The Leader’s newsstand price has been increased to 50 cents to help cover rising newsprint, ink and energy costs.This is the first increase in 20 years. The cost of newsprint has gone up about 40 percent in recent months, and energy costs, as our readers know, have increased almost as much.But the cost of a Leader subscription still remains $18 […]

By NANCY DOCKTERLeader staff writerLast week, the Jacksonville Housing Authority sent off its annual self-assessment for management of Section 8 housing a month early in hopes of getting a performance score back as quickly as possible from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) agency.The federal program provides affordable housing to lower-income persons by subsidizing rents on qualifying, privately owned […]

By NANCY DOCKTERLeader staff writerLast week, the Jacksonville Housing Authority sent off its annual self-assessment for management of Section 8 housing a month early in hopes of getting a performance score back as quickly as possible from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) agency.The federal program provides affordable housing to lower-income persons by subsidizing rents on qualifying, privately owned […]

By RICK KRONLeader staff writerThe city of Sherwood will pay $5 million, plus fees, for the North Hills Country Club and in turn the owners, Club Properties, will drop all lawsuits against the city.The Sherwood City Council approved the agreement, reached late last week, at a special meeting Monday afternoon by unanimous vote.There is, however, still a public hearing at […]

By JOAN McCOYLeader staff writerMembers of Austin City Council will have two water-purchase agreements to consider when they meet Monday, one from Cabot and one from North Pulaski Water Association, which has merged with Highway 319 Water Association.Bill Cypert, secretary and spokesman for Cabot Water and Wastewater Commission, told the full commission Thursday that the six-month, renewable agreement he delivered […]

By JOAN McCOYLeader staff writerMembers of Austin City Council will have two water-purchase agreements to consider when they meet Monday, one from Cabot and one from North Pulaski Water Association, which has merged with Highway 319 Water Association.Bill Cypert, secretary and spokesman for Cabot Water and Wastewater Commission, told the full commission Thursday that the six-month, renewable agreement he delivered […]

By JOHN HOFHEIMERLeader senior staff writer“It’s not the state’s intention to stand in the way of a separate Jacksonville school district,” Chief Deputy Attorney Gen. Justin Allen said Thursday.The state attorney general’s office is the lead party in negotiations between Pulaski County Special School District, Little Rock School District, North Little Rock School District and the original plaintiffs, the Joshua […]

By JOHN HOFHEIMERLeader senior staff writerAlthough nearly half of the payday lending businesses located in Arkansas have closed under pressure in the last two years, nearly all the lenders based in Jacksonville, Gravel Ridge, Sherwood, Lonoke, Cabot and Searcy remain open, according to a study released on Wednesday by Arkansans Against Abusive Payday Lending.Attorney General Dustin Mc-Daniel served notice that […]