Cherokee Nation awarded Pope County casino license

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

The Arkansas Racing Commission has unanimously approved a license to build a casino in Pope County.

The Cherokee Nation Entertainment made a presentation to the commission at a meeting on Thursday, following years of legal disputes over the casino license and an ongoing ballot initiative to possibly prevent the casino from being built.

A spokesman for the Cherokee Nation Entertainment told the commission that they are in the planning phase, but could build the whole facility in 18 months. The state-of-the-art casino will be owned by Cherokee Nation, and go by the name Legends Casino.

Cherokee Nation awarded Pope County casino license

Legends Resort & Casino

A rendering of the casino planned for construction in Pope County.

Cotton Demands Action from DOJ and White House on Synagogue Attack by Pro-Hamas Mob

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland, calling for the administration to respond to the attack on the Adas Torah synagogue in Los Angeles on June 23. The assault on the Los Angeles Jewish community by pro-Hamas radicals included blocking the entrance to the synagogue, assaulting Jewish people, and calling for an “intifada revolution.”

In part, Senator Cotton wrote:

“This vicious attack comes after months of antisemitic violence on college campuses, and just weeks after Hamas supporters vandalized national monuments outside of the White House. The Biden administration’s inaction against these mobs, like its inaction against Democratic street militias harassing Supreme Court justices outside their homes in 2022, has emboldened these extremists to escalate their attacks.”

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

June 25, 2024 

President Joseph R. Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

The Honorable Merrick Garland
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear President Biden and Attorney General Garland,

I write urging immediate action against a pro-Hamas mob’s recent assault on a Jewish community.

On June 23, pro-Hamas radicals assembled outside the Adas Torah synagogue in Los Angeles. The mob blocked the synagogue’s entrance while they called for genocide. The mob attacked Jews with bear spray, beat a man until his face and shirt were covered in blood, and chanted “intifada revolution.”

Although these antisemitic rioters advertised their plans in advance and synagogue members pled for police protection, city officials allowed the mob to grow out of control. According to some reports, elected officials even told the Los Angeles Police Department to stand down initially, with police sent to intervene only after violence broke out.

This vicious attack comes after months of antisemitic violence on college campuses, and just weeks after Hamas supporters vandalized national monuments outside of the White House. The Biden administration’s inaction against these mobs, like its inaction against Democratic street militias harassing Supreme Court justices outside their homes in 2022, has emboldened these extremists to escalate their attacks.

The Department of Justice and federal law enforcement should take immediate action to protect the Jewish community and prosecute these mobs. I call for the administration to conduct a manhunt for every one of these antisemitic, pro-terrorist rioters with the same vigor it used to prosecute non-violent Trump supporters who were at the Capitol on January 6. Failure to act would only further expose this administration’s pro-Hamas bias. In addition, please provide the following information by July 1, 2024:

1. Did city or state officials notify the DOJ regarding the planned pro-Hamas protest? Was federal law enforcement requested to protect the Jewish community?

2. Have you referred this case to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice?

3. Is the DOJ investigating whether outside groups are funding and organizing these violent outbursts? Provide a list of all outside groups that are linked to funding or organizing pro-Hamas or anti-Israel protests.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

____________________

Tom Cotton
United States Senator

June 28, 2024

Cotton Applauds SCOTUS Decision Ruling Biden DOJ Overstepped in Charging January 6 Defendants

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after the Supreme Court decided to limit obstruction charges against January 6 defendants. Senator Cotton led 22 of his congressional colleagues in filing an amicus brief opposing the Department of Justice’s overreach:

“Today’s decision is a victory against the Biden Administration’s abuse of power. The Department of Justice stretched a law in a way more befitting a banana republic than America. This Administration tolerates violent crime and an open border, but they manipulated a statute to imprison grandmas anywhere near the Capitol on January 6. I was proud to lead the amicus brief and commend the Court for its decision.”

McCullough earns 2024 Bonnie Teater Community Development Lifetime Achievement Award

HOUSTON — The Southern Rural Development Center has bestowed its 2024 Bonnie Teater Community Development Lifetime Achievement Award on Arkansas’ Stacey McCullough.

McCullough is assistant vice president-extension and head of the community, professional and economic development section of the Cooperative Extension Service. The extension service is the outreach arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

The Southern Rural Development Center has honored Stacey McCullough as the 2024 recipient of the Bonnie Teater Community Development Lifetime Achievement Award. McCullough currently serves as an assistant vice president for community, professional and economic development at University of Arkansas System-Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service and the drector of the Public Policy Center at UADA. She has over 20 years of experience working with community and economic development at the local, regional, institutional, and national levels. (Image courtesy Southern Rural Development Center)

“I am incredibly honored to receive this award. I can’t imagine a more fulfilling career than working alongside people and communities to achieve their goals and dreams,” McCullough said. “The relationships with my colleagues from the Southern Rural Development Center and across the Cooperative Extension System have allowed me to grow and contribute to society in so many ways.”

The award, named for a retired member of the Southern Rural Development Center staff, recognizes superior lifetime work by an individual who has made an important contribution to extension community development. It was presented at the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals conference, held June 17-20 in Houston.

“Stacey exhibits all the characteristics that this award was designed to recognize,” said Deacue Fields, vice president-agriculture for the University of Arkansas System and head of its Division of Agriculture. “Her portfolio, including scholarship and community impact, demonstrates that she is highly deserving of this distinguished recognition.”

Fields noted, in particular, McCullough’s leadership.

“Whether working on projects, serving on committees, or spearheading the development of new programs and opportunities for communities, Stacey leads by example,” Fields said “She always puts her team first, stands beside her team, and encourages them to work hard. Her servant leadership inspires others to achieve greatness while making a lasting impact that matters.”

McCullough was nominated by Hunter Goodman, assistant professor-community, workforce, and economic development, for the extension service.

“Dr. McCullough embodies the land-grant mission to higher education and the unique calling of extension to impact the lives of people and communities through research and best practices along with community voice,” Goodman wrote in his nomination. Since 2005, McCullough has been a program associate, instructor, assistant professor, director, interim associate department head, and currently assistant vice-president.

McCullough earned a doctorate in public policy from the University of Arkansas in 2012. She has served as extension’s director of community, professional and economic development since May 2020 and was named assistant vice president in 2022.

“This is well-earned recognition for Dr. McCullough,” said John Anderson, head of the Cooperative Extension Service. “She has a long-standing reputation for quality, impactful work and for leadership among her peers in the field of community economic development. And she built that reputation while serving the needs of stakeholders right here in Arkansas. 

“We are grateful to Dr. McCullough for her work on behalf of our organization and our state, and we are thrilled to see her contributions recognized by her peers with this prestigious honor,” he said.

In addition to her service, McCullough has helped develop numerous initiatives that focus on economic development, ballot issue education, and racial understanding. She has also served in active roles within several regional and national leadership organizations such as the Joint Council of Extension Professionals, National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals, and the Southern Region Program Leaders’ Network. McCullough’s experience has benefited the state of Arkansas with more than $3.5 million in grants.

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. 

Severe Weather Briefing from the National Weather Service

• A cold front will push through Arkansas beginning on Wednesday morning along the Arkansas/Missouri border in the north and traverse the state moving southward during the day. Strong to severe thunderstorms are likely to be present along this cold front as it moves across the state from north to south.

• Re-development or rejuvenation of thunderstorm activity will be possible as the cold front moves across central and into southern Arkansas into the early afternoon hours on Wednesday.

• Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the primary concerns. The tornado threat is very low, but a brief tornado cannot be ruled out.

Arkansas Attorney General sues Temu, pharmacy benefit managers

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced two new lawsuits Monday and Tuesday. One suit targets two pharmacy benefit managers, companies he says financially profited from the opioid crisis. The other was against the online retail site Temu for allegedly using malware on customers.

Pharmacy Benefit Managers

Pharmacy benefit managers work as the middle men between pharmacists and health insurance companies. They negotiate for rebates with pharmaceutical companies.

Arkansas' suit is specifically against the companies Optum and Express Scripts. Both rake in billions of dollars each year in profit. Griffin says both groups profited from the opioid crisis “pill by pill and dollar by dollar.”

Arkansas Attorney General sues Temu, pharmacy benefit managers

Food program won’t benefit eligible Arkansas children until midsummer

From the Arkansas Advocate:

By July 10, most children in Arkansas will be well into their second month of summer break with five weeks of sunny, schoolless days under their belts, but some children will have spent those weeks without a reliable source of food.

Arkansas has one of the highest food insecurity rates in the nation and is one of only a few southern states that opted into a new summer food aid program, but the state Department of Human Services won’t get cards to participants until the second week of July.

Three dozen states are participating in a new federal food assistance program called the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer, or Summer EBT. The program is modeled off a similar service implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Food program won’t benefit eligible Arkansas children until midsummer

Fred Miller/UA System Division Of Agriculture

Ashley Appel stocks the Appel Farms Store with fresh produce from the farm she operates with her husband, Travis, near Elm Springs.

District farm families of the year announced

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

The 77th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has announced its eight district farm families, representing the wide variety of Arkansas agriculture, the state’s largest industry.

Judges will visit farms to determine the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year, who will be announced Dec. 13.

The Farm Family of the Year program annually begins with the selection of top farm families in each county and culminates in December with the selection of the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year, who then represents Arkansas at the Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year competition. Arkansas has had three Southeast Farmer of the Year winners, Brian and Nan Kirksey (Clark County), 2008; Wildy Family Farms (Mississippi County), 2016; and the Cobb, Lyerly and Owen Family/Partnership (Craighead County), 2023.

This year’s finalists include:

District farm families of the year announced

Arkansas Master Gardeners of the Year announced at 2024 state conference

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The Arkansas Master Gardeners — a group of volunteers committed to beautifying communities throughout the state — celebrated achievements and recognized award winners at its state conference.  

GATHERING OF GARDENERS — Arkansas Master Gardeners from around the state gathered to celebrate their achievements and recognize awardees at the Arkansas Master Gardener Conference, held in Hot Springs May 30-June 1. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

The conference, held in Hot Springs May 30-June 1, included education sessions, local garden tours, a garden market, speakers and more.

"We are proud of all of our award recipients and their accomplishments this year," said Randy Forst, extension consumer horticulture educator and Master Gardener coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. "Arkansas Master Gardeners truly make a difference in their communities, and it's important for us to recognize their hard work and the impacts they've made all over the state."

The awards were divided by club size, with smaller clubs having 50 or fewer members and larger clubs having 51 or more.

2024 Master Gardener Award Winners

• Rookie of the Year (50- members): Sally Sullivan Cooke, Mississippi County

• Rookie of the Year (51+ members): Diann Arington, Garland County

• Mimi Cox Mentors of the Year (50- members): Anita Williams, Lonoke County

• Mimi Cox Mentors of the Year (51+ members): Patsy Louk, Washington County

• Agent of the Year (50- members): Darrin Henderson, Madison County

• Agent of the Year (51+ members): Sherri Sanders, White County

• Agent of the Year (51+ members): Timothy Wallace, Jefferson County

• Individual Friend of the Year (50- members): Mark Tenison, Prairie County

• Individual Friend of the Year (51+ members): Mike Carter, Pulaski County

• Individual Friend of the Year (51+ members): Gilbert Alvis, Washington County

• Business Friend of the Year (50- members): Terri Taylor, owner of the Cozy Nook Studio & Gallery in Lonoke County

• Business Friend of the Year (51+ members): Larry and David Freyaldenhoven, owners of Freyaldenhoven Greenhouse in Faulkner County

• Newsletter of the Year (50- members): “Growing in Madison County,” Madison County

• Newsletter of the Year (51+ members): “Garden Thyme,” Washington County

• Excellence in Education (50- members): Manila Elementary School Garden, Mississippi County

• Excellence in Education (51+ members): Detention Center Learning Greenhouse, Garland County

• Project of the Year (50- members): Plant Sales Events, Madison County

• Project of the Year (50+ members): Pioneer Village, White County

2024 Janet B. Carson Scholarship Awards: $2,000 each

The annual scholarships are named in honor of Carson, author and retired extension horticulture specialist. They are awarded to students who plan to attend a college or university in Arkansas and study plant-science related field.

• Arkansas County: Carter Hearn, plant and soil science major at Arkansas State University

• Saline County: Ian Price, agriculture, plant science major at Arkansas State University – Beebe

• Pope County: Taryn McGee, agriculture, business horticulture major at Arkansas Tech University

• Greene County: Shaylee Smith, plant and soil science major at Arkansas State University

Master Gardeners of the Year

Angela Ryland from Lonoke County was named Master Gardener of the Year for small programs, and Don Casteel from Benton County was named Master Gardener of the Year for large programs.

Ryland first became a Master Gardener in St. Francis County in 2006, where she was active for seven years. She moved to a community without a Master Gardener program, then joined the Lonoke County program in 2021. In 2023, Ryland completed more than 600 project hours and 95 educational hours, totaling more than $21,000 in volunteer service.

An active leader in her program, Ryland stepped up when her county’s Master Gardener president, vice president, secretary, Facebook page co-editor, and newsletter editor all resigned within two weeks of each other. She currently serves as vice president, project chair for the Lonoke County Extension Office and project chair for the City of Cabot welcome signs, along with several other positions.

“Angela maintains gardens where three to five students join her for planting and harvesting,” Ryland’s nominators wrote. “One of the student’s mothers says her son has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and this garden work is therapy for him. Parents are grateful that Angela gives of her time to educate the youth and parents on gardening.”

Ryland works as principal broker for her private real estate firm.

Casteel, Master Gardener of the Year for large programs, joined the Benton County Master Gardeners in 2019. Soon after, he enrolled in the University of Arkansas and earned a master’s of science in agriculture and extension education, graduating in 2021.

In 2023, Casteel completed more than 700 combined volunteer and education hours. Casteel’s nominators describe him as both a team player and a leader who looks for opportunities to step up.

“When the state cancelled the spring training class in 2023 after it had been advertised for several months, Don didn’t want to disappoint the people who had already applied,” Casteel’s nominators wrote. “He spent hundreds of hours setting up a 40-hour class in Benton County that met all state requirements.  Not only did he field inquiries from candidates who wanted to take the class, he found and scheduled instructors, gathered materials, coordinated classroom space, invited hospitality to feed the trainees and even taught a few classes himself.”

As a result of that spring training and Casteel’s continued recruitment efforts, the Benton County Master Gardeners had a record-breaking year, with 66 new members joining in 2023.

Friend to Master Gardeners, friend to University of Arkansas System

One Master Gardener received special recognition from Dr. Donald R. Bobbitt, president of the University of Arkansas System. Mike Carter, superintendent of the Pulaski County Cammack Fruit Demonstration Garden, is one of two winners of the 2023 Individual Friend of the Year award for large programs.

Cammack Garden is situated on 40 acres on the grounds of Bobbitt’s private residential home.

“The Master Gardeners have always been extremely kind to share their skills and talents with us at the UA System Cammack Campus, and we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship over the years that I’m grateful to be a part of,” said Bobbitt, who lives on the property with his wife, Susan. “Mike Carter faces a daunting task in managing the Cammack Campus due to its size and the diversity of foliage on the campus. With the help of the Master Gardeners and his positive, hard-working and kind demeanor, he consistently gets the job done. We’re lucky to have Mike and our relationship with the Master Gardeners, and we’re proud that the friendship is being recognized.”

The garden, first developed in 1998, includes fruit varieties developed by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. It is maintained by 16 Pulaski County Master Gardeners who meet twice monthly under Carter’s leadership.

“Mike has been a huge supporter of the garden project for 23 years and has demonstrated his vision of the property for educational and cultural purposes,” Carter’s nominators wrote. “He has been a total contributor to the Cammack Project and the surrounding neighborhood, where visitors are always welcomed during the business hours of the administration.”

Carter holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Harding University and is an Arkansas Certified Nurseryman.

To learn more about the Arkansas Master Gardener program, visit uaex.uada.edu/Master-Gardeners, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

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. 

Gov. Sanders touts tax cuts, budget tightening and support for Trump

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders said she remains focused on reducing the state income tax to zero, despite some who have expressed concerns about fully eliminating the tax that could lead to a reduction in state services.

In a wide-ranging interview on this week’s edition of Talk Business & Politics and Capitol View, Sanders also said she planned to remain governor of Arkansas if Donald Trump reclaims the presidency this election cycle.

The interview was taped on Thursday (June 20) and aired statewide on Sunday (June 23).

Gov. Sanders touts tax cuts, budget tightening and support for Trump

Tech startup program, ARise, kicks off

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

Arkansas’ tech entrepreneurs have a new tool to use. ARise – Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs – was launched Thursday (June 20). It’s an iteration of the Arkansas Statewide Technology Commercialization program formerly known as Innovate Arkansas.

ARise, funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and led by Startup Junkie, aims to propel tech and tech-enabled companies in Arkansas.

“Growing technology companies is critical for Arkansas’ long-term economic success. The ARise program is a key element of our strategy for providing support and resources for tech ventures as they scale up in the Natural State,“ said Clint O’Neal, executive director, Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

Tech startup program, ARise, kicks off

National Weather Service issues a heat advisory for the four-state region

Sevier-Howard-Little River-Hempstead-Nevada-Miller-Lafayette- Columbia-Union-Caddo-Bossier-Webster-Claiborne-Lincoln-Union-DeSoto-Red River-Bienville-Jackson-Ouachita-Sabine-Natchitoches- Winn-Grant-Caldwell-La Salle-McCurtain-Red River-Bowie-Franklin- Titus-Camp-Morris-Cass-Wood-Upshur-Marion-Smith-Gregg-Harrison- Cherokee-Rusk-Panola-Nacogdoches-Shelby-Angelina-San Augustine- Sabine-

156 PM CDT Mon Jun 24 2024

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT TUESDAY...

* WHAT...Heat index values up to 109.

* WHERE...Portions of south-central and southwest Arkansas, north-central and northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, and east and northeast Texas.

* WHEN...Until 7 PM CDT Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments to reduce risk during outdoor work. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.

Walmart is testing a new system to better manage fruit supply

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

Walmart is partnering with Israel-based Agristask, a crop supply chain company, to test the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in sourcing fresh fruit such as blackberries and cherries.

Agritask’s remote sensing and data analytics tools can help sourcing managers at Walmart make better decisions on seasonal fruit crop yields. Walmart said the Insights will include immediate alerts on emerging or forming risks and their potential impact on target crops, real-time assessment of timing, delays, or advances in expected harvest, and updated indications on meeting yield targets throughout the growing season.

“Dealing with challenges in purchasing and planning accuracy in agriculture due to data discrepancies and environmental uncertainties can be tough,” said Kyle Carlyle, vice president of sourcing innovation and surety of supply at Walmart. “Agritask’s technology has the potential to fill vital information gaps that sourcing managers often face when predicting yield.”

Walmart is testing a new system to better manage fruit supply

Desire to get rid of stuff pushed doctor to launch ShopXchange

by Tina Alvey Dale (tdale@talkbusiness.net)

When Dr. Wanda Vaughn told her family of the brilliant idea she had for creating a safe way for people to get rid of unwanted items in their home while earning passive income, they told her to put her money where mouth is.

She did.

ShopXchange, an app that allows people to easily buy or sell items in the Fort Smith metro without meeting with a stranger, was created by Vaughn

It took almost two years for the app to be developed, but in the three months since it went live, there are hundreds of items listed on the site and transactions happening in the Fort Smith area.

Desire to get rid of stuff pushed doctor to launch ShopXchange

Arkansas Supreme Court reinstates gender-neutral ID ban

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

The Arkansas Supreme Court on Monday released a formal order in an ongoing legal battle over gender-neutral IDs.

For the past 14 years, Arkansans were allowed to put an “X” on their driver's license for their gender. This came after years of only allowing “M'' or “F.” License holders were also allowed to change their names.

In March, the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration got legislative approval to ban the practice. This was an emergency rule change that can only be used in cases of “imminent peril.”

Arkansas Supreme Court reinstates gender-neutral ID ban

The Arkansas Supreme Court has reversed a lower court ruling which blocked the state's ban on gender-neutral IDs.

Sanders orders flags to half-staff to mourn the lives lost in the Fordyce shooting

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME – GREETINGS: 

WHEREAS:    On the morning of Friday, June 21, 2024, a lone gunman opened fire at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, Arkansas, injuring eight civilians and two law enforcement officers, and killing four;

WHEREAS:    The deceased Arkansans range in age between 23 and 81. They were loved by their families and by the Fordyce community. Their loss is a tragedy for the entire State of Arkansas;

WHEREAS:    The injured victims range in age between 20 and 65. Many of those at the grocery store hid in the store’s freezer to escape the gunman. Arkansans at the Mad Butcher risked their lives to help others during the shooting, showing the courage and compassion of our people. They assisted each other during the shooting and after, helping those who had sustained injuries get aid;  

WHEREAS:     Law enforcement responded to the scene of the crime within minutes and distracted the shooter, putting their own lives in harm’s way and preventing further tragedy before apprehending him. Two officers were injured;

WHEREAS:    This tragedy has hit the small, close-knit town of Fordyce hard. Neighbors, friends, and family have come together to comfort each other in the wake of this event and offer prayer and a helping hand to anyone in need, and;

WHEREAS:    Arkansans are praying for the town of Fordyce, the families of the victims, and all impacted by this senseless tragedy, and the State will continue to provide aid and resources to the community.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Arkansas, do hereby order that the United States flag and the state flag of Arkansas be flown at half-staff throughout the State from sunrise to sunset on Friday, June 28, 2024, one week after the tragedy, in memory of the lives lost. 

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 24th day of June, in the year of our Lord 2024.

Attorney General Tim Griffin sues pharmacy benefit managers for roles in Arkansas opioid epidemic

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today announced he has filed a lawsuit against pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) Optum, Inc., and Express Scripts, Inc., and their subsidiaries for their roles as a cause of the opioid epidemic in Arkansas and issued the following statement:

“Pill by pill and dollar by dollar, PBMs enabled the opioid epidemic in Arkansas. Today, we begin the process of holding them accountable for their roles in a crisis that has ravaged our state—a crisis they helped cause, contributed to, and furthered.

“The PBMs benefited financially from the opioid crisis in Arkansas by negotiating favorable deals with opioid manufacturers while at the same time forgetting the interests of Arkansans who received prescriptions. Instead of protecting consumers by leveraging data to curb excessive prescriptions, PBMs focused on the financial incentives of manufacturer rebates to drive profits at the expense of people.”

Between 2006 and 2014, Arkansas was flooded with almost 1.5 billion units of addictive opioids. By 2016, Arkansas had the second-highest opioid prescription rate in the nation, with 114.6 opioids being dispersed for every 100 Arkansans—nearly twice the national average and enough to supply every man, woman, and child in Arkansas 78 opioid doses each.

The suit, filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court, alleges that the PBM defendants:

• Fueled the opioid epidemic in Arkansas by increasing opioid utilization by placing opioids on lower tiers of their formularies, controlling what less addictive pain treatments were available to patients, and falsely representing that their formularies were designed to be cost effective and achieve favorable health outcomes but instead were designed to maximize profits;

• Operated online retail pharmacies that dispensed billions of morphine milligram equivalents of opioids while failing to follow state and federal laws on controlled substances; and,

• Were aware of the opioid epidemic in Arkansas and failed to take any action.

Griffin is asking that PBMs be held accountable for creating a public nuisance through their actions, being negligent in their actions, and unjustly enriching themselves.

To read a copy of the lawsuit, click here.

Pulaski County Master Gardeners honored for volunteerism, beautification work

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — If you’ve ever visited some of central Arkansas’ historic landmarks, parks and tourist sites, you may have admired the handiwork of the Pulaski County Master Gardeners who maintain nearly three dozen beautiful garden sites throughout the county.

MG Day — Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde talks with Pulaski County Master Gardeners president Sara Jordan after proclaiming June 20, 2024, as Master Gardener Day. (Division of Agriculture photo)

One of the more visible sites is the garden at the historic 1889 Pulaski County Courthouse, where volunteers gathered Thursday to celebrate Pulaski County Master Gardeners Day. Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde read a proclamation, designating the third Thursday in June as Master Gardeners Day.

“The Master Gardeners, in a collaborative effort with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, have been dedicated to promoting sustainable gardening, environmental stewardship and providing free community education for many years,” Hyde said. "Master Gardeners are highly trained and work diligently to maintain their certification, and their efforts not only beautify Pulaski County but also foster a sense of community and promote healthy living.”

Laster year, Pulaski County Master Gardeners volunteered more than 17,000 hours, maintaining 32 projects around the county, Pulaski County Master Gardener president Sara Jordan said.

“Master Gardeners work year-round in Pulaski County and in nearly every county in the state, creating beautiful spaces for Arkansans to enjoy,” said Randy Forst, who coordinates the statewide Master Gardener program. "We are grateful to Judge Hyde for recognizing our Pulaski County Master Gardeners for their volunteer work. The third Thursday in June will be a day we look forward to for years to come.”

Master Gardeners have cared for the courthouse gardens at Broadway and Second Street in Little Rock since 2016.

“We’ve taken out some roses to make the garden more pollinator-friendly and gain designation as a Monarch Waystation,” said Master Gardener Dana Boyster, who co-chairs the project with Melody Parsley.

The gardens feature milkweed, butterfly bushes, lantana, rudbeckias, coneflowers, St. John’s Wort and many other plants friendly to monarchs and other pollinators, she said.

Aside from the courthouse garden, Master Gardeners maintain several prominent gardens in Little Rock, including at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion, the Old State House, Historic Arkansas Museum, Pinnacle Mountain, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center and the Pulaski County Juvenile Detention Center. In North Little Rock, volunteers maintain gardens along Main Street in downtown Argenta, at the Patrick H. Hays Senior Citizens Center and at the Old Mill, a favorite spot for photo shoots. They also tend gardens at the Maumelle Community Center and Jacksonville City Hall.

“Our Master Gardeners are busy, busy people,” said Derek Reed, the Pulaski County extension agent for agriculture and horticulture. “They also have two greenhouse projects – one in Little Rock and one in Jacksonville – where they grow plants for the annual plants sales.”

Last year, those plant sales raised about $15,000, which Master Gardeners use to maintain projects and create new ones.

Master Gardeners is a statewide program of the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. It started with 40 members in four counties — Garland, Jefferson, Pulaski and Saline. Today, Masters Gardener programs has more than 3,400 members volunteering in 67 of the state’s counties.

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

Boozman commemorates 80th Anniversary of Landmark GI Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, is commemorating the 80th anniversary of the GI Bill with the introduction of a Senate resolution celebrating the impact of the policy on the lives of veterans and their families.  

“The GI Bill is a significant investment in our servicemembers. This landmark law has delivered benefits to veterans and their families for 80 years to help their transition to civilian life. It serves as an important aspect of honoring the commitment we made to the men and women who wear our nation’s uniform and I’m pleased to continue advocating for improvements to expand the education opportunities they have earned,” Boozman said.

Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1944, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, commonly referred to as the GI Bill, provided returning World War II veterans with a wide array of educational and housing benefits to ease their transition back to civilian life. This resolution specifically celebrates the transformative role the GI Bill has played, and highlights subsequent legislation, including the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, that has provided generations of American servicemembers with similar benefits.

During his time in Congress, Boozman has championed policies to strengthen benefits and services for veterans and their families. He authored provisions to expand non-traditional technology education programs and allow wounded members of the National Guard and Reserve to be eligible for the same GI Bill benefits as active duty members that were included in the Forever GI Bill signed into law in 2017. This legislation built on the post-9/11 GI Bill.  

In 2019, the Boozman-backed Forever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act was signed into law to ensure veterans receive the Forever GI Bill housing benefits. 

He continues to support policies that ensure veterans receive the benefits they have earned.

The resolution was introduced by Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) along with Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-KS).

Full text of the resolution is available here.

Food safety scientists crank up steam, radio waves to kill salmonella amid spice recall

By Maddie Johnson
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Bacteria can easily hibernate in low-moisture ingredients such as flour and spices, and food scientists have been working on ways to make them safer with novel technologies.

SPICE SAFETY — Surabhi Wason, Ph.D., used a combination of radiofrequency and steam to sanitize spices in packages while a doctoral student in the food science department. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Publication of a food safety study on radiofrequency pasteurization and novel steam technology highlights the recent national recall of black pepper for salmonella risk. The June 3 recall brought low-moisture foods to the forefront of public discussion, showing just because bacteria can’t grow well in dry foods doesn’t mean they don’t pose a threat.

Surabhi Wason was the lead author of the study titled “Radiofrequency inactivation of salmonella in black pepper and dried basil leaves using in-package steaming,” which was published in the Journal of Food Protection. She conducted experiments to develop in-package steaming for enhancing the efficiency of radiofrequency pasteurization of spices and evaluate its impact on the spice quality.

“Radiofrequency, also referred to as macrowave, is a long wavelength, non-ionizing electrical form of energy,” Wason said. “The significant application for radiofrequency technology is in the treatment of dry ingredients where microbes are considered dormant and are in the most difficult state to kill.”

Wason explained that the radiofrequency, or RF, generator creates an alternating electric field between two electrodes, causing the polar water molecules in the material to generate friction, which causes the material to heat rapidly and uniformly.

Wason is a former doctoral student of Jeyam Subbiah, head of the food science department, who served as corresponding author for the study. The food science department is encompassed both by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, as well as the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

Rossana Villa Rojas, assistant professor of practice in the food science and technology department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was a co-author of the study showing that radiofrequency pasteurization and novel steam technology can inactivate salmonella in low-moisture foods, including spices, without significantly compromising quality.

The findings were based on work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2020-67017-33256. McCormick & Company, Inc. supplied low-moisture food materials for the study.

How it works

When a salmonella is identified on a product quality testing, or during a foodborne illness outbreak, the industry has to recall all products since the last cleaning of the plant, Subbiah explained.

“Food processing plants that process low-moisture foods clean less frequently, often once a year, because water in the plant can increase food safety risks,” Subbiah said. “That means the industry has to recall several days to months of production, which could potentially mean that everything on the shelf, and thousands of other products that used that as an ingredient, have to recall, and it’s a huge financial loss. People don’t realize the magnitude of food safety.”

Under traditional methods, low-moisture foods must be exposed to high temperatures for long periods to kill bacteria. Salmonella and other pathogens like listeria can adapt to harsh environments and stay hidden for years, requiring severe processing to be killed, Subbiah said. Without inactivation, the pathogens can begin growing when met with ideal conditions, like the interaction with water that occurs when spices are used in soup.

Baby formula is another low-moisture food that can become dangerous when rehydrated. Subbiah said Cronobacter sakazakii contamination in baby formula can lead to severe illness and death for babies.

With traditional methods, severe heat treatment diminishes aspects of the food quality such as nutrient content and may damage the package because of the generation of steam, Subbiah said. Scientists can also pasteurize these foods through irradiation, or radiation exposure, but consumer acceptance is low, he added.

Subbiah found himself wondering whether the kind of packaging technology that is widely used for foods like microwavable vegetables could be adapted to allow for the same quick heating of dry foods with the additional step of resealing needed before their sale. To prevent steam buildup from eventually bursting packaging, experts developed a one-way valve that releases the steam and then reseals, which is at the heart of Subbiah’s study.

This new valve technology mimics the in-package sterilization of canned goods and uses radiofrequency heating. Conventional heating methods transfer heat to a product through its surface and take longer to reach the center, but radiofrequency heating generates heat inside an entire product mass evenly through friction generated by the vibrating water molecules in an electric field, much like microwave technology. This way, products are pasteurized while they are already in their final packaging and are heated uniformly, avoiding the risk of overheating the edges before heat reaches the center. This in-package processing cuts the risk of contamination that can occur when products are moved between the pasteurization and packaging stages, and foods are safe from contamination until customers open them.

“The gold standard is to package it in the final form and kill the bacteria, like canning,” Subbiah said.

“This technology shows promise for extending to other products like flour, cereal grains offering a robust solution for diverse food sectors," Wason added. "Moreover, one of the key advantages of radiofrequency pasteurization lies in its continuous processing capability. By implementing a conveyor belt system, products can move seamlessly through the RF chamber, ensuring consistent and efficient pasteurization.”

Sticky situation

Subbiah was first inclined to explore this topic of low-moisture food safety after witnessing the costs of a 2007 peanut butter recall.

QUALITY AND SAFETY — Jeyam Subbiah, head of the food science department, conducts research through the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station to improve food quality and retain safety. (U of A System photo)

Recalls for products such as packaged meat require consumers to avoid products processed on a specific day. With dry foods such as peanut butter, though, sanitation of production facilities may happen just once a year, or every few years, to avoid exposing the product to water. This means that in cases of recall, a years’ worth of product, and any other foods that feature it as an ingredient, might pose a health risk for consumers and a financial loss for producers.

The company ended up recalling all peanut butter produced as far back as January 2004, an expected loss of $50-60 million.

In addition to his work with the experiment station, Subbiah also collaborates with the Center for Low-Moisture Food Safety based out of Michigan State University, which includes a stakeholder advisory group of industry professionals that take work like Subbiah’s from the publication to real-world application phase.

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.

Study shows the more you know about GMOs, the more you accept them as safe

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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The more that people know about gene editing, the more likely they are to feel it is safe to use in agriculture and medicine, according to a survey of more than 4,500 people across the United States.

While there is a technical difference between “gene editing” and “genetic modification,” also known as transgenics, people often lump the two biotechnologies together as genetic engineering. Gene editing does not introduce new biology to a genotype like gene modification.

PERCEPTIONS — Brandon McFadden, professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, researched consumer perceptions of the use of gene editing in agriculture and medicine for a study that was published this year. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Brandon McFadden, Tyson Endowed Chair in Food Policy Economics for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, was the lead author of a peer-reviewed study to find out more about the opinions of consumers in the United States on the safety of gene editing in agricultural and medical fields. The research, which analyzed surveys taken in 2021 and 2022, was published in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology this year.

“People who have heard or read a lot about gene editing generally have a favorable opinion about using it for agricultural or medical purposes,” McFadden said. “So, people who are less familiar with gene editing are likelier to think it is unsafe.”

The study, McFadden noted, showed that people who are not as familiar with gene editing are more likely to think it is unsafe, and they require more evidence to change their minds. That evidence could come from either more studies or time without a negative outcome. The surveys showed that, on average, people with a negative opinion of gene editing’s safety need around 100 studies, or 20 years, to improve their opinion about the safety of gene editing.

However, McFadden noted that many people may never change their minds about the safety of gene editing. More than 10 percent of respondents stated that no amount of research or time without an adverse outcome would improve their opinion about the safety of gene editing for agriculture and medical products.

McFadden and his co-authors began the study at the University of Florida, and it was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through its Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants program.

Co-authors included Kathryn A. Stofer and Kevin M. Folta with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and Joy N. Rumble, now with The Ohio State University.

Stofer, research associate professor in the agricultural education and communication department for UF/IFAS, said the results were enlightening on multiple levels and opens more avenues of research.

“The study sets us up to test explicit messages about the number of studies or years of research on this technology that might help alleviate concerns about safety and support the benefits,” Stofer said.

Folta, UF/IFAS professor in the horticultural sciences department, said better perceptions of gene editing are associated with awareness of biotechnology.

“That means scientists need to be engaging in conversations about the successes, like how sickle cell disease may be curable in the next few years,” Folta said. “We used to think that providing more evidence didn’t change opinions, but this work shows maybe we can change public perception if we effectively share the good things we can do with gene editing.”

Difference in gene editing and genetic modification

Gene editing is “the process of precisely changing or deleting a few ‘letters’ of DNA,” the researchers explained in the study. This is different from genetic modification, also known as transgenics, which introduces new biology to a genome.

Both gene editing and gene modification are used in agriculture to develop plant varieties that are more drought tolerant and disease resistant in less time than traditional breeding techniques. The study notes that a lack of proactive public dialogue surrounding the primary introduction of genetically modified organisms “did irreparable damage to the emerging scientific field of genetic engineering,” and that the continued expansion of gene editing in the agricultural and medical fields has led many to call for “broad public dialogue” about the technology.

Gene editing in the medical field is also known as “gene therapy” and aims to treat and cure disease or make the body better able to fight disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, gene therapy “holds promise as a treatment for a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia and AIDS.” Research cited in the McFadden study showed that public opinion on gene editing in the medical field was more supportive for therapeutic uses than aversion for non-disease uses that are cosmetic.

Public opinion varies

Data were collected during two time periods using surveys distributed online by Qualtrics to samples of U.S. adults. The Institutional Review Board at the University of Delaware approved both surveys. Collecting data from two samples allowed researchers to examine the stability of results across groups of respondents and time.

Recent research on public opinion toward the use of biotechnology in agriculture has focused on differences in opinions between the use of gene editing and genetic modification. McFadden noted that studies published in 2019 and 2020 concluded that the public generally supports gene editing in agriculture more than genetic modification. However, the objective of the new study was to explore U.S. public opinion about gene editing in the agricultural and medical fields. Another goal of the study was to provide more insight into the relationship between opinions about the safety of gene editing and the potential impact to improve opinions about safety.

Public acceptance seems to be associated with whether the gene editing is done for medical or agricultural purposes. The study noted that when participants in U.S. focus groups were asked what they thought about when hearing the words “gene editing,” the medical field was discussed more frequently and extensively than agriculture.

Researchers pointed out that in 2018 there was an announcement of gene-edited twins in China that increased public awareness of medical applications. Public aversion to the use of related biotechnology in agriculture has also been well-documented, McFadden added, despite support from the scientific community. For example, he pointed to a 2014 Pew Research survey of U.S. adults and researchers affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science estimating that 88 percent of its members agreed that genetically modified foods were safe to consume compared to only 37 percent of adults.

Results from the study indicate that people in the U.S. who are familiar with gene editing, or do not hold a negative opinion about safety, required less evidence to improve opinions about the safety of gene editing. On average, respondents in both samples were more familiar with gene editing in agriculture and more likely to have a positive opinion about its use in agriculture than for medical purposes.

“When we have a negative opinion about something, we should maybe ask ourselves what would cause us to change our minds,” McFadden said.

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.