An appeals court has struck down a key path for enforcing the Voting Rights Act

By Hansi Lo Wang

Updated November 20, 2023 at 4:15 PM ET

A federal appeals court has struck down a key path for enforcing the Voting Rights Act.

The new ruling in an Arkansas redistricting lawsuit may set up the next U.S. Supreme Court fight that could further limit the reach of the Voting Rights Act's protections for people of color.

The legal dispute is focused on who is allowed to sue to try to enforce key provisions under Section 2 of the landmark civil rights law, which was first passed in 1965.

An appeals court has struck down a key path for enforcing the Voting Rights Act

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Demonstrators hold up large cut-out letters spelling "VOTING RIGHTS" at a 2021 rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Presidential strategy, Trump and abortion

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson officially filed paperwork to run for U.S. President in his home state Friday (Nov. 10).

He shared his thoughts on his long shot candidacy, GOP frontrunner former President Donald Trump, and the issue of abortion, which played out in several state elections on Tuesday on this week’s edition of Capitol View and Talk Business & Politics.

Hutchinson said he’s asked regularly why he remains in the race for the Republican nomination for President despite his low polling numbers and inability to qualify for some debates.

Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Presidential strategy, Trump and abortion

UA Cossatot Selected for OpenStax OER Institutional Partner Program

Less than a year after UA Cossatot announced that it saved students a total of $3.2 million through its textbook rental program and open educational resources (OER) initiative, it has been selected as one of only sixteen institutions in the U.S. for the 2023-24 OpenStax OER Institutional Partner Program.

UA Cossatot leads Arkansas in OER usage, with 71 percent of courses using open resources, and was selected to participate in this national strategic partnership after a rigorous application process that demonstrated a willingness to continue its commitment to lowering student costs through the state’s first internal textbook rental and OER program. UA Cossatot will receive individualized consulting and support from experts in institutional change management and strategic initiatives designed to increase campus use of free, openly licensed OpenStax textbooks and other open educational resources.

“Being selected to participate in OpenStax’s Institutional Partner Program is quite an honor and just one more way in which we strengthen our role as the state’s OER leader and expand our OER initiative to promote an even wider and richer stage for open education,” said OER Specialist and Director of Educational Resources Relinda Ruth.

UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole commented,” We decided over six years ago to commit our college to saving our students money, and one of the best ways to do this was to provide Open Educational Resources. During this time, with the help of our OER Director and our faculty, we have converted almost 70% percent of all of our courses to OER, saving our students over three million dollars on textbook costs. We are proud of those efforts and will continue to lead the way in developing more OER opportunities.”

OpenStax is a nonprofit charitable corporation based out of Rice University that publishes high-quality, peer-reviewed, openly licensed college textbooks that are freely available online and low-cost in print. Their textbooks are used in 60 percent of colleges and universities in the U.S. and over 140 countries. Institutional partners typically increase the number of students using OER by over 150 percent after completing the first year of the program. During the last two years, partner institutions have saved students $19.6 million.

Director Ruth also leads the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Arkansas State OER Action Team and serves on the SREB’s Educational Technology Cooperative. Having just completed an intensive online year-long professional program in open education through Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, British Columbia, she will be traveling to Edmonton, Canada, and Washington D.C. during October to learn more about ways in which to support open education. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education invited Ruth to speak at the 2023 Oklahoma OER Summit in Midwest City in November.

Asa Hutchinson qualifies for GOP Presidential debate stage

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

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Sunday (Aug. 20) he has qualified for the first GOP Presidential debate.

His campaign disclosed that he had submitted nearly 42,000 unique donors to the Republican National Committee. A requirement for participation in the first GOP debate, to be held in Milwaukee on Wednesday (Aug. 23), was 40,000 donors.

“I am thankful to the tens of thousands of Americans who have contributed to my campaign and helped ensure my message of consistent, commonsense, conservative leadership is represented on the debate stage this Wednesday evening,” said Hutchinson. “I intend to continue speaking the truth when it comes to the responsibility that Donald Trump bears for the attacks on our democracy and justice system. I look forward to a substantive debate in Milwaukee.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/asa-hutchinson-qualifies-for-gop-presidential-debate-stage/

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson progressing toward qualifying for presidential debate

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

In an interview with Talk Business & Politics, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, said he believes he has exceeded expectations with his campaign.

Despite his low polling numbers and fundraising numbers, Hutchinson said he has impacted the discussions his party is having.

“I think I’ve been very clear in terms of my views and vision for America that we need to have a new leadership in our party and our country,” he said. “I’ve impacted the race, in fact, I was the third one in. Since then, we’ve had 8 more jump in. I think they see the opportunity and necessity of it. So the impact has been terrific.”

ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-08-07/former-arkansas-gov-asa-hutchinson-progressing-toward-qualifying-for-presidential-debate

Arkansas PBS

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is the latest Republican to enter the presidential race. Hutchinson made the announcement in Bentonville, Arkansas, which he says is an important part of his life story.

OER Digest lists UA Cossatot in Stories from the Field

UA Cossatot made the OER Digest again! The OER Digest is a monthly newsletter for open education created in 2015 by Creative Commons USA, SPARC, and the Student PIRGs. While the primary audience is the OER community in the U.S. and Canada, subscribers come from around the globe.

UA Cossatot is listed in “Stories from the Field” right along with Michigan and Ireland.

STORIES FROM THE FIELD

Quick snapshots of those making change on the ground level, and those impacted

FROM MICHIGAN: Northern Michigan University has established an Open Educational Resource (OER) Faculty Learning Community. This pioneering initiative is part of a two-year pilot program aimed at promoting widespread OER adoption across campus and facilitating professional development opportunities. Reflecting the university's commitment to accessibility, this community of faculty members is working to revolutionize higher education. Leslie Warren, interim associate provost and dean of Library and Instructional Support, remarked, "The open education resource movement is another way that faculty can remove barriers and support students." With Olson Library and the Center for Teaching and Learning leading the charge, Northern Michigan University takes pride in laying the groundwork for OER, striving to reduce textbook costs, enhance affordability, bridge equity gaps, and empower more students to successfully complete their degrees.

FROM IRELAND: Dundalk Institute of Technology’s National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education recently received an esteemed UNESCO Prize. Their work developing the National Resource Hub and Open Courses was recognized and applauded. One of the members of the team, Dr. Ronan Bree played an instrumental role in the development of the National Resource Hub, a user-friendly platform facilitating engagement with open educational resources across the sector. He shared how “The National Resource Hub…offers opportunities for anyone to submit and access open educational resources… in any form, and in any media format.” This hub makes accessing and sharing OER easier than ever. The goal of this project is to support Irish Higher Education and contribute to transformative education.

FROM ARKANSAS: Since launching its Open Educational Resource program in 2015, the University of Arkansas Cossatot has made strides in saving students textbook costs. The college has successfully saved students a total of $3,197,081.25 to date, with each academic year showing notable savings. Educational Resources Director and OER Specialist Relinda Ruth, who chairs the Arkansas OER Taskforce, stated “Saving our students nearly 3.2 million in textbook expenses is one way UA Cossatot shows its commitment to student success… we’re excited to look at more open educational practices like open pedagogies, scholarship, and educational technologies that will continue to make higher education more accessible to students.” As UA Cossatot prepares to begin the fall 2023 semester, an impressive 71% of courses will offer OER options, ensuring continued benefits for students.

U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, AR opening to the public on July 1, 2023

The U.S. Marshals Museum expects to tell the story of our nations’ Marshals beginning July 1st, 2023!

Founded in 1817, Fort Smith is now celebrating its bicentennial milestone. With an exciting past, a vibrant present, and a strong future, Fort Smith provides the perfect setting for the U.S. Marshals Museum – and an entertaining travel destination for you and your family. Use this page as a guide to help plan your trip. We look forward to your visit!

Museum Address:  789 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, AR 72901.

Hours Of Operation:  Open: 9a-5p Daily starting July 1st, 2023.

Memberships: Learn more about Memberships available.

Contact: info@usmmuseum.org, (479) 242-1789

Our Mission

The Mission of the U.S. Marshals Museum is to form a national center of heritage and legacy, disseminate knowledge, and inspire appreciation for the accomplishments of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Our Vision

The U.S. Marshals Museum will inspire Americans across the country—both now and for future generations—to live with the core values of the U.S. Marshals Service: “Justice, Integrity, and Service.”

Arkansas to receive $1 billion from Biden administration for high-speed internet

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

The U.S. Department of Commerce released details Monday (June 26) of a $42.45 billion high-speed internet grant program and Arkansas will receive more than $1 billion as a result.

The “Internet for All” initiative is a component of Biden’s “Investing in America” infrastructure agenda.

Arkansas will receive $1,024,303,993.86 through the program. The state must submit a proposal describing how it will run its grant program within 180 days from June 30, 2023.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/06/arkansas-to-receive-1-billion-from-biden-administration-for-high-speed-internet/

State Capitol Exhibit Focuses on History of U.S. Marshals Service in Arkansas

(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) – Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston would like to invite the public to view the latest exhibit at the State Capitol.

In this exhibit, we celebrate the United States Marshals Service, the nation's oldest law enforcement agency, and showcase a brief history of the Marshals who brought law and order to our state.

Today, the role of the Marshal Service has expanded to include security to the federal judiciary and manages the witness security program. It manages and sells seized or forfeited assets of criminals, is responsible for the confinement and transportation of federal prisoners who have not yet been turned over to the Bureau of Prisons, and is the primary federal agency responsible for fugitive investigations.

On September 24, 2014, the 225th anniversary of the U.S. Marshals Service, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Fort Smith for the United States Marshals Museum; the museum is scheduled to open on July 1, 2023.

Secretary Thurston said, "The new U.S. Marshals Museum will be a showcase for Arkansas, encouraging tourism and serving as a true educational experience for those interested in our nation's history. We are proud to partner with them on this exhibit at the Capitol."

The Secretary of State’s Office would like to thank the following for their contributions to this exhibit: David Kennedy, Curator, United States Marshals Museum; Dave Lumbert; David Turk, National Historian, United States Marshals Service; and U.S. Marshal Jeremy Hammons.

The display is located in the fourth floor gallery and will be available for viewing through August 21st.

Report: Economics for moving to electric trucks continues to improve

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

A new report highlighted multiple factors to consider in planning for charging infrastructure – often regarded as the most challenging aspect of transitioning to electric trucks. The report included a 10-step plan to implement the infrastructure and how to charge vehicles reliably and cost-effectively.

According to the report by North American Council for Freight Efficiency, fleets considering whether to use “electric vehicles need a basic working understanding of electricity and the way utilities work in order to estimate charging costs, install chargers easily and realize the fuel savings that can come with using electricity instead of diesel to power trucks.”

The council’s report builds on its 2019 one and comprised interviews of leaders at fleets, truck makers, utilities, charger manufacturers, research groups and industry organizations. The report includes electric truck charging strategies, a breakdown of charger types and charging service models.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/06/report-economics-for-moving-to-electric-trucks-continues-to-improve/

Cattle herd rebuilding means lower margins for packers like Tyson Foods

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Lower beef packer margins for Tyson Foods and other processors will continue as the U.S. beef cattle herd rebuilds, according to Derrell Peel, livestock marketing analyst at Oklahoma State University Extension.

Packers like Springdale-based Tyson Foods lost about $10 per head on the beef they processed for the week ending June 3. The loss per head widened from $5 per head the prior week. Packers profited about $87 per head a month ago and $265 per head a year ago, according to Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

Packer margins are being squeezed by higher live cattle prices driven by fewer cattle supplies which has pushed processing capacity utilization down to 79% in recent weeks.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/06/cattle-herd-rebuilding-means-lower-margins-for-packers-like-tyson-foods/

Gov. Sanders sending 80 from Arkansas National Guard to Texas-Mexico border

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

Gov. Sarah Sanders announced Thursday (June 1) that she is directing about 80 soldiers from the Arkansas National Guard to the Texas-Mexico border.

Blaming the Biden administration’s recent halt of Title 42, Sanders said the guardsmen will support the Texas National Guard in border control efforts during the month of July.

Title 42 is a policy started during the COVID-19 pandemic by former President Donald Trump and kept in place until May by President Joe Biden. It curtailed rights for petition for asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/06/gov-sanders-sending-80-from-arkansas-national-guard-to-texas-mexico-border/

Economists: U.S., Arkansas economies not likely to see recession in 2023

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

According to three economists who spoke Friday (Jan. 27) at the 29th annual Arkansas Business Forecast Luncheon held in Rogers, Arkansas and the U.S. will likely avoid economic recession primarily because of continued job and wage growth.

Around 1,000 people attended the event, according to officials with the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

Simmons Foods CEO Todd Simmons was the moderator for the event and said three areas of concern from his perspective included the need for affordable housing in Northwest Arkansas to ensure people continue to move here. He also said the region’s population growth over the past decade has taxed transportation infrastructure, and keeping up with the higher demand is crucial to ongoing growth. Lastly, he said workforce development is imperative for the region’s future growth.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/01/economists-u-s-arkansas-economies-not-likely-to-see-recession-in-2023/

U.S. corn, cotton and soybean production down in 2022

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Production for corn, cotton and soybeans declined from last year, according to the 2022 Crop Production Annual Summary released by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Drought ravaged nearly every state during the year and it had impacts on harvested acres and yields.

U.S. corn growers produced 13.7 billion bushels, down 9% from 2021. Corn yield in the United States is estimated at 173.3 bushels per acre, 3.4 bushels below the 2021 record high yield of 176.7 bushels per acre. Area harvested for grain, at 79.2 million acres, is down 7% from 2021.

Soybean production for 2022 totaled 4.28 billion bushels, down 4% from 2021. The average soybean yield is estimated at 49.5 bushels per acre, 2.2 bushels below 2021, and 0.7 bushel below the Nov. 1 forecast.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/01/u-s-corn-cotton-and-soybean-production-down-in-2022/

Gus Wilson/UA System Division Of Agriculture

Corn planting begins in this photo from Feb. 24, 2012, in a field near Eudora in Chicot County, Ark.

Thanksgiving dinner costs on average up more than 20%

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Consumers should not be surprised that a Thanksgiving dinner for a party of 10 will cost more than 20% this year thanks to inflation, fueled in part by higher prices charged by food companies.

The overall cost is roughly $6.50 per person or $64.05 this year for a traditional Thanksgiving day turkey dinner, up from $53.31 last year. According to the American Farm Bureau (AFB) survey, higher prices are not dampening plans to celebrate. Families who will also add ham, russet potatoes and green beans to their overall meal will spend on average $81.30, a gain of 18% over last year’s average price of $68.72, AFB reported.

“Spending time with family and friends at Thanksgiving remains important for many Americans, and this year the cost of the meal is also top of mind,” according to Roger Cryan, AFB chief economist.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/11/thanksgiving-dinner-costs-on-average-up-more-than-20/

Residents can expect higher heating bills this winter, according to EIA

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

U.S. households will likely pay more to heat their homes this winter, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Compared to last winter, households are expected to spend 28% more on natural gas, 27% more on heating oil, 10% more on electricity and 5% more on propane.

On Wednesday (Oct. 12), the EIA released its 2022 Winter Fuels Outlook showing that U.S. residential energy prices will be higher this winter and heating fuel consumption is projected to be higher amid a colder winter than last year.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects the United States to have a slightly colder winter than last year, leading to higher consumption levels. The higher energy prices and consumption levels contribute to higher heating costs for households.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/10/residents-can-expect-higher-heating-bills-this-winter-according-to-eia/

J.B. Hunt releases metrics on self-driving truck pilot

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

Lowell-based carrier J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. recently reported metrics of a pilot program to move freight autonomously on Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston.

In a recently posted video on social media, Craig Harper, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president, discussed J.B. Hunt’s collaboration with Waymo Via on the pilot to move freight commercially using self-driving technology.

“I’m happy to report that all the safety and operating metrics were fantastic,” Harper said. “The freight was moved safely. There were no accidents, no speeding violations. Every pickup and delivery was on time.”

He said J.B. Hunt hauled more than 860,000 pounds of freight in the pilot.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/06/j-b-hunt-releases-metrics-on-self-driving-truck-pilot/

UAMS, CAVHS Studying Health Effects of Arkansas Veterans’ Exposure to Burn Pits in Middle East

Shuk-Mei Ho, Ph.D.

By David Robinson

More than 300 Arkansas veterans will become part of a new study conducted by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS) to determine if exposure to open pit burning and molecular-level changes are associated with chronic health conditions.

The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (DOD) estimate that 3.5 million service members were exposed to open burn pits used for waste disposal during military deployments in Southwest Asia since 1990.

The partnership is led by UAMS’ Shuk-Mei Ho, Ph.D., and Kalpana Padala, M.D., at CAVHS and UAMS. The four-year, $2.9 million DOD-funded study will test for persistent organic pollutants in blood and heavy metals in urine, which the researchers hypothesize remain from burn pit exposure. The team will also look for modifications (methylation) in DNA that can cause long-term health problems for the veterans including epigenetic changes that can be passed to their offspring.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/06/07/uams-cavhs-studying-health-effects-of-arkansas-veterans-exposure-to-burn-pits-in-middle-east/

Denver Broncos confirm new ownership pending, led by Walmart heir Rob Walton

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

The Denver Broncos have confirmed new ownership is on the way, and there are ties to Arkansas.

In a news release late Tuesday night (June 7), the NFL franchise said a purchase and sale agreement is in place to transfer ownership from the Pat Bowlen Trust to a bid submitted by Rob Walton, the oldest son of Walmart founders Sam and Helen Walton.

The bid is reportedly worth $4.65 billion, the most expensive sale of a sports franchise in North American history, according to multiple media reports. The Broncos did not include the price in the team’s official release.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/06/denver-broncos-confirm-new-ownership-pending-led-by-walmart-heir-rob-walton/

Sevier County Tourism Expecting Big Crowd for 2024 Total Eclipse

Keisha McKinney of the Sevier County Tourism Committee dropped by today to shed some light on preparations for the total eclipse of the sun in April of 2024.