The Top 10 Stories of 2012

December 31, 2012
2012 review pig

Well, it’s New Year’s Eve so everyone’s doing those “year in review” type things, and we just can’t resist the urge to jump in. Furthermore, producing one of these is much easier than writing a substantive article, especially considering that the eggnog hasn’t quite worn off yet. So, here you have it: a look at the absolute, without a doubt, bar-none top stories of 2012, provided to you by The Arkansas Project (in terms of web traffic, not quality of content -- because God knows … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Arkansas Politics, Gallery, Gov. Mike Beebe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lawmakers Deaf to Community Needs at Interpreter Hearing

September 19, 2012
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By now you may have seen the video I posted from yesterday’s Personnel committee meeting. It contained stunning revelations about the state’s hiring of Clara Taylor, an unqualified sign language interpreter. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture some of the most disturbing parts of the meeting--the reactions of some of the legislators. When I first arrived, just before 1:20 p.m., the area where the legislators sit was about half full.  By 2:00, the meeting was still in order, and only a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Democrats, Arkansas Legislature Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

VIDEO: Lawmakers Question Agency Officials Over Interpreter Hire

September 18, 2012

Arkansas journalists are paying lots of attention to the scandal surrounding state Treasurer Martha Shoffner (and rightfully so), but they shouldn’t overlook the fallout from Bill Walker's hiring of an unqualified friend to serve as a sign language interpreter for the state.  As we previously reported, the interpreter has since been removed from that position and shifted into another position in the agency. The Personnel Services Committee has been reviewing the hire.  They met yesterday. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Cronyism, State Government is Too Damn Big Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Concerns of the Deaf Are Finally Heard

August 31, 2012
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Friday news dump by state government!  I haven’t been able to find this story anywhere else, so I am taking a huge career risk here by acting upon this information, but the Arkansas Times is reporting that our friend Bill Walker has issued a statement saying that he has actually removed unqualified interpreter Clara Taylor from her position.  This of course is a story we have been following for a while here at The Arkansas Project, advocating Taylor’s removal because of her apparent … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Democrats, Cronyism, Gallery, Gov. Mike Beebe, State Government is Too Damn Big Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Career Education Department Remains Blind to the Needs of the Deaf

August 27, 2012
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Another government screwup in the Department of Career Education:  a state employee has stood up to his superiors, even though senior management is intent on packing state government payrolls with unqualified political hires. Why does the Beebe administration continue to tolerate mid-level bureaucrats who stand in the way of progressive cronyism? What on earth are these bureaucrats doing, standing in the way of hiring a completely unqualified sign language interpreter? David McDonald … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gallery, Gov. Mike Beebe, State Government is Too Damn Big Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bill Walker On Interpreter Hire: “I’m Comfortable With The Decision That Was Made”

July 19, 2012

KATV has released a partial transcript of conversations that took place at the personnel committee hearing on Tuesday in Little Rock. Below are some of the more interesting excerpts.  Enjoy! Director of Workforce Services, Bill Walker: If we had taken the position that we want the criteria to be that we want to have these high QAST levels if you will…that we want to have this national certification if you will…then there would be nobody in our department today that would … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Democrats, Gallery, Gov. Mike Beebe Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,