James Valley's Journal

99 Problems But Mitt Ain't One

2012-11-07T07:07:00.001-06:00

James F. Valley

(866)786-9885 Phone and Fax

Runbox-Email Netiquette

2012-07-01T22:48:00.001-05:00

Email Netiquette

Email Netiquette

Here are some guidelines to help you communicate better and more efficiently with email — and avoid mistakes!

Use email the way you want others to use it.
Remember that a human being (just like you) is at the other end reading your email, and don’t write anything you wouldn’t say face to face.
Be careful when addressing email.
Know to whom you are sending, and be careful using CC’ed addresses.
Email should have a subject heading which reflects the content of the message.
Think of your subject line as the headline of an important news article. Make sure the subject line relates to the message content.
Be conservative in what you send and liberal in what you receive.
You should not send heated messages (“flames”) even if you are provoked. Take another look before you send the message, and reread and reconsider the entire message, also from the recipient’s perspective, before you send it.
Consider the recipient’s background.
Remember that the recipient is a human being whose culture, language, and humor have different points of reference from your own. Remember that date formats, measurements, and idioms may not travel well. Be especially careful with sarcasm.
Wait overnight to send emotional responses to messages.
If you have really strong feelings about a subject, indicate it via FLAME ON/OFF enclosures. For example:
FLAME ON: This type of argument is not worth the bandwidth it takes to send it. It’s illogical and poorly reasoned. The rest of the world agrees with me.
FLAME OFF
Be brief without being overly terse.
When replying to a message, include enough original material to be understood but no more. It is extremely bad form to simply reply to a message by including all the previous message: edit out all the irrelevant material.
Use the inverted pyramid form of writing.
Your most important statements should appear in the first paragraph. Follow up with supporting details. Keep paragraphs short for easy reading, and use sub-topic headings within your email message if it is lengthy.
When in doubt, send plain text messages, not HTML.
Not everybody can receive your fancily formatted emails, and some may even react furiously due to the size and formatting of the message.
Forward messages as you received them.
If you are forwarding or re-posting a message you’ve received, do not change the wording.
Avoid sending chain letters via email.
Sending chain letters is prohibited by many email providers, including Runbox, Yahoo, and Comcast. Chain emails are often hoaxes (see snopes.com) and may contain computer viruses, and is generally a waste of bandwidth and time.
Use mixed case.
UPPER CASE LOOKS AS IF YOU’RE SHOUTING.
Use symbols for emphasis.
“That *is* what I meant.” Use underscores for underlining. “_War and Peace_ is my favorite book.”
Use smileys to indicate tone of voice, but use them sparingly.
is an example of a smiley (look sideways). Don’t assume that the inclusion of a smiley will make the recipient happy with what you say or wipe out an otherwise insulting comment.
If you include a signature, keep it short.
Rule of thumb is no longer than 4 lines.
Apply common sense “reality checks” before assuming a message is valid.
Just as email may not be private, email is subject to forgery and spoofing of various degrees of detectability.
Consider the cost of receiving a message.
The cost of delivering an email message is, on the average, paid about equally by the sender and the recipient (or their organizations). This is unlike other media such as physical mail, telephone, TV, or radio. Sending someone email may also cost them in other specific ways like network bandwidth, disk space or CPU usage. This is a fundamental economic reason why unsolicited email advertising is unwelcome (and is forbidden in many contexts).
Know how large a message you are sending.
Including large files may make your message so big that it cannot be delivered. Consider file transfer or sharing as an alternative, or cutting the file into smaller chunks and sending each as a separate message.
Don’t send large amounts of unsolicited information or attachments to people.
It is inconsiderate, especially if the recipient uses an email client on a slow connection.
Beware the dreaded forwarding loop.
Be sure you haven’t set up forwarding so that a message sent to you gets into an endless loop from one address to the next and back.

For more advice on email netiquette:

School Choice Law Struck Down

2012-06-08T14:52:00.001-05:00

LITTLE ROCK, AR --- Federal District Judge Dawson has struck down Arkansas's School Choice Law. The impact of this law on the local school districts is not yet known. However, the ruling enjoined the entire law which took away the option of part of the law remaining in use. The court did not declare the law unconstitutional.

For a complete reading of the story as reported by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, please click here (School Choice Article).

Arkansas Still Among Few States Prohibiting Sunday Liquor Sales

2012-04-23T17:06:00.001-05:00

Blue Laws

Fwd: Register to Vote

2012-04-22T18:13:00.001-05:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Will Bond" <wbond@arkdems.org>
Date: Apr 22, 2012 12:10 PM
Subject: Register to Vote
To: <mayorjfvalley@gmail.com>

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online.

Debate Set 5 of 6 Candidates Expected to Attend

2012-04-20T13:57:00.001-05:00

Helena-West Helena, AR -- On Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at 4:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of the Helena Municipal Building, Ray Foran, Robert Ford, David Lawman, Fred Smith and Wayne Webb, will square off in a discussion about the future of the Office of the Phillips County Sheriff and Tax Collector. This debate will be recorded and will air on KJIW FM 94.5 beginning at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday night.

These candidates are seeking the Democratic Nomination. The winner will face two independent candidates in the November General Election: Mr. Neal Byrd and Mr. John Tilson. 

Sheriff Ronnie White, who has served since January 1, 2001, is not seeking re-election. Sheriff White's departure has left an opening through which eight (8) men are striving to cross. Sheriff White succeeded Sheriff T. L. Green (May 1, 2000 - December 31, 2000) who was appointed by the Phillips County Quorum Court to serve out the remainder of Sheriff Kenneth Winfrey's term. 

Sheriff Winfrey served from 1987 through his retirement on April 30, 2000. Winfrey succeeded Sheriff Marion Selmo Hickey (1967-1986) who had succeeded his father, Sheriff Edgar Putnam Hickey (1947-1966). Phillips County had another father son team elected during different time periods. F. F. Kitchen served 1898-1910 and 1916-1921 and Frank F. Kitchen, Jr. 1931-1946. Joseph Barlow served as Sheriff between 1929 and 1931 and J. D. Mays was Sheriff from 1921 to 1928. Records are incomplete regarding who served as Sheriff between 1910 and 1916.

The Sheriff and Tax Collector is elected to serve two (2) year terms and often is re-elected to serve until retirement, resignation or death. Therefore, the winner of the May Primary or June Runoff (if needed) will have history on his side.

Here's what Wikipedia says about Sheriffs in Arkansas:

Arkansas

In Arkansas, sheriffs and their deputies are fully empowered peace officers with county-wide jurisdiction and thus, may legally exercise their authority in unincorporated and incorporated areas of a county. All peace officers in Arkansas, whether sheriffs, city police, state troopers, or constables, have state-wide arrest powers for any felony criminal offense committed within their presence or view.

The duties of an Arkansas sheriff generally include providing law enforcement services to residents, managing county jail(s), and providing bailiffs for the county, district, circuit, and other courts within the county.

With very limited exceptions, sheriffs and their deputies may exercise their official authority only within the geographical boundaries of their specific county.

The office of sheriff was created by the state constitution and the office has not been substantially changed in 100 years.

Sheriffs in Arkansas are elected in even numbered years by citizens of their county to serve a term of two (2) years in office in accordance with the state constitution. Sheriffs rely upon the county's legislative body, known as the "Quorum Court", to appropriate funding and approve the yearly operating budget. However, in all other circumstances, the sheriff is entirely independent in the management of his elected office and is not subservient to or accountable to any other elected county official or body.

In some counties of Arkansas, a sheriff cannot campaign for reelection while wearing a county owned badge.

If you would like to participate, please email questions to debate@insidescooponline or use our twitter handle @scooponline and hash tag #pcsodebate.

Wiki - Sheriffs in the United States

Brickeys Unit Guard Stabbed to Death by Convicted Murderer

2012-01-20T16:42:00.000-06:00

BRICKEY, LEE COUNTY, AR -- The Arkansas Democrat Gazette is reporting that Sgt. Barbara Easter was stabbed to death today by a convicted murderer at the East Arkansas Regional Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections. She entered the cell to investigate whether the inmate had an unauthorized pair of shoes.

Easter, who as stabbed in the side, abdomen and chest around 12:30 p.m., died around 3:00 p.m. at a Memphis Hospital which is about 40 miles northeast of the unit. Sgt. Easter was 12 year veteran with the department.

The prisoner accused of stabbing Easter was moved to the state's maximum security unit at Varner. Neither the inmate's name nor gender was released.

Make Calls from Santa to Your Special One(s)

2011-12-21T11:45:00.001-06:00

Send a Call From Santa

From Google's Blog:

Last year, Santa got his very own Google Voice number, and people around the U.S. received a special personalized holiday phone call from Santa Claus.

This year, Santa wants you to reach out to him (after all, reindeer are only so-so conversationalists). If you or your family members have a special request for Santa, you can call him right from Gmail* and leave him a message at his Google Voice number: 855-34-SANTA. Santa won't be able to return messages himself—it's a busy time of year for him—but he's promised to keep us up to date on happenings in the North Pole day by day.

You also can create and send a unique, customized phone call from Santa to anyone you know, from your nieces and nephews to old college friends, over the phone (to U.S. numbers only). Listen to a sample phone call, and send a message of your own fromSendaCallFromSanta.com.

Helena Christmas Parade Tonight at 6:00 p.m.

2011-12-10T17:05:00.001-06:00

The Helena West Helena Christmas Parade is being held tonight in Downtown Helena. The route will begin at the Doughboy at the intersection of Cherry and Perry Streets and runs south to Missouri Street then west to Walnut Street and then north to Perry Street and finally east back to the Doughboy.

News Alert: AP: NBA owners, players reach tentative deal to end lockout

2011-11-26T07:14:00.001-06:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/nba-owners-players-reach-tentative-agreement-to-end-lockout/2011/11/26/gIQAoidyxN_story.html

Saturday, November 26, 2011 4:08:06 AM
WASHINGTON POST NEWS ALERT

AP: NBA owners, players reach tentative deal to end lockout

NBA owners and players have reached a tentative agreement to end the lockout, the Associated Press reports.

According to the AP, Commissioner David Stern says the two sides have reached a "tentative understanding that is subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations."

He said: "We're optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin Dec. 25."

Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/nba-owners-players-reach-tentative-agreement-to-end-lockout/2011/11/26/gIQAoidyxN_story.html

Or visit washingtonpost.com.
Washington Post Digital
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Washington, D.C. 20071 ©2011

HWHPD Chief Wallace Sued by Little Rock Law Firm Over Accident Report Fees http://bit.ly/uHaQkL

2011-11-08T18:01:00.001-06:00

HWHPD Chief Wallace Sued by Little Rock Law Firm Over Accident Report Feeshttp://bit.ly/uHaQkL

Dozens of New Jobs for Helena-West Helena http://bit.ly/p9DnLD

2011-10-17T12:41:00.001-05:00

Dozens of New Jobs for Helena-West Helena http://bit.ly/p9DnLD

Arrests Made in Helena This Morning

2011-10-11T08:30:00.001-05:00

BREAKING NEWS: Multiple arrests in Helena-West Helena

Posted: Oct 11, 2011 8:10 AM CDTUpdated: Oct 11, 2011 8:10 AM CDT

By Allyson Johnson - email

BREAKING NEWS.

KATV has confirmed that there has been a significant number of indictments arrests being made in the Helena-West Helena area. There will be a press conference today at 2 p.m. at the Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Fine Arts Center, Community Room.

Several different law enforcement agencies including the United States Attorney, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service and the Arkansas State Police are all involved.

Channel 7 News is sending multiple crews out to follow the story. Stay with us, we will update you on information as soon as it becomes available on katv.com.

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 10, 2011

2011-10-10T21:31:00.001-05:00

Make Plans to Attend the Arkansas Community Development Society's Annual Conference – October 19, Conway, AR. Agenda & more information here

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 10 - 14, 2011

***************************************************************************************************************

MONDAY Cary & Sam – Texarkana (program visioning); Susan – Blytheville & Osceola (merchant visits)

TUESDAY Cary & Sam – Texarkana (program visioning)

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY Susan – annual

FRIDAY Cary & Susan – annual

***************************************************************************************************************

Great Main Street Siloam Springs Vide

Main Street Paragould Press

Facebook to Offer $50 Ad Credit for Small Biz

8 Amazing Facts About Downtowns

Anatomy of a Grant Proposal

2 Grant Opportunities

RFP Mayors' Institute on Design

Great Main Street Siloam Springs Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnblrM5Xw6E

Main Street Paragould's Octoberfest

http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2011/10/02/top_story/doc4e8640e2b234e670177658.txt

MSP Gives Awards

http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2011/10/02/local_news/doc4e86418311a0f240392854.txt

Facebook To Offer $50 Ad Credit for Small Biz in Jan

http://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-launches-program-small-businesses-pages-ads/230038/

8 Amazing Facts About Downtowns

http://www.destinationdevelopment.com/2011/06/02/8-amazing-facts-about-downtowns/

Anatomy of a Grant Proposal

http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2011/anatomy-of-a-grant-proposal.aspx?hq_e=el&hq_m=1333760&hq_l=7&hq_v=fd3771e936

Community Enhancement Programs Funded
Office Depot Foundation
The Office Depot Foundation supports nonprofit organizations, government agencies, libraries, and schools on a local and national scale that bring systemic change to the communities they serve. The Foundation provides grants averaging $1,000 in three distinct categories. The focus of the "Making a Difference in Children's Lives" category is on activities that serve, teach, and inspire children, youth, and families. The "Building Communities" category targets civic organizations and activities that serve the needs of company communities. The purpose of the "Disaster Relief" category is to support the relief efforts of recognized local, regional, and national agencies. Priority is given to organizations that participate in the Office Depot Foundation Leadership Network. Requests are reviewed monthly. Visit the Foundation's website to review the grant application guidelines and take the eligibility survey.

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=354600044

KaBOOM! Offers Let's Play Spruce Grants for Playground Maintenance

With support from Dr Pepper Snapple Group, KaBOOM! is awarding grants of $750 to communities that wish to make their playgrounds cleaner, safer, and more inviting.

Let's Play Spruce grants are designed to reward communities that have maintained and "spruced up" their playspaces since their playground build. Communities must demonstrate that they have maintained their playspace and have led an improvement project in the last sixty days.

Selected communities will receive a $750 gift card to further enhance or improve their playspace. Gift cards also can be used to refill the playground's wood fiber playground surfacing.

Applications will be accepted throughout the year; however the priority deadline is October 15, 2011.

Visit the KaBOOM! Web site for complete program guidelines and application requirements.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Hat Tip to National Trust Main Street Center for this one:

Funding for Microbreweries. If you have an interested entrepreneur in your town, tell them about the Samuel Adams small business loans and financial business education seminars. Learn more.

Request for Proposals--Governors' Institute for Community Design
EPA's Office of Sustainable Communities is seeking proposals to fund one applicant to operate the Governors' Institute for Community Design. The institute will select and work with interested state leaders to deliver technical assistance to implement smart growth and sustainable community development approaches.

Application deadline: December 5, 2011

Cary Tyson

Director

Main Street Arkansas

Arkansas Historic Preservation Program

1500 Tower Building

323 Center Street

Little Rock, AR 72201

501.324.9186 voice

501.324.9184 fax

Visit our website at: www.MainStreetArkansas.org Sign up for our free e-newsletter at: http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/enews/ and check out our blog at: http://mainstreetarkansas.blogspot.com/ 'like' us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Link to me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/carytyson

The mission of Main Street Arkansas is to be the leading resource for communities seeking to revitalize their historic downtown commercial districts and to provide technical assistance and expertise to designated Main Street Arkansas communities through the implementation of the National Trust's Main Street Center's comprehensive Four-Point Approach™. Main Street Arkansas is a preservation-based economic development program housed in the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

Help make the earth a greener place. If at all possible resist printing this email and join us in saving paper.

WARNING: All email sent to or from this address will be received or otherwise recorded by the Department of Arkansas Heritage email system and is subject to archival, monitoring or review by, and/or disclosure to, someone other than the recipient.

News Alert: Perry slips, Cain rises in bid for GOP nomination, poll finds

2011-10-03T23:46:00.001-05:00

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News Alert: Perry slips, Cain rises in bid for GOP nomination, poll finds
October 4, 2011 12:22:22 AM
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After a quick rise in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has experienced an almost equally dramatic decline, losing roughly half his support over the past month, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Perry's slide, which comes after several uneven performances in candidate debates, has allowed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to resurface atop the GOP field. But the most direct beneficiary of the disenchantment with Perry is businessman Herman Cain, who is now tied for second place.

http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/IKR2QE/FXRZ4X/9X7537/SKXIV6/765OJ/82/h

For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

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News Alert: Italian appeals court frees Amanda Knox

2011-10-03T17:01:00.001-05:00

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News Alert: Italian appeals court frees Amanda Knox
October 3, 2011 4:43:38 PM
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Court throws out 24-year-old American's 2009 murder conviction.

http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/F490YD/TPOSY1/IJIQ8I/QW5807/VFG4E/VU/h

For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

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Highest-paying Bachelor's Degrees

2011-10-03T08:25:00.001-05:00

Highest-paying Bachelor's Degrees

James F. Valley, Esq

JAMES F. VALLEY ESQ P A

P O Box 451

Helena-West Helena, AR 72342

866-786-9885 Phone and Fax

8885837986 Alternate Fax Number

james@jamesfvalley.com Email

To Reach Me Sooner, Try This Link:

- https://jamesvalleyjournal.awayfind.com/james

Benched for Too Many Touchdowns: Madre Hill Rule

2011-10-02T16:16:00.001-05:00

Youth Benched for Too Many Touchdowns

News Alert: Senate leaders reach deal to keep government funded

2011-09-26T17:54:00.001-05:00

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News Alert: Senate leaders reach deal to keep government funded
September 26, 2011 6:41:37 PM
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Senate leaders announced a bipartisan agreement Monday evening that would keep government agencies funded until Nov. 18, potentially ending a contentious dispute on how to pay for disaster funds. The Senate is expected to approve its version of the temporary spending bill Monday evening.

The House is likely to approve a very brief extension of funding by a voice vote later this week and, when it returns to session next week, hold a vote on the stop-gap bill funding the government till Nov. 18.

http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/X109GB/6VKPQ6/KFQSOQ/43EZ2F/CV8OS/HK/h

For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

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Helena-West Helena City Council Meets Tonight at 6:00 p.m.

2011-09-20T14:28:00.001-05:00

City Council Meeting

Too Much Doubt: Troy Davis Likely to Be Executed

2011-09-20T13:37:00.001-05:00

Too Much Doubt.

James F. Valley, Esq

JAMES F. VALLEY ESQ P A

P O Box 451

Helena-West Helena, AR 72342

866-786-9885 Phone and Fax

8885837986 Alternate Fax Number

james@jamesfvalley.com Email

To Reach Me Sooner, Try This Link:

- https://jamesvalleyjournal.awayfind.com/james

The Inside Scoop Online: City Council Meets Tuesday; Agenda Published

2011-09-16T08:36:00.000-05:00

The Inside Scoop Online: City Council Meets Tuesday; Agenda Published: The Helena-West Helena City Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, September 20, 2001. Their last regular meeting was cancelled on Septemb...

News Alert: Elizabeth Warren to run for Senate

2011-09-13T15:12:00.001-05:00

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News Alert: Elizabeth Warren to run for Senate
September 13, 2011 4:07:56 PM
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Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren, who helped create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, plans to announce her bid for U.S. Senate against Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) on Wednesday.

"The pressures on middle class families are worse than ever, but it is the big corporations that get their way in Washington," Warren said in a statement. "I want to change that. I will work my heart out to earn the trust of the people of Massachusetts."

http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/7CWL7Z/XT28MH/74A7FA/9TXMIX/B02AH/1G/h

For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

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News Alert: Census: U.S. poverty rate rises to 15.1 percent, number of uninsured Americans hits record high

2011-09-13T10:11:00.001-05:00

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News Alert: Census: U.S. poverty rate rises to 15.1 percent, number of uninsured Americans hits record high
September 13, 2011 10:43:53 AM
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The Census Bureau reports the number of Americans in poverty jumped to 15.1 percent in 2010, a 27-year high. About 46.2 million people, or nearly 1 in 6, were in poverty. That's up from 43.6 million, or 14.3 percent, in 2009. It was the highest level since 1983.

The number of people lacking health insurance increased to 49.9 million, a new high after revisions were made to 2009 figures. Losses were due mostly to working-age Americans who lost employer-provided insurance in the weak economy.

http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/BZYGW4/PRB31R/UG1T41/NM3VTQ/YNUDH/D5/h

For more information, visit washingtonpost.com

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Washington Post Digital
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1150 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20071

Murder in Ponderosa Trailer Park in Phillips County, Arkansas

2011-09-08T10:40:00.001-05:00

We have reports that the Phillips County Sheriff Department is investigating a killing in the county. The incident happened in the Ponderosa Trailer park community just behind Wonder Bread House located on Highway 49 West at the edge of the Helena-West Helena City limits. This matter is still under investigation, however, Shannon Barnes, a 29 year old white male, who was born on September 30, 1981 and died early this morning of a gunshot wound to the left side of the head.

The Phillips County Sheriff's Department has not released the name(s) of any suspect(s). However, such a report is received, we will update you.