Michael Hibblen

State and federal prosecutors announced Thursday that a joint lawsuit has been filed against the ExxonMobil Pipeline Company for the rupture of the Pegasus pipeline in Mayflower, which spilled an estimated 5,000 barrels of raw tar sands crude in a residential neighborhood.

“The oil spill disrupted lives. This oil harmed the environment and this oil spill was in violation of both state and federal law,” said Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel.

An Arkansas woman, who founded a group that advocates on behalf of children with incarcerated parents, was honored Wednesday at the White House.

Dee Ann Newell, executive director of Arkansas Voices for the Children Left Behind, was one of 12 people from around the country honored as a “Champion of Change.”

Arkansas Highway Commissioner John Burkhalter says he will make an announcement Tuesday that will run for a statewide office, but isn't saying which one.

There has been a lot of speculation in recent months that Burkhalter is considering a run for the Democratic nomination for Governor.  Sitting Governor Mike Beebe is term-limited and can not run for re-election.

Burkhalter, who is also a small business owner and entrepreneur, has close ties to Beebe, as well as former President Bill Clinton.

In advance of a CD release party later that evening, Amy Garland joined Flap Jones live on Not Necessarily Nashville to play a few songs and talk about her music.  Also joining Amy at KUAR to play guitar was Nick Devlin .

The new CD Hang A Light came out this month, and its release was marked with a performance at the Whitewater Tavern in Little Rock.

You can listen to excerpts of that week's program above.

Former Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner and prosecutors had agreed on terms of a plea deal, but Friday afternoon it was rejected by a federal judge.

“There were questions that I wasn’t comfortable with,” Shoffner told reporters as she left the courthouse in Little Rock.

Judge Leon Holmes questioned her during the hearing, asking if she understood the terms of the plea. She said “Yes.”

He also asked if Shoffner had taken the payments from a bond broker as alleged by prosecutors. She said “Yes, but it was offered. I didn’t demand it.”

US Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas Chris Thyer said Monday that allegations against state Treasurer Martha Shoffner are grave.

He spoke to reporters after Shoffner made her initial court appearance on charges she accepted money from a broker in return for investing state money with that broker.

Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner is to go before a federal judge Monday, after being arrested over the weekend on charges of extortion.

FBI spokeswoman Kimberly Brunell says agents arrested Shoffner Saturday at her home in Newport.

The Democrat serving her second term has been under scrutiny because of how her office has handled state investments.

Legislative auditors say that in 2011, 11 bonds were sold from the state’s investment portfolio before they had matured, resulting in a net loss of more than $434,000 worth of earnings.

A federal judge has granted a request to temporarily block enforcement of a new Arkansas law that bans most abortions 12 weeks into a pregnancy.

U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright granted a motion Friday for a preliminary injunction against the ban, set to take effect in August.

The state's Republican-led Legislature enacted the ban in March by overriding a veto from Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe.

Congressman Tim Griffin of Arkansas will be among lawmakers with key questions Friday for the top Internal Revenue Service official who resigned this week amid a scandal over heightened scrutiny of conservative groups.

Former acting Commissioner Steven Miller is to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee. Griffin, a Republican from Little Rock, is a member of the committee.