades and construction on its Little Rock campus. (more…)

Our servicemen and women deployed in war zones are often deeply affected emotionally and psychologically by their experiences. While these after effects are common, they are not always easily detected when military personnel return from overseas. Too often, when soldiers come home, they internalize their feelings about their combat experiences and avoid discussing them as they try to readjust to civilian and family life. Many avoid asking for help from anyone. (more…)

A few weeks ago, Saint Jean Industries, a French auto parts manufacturer, announced that it will invest $14 million to expand its plant in Heber Springs. This will lead to an estimated 250 new jobs – no small feat in today’s economy. This expansion is good news for Heber Springs, good news for Arkansas, and good news for the company and its employees. It is also an example of strong, face-to-face relationships that continue to bring foreign investment to our State. (more…)

State legislators will not receive any raises in salary next fiscal year, under spending recommendations approved by the Joint Budget Committee. (more…)

We strive to make every educational opportunity accessible to all of Arkansas’s students, but those efforts will ultimately fall short if our students lack the passion and drive to succeed. While we want our students to achieve, we also want them to find success in fields that inspire them and lead to satisfying careers. (more…)

Martin Luther King, Jr. lived only 39 years, but his message of equality, social justice and non-violence has built a legacy that endures more than four decades after his death.

The struggle we face today in carrying out Dr. King’s dream is not only fighting traditional prejudices and biases, but also showing a younger generation of Americans how to realize their own dreams in troubled times. (more…)

This week, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education unveiled the Universal Scholarship Application. This simple, Web-based resource provides current and aspiring college students with a single application that will help them calculate how much State assistance they may qualify for in financial aid. (more…)

This week, Arkansas celebrated welcome economic-development news in three different communities. First, Hewlett-Packard opened its brand-new, multi-million facility in Conway. The company currently employs approximately 400 people and plans to continue hiring until eventually employing a staff of 1,200. (more…)

Last weekend, Arkansas lost a rare and unique individual. Joseph K. Mahony II was one of those people who needed only one name. When you said “Jodie” in certain circles anywhere in Arkansas, or across the South, everyone knew exactly who you meant. That’s because Jodie spent his life making his name synonymous with righteous causes: education, justice, and speaking up for people who didn’t have a voice to speak for themselves. (more…)

Most Americans aspire to own their own homes, and it has long been a component of the American Dream. Home ownership serves as an engine of social mobility and the pathway to prosperity. It is a family’s quickest and surest path to self-sufficiency, stability, and security. Today, nearly 70 percent of all Americans are home owners. (more…)

I know from my own life’s experience that the opportunity for success begins with a good education. In this day and age, it is essential to have a postsecondary degree and training if you want to find a fulfilling and long-lasting career. Last year, we established the Arkansas Works Initiative, a call to communities across Arkansas to band together and coordinate efforts to make their hometowns more appealing to new businesses. We’re now taking the next step as a State, making sure that people can get the education and training they need to build a stronger Arkansas workforce.

It’s called the College and Career Planning System. By visiting your local Workforce Development Center, you can sign up for an online clearinghouse of information focused on Arkansans seeking jobs and employers seeking new hires. If you are unemployed or want a job that better provides for you and your family, you can learn what steps to take to lead you toward a career that best suits your talents and abilities. (more…)

The beginning of the school year is an exciting time, but it’s also a time when we need to take extra measures to keep our children – and ourselves – healthy. The 2009 H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, is considered by many health officials to be a serious threat, and no one can predict with certainty how grave it may become in coming months. (more…)

Johnny Hooks, of Monticello, has been reappointed to serve on the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority Board, by Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe. 

The appointment will expire January 14, 2012.

 Governor Mike Beebe released $2 million from the state’s General Improvement Fund Monday morning to help the University of Arkansas at Monticello construct a new wing to the school’s forest resources complex.
            The formal announcement was made at a ceremony in the John F. Gibson University Center. The $2 million released by Governor Beebe will be added to a $1.7 million appropriation made by the General Assembly during the 2007 legislative session and a $1 million private gift from Mrs. Maxine Clippert of Camden, bringing the total to $4.7 million.
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