Brief #11 - Civics

GOP Presidential nominee Donald Trump hasn’t seen his poll numbers slide any in the last month, despite controversies and lackluster debate performances. As a matter of fact, the Republican standard-bearer slightly grew his lead over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the former First Lady of Arkansas’ one-time home state.

In the U.S. Senate race, the contest has tightened between incumbent Republican Sen. John Boozman and Democratic challenger Conner Eldridge, but Boozman still maintains a comfortable 18-point lead.

The latest Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College survey, conducted among 463 likely Arkansas voters on October 21, 2016, produced the following results:

Q: If the election for President were today, which candidate would you support?
32.5% Democrat Hillary Clinton
56% Republican Donald J. Trump
3.5% Libertarian Gary Johnson
2% Green Party candidate Jill Stein
1% Other
5% Undecided

Q: If the election for U.S. Senate were today, which candidate would you support?
52% Republican Senator John Boozman
34% Democrat Conner Eldridge
4% Libertarian Frank Gilbert
2% Other
8% Undecided

In mid-September polling, Trump led Clinton 55-34%, while Boozman led Eldridge 55-29%.

“Arkansas voters seem unfazed by Donald Trump’s controversies and the results of this latest poll reinforce Arkansas’ solidification as a Republican state,” said Talk Business & Politics CEO Roby Brock. “The strength of these Republican numbers at the top of the ticket could affect turnout and voter preference down-ballot in legislative and local races.”

Talk Business & Politics has released polling results on two medical marijuana initiatives that shows them trailing in support. On Tuesday, results will be released on Issues 2 and 3, which will appear on the November ballot.



KATV

Brief #10 - Listening Posts (Campus)

People receive information from more than news mediums such as the internet, tradition cable news networks, magazines, and newspapers. One of the oldest ways of receiving information is by word of mouth. You can pick up information in a lot of different places. We all have heard of barber shop or beauty shop banter, locker room talk, and even Sunday afternoon gossip after church. The places where you can go just to catch the 411 are listening posts.

 There are tons of places that you can tune in to what's going on at Southern Arkansas University and for me it's the cafeteria. I work in the cafeteria four nights a week and see almost every student regularly. Wiping the salad bar I can listen in on the football players say what went right and wrong at last week's game, sitting in the pizza corner I can over hear on what parties are planned for Thursday night, and at the end of the night cleaning the cereal dispensers I can "ear hustle" on the girl's table and figure out whose dating who. Listening post are anywhere you can pick up information that you didn't know before.

Brief #9 - Public Records (State, National, International)

"Higher energy costs fueled U.S. consumer prices in September, but overall inflation remained in check as it has for the past several years.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that consumer prices increased 0.3 percent last month. Much of that rise stemmed from energy, housing and prescription drugs. Energy costs surged 2.9 percent in September as oil and gasoline prices rebounded from recent lows. Previous price declines still mean that gas costs 6.4 percent less than a year ago.

Inflation has stayed relatively low despite job growth that has brought more workers into the economy. Until last month, the modest levels of inflation largely came from muted oil prices and a stronger dollar.

Core inflation, which excludes the volatile categories of food and energy, rose 0.1 percent.

Prices fell last month for cars and clothing. But they increased 0.4 percent for shelter costs, which make up roughly a third of the consumer price index.

Over the past 12 months, core inflation has increased 2.2 percent. But the entire consumer price index has risen at a gradual yearly pace of 1.5 percent, undershooting the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target for inflation."






Works Cited
Arkansas Online

Brief #8 - Public Records (Local)

Columbia County Public Records: Final Divorce Decrees

(Most Recent - Listed First)

Jamie C. Linton v. William M. Linton. October 5. Plaintiff's name restored to Jamie C. Hanson.

Rachel Cole v. Ludlow Ashmeade. October 5.

Joshua Meadors v. Marty Willis. October 3.

Jimmy D. Glass v. Christy Lynn Glass. September 15.

Andrew Joseph Guidry v. Charity Ann Guidry. September 14.

Derrick Thomas Jurls v. Bobbie Danette Jurls. September 14.

Lawrence Hardin v. Kinwania Jackson. September 8.

Katherine Meadors v. Tony Foster. September 8.

Paula Kelly v. Joel Kelly. September 7.

Veronica Smith v. James C. Smith. September 7. 

Heather R. Sherman v. Matthew S. Sherman. September 7.

Jeremy R. Criss v. Alison R. Criss. September 7. 

Amber L. Morrison v. Patrick J. Morrison. September 7.

Works Cited

Magnolia Reporter - Public Records

Brief #7 - Campus Hard News

College football games are great outlets for sports fanatics, spectators, and students to inter-mingle. The aroma of grilled hot dogs and fresh turf enraptures your nose and the light chill you feel right before Summer leaves and Fall begins lets you know what time it is. Picture yourself at your all time favorite SEC Game; you're calling the Hogs and just before you belt out "Sooieeee" you notice your Professor getting arrested. Well that was the case for University of Arkansas students this past weekend.

According to the Washington County Sheriff Department Lawton Nalley was booked into the Washington County Detention Center after allegedly yelling profanities at Arkansas head coach, Bret Bielema. Nalley is an assistant professor of the Agriculture department at at The U of A, and he was booked on suspicion of public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

Nalley bailed out the same day, and issued a public statement: "I embarrassed myself, the college and the university. I hold myself to higher standards and have no excuses for my actions. I especially want to apologize to Coach (Bret) Bielema.

"Lona Robertson, interim dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences at The U of A, released the following statement: "We have reviewed this situation and are very disappointed by Dr. Nalley’s actions, which were highly inappropriate. Dr. Nalley is remorseful for what occurred. He is respected for his teaching and research, and has been an asset to the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, and the college. Taking all this into consideration, we are moving forward with appropriate measures to address the matter with Dr. Nalley, who remains employed by the University."








Works Cited
5 News Online - Fayetteville

Brief #6 - Campus Crime

Most people would imagine their school as a safe haven. When parents send their children off to college they never imagine that they will be victims of crime, let alone commit crimes. Colleges and universities are melting pots of people from all walks of lives and backgrounds and there is no sure fire way that just because their students aren't convicts that they won't become convicts. Arizona State University is one of the largest schools in the nation and they are making headlines for more than just academics at this point. Upon researching campus crime, I googled campus crime reports and an article regarding Arizona State University and the University of Arizona was at the top of the list. Arizona Central reported that the most reported campus crime on both campuses was burglary. The article also touched on several other crimes being reported between both schools such as rape, liquor and drug law violations, and aggravated assault.

	UA	ASU
Burglaries	57	33
Rape	14	18

"UA had fewer liquor-law incidents but more drug-law incidents than in 2013 or 2014. It was almost the same at ASU, which in 2015 had the most drug arrests at 325 and fewest alcohol arrests at 314 in its three-year period." 

"ASU cited a recent survey from the American College Health Association survey which showed that 60.9 percent of ASU students reported they had ever received information from their university about sexual assault and relationship violence, up from 50.1 percent two years ago."



Works Cited
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2016/10/01/asu-ua-clery-report-statistics-crime/91342452/