J.W.’s News Update: Tuesday July 26, 2011

Good Tuesday, Here are some stories making headlines today:

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The Texarkana, Texas City Council worked past midnight last night but finally made a decision concerning the city manager's contract. The council agreed to accept a mutually negotiated contract where Dr. Larry Sullivan's term as city manager will end on or before August 2012, when a new manager will be in place.

Councilmember Bill Miller says the council saved the city between $250 and $500,000 thousand dollars. Miller says the search for a new city manager will begin  after the upcoming budget process which will allow time for a proper search and orderly transition to a new city manager.

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Swepco says it has signed a settlement with a hunting club and landowners who had sued over the construction of that coal fired power plant in Southwest Arkansas. Swepco will not build any more generation units at the plant which is being built in Hempstead County near Fulton, East of Texarkana.

The company also agreed to not propose any more coal fired plants within 30 miles of that site and no future transmission lines will cross sensitive environmental sites. The Sierra Club and the National Audubon Society are continuing to fight the plant before a federal appeals court and regulators.

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In Sports:

The Texas Rangers have increased their lead in the American League West to 4 games over the LA A ngels after the Rangers pounded the Minnesota Twins last night in Arlington.

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