Michael Wickline
Recent Stories by Michael Wickline
Shoffner let out of jail; filing cites a bribe Saturday
posted: 05/21/2013 12:44 a.m. Comments 8
State Treasurer Martha Ann Shoffner made her first appearance in federal court Monday in Little Rock, two days after an FBI informant secretly recorded her taking $6,000 cash hidden in a pie box in return for the lucrative state business she directed his way, a criminal complaint says.
Beebe says he has no dog in ’14 hunt; aide backs Ross
posted: 05/18/2013 5:24 a.m. Discuss
Gov. Mike Beebe said he’s not taking sides in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, although one of his staff members is working part time as a fundraising consultant for gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. Rep. Mike Ross.
Gavel falls on ’13 legislative session
posted: 05/18/2013 5:23 a.m. Comment 1
The Arkansas General Assembly quietly ended its 101-day regular session Friday without attempting to override Gov. Mike Beebe’s vetoes of three election bills sponsored by an outspoken Republican critic of Beebe.
Carter: Ruling out run in 2014
posted: 05/18/2013 5:20 a.m. Discuss
House Speaker Davy Carter, R-Cabot, said Friday that he won’t seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2014 and that he’s accepted a job as executive vice president of Home BancShares in Conway.
2 more schools to supplement lottery aid
posted: 05/17/2013 12:09 a.m. Discuss
Two four-year colleges are joining six other schools in providing special onetime scholarships this fall to freshman recipients of the Academic Challenge Scholarship, a few months after the Legislature cut the size of those students’ scholarships from $4,500 to $2,000.
Retiree system has 6.43% quarter
posted: 05/16/2013 5:06 a.m. Discuss
A robust stock market helped boost the value of the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System’s investments in the past quarter as they increased by $358 million to $6.652 billion, investment consultants told the system’s trustees Wednesday.
Halter’s promise flagged by ASU
posted: 05/15/2013 12:22 a.m. Discuss
Arkansas State University is warning Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Halter that it owns the trademark to the “Arkansas Promise Scholarship” and is threatening to “take steps to protect the mark” if Halter continues to use the “Arkansas Promise” term.
No override expected on voting-rules vetoes
posted: 05/14/2013 3:56 a.m. Discuss
The leader of the Arkansas Senate said Monday that he doesn’t think the Republican-controlled Legislature will override Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe’s vetoes of three election bills, sponsored by Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, before it adjourns Friday.
Hobbs plans to run for governor
posted: 05/14/2013 3:55 a.m. Discuss
State Rep. Debra Hobbs, R-Rogers, said Monday that, after much prayer, she has decided to seek the Republican nomination for governor in 2014.
Schools to boost aid to freshmen this fall
posted: 05/13/2013 2:09 a.m. Discuss
This fall, some colleges and universities in the state plan to financially assist incoming freshmen who were to get $4,500 in state lottery-funded Academic Challenge Scholarships. They will instead get $2,000 after the Legislature decided this spring to trim the amount.
