Arkansas News

The 10th annual Arkansas Farmers Market Promotion Program launched

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture will partner with Farm Credit for the 10th annual Arkansas Farmers Market Promotion Program. In 2024, the Department awarded over $11,500 in grants to 21 Arkansas farmers markets through the Farm Credit partnership.

This program supports local farmers markets by increasing awareness and providing funding assistance to help these markets serve their communities as consumer interest in locally grown and made products continues to increase.

“Farmers markets are essential in connecting local producers to consumers and strengthening rural economies,” said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward. “We have over 111 farmers markets across Arkansas and, according to recent data, 1,436 farms sell directly to consumers, generating $8.5 million in sales. These markets are vital to enhancing local food systems, and we’re proud to partner with Farm Credit to help ensure their continued success.”

The 10th annual Arkansas Farmers Market Promotion Program launched

Magnet Cove High School doubles up on archery state championships with win in 3D discipline

The Magnet Cove High School Panthers won the AGFC’s Archery in the Schools IBO Challenge Saturday, doubling up on their archery state championships this year. Photo courtesy Pangburn High School.

PANGBURN — Magnet Cove High School’s archers continued their 2025 domination in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Archery in the Schools Program Saturday by winning the Arkansas State International Bowhunting Organization Challenge at Pangburn High School with a total score of 1,678 of a possible 1,800 points, giving them a sweep of the AIS state championships Magnet Cove also won the AIS’ bull’s-eye state championship held in Hot Springs March 8.

The race for second and third place for the IBO Challenge was tightly contested, with Alpena High School nudging out the host team, Pangburn High School, by only 4 points. Alpena scored 1,608 while Pangburn dropped only an arrow or two behind to claim third with a score of 1,604.

Students participating in the IBO Challenge aim at lifelike 3D targets to replicate real-world archery and bridge the gap between field archery and hunting. Photo courtesy Charleston Archery in the Schools. 

Washington Middle School took first place in the Middle School Division with a score of 1,668. Barton Junior High scored 1,616 to claim second place, and Pangburn High School’s middle school team placed third with a score of 1,589.

Charleston Elementary won the Elementary Division IBO Challenge with a team score of 1,472. Washington Middle School came in second place with a score of 1,448, and Columbia Christian School took third place with a total score of 1,336 points.

Unlike the bull’s-eye competition held March 7-8 at the Hot Springs Convention Center, archers in the AIS IBO Challenge shoot at lifelike 3D targets of popular game animals. Instead of focusing on a central bull’s-eye, the archers try to hit the “sweet spot” on the animal targets, which would ensure an ethical harvest in a real hunting scenario. The bow, arrows and allowed equipment, however, are identical to those used during the field archery competition.

“Instead of shooting six rounds (called ends) at a single round target, the archers will shoot at six different animal-shaped targets,” Aimee Swaim, AGFC Archery in the Schools Program coordinator, said. “If they hit the main body of the target, it’s 7 points, then there are scoring rings inside of the animal’s vital area where a hunter would want to hit in the field with a 10 being an excellent shot on the animal in the real world. Any arrow that misses the target or hits an extremity is counted as a zero.”

This year’s State IBO Challenge more than doubled in size, requiring host Pangburn High School to expand the event into its second gymnasium. Photo courtesy Charleston Archery in the Schools.

This is only the second year for the AGFC’s AIS program to host a statewide IBO Challenge, and its popularity has skyrocketed.

“Last year we had about 360 students participate in the IBO challenge,” Swaim said. “This year we had more than 700 archers register for a 102 percent increase in a single year. We even had to expand our state tournament into Pangburn’s additional gymnasium to house all of the students who needed to shoot.”

In its second year, the 3D portion of Arkansas’s Archery in the Schools program already is ranked fourth in the nation in participation.

IBO Vice President Ryan Bass was encouraged by the fast growth of the sport in The Natural State.

“The International Bowhunting Organization was excited to be in Arkansas to assist AGFC with their state-level IBO 3D,” Bass said. “Arkansas [National Archery in the Schools Program] has grown substantially over the last year and it is apparent that the agency can see that 3D archery is a clear step to getting our youth archers into the outdoor lifestyle that we all cherish.”

Maddie Johnson from Charleston High School and Mark Smith from Magnet Cove High School were the top female and male archers in the event, with each earning a $500 scholarship from IBO. Photo courtesy Charleston Archery in the Schools.

Magnet Cove’s Mark Smith led the team in this state championship with an impressive 290 out of a possible 300 points. Smith secured a $500 scholarship from the International Bowhunting Organization for his accomplishment. Fellow Magnet Cove Panther and top overall performer in the bull’s-eye state championship, Cash Hignight, finished in third place, losing the tie-breaker for second with Travis Cook of Lead Hill High School. Both Cook and Hignight scored 288, but Cook prevailed in the tie-breaker.

Maddie Johnson of Charleston High School took the top individual archer spot on the female side of the High School Division. Johnson, who came in second during the state bull’s-eye competition, tied her score of 285 out of a possible 300, which was more than enough to stand alone atop the leaderboard at the end of Saturday’s shoot. Johnson also received a $500 scholarship courtesy of IBO for her effort. Ella Curry of Alpena High School took second place with a total score of 281, and Holly Chandler from Magnet Cove High School held the third-place trophy with a score of 279.

Visit www.agfc.com/AIS for more information on the AGFC’s Archery in the Schools Program.

Cotton, Kustoff introduce cellphone bill to keep cellphones out of jails

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2025, legislation which would prevent inmates from using contraband cellphone use in prison facilities by allowing state and federal prisons to use cellphone jamming systems. Congressman David Kustoff (Tennessee-08) is leading companion legislation in the House. 

Senators Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Shelley Capito (R-West Virginia), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), and James Risch (R-Idaho) are cosponsoring the legislation. 

“For far too long, contraband cellphones have been a major security threat in our prisons, allowing criminals to coordinate crimes from behind bars. This legislation is a common-sense step to cut off their ability to threaten witnesses, organize drug trafficking, and endanger law-abiding citizens from within prison walls,” said Senator Cotton.

PICRYL Image

“Criminals are using contraband cellphones to commit crimes while in prison. The extent of coordinated criminal activity carried out by inmates is a serious threat to public safety,” said Congressman Kustoff. “As a former United States Attorney, I have seen first-hand the dangerous effects of contraband cellphone use to both law enforcement officers and our communities. It should be impossible for prisoners to organize gang activity, traffic drugs, and coordinate any other wrongdoing from behind bars. The Cellphone Jamming Reform Act is commonsense legislation that will crack down on cellphones in prisons and protect inmates, guards, and the public at large.” 

Text of the legislation may be found here.  

Background:

  • The use of contraband cellphones is widespread in both federal and state prison facilities. Inmates have used contraband cellphones to conduct illegal activities, including ordering hits on individuals outside of the prison walls, running illegal drug operations, conducting illegal business deals, facilitating sex trafficking, and organizing escapes which endanger correctional employees, other inmates, and members of the public.

  • Last year, two 13-year-old boys were killed at a birthday party in Atlanta after inmates in a Georgia prison used contraband cellphones to order their murder. In 2024, Georgia authorities confiscated more than 15,500 contraband cellphones and seized more than 8,000 in 2023.

  • In December 2024, two California inmates were convicted of murder, racketeering, and other RICO-related crimes for running a heroin and meth trafficking operation from their prison cells. 

  • In 2018, a gang fight over territory using cellphones to trade contraband sparked a brawl inside the Lee Correctional Institution near Bishopville, South Carolina, and left seven inmates dead and 20 injured.

  • Bureau of Prisons Correctional officer Lt. Osvaldo Albarati was murdered in 2013 for interrupting an illicit contraband cellphone business. His actual assassination was initiated by an inmate using a contraband cellphone to contact the gunman as outlined in the indictment.                                                                                                

Boozman shares memories of Northwest Arkansas veteran who help paved the way for expanded roles for women

Senator Highlights Barrier-Breaking Army Veteran Amid Women’s History Month

WASHINGTON––The Veterans History Project, an initiative of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center, is marking its 25th year collecting and retaining the oral histories of our nation’s veterans. U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), whose office has actively promoted and participated in the program including training more than 1,200 Arkansans to engage with it and conducting more than 100 veteran interviews, continues to commemorate its impact and significance.

One of Boozman’s latest submissions recognized the service and sacrifice of Northwest Arkansas U.S. Army veteran Debra Holmes in his office’s ‘Salute to Veterans’ series highlighting the military service of Arkansans.

U.S. Army Veteran Debra Holmes

Holmes grew up in Derby, Kansas, a location that inspired her love of aviation.

“We lived six miles off the Boeing Aircraft runway that was adjacent to an Air Force base, McConnell Air Force Base. And so, as a young girl, I would get to see the B-52s climbing slowly up into the air,” Holmes said. 

As the daughter of a WWII Army medic who served at the Battle of the Bulge and stepdaughter of a Navy WWII veteran, she learned early on about the importance of patriotism and service. 

In high school, she talked with her classmates’ parents stationed at the local Air Force base and gained their perspective on military service. 

“It’s an incredible honor to serve your country,” she said. “That was very appealing to me.”

While her family had a history of working at Boeing, Holmes had other plans. 

“I wanted to see the world, so I couldn’t wait until I could get enough money or education and go out into the world. At that time the Army had a slogan ‘Join the Army, See the World.’”

In 1974, the week of her 19th birthday, she went to a recruiting office to enlist in military service.

“My brothers had had draft numbers so we had sat up and watched the draft. And my mother never thought in any way, shape or form that her youngest and only daughter would join the military. She was not thrilled,” Holmes recalled.

The Army had recently started expanding opportunities for women beyond administrative and nursing roles to include military occupational specialties, allowing Holmes to pursue her interest in air traffic control.

She attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

While she didn’t know what to expect in basic training, she had some previous shooting experience that helped her on the range. Her first shots with an M16 hit the target and her sergeant asked her where she learned to shoot.

“My uncle worked for Daisy BB company, and I’ve shot BB guns,” she shared with him. “He was not impressed.”

Following basic training she attended air traffic control school at Fort Rucker, Alabama (today known as Fort Novosel.) Holmes was enrolled in an accelerated training course that was challenging, but the practice and persistence paid off giving her the tools to be a good controller. 

She was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where the military was running simulations. She was often the only female air traffic controller.

“The soldiers, sailors and marines that I primarily engaged with who had either been to Vietnam or who had been drafted – because I was a woman and also a volunteer – they were not happy,” she recalled, shaking her head. “They voiced the fact that they didn’t think it was appropriate for women in the miliary especially in these new roles that they were rolling out. The other male volunteers were much more accepting.”

Holmes expected an assignment to Germany based on her enlistment. However, the Army reassigned her to Yongsan, South Korea, where she was initially nervous to be in a new location. She remembered asking for a sign that things would be okay.

“We’re all going along on this bus and I look up, and I don’t think I ever saw another one after that and I was there for two years, but it was a Coca-Cola billboard in Korean,” she said. “That was the answer to my prayer. And I thought ‘oh yeah. I can do this now.’ I used to put in my letters a Korean Coca-Cola bottle cap to my family. It was kind of a fun message that I would make it.” 

She recalled her living conditions in a Quonset Hut that included dangerously cold temperatures, forcing her to chip ice off the toilet, followed by the rainy monsoon season. 

She was stationed close to the demilitarized zone which put her in dangerous situations, but her training gave her the tools to succeed.

Her fondest memory of her time in South Korea was the engagement with locals on her way to do laundry. Every two weeks she looked forward to dancing and singing with area kids as she made her way through the village. She learned it was something her hosts also cherished when, on one of her last visits, the men, women and children showed their appreciation by bowing to her and honoring her with a gift.

“They had heard that American women like two things: gum and perfume, so they put their money together and bought me a pack of Chanel No. 5 gum,” she said. “They had put this together to give me a gift because I had sang and danced and played with the kids. I was so honored.” 

She recalled arriving stateside in her uniform to unexpected hostility. Not only were travelers at the airport calling her names, but a passenger on her domestic flight threw a drink on her. 

“It was really difficult. It was really difficult,” she said. “Once I got out of the military I didn’t mention it for 33 more years. I wouldn’t tell anybody. I just didn’t mention it. I didn’t put it on any resume, anything. I’m not going to chance it,” she recalled.

Holmes finished her military service at Fort Eustis, Virginia. By this point, she had been certified in all types of air traffic control.

“There weren’t many of us in the world at that point in time that had that certification.” She credits her commander in South Korea for providing her with the opportunities that led to her success. 

Holmes loved air traffic control, but things changed after she was in a tower hit by lightning during a tropical storm. She sustained serious injuries. 

“I could go back to air traffic control, but I was never as sharp. I was never as quick at it. And I couldn’t settle for that.”

Following military service, Holmes pursued a career in technology and later transitioned to a hospice chaplain.

Today she calls Springdale home and participates in a number of veteran organizations to support her fellow servicemembers.

“I have fulfilled a promise I made a very young girl in me, that I would see the world and I would have adventures. And the Army kicked that off for me. If you can go to a country where you know nobody and nothing, you can find your way. And in the military people do have your back. And I don’t think a civilian can quite understand what that means. I don’t think I could even put it into words, but it’s something sacred.”

“I’m grateful for Debra Holmes’ dedication and service to our nation. Her time in uniform serves as a reminder of the adversity women faced on their path to military success and the responsibility we have to honor our commitment to support the men and women who answered the call to serve. I’m honored to collect and preserve her memories,” Boozman said.

Boozman submitted Holmes’ entire interview to the Veterans History Project and will continue to mark the program’s 25th anniversary this year with events in several Arkansas communities to conduct interviews with veterans and train those interested in learning how to participate.

An interview day is scheduled for April 30 at the Fort Chaffee Barbershop and Military Museum. To learn more, contact Kathy Watson in the senator’s Fort Smith office at 479-573-0189.

Womack holds National Transportation Safety Board oversight hearing

Washington, DC—March 26, 2025…Today, House Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittee Chairman Steve Womack (AR-3) held his first public hearing of the 119th Congress to conduct oversight of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy was the witness, appearing for the first time before Congress since the tragic mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in January. Today is also the one-year anniversary of the catastrophic collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.

THUD Chairman Womack delivered the following remarks during the hearing, “Safety is a top priority for this subcommittee in our work to fund the nation’s transportation network. It is our duty to ensure we provide appropriate levels of support to transportation programs that ensure the safety of our skies, roads, and railroads.

“It is also our duty on this committee to support the operations of the National Transportation Safety Board. This critical, independent safety watchdog helps ensure our world-class transportation system is as safe as possible, identifying the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of some of our most tragic accidents and puzzling events in civil transportation.”

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Cole delivered the following remarks during the hearing, “When you get on a plane, drive over a bridge, or board a train – you shouldn’t have to wonder if you’ll make it to your destination safely. The mission of Chair Homendy and her team at the National Transportation Safety Board is essential to that point. They investigate why an accident occurred and identify measures to prevent it from happening again. They don’t speculate – they find the facts necessary to uphold the highest standards of reliability and safety.

“As we begin the FY26 appropriations process, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to responsibly fund the critical safety missions and transportation infrastructure needs of this country.”

Congressman Womack’s full remarks as prepared are available here.

A video of Congressman Womack’s questions for Chair Homendy can be found here.

A full recording of the hearing is available here.

A video of Congressman Womack’s opening remarks is below.

Walmart receives top spot in national grocery shopper survey

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Bentonville-based Walmart held the top spot with 63% of U.S. shoppers in a survey using the retailer to shop for groceries, according to YouGov’s grocery store ranking survey for 2025.

The online polling firm reports Walmart held a 20.8% lead over second-place Target as the place they shop for groceries. Rounding out the top five were deep discounter Aldi with 32.8% of the share, Costco with 31.8%, and Kroger with 23.9%.

Sam’s Club ranked sixth with a 22.8% share of shoppers’ choices for their next grocery purchase. Trader Joe’s (20.5%), Whole Foods Market (15.9%), Publix (13.3%), and Amazon Fresh (12%) were in the top 10 retailer rankings in the recent survey.

Walmart receives top spot in national grocery shopper survey

UA alumni give $250,000 to ‘Opportunity’ scholarship campaign

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

University of Arkansas alumni Stephanie and Kevin Wilcox of Little Rock have given $250,000 to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship Endowment, according to a university news release.

“We are immensely grateful to Kevin and Stephanie Wilcox for their generous contribution to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “Their support will be instrumental in fulfilling our land-grant mission to uplift all Arkansans, and we are thrilled about the impact their generosity will have on so many lives.”

As of March 1, the Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign had raised 64% of its goal in 11% of the time with more than $127.26 million in pledges and commitments. The three-year initiative is expected to expand educational access for students from all 75 counties in Arkansas, improve graduation rates, and create two-way engagement between the UA and businesses throughout the state.

UA alumni give $250,000 to ‘Opportunity’ scholarship campaign

Stephanie and Kevin Wilcox of Little Rock

UAMS Announces UAMS Health OrthoNow, a Walk-In Clinic for Orthopaedic Care

By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) on April 7 will launch a new service called UAMS Health OrthoNow, a walk-in clinic that provides orthopaedic care for patients of all ages.

OrthoNow is located on the first floor of The Orthopaedic & Spine Hospital at UAMS, 801 Cottage Drive in Little Rock. The service is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

OrthoNow will offer fast, expert care for a variety of injuries and conditions involving the bones, joints and spine. Patients will benefit from The Orthopaedic & Spine Hospital’s state-of-the art amenities, including on-site X-rays that allow for quick diagnoses.

UAMS Announces UAMS Health OrthoNow, a Walk-In Clinic for Orthopaedic Care

And they’re off! Crop planting is underway in Arkansas

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Planting season is underway for Arkansas farmers, with corn growers first to getting seed in the ground, according to the Crop Progress report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. 

The statistics service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture issues weekly crop progress and condition reports during the growing season.

PLANTING TIME — First rice planting date study was planted March 18, 2025, at the Rice Research and Extension Center in Stuttgart. Typically the late March to early April planting window results in the highest grain yields at this location. (Photo by Jarrod Hardke)

Monday’s report showed Arkansas corn 2 percent planted, compared to 1 percent at this time last year and the 1 percent five-year average.

The report also said that 3 percent of the state’s winter wheat was forming grain heads. That compared to 1 percent at this time last year and to the zero percent five-year average. More than half of the winter wheat crop — 58 percent — was rated in good to excellent condition.

Corn

Jason Kelley, wheat and feed grains agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said planting corn now is not unexpected.

“It's 80 degrees and it's dry and it's mid-March,” Kelley said. “It's hard to not plant something, but producers still have concerns about a potential late season cold snap, so up to date, planting has started slow but will be picking up speed as we near late March.”

In some years, corn planting may start on a very limited basis as early as late February in the southern tier of counties in Arkansas, but not this year due to wet weather.

“With corn, our planting date studies have shown there is a fairly wide window when we can maximize yields, generally up to late April, so planting early may be beneficial some years, but getting the optimum stand is what we are really shooting for,” Kelley said
“I think overall the acreage will be up this year,” he said. “2024 was a little bit of a down year as far as acreage with  500,000 acres. In 2023, we had about 750,000 acres.

Kelley said he expected 2025 to see “a little bit of a rebound” given a somewhat more optimistic outlook for corn prices than other commodities.

Rice

While corn was the only crop to make the report for planting, Jarrod Hardke, rice extension agronomist for the Division of Agriculture said there may have been two or three rice growers who got started last week.

This week, many rice growers were doing field prep, but “planting is beginning to pick up speed and by this coming weekend it will really be getting cranked up,” Hardke said.

Weather is a concern, with very low humidity and high winds. The March 14 storms that spawned deadly tornadoes, didn’t bring a lot of rain.

“Rains were variable with some growers receiving 1-2 inches while others may have technically gotten a little rainfall overnight, but by the morning they didn't know whether they had or not because it was so dry,” he said.

Red flag warnings covered most counties of the state on Wednesday, with wind advisories covering the rest. The next opportunity for rain would be on Sunday.

“That rain will be welcome to put a little moisture back to the soil and encourage a bigger start to planting,” Hardke said.

Soybeans

Jeremy Ross, extension soybean agronomist, said soybean planting was just getting started.

A lot of ground is ready to plant, but we didn’t see the February planting that we have seen the last two years due to rain events over the past month,” he said. “If the weather holds, we could have a significant portion of the soybean crop planted in the next few weeks. 

“I’m anticipating soybean acreage to be about what we have seen the past two years,” Ross said. “Our acreage should remain around the 3 million acres mark, but we could see some changes one way of the other depending on how planting progresses over the next two months. 

“We are just now getting into the early planting window for the southern part of the state, and we still have time to get the soybean crop planted to maximize yields,” he said.

Cotton and peanuts

“Both cotton and peanuts will start probably the third week of April,” said Zachary Treadway, extension agronomist for cotton and peanuts.

“If you're planting past the last day of May you've gone too late,” he said. “In a perfect world all of our planting will  come between April 20 and May 20 — that’s if the planting season is kind to us.”

“We have some issues last year where it was cool and rained and planting got dragged out and some planting got abandoned all together,” Treadway said.

Soil temperature is the cue for cotton growers to get seed in the ground. “They need a consistent 65 degrees at about four inches of soil depth, he said.

Treadway said that considering the market, he expects to see cotton acres decline slightly in Arkansas while peanut acres may increase.

Price and acreage rollercoaster

Scott Stiles, extension economics program associate, said the markets may do some reshaping of expected acres. USDA will issue its annual Prospective Plantings report on March 31, giving an overview of farmers’ intentions for the 2025 growing season.

Like Treadway, Stiles expected cotton acres to run lower.

The National Cotton Council “had Arkansas' cotton acres down 7 percent to 604,000,” Stiles said. “That’s not a surprise and some think cotton acres may be even lower than that. Cotton prices for the 2025 crop touched 70 cents last Friday and again Monday but didn't stay there long.

“With the heavy supply situation in cotton, there's little incentive today for it to encourage acres. With so much of the U.S. cotton crop grown in Texas, we may see some weather-related price improvement later in the growing season,” Stiles said.

Corn and soybean prices peaked around February 20th, but “unfortunately, both of those have run out of gas,” Stiles said. There was quick run-up in rice last week, but that rally fell flat too.

“Corn is about 40 cents off its February highs and soybean about 60 cents off its highs,” he said.Since making a recent top March 11, new crop rice futures have pulled back about 23 cents per bushel. The commodities are nervously watching all the global trade dynamics and trying to figure it all out.

“Seasonally, we generally see prices for corn and soybeans work higher through planting and oftentimes peaking by mid-June if crop conditions are favorable,” Stiles said.

If there's any good news to report, it's probably the pullback in diesel prices. 

“Diesel futures are trading around $2.20 today and that's 45 cents off the January high,” Stiles said on Wednesday. “It’s a little relief there as field work gets underway.”

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed bills into law

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, the Governor signed into law: 

HB1704 – An act to amend the law regarding child custody in matters where a parent is a first responder; and for other purposes.

HB1275 – An act to prohibit prior authorizations for healthcare services provided for treatment of a mental health crisis; and for other purposes. 

HB1316 – An act to mandate coverage for lung cancer screenings; and for other purposes. 

HB1488 – An act to amend the standard nonforfeiture law for life insurance; to require an insurer to pay interest on deferred payment of any cash surrender value under certain policies; and for other purposes. 

HB1558 – An act to amend the law concerning the Arkansas real estate commission; to create a property management broker and property management associate license; to amend the real estate license law; and for other purposes. 

HB1652 – An act to amend the law concerning self-service storage facilities; to allow the enforcement of an unsigned self-service storage facility rental agreement; to create a procedure to provide notice of the termination of a self-service storage facility rental agreement; and for other purposes. 

HB1721 – An act regarding greyhound racing; to amend sections of the Arkansas code to prohibit greyhound racing and simulcasting of greyhound racing; and for other purposes.

SB111 – An act to establish the dentist and dental hygienist compact; and for other purposes. 

SB189 – An act to authorize ivermectin for human use to be sold without a prescription or consultation with a healthcare professional; and for other purposes. 

SB279 – An act to amend the minimum wage act of the state of Arkansas; to assist the division of labor with enforcing the fair and prompt payment of wages to Arkansas citizens; to clarify the manner in which wage and hour complaints are investigated; and for other purposes. 

HB1505 – An act to amend the law concerning public safety employees who have experienced a traumatic event; to offer licensed counseling to public safety employees who have experienced a traumatic event; to require a public employer to provide coverage for licensed counseling for a public safety employee who has experienced a traumatic event; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes.

SB135 – An act to amend election requirements in the case of an unchanged rate of an annual ad valorem property tax levied by a public school district board of directors; and for other purposes. 

SB223 – An act to create the religious rights at public schools act of 2025; and for other purposes. 

SB413 – An act to amend the law concerning a school district board of directors; to amend the law concerning the certification of an oath for a school board of director; and for other purposes. 

SB417 – An act to amend various laws related to higher education; to repeal the requirement for affirmative action programs at institutions of higher education; to amend certain laws related to reporting and services by institutions of higher education; to amend las relation to certain construction projects, personnel, land, and services of institutions of higher education; and for other purposes.

SB299 – An act to require a staff member to witness an administrator assisting a resident of a long-term residential care facility with absentee voting; and for other purposes. 

SB339 – An act concerning the membership of the child maltreatment investigations oversight committee; and for other purposes. 

SB353 – An act to amend Arkansas law concerning the dates for elections; to amend the dates of primary elections, school elections, and certain special elections; to change the date of the fiscal session of the general assembly; and for other purposes. 

SB409 – An act to prohibit discrimination of agricultural producers by financial services providers; to amend the law concerning environmental, social justice, or governance scores or metrics; to establish the farmer protection act; and for other purposes.

HB1129 – An act to amend the property tax exemption for disabled veterans, surviving spouses, and minor dependent children; to amend the definition of “homestead” for the purpose of the property tax exemption for disabled veterans, surviving spouses, and minor dependent children; and for other purposes. 

 HB1147 – An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Secretary of State for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes. 

HB1246 – An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the University of Arkansas Community College at Rich Mountain for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes. 

HB1386 – An act to amend the law concerning the assessment of property; to amend the law concerning substantial improvements to real property; to amend the method of valuation for real property under Arkansas constitution article 16, § 5 and for other purposes. 

HB1497 – An act to add the Department of the Military to the list of claimant agencies for purposes of the setoff against state tax refunds; to amend the definition of “debt” for purposes of the setoff against state tax refunds; and for other purposes. 

HB1647 – An act to amend the law concerning the division of information systems; to change the name of the division of information systems; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes.

HB1276 – An act concerning spousal retirement benefits of city attorneys of cities of the first class and cities of the second class, deputy city clerks in cities of the first class, mayors in cities of the second class, and treasurers in cities of the first class; and for other purposes. 

HB1293 – An act to amend the law concerning death benefits for certain public employees killed in the line of duty; to increase the payment of a claim to designated beneficiaries or survivors of certain public employees killed in the line of duty; and for other purposes. 

HB1313 – An act to expand health benefit coverage for certain firefighter retirees of municipalities and counties; and for other purposes. 

HB1322 – An act to amend the laws under the Arkansas local police and fire retirement system concerning line-of-duty death from occupational cancer; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes. 

HB1414 – An act to amend the law concerning claims for fire services; to update the schedule of equipment rates used in claims for fire services; and for other purposes. 

HB1479 – To amend the law concerning scrivener’s affidavits; to allow a licensed engineer, surveyor, or notary public to execute and record a scrivener’s affidavit in certain circumstances; and for other purposes. 

HB1508 – An act concerning the recodification of title 19 of the Arkansas code concerning public finance; to repeal and recodify title 19 of the Arkansas code with certain exceptions; to amend laws resulting from initiated acts 2000, no. 1; to make conforming changes to the Arkansas code; and for other purposes. 

HB1552 – An act to amend the law concerning certain inchoate offenses related to fentanyl; to establish the classification for a criminal attempt, solicitation, of conspiracy for certain fentanyl related offenses; and for other purposes.

SB345 – An act to promote tourism and economic development by improving efficiency of the private club permitting process of hotels, restaurants, and large-event facilities; to remove an overly burdensome tax requirement; and for other purposes.

SB424 – An act to amend the law concerning the accountability and transparency of a municipal improvement district; and for other purposes. 

Strong to severe thunderstorms possible in Arkansas this weekend

  • The chances of strong to severe thunderstorms remain Sunday afternoon into Sunday night.

  • Multiple medium to long range models continue to show agreement in the possibility of severe weather, with the greatest confidence across the central and eastern sections of Arkansas.

  • However, it should be noted that this possible severe weather event is still several days out and changes to the forecast are likely heading into the weekend.

  • Monitor the latest briefings regarding the expected timing, severe weather impacts, along with the general location(s) potentially affected.

Boozman Leads Bipartisan Bills to Address Doctor Shortage in Rural Areas

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) is continuing his efforts to increase access to reliable, quality health care for Arkansans by championing legislation that supports and attracts the next generation of doctors and medical professionals to The Natural State.

Flickr Image

Boozman and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) recently introduced the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act to ease financial burdens on medical professionals completing their medical training, and the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act to increase available medical residency spots and prioritize placement in rural and underserved areas. 

Nationwide, the U.S. faces a projected shortage between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034 according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. More than 500,000 Arkansans live in an area defined by the federal government as lacking the adequate number of health professionals to serve the population. 

“Addressing the shortage of medical professionals is a necessary step in ensuring Arkansans are able to access affordable and reliable health care no matter where they live,” said Boozman. “These bipartisan bills are practical efforts to encourage students to pursue careers in medicine by helping mitigate some of the financial barriers and burdens associated with internship and residency requirements while also ensuring more medical school graduates train and go on to practice in the communities that desperately need them.”

Boozman and Rosen’s Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act would help alleviate the health care provider shortage by allowing medical professionals to defer their student loan payments without accruing interest until the completion of their respective residency or internship programs. This deferment will decrease the financial burden for future doctors, dentists and other medical providers who face a median medical debt of over $200,000 upon graduation.

The senators also introduced the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act to redistribute available residency slots in a manner that prioritizes areas experiencing physician shortages. Medical professionals are more likely to practice medicine where they completed their residencies, and opening more opportunities in rural communities is a strong step forward to ensure Arkansans have access to reliable health care.

UAMS Brings Together Patients, Caregivers and Providers for First MS Symposium

By Yavonda Chase

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) hosted its first Multiple Sclerosis Symposium on March 15, bringing together patients, caregivers and health care professionals to discuss the oft-debilitating neurological disease.

For co-organizer Ashley Pike, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the UAMS Helen L. Porter and James T. Dyke Brain Imaging Research Center, the event was personal; in 2008, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, often called MS.

A native Nebraskan who moved to Arkansas to attend graduate school, Pike said she discovered many people who are living with MS don’t know what resources are available to assist them, which is why she and Chrystal Fullen, Psy.D., a neuropsychologist in the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute, worked with the Department of Neurology to put on the symposium.

UAMS Brings Together Patients, Caregivers and Providers for First MS Symposium

Arkansas AG rejects proposed ballot measure to amend state’s direct democracy process

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas’ attorney general on Tuesday rejected a proposed ballot measure that aims to amend the state’s initiative and referendum process.

Attorney General Tim Griffin cited ambiguities as his reason for rejecting the proposed ballot title and language, which Little Rock attorney David Couch submitted on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Arkansas on March 11.

State law requires the attorney general to approve or reject a proposed ballot measure along with its ballot title and popular name within 10 business days of receiving the original draft. Tuesday was the deadline for Griffin to do so.

Arkansas AG rejects proposed ballot measure to amend state’s direct democracy process

Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate

Petitioners gather signatures for a ballot initiative to expand abortion access in Arkansas during the Voices and Votes rally on Jan. 28, 2024 in Fayetteville.

Ozark United FC releases plans for mixed-use development at stadium site

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

A planned soccer stadium for Ozark United FC in Rogers has grown to include a $250 million to $350 million sports-anchored entertainment district on 36 acres.

Located at the intersection of West Perry Road and South Bellview Road in Rogers, the site will include commercial, retail, and residential spaces, positioning the project as a year-round “live-work-play” destination for the region.

Renderings and details of the updated site plan were released Tuesday night (March 25) by the founders of the soccer club.

“Our goal has always been to create more than just a stadium; we want to build a lasting home for soccer and a hub for community engagement,” said Chris Martinovic, co-founder of Ozark United FC in a news release. “This district will provide fans, residents, and visitors with an unparalleled experience both on and off matchdays.”

Ozark United FC releases plans for mixed-use development at stadium site

Rendering courtesy of Buf Studio.

Severe Weather Briefing from the National Weather Service in Little Rock

  • The chances of strong to severe thunderstorms continue to increase this weekend, with a greater chance for severe weather possible on Sunday.

  • Multiple medium to long range models are beginning to show agreement in the possibility of severe weather.

  • Confidence has increased that Sunday is poised to be the day in which severe weather across Arkansas would possibly be the highest

  • Click below for the latest weather outlook

Hip, Knee Specialist Simon Mears, M.D., Ph.D., Returns to UAMS Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

By Linda Satter

LITTLE ROCK — Simon Mears, M.D., Ph.D., a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee joint-related conditions, has returned to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) after a year in an endowed professorship in orthopaedics at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Mears specializes in hip and knee replacement surgery and taking care of patients with complex joint problems such as periprosthetic fractures, revisions and infections.

“We are ecstatic that Dr. Mears has returned to the UAMS Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,” said C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., professor and chair of the department. “He is an outstanding joint replacement surgeon and a leader at the campus level for quality and safety. In addition, he is a nationally recognized researcher in hip and knee replacement.”

Hip, Knee Specialist Simon Mears, M.D., Ph.D., Returns to UAMS Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Quail, turkey conservation stamp winners unveiled

CANEHILL – Winners of the Arkansas Quail Stamp and Arkansas Turkey Stamp competitions were announced March 13 at Historic Cane Hill Gallery, about 3 miles southeast of Lincoln in Washington County.

AGFC Turkey Program Coordinator David Moscicki (left) and AGFC Quail Program Coordinator Clint Johnson with grand prize-winning “Bobwhite Quail Pair” by Abraham Hunter. Photo courtesy of Historic Cane Hill.

“Bobwhite Quail Pair” by Abraham Hunter took the grand prize in the quail stamp competition. “Quail Valley” by Amanda Hukill was second and “Edge of Maze” by Scott Hiestand” was third.

“Morning Mist” by Amanda Hukill won the turkey stamp grand prize. Second place went to “Sound” of Spring” by Abraham Hunter and third went to “Ridge Top Strutting” by Rick Morkel.

“The King of Spring” by Caleb Metrich won the Curator’s Award. Works by the grand prize winners, which received a $2,500 cash prize, will appear on the new editions of the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Stamp and the Eastern Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp issued by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Second-place artwork received $500 and third place received $250.

Lawrence McElroy, director of arts and culture at Historic Cane Hill, with Amanda Hukill and her grand prize artwork “Morning Mist.” Photo courtesy of Historic Cane Hill.

The stamps have raised $2.2 million over the years for habitat restoration across the state. Anyone may purchase the stamps, which are not required for hunting, for $9.50 each at www.agfc.com/license.

The juried art competition attracted 110 entries from 28 states. A selection of the entries and turkey calls made by Don and Sarah Clark will be on display at Historic Cane Hill Gallery through April 19.

Historic Cane Hill, a nonprofit group, is the curator of the legacy of Canehill, which is the oldest continuous settlement in Washington County. The community includes historic buildings, an art gallery, a museum, trails and a venue for special events. Visit historiccanehillar.org for more information.

Letter carriers' union: 'U.S. mail is not for sale'

KUAR | By Nathan Treece

Members of the Little Rock branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers gathered at the Arkansas State Capitol Sunday to protest a proposal from the Trump administration to move the U.S. Postal Service under the Department of Commerce.

It was part of a national day of action organized by the American Postal Worker's Union. NALC Local Branch President Chad Dollar spoke at the rally.

"The United State Postal Service employs 640,000, with over 200,000 being letter carriers. The postal service is the largest company to hire veterans, with over 73,000 hired," said Dollar. "The service we provide is a universal service. That means no one pays more, no one pays less. We just provide the service to the American people. We deliver nearly 160 million deliveries each and every day.”

Letter carriers' union: 'U.S. mail is not for sale'

Nathan Treece/Little Rock Public Radio

Local members of the National Association of Letter Carriers gather at the Arkansas State Capitol on March 23, 2025, to rally against attempts to privatize or dismantle the United States Postal Service.

New bill would dissolve Arkansas State Library and its board, set new library funding criteria

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas Sen. Dan Sullivan filed legislation Thursday to abolish not only the State Library Board, but the State Library as well.

Senate Bill 536 would carry out Sullivan’s promise to dismantle the library board by transferring the agency’s and board’s powers, authorities, funds, contracts and employees to the Arkansas Department of Education. The Arkansas State Library is already under the department’s umbrella but operates independently, and the board consists of seven members appointed by the governor who disburse funds to public libraries on a quarterly basis.

In February, Sullivan introduced Senate Bill 184, which would have abolished the State Library Board but not the State Library. The bill also would have dissolved the Arkansas Educational Television Commission, which oversees Arkansas PBS and is also under the education department but operates independently.

New bill would dissolve Arkansas State Library and its board, set new library funding criteria

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, in the Senate chamber on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.