Report foretells more Hispanics, elderly in state

BY CAROLYNE PARK

Arkansas needs to prepare for major demographic shifts that will place new demands on services as the state’s population gets older and more diverse, according to a report released Tuesday. - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Lottery proposal qualifies for ballot slot, Halter says

BY MICHAEL R. WICKLINE

Lt. Gov. Bill Halter said Tuesday that enough signatures have been collected to get his lottery proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot. - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

SPRINGDALE : Teacher pay raise muted by drops

BY EVIE BLAD

SPRINGDALE — The School Board voted to raise teacher salaries Tuesday, but not much, adding $625 to each level of the Springdale School District’s pay schedule. That would keep Springdale as the highest-paying district in Northwest Arkansas — unless Bentonville surpasses it when it considers salaries next week. - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

SPRINGDALE : Council OKs Huntsville sign limits, delays billboard

BY RICHARD MASSEY

SPRINGDALE — The City Council on Tuesday approved sign regulations for Huntsville Avenue, but for the second meeting in a row, a procedural vote was used to stave off a billboard ban. - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Walton grant to furnish students with laptops

BY KENNETH HEARD

CHERRY VALLEY — State Rep. Jerry Brown of Wynne stood in the Cross County School District’s high school gymnasium Tuesday and suggested a new mascot for the rural school district of 700 students. - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

NW Arkansas today

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QUOTE OF THE DAY “We need to make this meteorite move before it gets down to the earth and hits us.” David Underwood, associate vice president of academic affairs at Arkansas Tech University and co-author of a study showing major demographic shifts expected in Arkansas’ population by 2020 Article, 1B Today’s meetings Fayetteville Technical Plat Review, 9 a.m. Fayetteville Airport Board, 1:30 p.m. 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force Board, 1:30 p.m. Tontitown Water and Sewer Commission, 3 p.m. Springdale Advertising and Promotion Commission, 4 p.m. Rogers Advertising and Promotion Commission, 4:30 p.m. Lowell Parks Commission, 5:30 p.m. Looking ahead “The Heritage Trail: One Route, Three Histories of Arkansas,” 4:30-7 :30 p.m. Thursday, Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, Fayetteville National Railway Historic Society, 7 p.m. Thursday, Shiloh Museum, Springdale Fourth Annual Habitat For Humanity Hammer and Nail Golf Classic, 8 a.m. Friday, Lost Springs Golf Course, Rogers Third Friday Twilight Walk, 4-8 p.m. Fri - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

FAYETTEVILLE : UA revises pay increase to merit only

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas has changed a preliminary plan to offer its classified employees a combination of cost-of-living and merit raises in the coming fiscal year. - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Bike to Work Day scheduled Friday

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

The University of Arkansas Intramural/Recreational Sports Program and Fayetteville Parks and Recreation will celebrate Bike to Work Day on Friday. - Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Chiefs’ hirings need oversight, lawmakers told

BY SETH BLOMELEY

Arkansas has about 350 police chiefs, but no state agency checks to see whether the cities conducted the required background checks. - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

La Nina blamed for fierce weather

BY AMANDA O’TOOLE

In Arkansas, 2008 has been full of the stuff usually seen in disaster movies. - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Sparks fly in debate on sunshine vitamin

BY CAROLYNE PARK

The discovery by researchers that at least 30 percent of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient has led to a burst of interest in the vitamin long known to help strengthen bones and boost the immune system. - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Board OKs tying tests’ scores with graduation

BY CYNTHIA HOWELL

In preparation for stricter student testing requirements that will go into effect in 2009-10, the Arkansas Board of Education on Monday gave preliminary approval to a set of rules for that program. - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Some school districts to get tax windfall; 14 must repay excess

BY EVIE BLAD

The state Department of Education will pay millions of dollars to several Northwest Arkansas school districts in the coming months to align with a 2007 school-funding law. - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

ROGERS : Aldermen will vote on livestock tunnel

BY AMANDA O’TOOLE

ROGERS — A dead-end street in south Rogers leads to a field where someday grazing cows will avoid a busy road by using a tunnel built for hooves. - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Principal at Rogers’ Kirksey Middle School earns state honor

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Roger Hill of Kirksey Middle School in Rogers is one of two principals the state Board of Education recognized as Master School Principals at its meeting Monday in Little Rock. - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Getting it straight

The Democrat-Gazette wants its news reports to be fair and accurate. We correct all errors of fact. If you know of an error, write: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette SUSAN SCANTLIN Editor, Northwest Arkansas 515 Enterprise Drive, Suite 106 Lowell, Ark. 72745 or call (479) 770-8460 during business hours Monday through Friday. - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

NW Arkansas today

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QUOTE OF THE DAY “People typically associate tornadoes with Oklahoma, Kansas and the Plains, and they don’t realize how susceptible we are to that damage.” Marshal Watson, Benton County Emergency Management director, on the recent violent storms Article, 1B Today’s meetings Elkins Economic Development Committee, noon Tontitown Technical Advisory Committee, 1 p.m. Siloam Springs Planning Commission, 4 p.m. Fayetteville City Council agenda session, 4:30 p.m. Benton County Committee of 13, 5 p.m. Siloam Springs School Board, 5 p.m. Springdale School Board, 5 p.m. Fayetteville Water and Sewer Committee, 5:15 p.m. Bentonville City Council, 6 p.m. Springdale City Council, 6 p.m. Rogers Community Welfare and Environment Committee, 6:45 p.m. Cave Springs Planning Commission, 7 p.m. Centerton City Council, 7 p.m. Elkins Street Advisory Committee, 7 p.m. Rogers Transportation Committee, 7 p.m. Rogers Community Service Committee, 7:15 p.m. Rogers Finance Committee, 7:15 p.m. Rogers City Council, 7:30 p.m. West Fork City - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

TRAVELERS’ CHECK : Couple finds vacation trip rerouted

ROBERT J. SMITH

Imagine booking a flight from the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport to Jamaica, paying for it and then having the airline call a month later to say it can’t be done. - Monday, May 12, 2008

FAYETTEVILLE : Cost savings touted by LED proponents

BY ROBERT J. SMITH

Fayetteville city officials are looking at saving money over the long haul by using pricey, energy-efficient bulbs and fixtures in street lights. - Monday, May 12, 2008

BENTON COUNTY : 2 races for judge draw 4 to ballot

BY ADAM WALLWORTH

Benton County voters will seat two circuit judges May 20. - Monday, May 12, 2008

Adoption in DeWitt reunites four siblings

BY CHARLOTTE TUBBS

DeWITT — Lou “Boo” Cox grew up in a family of seven, so he thought he knew what it took to run a large household before he and his wife adopted four siblings. - Monday, May 12, 2008

SPRINGDALE : iPods double as study, classroom manager aids

BY EVIE BLAD

SPRINGDALE — Principals in the Springdale School District collect covetous student stares as they pass through the hallways. - Monday, May 12, 2008

Agency to lease land for drilling royalties

BY CHARLOTTE TUBBS

The Developmental Disabilities Services Board sold more than 7,000 acres in Logan County to the Boy Scouts 32 years ago. But the division, a part of the Department of Human Services, retained mineral rights to the land and recently learned that someone was interested in leasing the mineral rights. - Monday, May 12, 2008

Other days

100 YEARS AGO May 12, 1908 Acting Governor Allen Hamiter issued a call for a special session of the state legislature. He calls the legislature for the purpose of taking up the matter of completing the new state capitol and also to arrange for the monthly payment of state tax money into the general revenue fund. Hamiter and his friends claim that Acting Gov. Pindall, who is now in Washington, D.C., and whose place as governor of Arkansas was assumed by Hamiter during his absence from the state, cannot revoke the call for the special session, and that nothing can prevent the session. - Monday, May 12, 2008

NW Arkansas today

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QUOTE OF THE DAY “We’re not going to jump off the cliff because it’s the sexy thing to do.” John Coleman, Fayetteville’s sustainability coordinator, on using LED street light fixtures to reduce energy consumption Article, 1B Today’s meetings Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission, 2 p.m. Rogers Airport Commission, 4 p.m. Fayetteville Street Committee, 4:30 p.m. Fayetteville Planning Commission, 5:30 p.m. Washington County Juvenile Concerns Advisory Board, 5:30 p.m. Cave Springs City Council, 6 p.m. Decatur City Council, 6 p.m. Farmington City Council, 6 p.m. Pea Ridge School Board, 6 p.m. Prairie Grove School Board, 6 p.m. Centerton Planning Commission, 6:30 p.m. Fayetteville Ward 2 Meeting, 7 p.m. Greenland City Council, 7 p.m. Lincoln City Council, 7 p.m. Little Flock City Council, 7 p.m. West Fork School Board, 7 p.m. Looking ahead Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Walk to Cure Diabetes Corporate Recruitment Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Embassy Suites, Rogers Women’s Connection High Style - Monday, May 12, 2008

Graduate students map out business plan, advertising for Jonesboro’s transit system

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JONESBORO — Graduate students from Arkansas State University are getting a handson experience in business and advertising by handling marketing for backers of a ballot item on continued funding for Jonesboro’s public transit system. - Monday, May 12, 2008

Wild or farmed, sales increasing for ginseng

BY MARK MINTON

KINGSTON — Deep in the hills, growers monitor secret plots of land in a quest to cash in on the Ozarks’ most valuable herb. - Sunday, May 11, 2008

BENTON COUNTY : 5 battle for shot at judge

BY AMANDA O’TOOLE

Leadership and county finances are the top issues fueling the most competitive race in Benton County’s primary election since 1996. - Sunday, May 11, 2008

Service tests sailor’s dedication to earn UA degree

BY ADAM WALLWORTH

FAYETTEVILLE — Pursuing a master’s degree is stressful enough for most people. - Sunday, May 11, 2008

Bank’s patrons look for answers

BY STACEY ROBERTS

FAYETTEVILLE — Owners of small local businesses knocked on the locked doors of ANB Financial branches Saturday morning looking for answers — and access — to their money. - Sunday, May 11, 2008