Staff Report
Winds of Change
The Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm located in Kansas has begun full commercial operation, providing Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC) with 51 megawatts of potential wind energy through a long-term power purchase agreement.
The Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm, a 66,000-acre site spanning Barber, Harper, Kingman and Sumner counties, is the largest, single-build wind farm in the history of the U.S. wind industry.
The farm has 294 GE wind turbines, with a combined investment of more than $800 million. A wholly-owned affiliate of BP Wind Energy will monitor and maintain the farm. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to more than 500,000 members, or customers, in Arkansas and surrounding states.
Flowering Trees
Residents of Arkansas can ring in the New Year with 10 free flowering trees by joining the Arbor Day Foundation any time during January 2013.
By becoming a part of the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation, new members will receive two white flowering dogwoods, two flowering crabapples, two Washington hawthorns, two American redbuds and two goldenraintrees.
The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting, between Feb. 1 and May 31, with enclosed planting instructions. The 6- to 12-inch tall trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced free of charge. Arkansas residents can also join online at arborday.org/january.
Raking In On Crime
United States Attorney Conner Eldridge announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas collected $2,572,186.90 in criminal and civil actions during Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2012. Of this amount, $2,323,962.32 was collected in criminal actions and $248,224.58 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the office collected $435,251.00 in criminal and civil forfeitures, for total collections of $3,007,437.90.
Nationwide, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices collected $13.1 billion in criminal and civil actions during FY 2012, more than doubling the $6.5 billion collected in FY 2011. A portion of this amount, $5.3 billion, was collected in shared cases in which one or more U.S. Attorneys’ Offices or the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions were also involved. The $13.1 billion represents more than six times the appropriated budget of the combined 94 offices for FY 2012.
Across the nation, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting criminal debts owed to federal crime victims and civil and criminal debts owed to the United States. Statistics indicate the total amount collected in criminal actions around the nation totaled $3.035 billion in restitution, criminal fines and felony assessments.
BOK App
The BOK Center announced the release of a new mobile application that will offer guests delivery of personalized content, exclusive offers and easier access.
The mobile application offers guests individualized content including event notifications, pre-sale offers and special promotional opportunities. The free application, which is now available for download via Google PlayStore and iTunes, houses the BOK Center’s events calendar, interactive concourse maps a seamless ticketing experience and more.
