Economist highlights freight industry misconceptions, soft peak season

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

Peak shipping season is expected to be weak amid high inventory levels and holiday spending uncertainty, a supply chain economist said.

In a recent Project44 webinar, Jason Miller, professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, said consumers have spending power but are strained. Still, they’ve yet to reach a breaking point.

“The real question is going to be how much gets spent on goods for the holidays versus gets spent on experiences and services,” he said. Miller explained multiple misconceptions in trucking activity, including that “we’ve fallen off a cliff. Now, we are in a freight recession and have been since the third quarter of 2022.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/economist-highlights-freight-industry-misconceptions-soft-peak-season/

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center joins prosthesis study at UA with $4.9M grant

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a $4.9 million grant to the University of Arkansas’ Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I3R).

According to a UA news release Tuesday (Aug. 29), the funding will expand a clinical trial for an innovative neural-enabled prosthesis currently occurring at the UA campus in Fayetteville and including Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland as an additional clinical trial site.

The first-of-its-kind work aims to restore a sense of touch to individuals with upper limb amputation. It is the first time the UA has collaborated with Walter Reed, which houses one of the United States’ premier clinics for patients with amputations and is one of just three military hospitals that treat traumatic upper extremity amputations.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/walter-reed-national-military-medical-center-joins-prosthesis-study-at-ua-with-4-9m-grant/

A neural-enabled prosthetic hand system.

Federal agency asks states to pause Medicaid unwinding; DHS says request does not apply to Arkansas

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a letter to all 50 states Wednesday, asking some to restore coverage for people who were recently disenrolled for procedural reasons.

The request does not apply to Arkansas, Department of Human Services spokesman Gavin Lesnick said in an email.

DHS conducts Medicaid eligibility reviews on an individual basis and does not require eligibility information for every member of someone’s household to provide benefits to that person, he said.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-08-31/federal-agency-asks-states-to-pause-medicaid-unwinding-dhs-says-request-does-not-apply-to-arkansas

Daniel Breen/Little Rock Public Radio

Members of the group Arkansas Community Organizations protest the state's Medicaid unwinding process at the State Capitol on Aug. 22, 2023.

Implementation of Arkansas LEARNS Act continues with literacy coach training

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

Dozens of coaches are preparing to help Arkansas students meet literacy standards outlined in the LEARNS Act, an expansive new education law backed by the governor.

During a training session Monday, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the new literacy coaches she knows the impact a single teacher can have on a student because an educator helped improve her daughter’s literacy skills after noticing she was “missing a couple of important markers when it came to reading.”

“When we challenge students, when we push them and when we raise the bar instead of lower it, they’re going to meet it because kids are absolutely resilient and amazing and each kid is capable of learning when given access to the right tools, the right resources and, frankly, the right teacher,” Sanders said.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-08-30/implementation-of-arkansas-learns-act-continues-with-literacy-coach-training

Screengrab From Livestream

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave remarks at a literacy coach training event on Aug. 28, 2023.

EPA issues post-Sackett WOTUS rule, removes numerous waterways from Clean Water Act regulation

By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

Brigit Rollins, staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, says that numerous bodies of water previously identified as WOTUS will no longer have that classification (Division of Agriculture file photo)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The highly anticipated new waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule released Tuesday by the Environmental Protection Agency will remove scores of water bodies from regulation under the Clean Water Act.

Absent from the new rule is the “significant nexus”  test which had been part of WOTUS since the 2006 Supreme Court decision Rapanos vs. U.S. In that decision, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that wetlands should be included in the definition of WOTUS if they shared “significant nexus” with a water already identified as a WOTUS.

The EPA’s new WOTUS rule follows the May 25 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA. In that case, the high court narrowed the definition of WOTUS to include open, flowing bodies of water such as streams, rivers, lakes, and the ocean, along with those wetlands that share a continuous surface connection with such bodies of water.

Prior to the Sackett decision, WOTUS included adjacent wetlands, defining “adjacent” as “bordering, contiguous, or neighboring.” In its updated rule, EPA redefined '”adjacent” as “having a continuous surface connection,” bringing it in line with the Sackett decision.

“The effects of EPA’s WOTUS decision will definitely be felt by ag producers, especially when it comes to wetlands,” Brigit Rollins, staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, said.

The new WOTUS rule reduces the number of waters and wetlands that would require a permit for point source pollution. 

“After the decision in Sackett, naturally the EPA was going to take another look at its definition of WOTUS,” Brigit Rollins said. With “significant nexus” gone, “now only wetlands that share an unbroken or continuous surface water connection with water already identified as WOTUS are included.”

This means that numerous bodies of water that previously would have been considered WOTUS will no longer have that classification.

“EPA is saying that wetlands which would share a surface water connection with a WOTUS but no longer have that connection due to manmade barriers such as levies, dikes or sand dunes will not be included in the WOTUS definition,” Rollins said.

Pre-Sackett WOTUS

After the Biden Administration’s March 2023 WOTUS rule went into effect, courts enjoined it in 28 states. There are three lawsuits outstanding regarding the 2023 rule: Texas v. EPA, West Virginia v. EPA, and Kentucky v. EPA. With EPA’s final decision now out, the lawsuits are paused, and their future uncertain.

“It’s hard to say what will happen with those,” Rollins said. “We probably won’t know the outcome for a couple more weeks. Those lawsuits may be dropped, or those involved may go on and litigate.”

Rollins, who focuses on environmental law in her research, has been providing timely updates on WOTUS through 2023, both online and via webinar.

On Nov. 15, Rollins will continue the discussion of WOTUS in her next NALC webinar, “What’s Up with WOTUS: Post-Sackett and Beyond.” The third installment in Rollins’ series will cover subsequent events following the Sackett decision and long-term effects of the ruling. Registration is online. Recording of the first and second installment in the series are also available online.

Why WOTUS matters

WOTUS is a critical component of the Clean Water Act. The CWA was established by Congress in 1972 with the goal of improving the country’s water quality. To achieve that goal, certain bodies of water are declared as WOTUS under the CWA, granting them protections.

“The WOTUS definition has been the subject of considerable debate over the years, but 2023 has been a considerably busy year for all things WOTUS,” Rollins said.

For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on Twitter. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.

For updates on agricultural law and policy developments, subscribe free of charge to The Feed, the NALC’s newsletter highlighting recent legal developments facing agriculture, which issues twice a month.

About the National Agricultural Law Center

The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.

The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.

UAMS-led Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative Launches with Support of 33 Hospitals, Takes Aim at Reducing C-Sections

By David Wise

FAYETTEVILLE — Between 2018 and 2019, 23 women in Arkansas died from pregnancy-related causes. According to the state’s review panel of medical experts, 90% of these deaths were potentially preventable.

Now, 33 hospitals in Arkansas are working together to prevent maternal deaths through the Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ARPQC), a joint collaborative between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and other medical institutions across the state. For the first joint initiative, hospitals will take steps to reduce cesarean deliveries for low-risk pregnancies.

“State perinatal quality collaboratives (PQCs) are leading the way toward improving the quality of maternity care and maternal health outcomes,” said William Greenfield, M.D., professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at UAMS and medical director of the ARPQC. “With the launch of the ARPQC’s first initiative, Arkansas is joining the national effort to address the maternal health crisis.”

https://news.uams.edu/2023/08/30/uams-led-arkansas-perinatal-quality-collaborative-launches-with-support-of-33-hospitals-takes-aim-at-reducing-c-sections/

Burn Ban for some counties in Arkansas

https://www.arkfireinfo.org/

UA Cossatot chosen as #1 Best Community College in Arkansas

Best Accredited Community Colleges in Arkansas

Rankings compiled by the BestColleges Ranking Team

https://www.bestcolleges.com/united-states/arkansas/community-colleges/

How We Rank Schools

At BestColleges, we believe a college education is one of the most important investments you can make. We want to help you navigate the college selection process by offering transparent, inclusive, and relevant school rankings.

Our rankings are grounded in a few guiding principles and use the latest statistical data available from trusted sources. Read our ranking methodology. We hope our approach helps you find the school that is best for you.

At least four hospitalized in UA Fayetteville E. coli outbreak

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

Officials with the Arkansas Department of Health are working to determine the cause of an E. coli outbreak at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

The school says more than 100 people have been sickened, and at least four hospitalized, since the outbreak likely began about a week-and-a-half ago.

Bill Marler is an attorney and food safety expert who also teaches at the University of Arkansas School of Law. He says, while it’s still not certain, the source of the outbreak is likely some sort of leafy green vegetable.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-08-28/at-least-four-hospitalized-in-ua-fayetteville-e-coli-outbreak

Stephanie Schuller/Science Source

Colored scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Escherichia coli bacteria (green) taken from the small intestine of a child. E. coli are rod-shaped bacteria that are part of the normal flora of the human gut.

Former Windstream CEO Jeff Gardner dies unexpectedly

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Jeff Gardner.

Former Windstream CEO Jeff Gardner, who led the company through its spin-off from Alltel Corp., passed away unexpectedly on Sunday (Aug. 27), according to the current company he leads, CalAmp.

Gardner died from presumed natural causes.

CalAmp is a publicly-traded technology company based in Irvine, Calif. that caters to 14,000 commercial and government organizations worldwide.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/former-windstream-ceo-jeff-gardner-dies-unexpectedly/

Medical marijuana sales up 4.6% for the year, prices becoming ‘more competitive’

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas’ medical marijuana sales totaled $164.6 million in the first seven months of 2023, up 4.64% compared with the same period in 2022, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). Sales are on track to top the 2022 record of $276.3 million.

Licensed patients spent $23.2 million in July to buy 5,157 pounds of medical marijuana in the state’s 38 licensed dispensaries. The July sales were down compared to $23.3 million in July 2022, but the July 2022 sales were for 4,171 pounds.

According to the DFA report issued Monday (Aug. 28), Suite 443 in Hot Springs had the most sales with 551 pounds. Following are the top five dispensaries for pounds sold in July.
• Suite 443 (Hot Springs): 551.66 pounds
• Natural Relief Dispensary (Sherwood): 462.07 pounds
• High Bank Cannabis (Pine Bluff): 282.59 pounds
• CROP (Jonesboro): 279.69 pounds
• The Releaf Center (Bentonville): 274.22 pounds

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/medical-marijuana-sales-up-4-6-for-the-year-prices-becoming-more-competitive/

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Several members gathered at the Capitol this week as subcommittees of the Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) held meetings. ALC convened on Friday. This week, we would like to update you on the developments from those meetings. The ALC Higher Education Subcommittee heard a presentation from Dr. Ken Warden, the Commissioner of the Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE). ADHE is currently working on the implementation of Arkansas Teacher Academy. This program is designed to increase the teacher pipeline by paying for education costs if the prospective teacher agrees to work in critical shortage areas. The scholarship should be available next fall.

Members of ALC reviewed the Arkansas Revenue Report from July 2023, showing a 4.6% increase in revenue from the previous July. The Department of Commerce presented its mid-year progress report to ALC, showing 1,102 new jobs with an average wage of $28.32/hour have been created in the last six months as a direct result of economic development initiatives in the state. ALC approved a recommendation by the Executive Subcommittee to conduct the Arkansas Firearms and Concealed Carry Laws Study. The purpose of the study is to review the existing laws of the State of Arkansas concerning ownership, use, and possession of firearms, as well as the concealed carry laws of the state, in order to ascertain the existing rights and restrictions under the laws and recommend future legislation. The Game & Fish/State Police Subcommittee of ALC will conduct the study. They will begin in October of this year and submit their report to ALC in October of 2024. Arkansas Legislative Council Subcommittees will convene again the week of October 16. You can watch live and recorded meetings at arkansashouse.org

Proclamation for The 75th Anniversary Year of War Memorial Stadium

WHEREAS:  2023 commemorates the 75th anniversary of War Memorial Stadium, dedicated in 1948 as a tribute to Arkansans who had given their lives in the service of their country during the two world wars;
 
WHEREAS:  Over time, War Memorial Stadium has evolved into an active tribute to all Arkansans who have served and paid the ultimate price for their country;
 
WHEREAS:  In 1947, the state legislature passed Act 249 to purchase $500,000 in stadium commission bonds to help finance the construction of the stadium;
 
WHEREAS:  On September 18, 1948, Medal of Honor recipient and former Razorback, Maurice “Footsie” Britt dedicated the stadium in “the memory of her native sons and daughters who have given so much that we might have our freedom”;
 
WHEREAS:  Over the years, military personnel have been honored at War Memorial Stadium through programs, tributes, and monuments;
 
WHEREAS:  The first event at the stadium in 1948 was a University of Arkansas football game, and the venue has since hosted more than 200 Razorback football games with 152 victories;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium opened with an original seating capacity of 31,000. The stadium’s seating capacity increased to accommodate 53,727 in 1967 and again in 2010 to 54,120;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium has hosted President Harry S. Truman, comedian Bob Hope, and the Reverend Billy Graham;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium has welcomed world-renowned musical artists such as Elton John, Billy Joel, the Eagles, the Rolling Stones, George Strait, N’Sync, and Guns ‘n Roses, drawing tens of thousands of fans for each show;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium was listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places in 1998;
 
WHEREAS:  In celebration of the stadium’s 60th anniversary and as part of its rededication, the Sturgis Veterans Plaza opened in 2008 on the stadium’s northwest side as a place of remembrance and reflection. The plaza includes a 25-foot “Stars and Stripes” sculpture designed by Kathleen Caricof;
 
WHEREAS:  In addition to the University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Hendrix College have hosted sporting events at War Memorial Stadium;
 
WHEREAS:  The Little Rock Rangers soccer team, a member of the National Premier Soccer League, calls War Memorial Stadium its home;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium serves as host to the prestigious NJCAA Football Championships; and
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium has played a significant role in the culture of the Natural State as a symbol of the collective pride of Arkansans in their war veterans, as well as collective pride in the State of Arkansas, and the Razorbacks, as its playing field in central Arkansas.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, Governor of the State of Arkansas, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the State of Arkansas, do hereby proclaim 2023 as:
 

“THE 75th ANNIVERSARY YEAR OF WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM”

 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 25th day of August, in the year of our Lord 2023.

Sanders Announces Appointments

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced the following appointments to the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors.

Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy

Clint Boone, of Little Rock, to the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy. Term expires on June 30, 2029. Replaces Rebecca Mitchell.

Beth Ann Davenport, of Bentonville, to the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy. Term expires on June 30, 2029. Replaces Amy Fore.

State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors

Sara Jane Stephens, of Little Rock, to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors. Term expires on August 24, 2026. New position established.

Daniel Storlie, of Batesville, to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors. Term expires on August 24, 2026. New position established.

Brian Hester, of Fayetteville, to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors. Term expires on August 24, 2026. New position established.

Scott McKennon, of Morrilton, to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors. Term expires on August 24, 2026. New position established.

Laney Briggs, of Little Rock, to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors. Term expires on August 24, 2026. New position established.

Sara Hawkins, of Imboden, to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors. Term expires on August 24, 2026. New position established.

Jim Pender, of Little Rock, to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors. Term expires on August 24, 2026. New position established.

Wally Loveless, of Little Rock, to the State Board of Appraisers, Abstracters, and Home Inspectors. Term expires on August 24, 2026. New position established.

Melonworm threatens Arkansas pumpkins, growers should scout now through October

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – With fall approaching, Arkansas pumpkin growers are nearing harvest. But while fruit ripens on the vines, growers should be on the lookout for melonworm.  

CHECK YOUR PUMPKIN PATCH — Melonworm is a pest of cucurbit crops that feeds on plant foliage and fruit, usually etching pumpkin rinds just under the stems or where the fruit contacts the ground. They typically arrive in Arkansas in early to mid-September. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Melonworm is a pest of cucurbit crops — a family that includes cucumbers and watermelons — that feeds on plant foliage and fruit, usually etching pumpkin rinds just under the stems or where the fruit contacts the ground. Often confused with pickleworm, melonworm is a different, tropical species that migrates to Arkansas from coastal regions. Because melonworm doesn’t overwinter in Arkansas, its arrival varies year to year, typically beginning in early to mid-September, but sometimes as early as late August.

Melonworm moths have white, almost translucent, wings with a brown outline. Larvae are green caterpillars with two longitudinal, white stripes down their back and 4 sets of prolegs.

“When we see melonworm really depends on the climatic conditions for the year,” said Aaron Cato, horticulture integrated pest management specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “In 2021, moths showed up in late August, much earlier than previous years and began multiplying rapidly before pumpkin harvest started.”

Significant damage

This early arrival led to significant damage in pumpkins statewide in 2021.

“By late September, we were seeing a large number of damaged pumpkins and a lot of growers saw a 50 percent yield loss or more by the end of the year,” Cato said. “Melonworm was by far our biggest pumpkin pest in 2021.”

Cato said melonworm larvae will quickly defoliate leaves of pumpkin plants, feed on the rind and burrow under the handle, causing the stem to pull off when grabbed. Feeding on the rind results in the fruit ultimately becoming unmarketable. However, there are warning signs to look out for and treatment options available.

“Seeing moths in the field should be an early sign for growers that an insecticide application may be necessary,” Cato said. “If growers can easily find the white and brown moths flying in plantings, or if they’re seeing larvae on leaves, a pesticide application will be necessary.”

Many effective products for melonworm are available. Although an economic threshold for this pest doesn’t currently exist, research in Arkansas is ongoing.

“Our data from 2021 and 2022 indicates that pesticides containing chlorantraniliprole, such as Coragen or Shenzi, do the best job because they have a long residual,” Cato said. “Pyrethroids like bifenthrin or lambda-cyhalothrin only achieved moderate levels of control and likely aren’t going to get the job done.”

Mention of product names does not imply endorsement by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter 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 Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Street retires as director of design and construction for Division of Agriculture

By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — After more than 32 years with the University of Arkansas System, Dan Street is hanging up his hard hat as director of design and construction for the Division of Agriculture. 

CELEBRATING SUCCESS — Dan Street, far right, is retiring as the director of design and construction for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. He stands in this July 2018 photo recognizing Nabholz Construction's Award of Excellence for its work on the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences. Also pictured are Chris Kotter and Mark Dilday of Nabholz Construction, left; Mark Cochran, then-vice president for agriculture; and David Sargent of WER Architects. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

A drop-in retirement reception for Street will be held 3-5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, in Waldrip Hall at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1371 W. Altheimer Drive.

Street’s career with the University of Arkansas System began in August 1991 as construction coordinator for facilities management for the University of Arkansas flagship campus in Fayetteville. In 2014 he joined the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture, as project/program manager.

He has overseen many construction projects including the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences, completed in 2017, and the initial stages of construction of the new Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center outside of Harrisburg in northeast Arkansas.

Please join us in celebrating Street’s 32 years of contributions to the University of Arkansas System with the reception, located two miles north of the University of Arkansas campus off Garland Avenue.

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

‘Keep the air moving, keep the water cool’ to help poultry flocks survive summer heat

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

LITTLE ROCK — With the extreme heat felt across much of the United States this summer, agricultural producers need to take measures not just to protect themselves and their laborers, but also their crops and livestock as well.

IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY — Keeping chickens alive through the summer heat comes down to a few basics. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Zac Williams, extension poultry husbandry and management specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that for both commercial producers and backyard hobbyists, keeping chickens alive through the summer heat comes down to a few basics.

“Keep the air moving and keep the water cool,” Williams said. “For commercial producers, that means making sure your ventilation system, including exhaust fans and evaporative cooling pads, are working properly. For backyard chicken keepers, that means making sure there’s shade available.

“In either instance, chickens need cool water, and plenty of it,” he said. “It’s not enough to just put out adequate amounts of water in the morning. It’s going to get warm, and that’s just not as effective. In commercial houses, managers need to flush those water lines multiple times a day for the same reason.”

Williams said that if backyard chicken keepers want to put out fans for their flocks, that’s fine. They should not, however, bring live poultry into their homes to avail them of the air conditioning.

“You can bring all kinds of diseases into your house doing that,” Williams said. “I’d never recommend anyone bring chickens into their house.”

Ounce of prevention
Williams warned that if chickens do begin suffering from heat stress, producers will begin seeing production losses. It can be very difficult to bring poultry back from a heat-related illness, so it’s best to be proactive.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” he said. “Chickens are actually kind of hardy. But if it gets up to 100, all you can do is give them the tools they need to survive.”

He also noted that some producers may add electrolytes to their flocks’ water supply, which can help the animals endure the heat of summer.

Commercial chicken houses in Arkansas produced more than 7.3 billion pounds of chicken meat in 2022, and produced $693 million in eggs.

The Division of Agriculture has several free publications available that producers may find useful, including research-proven techniques for Getting Broiler Houses Ready for the Summer and sprinkler systems that help keep flocks cool.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter 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 Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

New Sam’s Club CEO has global experience, got an early start in retail

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Chris Nicholas, incoming Sam’s Club CEO

Chris Nicholas began working in retail at the age of 14, pricing goods and working in back rooms. The stage will get much bigger on Sept. 11 when he steps into the top job at Sam’s Club.

He will leave behind his role as chief operating officer for Walmart U.S., a position he held since October 2021. Nicholas joined Walmart in 2018 and worked for the first three years as the chief financial officer for Walmart International. Then he worked in the U.S. business before Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner tapped him for an operational role as the No. 2 executive for U.S. stores.

“I fell in love with retail very early because I felt we could always make a difference in retail. I grew up in an environment where no one had much money,” Nicholas said a year ago in an episode of “The Huddle” with Furner. “I have worked in retail in nine different countries. I have run businesses, I have been the CFO for different businesses, whether that’s in Europe, in the U.S., or over in Australia, and there is something that’s really common about retail which is that the customers will tell you what they want.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/new-sams-club-ceo-has-global-experience-got-an-early-start-in-retail/

New Inductees of Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame honored

KUAR | By Maggie Ryan

Seven women and one organization were inducted into the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Former Deputy Director of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Sandra Keiser Edwards, Chairman of Eagle Bank & Trust Company Cathy Hastings Owen, former Lake City Mayor Pat Steele Qualls, longtime civil activist Nan Snow and retired Judge Joyce Williams Warren are the 2023 contemporary inductees.

The University of Arkansas Women’s Giving Circle, a philanthropic organization that combines resources to fund research and projects that enrich the lives of women in Arkansas, received the group inductee award. Mathematician Dorothy McFadden Hoover and civil rights activist Adolphine Fletcher Terry are this year's historical inductees.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-08-25/new-inductees-of-arkansas-womens-hall-of-fame-honored

Maggie Ryan/KUAR

Attendees of Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame gathered at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock

Arkansas Graveler bike tour to showcase northern Arkansas

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

Arkansas tourism officials and Gov. Sarah Sanders announced Thursday (Aug. 24) a new in-state bike tour event to be called the Arkansas Graveler. The six-day, 300-plus mile bike journey across county and forest backroads in northern Arkansas and will take place in June 2024.

The inaugural event, founded by the Ozark Foundation, will begin in Fayetteville on June 23, 2024, and finish in Jonesboro on June 29. The ride will kick-off at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and conclude at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

Approximately 400 touring and recreational cyclists from across the country are expected to participate in the 336-mile ride which will include five stops in host communities along the route.

Day 1 – Fayetteville to Oark (55 miles)
Day 2 – Oark to Jasper (56 miles)
Day 3 – Jasper to Marshall (55 miles)
Day 4 – Marshall to Mountain View (51 miles)
Day 5 – Mountain View to Cave City (49 miles)
Day 6 – Cave City to Jonesboro (70 miles)

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/08/arkansas-graveler-bike-tour-to-showcase-northern-arkansas/

Photo courtesy Caleb Yarbrough.