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Dale Bumpers College
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In the News - August 2008
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GUBERNATORIAL WELCOME - Gov. Mike Beebe offers a warm welcome to members of LeadAR Class 13. The class was at the state Capitol to study the legislative process and heard a pep talk from the governor. The governor visits with Brenda Hogg of Arkadelphia. (Cooperative Extension Service photo by Mary Hightower) Front L to R, Jill Warren of Fulton; Brenda Hogg of Arkadelphia; Judy Ramer of North Little Rock; Gov. Beebe. Back from L to R, John Hoefl of Hot Springs; Robert Boxley of Marked Tree; Don Crabbe of Cabot, Ron Rainey of Little Rock. Edet Frank of Little Rock (behind Brenda Hogg.) |
LITTLE ROCK - Members of LeadAR Class 13 practiced their legislative skills, debated bills, survived media questions and received a pep talk from Gov. Mike Beebe during three days of press and public policy training recently at the state's Capitol.
Beebe visited with the LeadAR members in the governor's conference room at the capitol, spoke with them about the Legislature and then posed for a group portrait.
While working with lawmakers can be difficult at times, "The majority of them do the right thing for the right reasons," Beebe told Class 13. "Democracy is not one of the most efficient forms of government. It's just the best form of government invented."
After the governor's departure, the conference room was filled with discussion and debate about bills each member had developed.
Near a window overlooking a bronze installation dedicated to the Little Rock Nine, Edet Frank, of Little Rock, and Dan Schwieder, of Summers in Washington County, discussed the merits of their two bills and honed their arguments.
Frank said there would be no arm-twisting of his fellow legislators to get his bill passed.
"I shoot straight," he said.
David Nelson of Magnolia had nothing but praise for LeadAR, a two-year leadership training program for Arkansans.
"It's been wonderful," he said. "This is a special class."
Nelson was looking forward to the class educational trip to India.
The group spent the rest of Thursday in media training with Extension Public Relations Specialist Elizabeth Fortune and Extension Videographer Kevin Quinn. The training activity included "ambush" interviews. In the afternoon, the group heard from Little Rock radio and television news veteran Bob Steel.
Also during the three-day session, group members heard from Herschel Cleveland, previous Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives who served as the LeadAR General Assembly Speaker of the House. Assistant Attorney General Colin Jorgensen briefed the group about the state's Freedom of Information Act and Joan Duffy of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock discussed writing media releases. Tom Riley, director of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Public Policy Center oversaw the LeadAR General Assembly, which also included an overview of lobbying by Sylvester Smith, a lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
To learn more about LeadAR, visit www.uaex.edu. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
August 22, 2008Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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