Arkansas Supreme Court refers one of its own for disciplinary investigation

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Members of the Arkansas Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a case filed by Justice Courtney Hudson seeking to block the release of her emails from a public records request and have referred her for disciplinary investigation.

In an unsigned per curiam opinion issued Tuesday, the state’s high court vacated a preliminary injunction granted by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Patricia James on Monday and dismissed the underlying complaint with prejudice for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. “With prejudice” means the case cannot be refiled.

Hudson and Justice Karen Baker dissented. The opinion said written opinions would follow, but none had been filed as of Tuesday afternoon.

Arkansas Supreme Court refers one of its own for disciplinary investigation

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock.

Arkansas AG claims purchasing laws do not apply to governor, days before release of lectern audit

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin released an opinion Wednesday, at Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ request, declaring that certain executive branch officials such as the governor are not subject to certain laws that regulate purchases by government entities.

Sanders’ request and Griffin’s response came just days before lawmakers are expected to release the results of Arkansas Legislative Audit’s investigation into the controversial purchase of a $19,000 lectern last year by Sanders’ office.

Lawmakers authorized the audit in October into both the lectern purchase and “all matters… made confidential” by Act 7 of 2023, which exempted records related to the governor’s security from the state Freedom of Information Act.

Arkansas AG claims purchasing laws do not apply to governor, days before release of lectern audit

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, left, gestures during a news conference at the Arkansas Capitol.

Tyson Foods’ Green Forest plant implicated in child labor investigation

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Springdale-based Tyson Foods and George’s Inc. were among the 13 companies found to have used Packer Sanitation Services who hired minority workers ages 13-17 working overnight shifts in plants around the country.

The U.S. Department of Labor said Packers Sanitation Services employed minors to work in meat packing plants on third-shift sanitation crews. The Labor Department found 102 children between the ages 13 and 17 working in hazardous occupations.

Tyson Foods plant in Green Forest is reported to have had 6 minors working, resulting in fines of $90,828 by the Labor Department against Packers Sanitation. Tyson’s plant in Goodlettsville, Tenn., was found to have one minor, and that penalty was $15,138. The investigation found Springdale-based George’s Inc. had four minors working its Batesville, Ark. plant. That penalty was $60,552.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/tyson-foods-green-forest-plant-implicated-in-child-labor-investigation/

Photo from the U.S. Department of Labor of a child working in a slaughterhouse.