Arkansas is one of only 24 states that have an initiative process that allows the citizenry to write and enact laws, and it makes it rather hard by requiring the signatures of a lot of voters to put a proposal on the ballot. The high threshold — 8 percent of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election — is […]

By NANCY DOCKTERLeader staff writerIf you are in need of a donated fan or air conditioner, you had better apply quickly to local agencies, because the supply is limited. For residents of Jacksonville, the best bet may be Watershed Human and Community Development Agency. The Little Rock organization still has a limited number of fans and air conditioners for individuals […]

Luther Hardin, the tireless self-promoter who’s itching to run for governor after Mike Beebe finishes out his second term, should give back the $300,000 bonus he received from his pliant board of trustees just for staying on as president of the University of Central Arkansas.After he returns the tainted money, he should resign.His pals who sit on the UCA board […]

By RICK KRONLeader staff writerRecently released results of this year’s SAT-10 test given to every third- through eighth-grader in the state in April show that Cabot students are well above the state average, and fourth-graders at Magness Creek and sixth-graders at Cabot’s Academic School of Excellence are among the top in the nation.The test, which this year was ingrained into […]

By JOHN HOFHEIMERLeader senior staff writerCandidates who wish to run for local school board positions must file their petition during the period from Friday, July 11 through noon on Friday, July 18.This year’s filing deadline is 60 days before the school board election and 15 days earlier than the filing deadline of previous years. The only open school board seat […]

By RICK KRONLeader staff writerIs the nationwide bank-loan fiasco and economic slowdown hitting central Arkansas? The building-permit numbers seem to say yes in a big way, at least in larger cities.Sherwood is down $9 million from the same time period last year, Cabot is down nearly $5 million and Jacksonville is down $4.7 million.In Sherwood, 98 single-home permits worth $18.26 […]

By JASON KINGLeader sportswriterGREENBRIER — What was supposed to be a doubleheader was reduced to one very long game and a three-inning scrimmage. Cabot fought Greenbrier through nine innings and four pitchers, but a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning was enough for the AA Panthers to claim a 4-3 win over the Community Bank junior American […]