The state/region in brief

Hot Springs park to co-host bird count

HOT SPRINGS -- Hot Springs National Park is joining with local chapters of the National Audubon Society and the city of Hot Springs to host a Christmas Bird Count.

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The count will be held Jan. 3, 2015. This year is the 115th National Audubon Society nationwide bird count that was originally done on Christmas Day but is now conducted during a period of time. This year, the count is from Dec. 14-Jan. 5.

The goal of the Christmas Bird Count is to record the types and number of birds within a circle that is 15 miles in diameter over the course of a day.

-- The Associated Press

Former evangelist sees appeal denied

TEXARKANA, Ark. -- A federal magistrate in Texarkana has denied a motion to overturn the convictions of former evangelist Tony Alamo.

The Texarkana Gazette reported Thursday that U.S. Magistrate Barry Bryant rejected the 80-year-old Alamo's claims of ineffective counsel, that the government withheld information that may have helped his case and that he was denied the right to testify in his own defense.

Alamo was convicted in July 2009 of 10 counts of taking young girls across state lines for sex.

He was sentenced to 175 years in prison and is currently being held at a prison in Tucson, Ariz.

-- The Associated Press

Columbia looks into ban of plastic bags

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Columbia is looking into a partial ban on single-use plastic shopping bags, following the lead of California and numerous other cities and counties across the nation.

A commission that advises the city council on environmental issues was asked last month to review a proposal focusing mainly on grocery stores, the largest distributors of the bags to customers, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune. Retailers that wouldn't be affected include clothing stores and dine-in and takeout restaurants.

Affected retailers would be required to charge 10 cents for reusable paper bags. Environment and Energy Commission member Jan Dye said the intent is to encourage customers to use reusable bags rather than to make them choose paper over plastic.

The ban would not apply to bags for produce or meats that are intended to prevent the product from coming into contact with other items.

Leah Christian, a management fellow in City Manager Mike Matthes' office who is researching similar bag-ban ordinances, said the goal is to present the council with a report on a proposed ban by December. If the council approves it, it would not take effect until a year after its passage, and violators would be fined between $100 and $300.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that a relatively small percentage of plastic bags are recycled. In 2012, 9 percent of the 32 million tons of plastic waste generated was recycled, and 12 percent of that share was plastic bags, sacks and wraps.

Dye, also a member of a steering committee within the local Sierra Club chapter formed to promote the ban, said prohibiting some businesses from using plastic bags would amount to picking the "low-hanging fruit" as far as keeping litter out of local waterways and the Missouri River.

In late September, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the first statewide ban on plastic bags. However, opponents are collecting signatures in an effort to force a referendum vote on the ban on the November 2016 ballot. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, bans also are pending in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. Additionally, every county in Hawaii and a number of cities in other states have bans in place.

The American Progressive Bag Alliance, which represents bag manufacturers, argues such bans will put jobs at risk and that paper bag production is more harmful to the environment than plastic-bag production.

-- The Associated Press

Several universities open food pantries

KANSAS CITY, Mo.-- Several colleges in Kansas and Missouri are starting food pantries to help students survive the ever-increasing costs of higher education.

In Kansas, Emporia State University and Washburn University opened pantries this month while Pittsburg State opened one in October. The Kansas City Star reports that the University of Missouri-Kansas City student activities office is working on opening a food pantry in March.

The nonprofit Feeding America said in its 2014 report on hunger that one in 10 hungry U.S. adults is a student. Two million are attending school full time, and 1 million go part time.

Feeding America spokesman Elaine Waxman says her agency has seen an increase in calls from colleges and universities inquiring about starting a campus food pantry.

-- The Associated Press

Drive-thru flu-shot clinic attracts 850

TEXARKANA, Ark. -- Roll up the sleeve, hold the arm outside the car window and get a flu shot.

The Arkansas Department of Health says its Drive-thru Flu Vaccination Clinic this week at Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana proved popular with an estimated 850 people getting vaccinated -- either with a shot or a nasal spray.

Southwest region nursing director Cynthia White told the Texarkana Gazette that Tuesday's drive-thru clinic was especially popular among older residents who don't have to leave their vehicle until they return home.

White said flu activity is already being seen in the area and noted that about 80 people in Arkansas died due to flu last flu season.

-- The Associated Press

NW News on 11/29/2014

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