The line is open. But thanks to several people who clipped the photo above in the Fort Smith paper today. It is none other than Sen. Bruce “Fireball” Holland, the man who once led the constabulary in a high-speed chase across two counties, serving as the guest of honor at Mansfield High School for a ceremony awarding a grant, for, wait for it:

Safe driving.

Gotta love Arkansas.

ALSO:

* FIGHT FOR THE VETERANS: A Facebook petition drive is underway by people fighting Mayor Mark Stodola’s effort to pull the rug out from under a center for veterans on Main Street. Check it out.

* GRAND JURY PROBES CRITTENDEN COUNTY: County officials themselves haven’t returned my requests for info, but two sources tell me that subpoenas were issued to several people, including at least one county official, in Crittenden County last week by the federal Grand Jury in Little Rock. The probe is believed to concern allegations of absentee voter fraud, which surfaced in a special election race last year for state representative, ultimately won by Democratic Rep. Hudson Hallum. He eked out a primary victory with the help of a strong absentee vote. Prosecuting Attorney Scott Elllington of Jonesboro initiated an investigation into alleged irregularities, but turned his state review over to a special prosecutor, H.G. Foster of Conway. The State Police assigned an investigator to the case. The completion of that investigation has not been announced. The federal subpoenas could signal the state probe has morphed into a federal one, but that’s only speculation at this point.

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Charles Blow of the New York Times provides some facts and figures that further illustrate how out of touch Mitt Romney (and John Burris) is on the number of poor in America and what it takes to be “middle class.”

Blow reminds readers that Romney’s budget proposal would further “take a chainsaw” to the porous federal safety net while giving a tax windfall to wealthy people like Mitt Romney. 10 million people would lose food stamps, for example. His tax plan would cut taxes by 3 percent for those making below $ 30,000 a year, but cut them by 14.5 percent for millionaires. You can guess whose programs would bear the burden of the budget reduction this would require.

Don’t think the poor are small in number.

According to the Census Bureau, the official poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent.

And that’s the income poor. It doesn’t even count the “asset poor.” A report issued this week by the Corporation for Enterprise Development found that 27 percent of U.S. households live in “asset poverty.” According to the report, “These families do not have the savings or other assets to cover basic expenses (equivalent to what could be purchased with a poverty level income) for three months if a layoff or other emergency leads to loss of income.”

More than 1 in 4 are struggling in poverty. Many of these, as working stiffs, don’t qualify for that Beautyrest of a Medicaid safety net that Arkansas House Republican Leader John Burris, the unemployed, well-off legislator from Harrison, thinks provides so luxuriously for the slackers of Arkansas. Nor do they qualify for much of anything else. Except the focus of out-of-touch politicians who want to squeeze them harder so the rich can keep more money.

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Arkansas put itself on the NCAA tournament radar with its win over No. 25 Vanderbilt.
KATV – Arkansas Sports Headlines

Ed Townsel and Adam Sterrenberg scored 18 points each to lead Arkansas State to a 72-64 victory against Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday night.
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Shamir Davis had 13 points, six assists and four steals and Northwestern State overcame 4 for 15 shooting from the free-throw line to defeat Central Arkansas 79-68 Wednesday night.
KATV – Arkansas Sports Headlines

It continues to beat all. From TPM:

Mitt Romney on CNN Wednesday morning said he is concerned about the heart of America. “I’m not concerned about the very poor, we have a safety net there,” Romney said. “If it needs repair, I’ll fix it. I’m not concerned about the very rich, they’re doing just fine. I’m concerned about the very heart of America, the 90, 95 percent of Americans who, right now, are struggling, and I’ll continue to take that message across the nation.”

When pressed on his statement, Romney admitted that, of course, it is hard to be poor. “We will hear from the Democrat party, the plight of the poor,” he added.

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The Great American Conference has named Arkansas Tech guard Jared Williamson and Southwestern Oklahoma State guard Darcie Dick as its men's and women's players of the week.
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It’s open. Some final items:

* DOUBLE SHOOTING IN ALEXANDER: Two people are “not in good shape” after shooting at Lindsey and Violet in Alexander, Fox 16 says.

* MOST WANTED NO MORE: Archie Barfield, sought in an Arkansas child rape case since 2008, has been arrested in Georgia, Fox 16 reports.

* CHARTER TEACHER UNIONIZE: Now there’s a headline to chill a Walton, Hussman, Stephens or school reform lackey at the University of Walton in Fayetteville. But it happened. Teachers at a New York charter school voted to unionize after a bitter fight that included the firing of a pregnant teacher/organizer.

* LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR BILL CLINTON: Former President Bill Clinton will be in Little Rock Saturday to be honored by the Jewish Federation of Arkansas with its Tikkun Olam award for lifetime achievement. The event is at 6:30 p.m. at the Peabody Hotel. The definition of Tikkun Olam, says the Federation, is increasing the well-being of humankind by “repairing the world and helping those in need.” Clinton is to be recognized for being a “strong advocate for the state of Israel and for justice for all people.” Twelve others will be honored at the dinner, which will mark the organization’s centennial.

* TINY TIM’S TAKE: Did U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin get some motion picture cash for sponsoring the Internet-killing legislation that lobby wanted passed? You know he did. And Walton money. And he’s getting lots of cash and support from allies of Paul Ryan, the architect of the budget to kill Medicare as we know it Social Security and other important functions of government.

* REP. BARRY HYDE SETTLES ETHICS COMPLAINT: The North Little Rock legislator, who’s seeking a Senate seat this year, agreed he’d made mistakes in campaign finance reporting for 2010 and paid a $ 150 fine in a settlement with the state Ethics Commission. The commission found no basis to Republican Party complaints about misspending of campaign money, BTW.

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Sarah Watkins scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds to help lead Arkansas to a 73-72 double overtime victory over Florida.
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Quincy Roberts scored 24 points, including 3 of 4 on 3-pointers, as Grambling State defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 60-55 Saturday night.
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