LITTLE ROCK – The head of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department says the state should spend at least $300 million more a year to maintain its roads.

Dan Flowers told the state’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance the money would be spent to maintain state, county and city roads.

He says the department’s primary source of revenue is the fuel tax collected on gasoline and diesel. Flowers say that revenue isn’t keeping up with the rising cost of construction.

The department currently spends just more than $400 million each year on road and bridge construction.

State highways account for 16,428 miles of the states 99,811 miles of publicly maintained roadways.

OSHA cites company

for safety violations

The Associated Press

EL DORADO – The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing more than $70,000 in fines for an El Dorado company accused of safety violations.

OSHA began inspecting El Dorado Metals in February. The company is accused of several safety violations, most of which are related to lead exposure. The company employs 26 workers.

El Dorado Metals has 15 days to comply with OSHA requests, ask for a meeting with the agency or contest the violations.

Former Rockefeller aide donates memorabilia

The Associated Press

CONWAY – A top aide to the late Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller is giving his collection of photographs, correspondence and other materials to the University of Central Arkansas Archives.

John L. Ward oversaw public relations for Rockefeller from 1964 to 1971 and was the late Republican’s campaign manager during a successful re-election campaign in 1968.

Ward’s collection also contains items related to interviews, Toad Suck Daze material, books and memoranda related to UCA.

Now living in Bee Branch, Ward also was a managing editor of the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway and was vice president of public affairs at UCA.

Ward has written two books about Rockefeller and in 2005 was named trustee of the Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust.