SMART Reproduction receives $275,000 research grant

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Jonesboro-based SMART Reproduction has won a $274,996 research seed grant from the National Science Foundation. 

CEO Brittany Scott said the idea to apply came from a conversation with the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center that introduced her to America’s Seed Fund, the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

The center’s innovation consultants, Karen Bergh and Catherine Corley, encouraged SMART Repro to seek SBIR/STTR non-dilutive funding to support its innovative work. 

SMART Reproduction receives $275,000 research grant

Arkansas Attorney General Griffin leads 26-state amicus supporting West Virginia Title IX appeal to U.S. Supreme Court

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement after filing an amicus brief on behalf of himself and 25 other state attorneys general calling on the United States Supreme Court to take up West Virginia’s appeal of a lower court ruling that struck down the state’s law protecting girls’ sports:

“Like Arkansas, West Virginia has a strong interest in safeguarding the benefits of equal access to athletic opportunities for women and girls. They deserve the opportunity to shine on a level playing field. Biological males should not be robbing females of their opportunity to compete for athletic accolades or scholarships, nor should they be threatening the safety of women in competition. I will continue fighting to protect girls’ sports teams and the opportunities of female athletes.”

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit blocked West Virginia’s “Save Women’s Sports Act,” which bans male athletes from playing on girls’ sports teams, saying the law violated Title IX. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey filed a petition with the United States Supreme Court to hear his appeal.

Griffin is leading the amicus brief with Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall supporting the West Virginia appeal. They are joined by the state attorneys general of Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.

To read the brief, click here.

For a printer-friendly version of this release, click here.

Arkansas Water Plan Update Moves Forward After First Phase Completion

Cossatot River (Robert Thigpen-Flickr)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark — The Arkansas Department of Agriculture, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), has completed the first phase of the Arkansas Water Plan (AWP) update as directed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Executive Order 23-27. Completion of Phase I marks a significant milestone in the preparation and development of a comprehensive program for the orderly development and management of the state’s water and related land resources that will benefit all Arkansans.  
 
“Every Arkansan deserves access to safe, reliable drinking water. My administration’s ongoing review and update of our Arkansas Water Plan is key to that goal,” said Governor Sanders. “Completion of Phase I of our plan review is an important milestone and I look forward to moving on quickly to Phase II while we continue making needed investments statewide.”
 
“Governor Sanders has been the most proactive Governor in the country in addressing water issues,” said Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward. “From signing Executive Order 23-27 that initiated an update to the Arkansas Water Plan, to initiating a statewide levee inventory and analysis to prepare for and mitigate future flooding events, to addressing critical groundwater issues for our state’s agriculture industry and administering over $2.5 billion in water development projects in all 75 counties across the state.  There is no Governor that has devoted more time and effort to address water issues and ensure that Arkansas is set up for success for many years to come.” 
 
Phase I required a comprehensive review of the existing Arkansas Water Plan to determine areas of significant change to be reevaluated or updated. Completion of Phase I included a total of seven stakeholder meetings that were held across the state from March to May 2024. Additionally, citizens were encouraged to provide feedback through a stakeholder survey. The Department used this data to better understand the state’s current water needs and to develop the goals for the Arkansas Water Plan update. 
 
Completion of Phase I identified the following six goals for the Arkansas Water Plan Update:

• Provide drinking water that supports public health and well-being.

• Provide water that supports environmental and economic benefits to the state and supports interstate agreements.

• Use the best available science, data, tools, practices, and technologies to support water resource planning and management for current and future needs.

• Maintain and improve water supply, wastewater, stormwater, and flood control infrastructure and plan for future infrastructure needs.

• Maintain, protect, and improve water quality to support designated uses of waterbodies.

• Reduce the impacts of future flooding events on people, property, infrastructure, industry, agriculture, and the environment.

 The update to the Arkansas Water Plan is being completed in two phases. Phase II is scheduled to begin before the end of the 2024 calendar year.

Representative French Hill responds to Harris' outrageous economic plan

LITTLE ROCK, AR - Rep. French Hill (AR-02) released the following statement in response to Kamala Harris' catastrophic plan she laid out for our economy, including housing proposals.

Kamala Harris (Wikimedia Image)

“Kamala Harris claims her economic agenda represents the ‘future’ and a ‘new path forward,’ but, in fact, her proposals are old, failed economically illiterate duds like price controls we’ve seen from President Nixon to President Biden. Her economic vision is just warmed up Biden leftovers. 

“Instead of freezing prices and blaming corporations for inflation caused by Bidenomics and Kamala Harris herself, let’s instead unleash the American economy in a way that bolsters a dominant ‘all of the above’ energy strategy; cuts regulatory burdens at the local, state, and federal levels to unleash American productivity and innovation; and maintains and enhances tax policies for families and small businesses.

“Regarding housing specifically, our nation already has significant existing state and federal incentives for first time homebuyers to obtain down payment assistance and attractive mortgage terms. What’s really crushing our first time buyers - and all other American families - is the punishing impact of the Biden-Harris inflation, which has nearly doubled mortgage interest rates since they took office. Higher rates mean higher mortgage payments and tougher down payments making the reality of achieving homeownership much more difficult. Harris’ mandates and price controls are going to make housing more expensive – not less.

“It’s well past time we return economic sanity to our nation by implementing policies that we know work instead of following ones that we know don’t. The American people have suffered for far too long and deserve financial security in their everyday lives.” 

NASS forecasts new record soybean yield for Arkansas

By Mary Hightower 
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture  

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas is on track to break its year-old record for soybeans, as the National Agricultural Statistics Service on Monday forecast a statewide 57-bushel-per-acre average yield, up three bushels per acre from last year. 

NASS, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, forecast Arkansas soybean production at 172 million bushels, up 8 percent from last year. Harvested acreage is expected to be 70,000 acres higher than last year at 3.02 million from 3.05 million acres planted.

Soybeans are on track for a record state average yield, according to NASS.  (Flickr Image)

“I was very surprised of the projected new state record yield of 57 bushels per acre for 2024,” said Jeremy Ross, extension soybean agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.  

“With how early a majority of the soybean crop was planted this year, I was anticipating yields similar to slightly below the 54 bushels per acre state average soybean yield seen in 2023,” he  said. “I'm hoping the best for this soybean crop, because every soybean farmer is going to need every bushel that can combine with how much the soybean prices have dropped over if the last 12 months.”  

Ross said Arkansas growers had “almost ideal weather conditions from planting to harvest in 2023. We had another good, early start for 2024, but July was hotter and drier than 2023 and August is looking like it's going to be hot and dry as well. 

“The last time we had a significant yield bump between two years was 2016-2017. The average state yield was 47 bushels per acre in 2016 and 51 bushels per acre in 2017,” he said “Again, the weather conditions in 2017 were much improved from those seen in 2016.”  

CORN — Corn production was forecast at 90.2 million bushels, down 41 percent from last year. However, yield is expected to average 186 bushels per acre, up three bushels from last year. NASS revised the planted acres downward by 120,000 acres to 500,000. Harvested acres were also expected to drop from 600,000 to 485,000. 

“Yields look to be really good, with an estimated 186 bushels per acre state average yield,” said Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist. “This is not a record but getting close.  

“Overall, it was a great growing season for northeastern Arkansas, which got planted early and never looked back,” Kelley said. “Points further south had a more difficult planting season due to too much rain at planting for some producers, but statewide we have had some timely rains which has cut down on irrigation costs this year. Harvest has started on a limited amount of acres and will continue to increase as we get later into August. 

COTTON — Cotton production was expected to rise by 21 percent to 1.65 million bales, which is 288,000 bales higher than last year. Yields are expected to be 57 pounds per acre lower than last year, forecast at 1,238 pounds of lint. Harvested acres were expected to be up 135,000 acres from last year to 640,000. 

Zachary Treadway, extension cotton and peanut agronomist, said that the new acreage number, while a decrease from NASS’s initial estimate, “is still quite an increase from our acreage last year. 

“I know of several locations that had to abandon cotton planting due to extremely wet conditions in southern Arkansas, so the decrease from the initial estimate is not a huge surprise,” he said. “The increase in total production is to be expected with the major increase in acres.” 

Treadway said that the crop has held up despite “the roller coaster season we’ve had.  

“We started extremely wet, then we got extremely hot and dry, followed by more cool and wet conditions, and it seems like we are again settling into hot and dry for the coming several days,” he said. “Cotton is still trading pretty low at somewhere from 68-70 cents, so we need to get this crop to the finish line in the best shape possible to aid producers' bottom lines in a tough market.” 

PEANUTS — The forecast for peanuts is mixed, with production expected to be 18 percent higher than last year to 233 million pounds. However, yield is forecast to be down 500 pounds per acre from last year to 5,300 pounds. The forecast for harvested acreage has been revised upward to 44,000 acres from 34,000. 

RICE — Seems like everything is up for rice in the August forecast.  Production is forecast at 109 million hundredweight, up 2 percent from last year. The yield for all rice is forecast at 7,600 pounds per acre, up 50 pounds from last year. The forecast for harvested acres rose 30,000 acres to 1.43 million acres. 

Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said Monday’s report wasn’t surprising.   

“I expected acreage projections to increase slightly compared to the June report,” he said. “The yield number — at slightly higher than last year –- was unexpected but is still really within the range of my projection.  

“It’s a very good yield but not a record,” Hardke said. “The question is whether our significant amount of early planting counteracts some of the likely yield drags from in-season management difficulties due to weather.” 

HAY — NASS has forecast Arkansas’ hay production to be 2.68 million tons, up 22 percent from last year. The yield is forecast to average 2.20 tons per acre, up 0.30 tons from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.22 million acres of hay, excluding alfalfa, up 60,000 acres from 2023. 

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.  

State of the State Mid-Year 2024: Banks enjoying stable interest rates, ready when changes come

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Arkansas banks have been catching their breath as interest rates have remained stable for a year. Now, they are preparing for future rate changes that might occur. In fact, the Federal Reserve hinted July 31 at a slight rate decrease.

Brad Chambless, CEO of Farmers and Merchants Bank and chairman of the Arkansas Bankers Association, said banks couldn’t respond quickly enough to the Federal Open Market Committee increasing the federal funds rate by 5.25 percentage points over 18 months.

But, the Fed’s keeping the rate steady at about 5.4% since July 27, 2023, has given banks time to adjust their assets and liabilities.

State of the State Mid-Year 2024: Banks enjoying stable interest rates, ready when changes come

LRSD Superintendent Jermall Wright steps down

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

The superintendent of the Little Rock School District is stepping down. Jermall Wright has led the district since summer of 2022. He will stay on until there is a transition plan in place. The announcement came in a letter, Thursday afternoon.

“It has been an honor and privilege to work alongside the board and staff,” the letter said. “To usher in significant changes in district operations all geared towards student outcomes.”

The letter contained a list of accomplishments he was proud of from his tenure. This included decreasing the number of schools with an “F” rating and bringing up graduation rates.

LRSD Superintendent Jermall Wright steps down

Jermall Wright/X

Jermall Wright (left) rides a school bus with LRSD students shortly after he was hired in 2022.

Arkansas Supreme Court allows more parties to join abortion signature lawsuit

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A lawsuit seeking to put a proposal to legalize abortion in Arkansas on the November ballot has been expanded to add more plaintiffs. On Tuesday, two other ballot question groups had their request to intervene as parties in the suit granted.

Arkansans For Limited Government has been working since February to put an amendment on the 2024 ballot legalizing abortion up to the 18th week of pregnancy. The group collected over 100,000 signatures, more than the over 90,000 needed to get their proposal on the ballot.

Secretary of State John Thurston said about 14,000 signatures collected by paid canvassers had to be thrown out. He said the group did not turn in the proper paid canvasser paperwork. It's unclear if this is true, as FOIA requests show documents similar to the ones he claims were missing were turned in. Thurston then said, affidavits submitted by the group were signed by the representatives of AFLG, which are the wrong people.

Arkansas Supreme Court allows more parties to join abortion signature lawsuit

Courts.Arkansas.Gov/Courts.Arkansas.Gov

The Arkansas Supreme Court is allowing two other parties to join the abortion signature lawsuit.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls several infant products for choking, fall hazards

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Parents of infants and young children should immediately stop using four products recalled Aug. 1 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for fall, suffocation and ingestion hazards.

SAFETY FIRST — Parents of infants and young children should prioritize safety and quality when it comes to the products they purchase for their children. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently recalled four infant products for choking, fall and ingestion hazards, which parents should immediately stop using. (Division of Agriculture graphic.) 

Nina Roofe, extension assistant vice president of family and consumer sciences for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that after parents stop using these products, they should contact the manufacturer to find out what options are available.

“They may be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement for the recalled item,” Roofe said. “Usually, guidelines are issued with the recall for returning or disposing of the recalled item, like taking it back to the place of purchase, mailing it to the manufacturer or disposing of it safely.

“Parents should also document to the CPSC if their child was injured by the product,” Roofe said. “If the item is required, such as a crib or a car seat, then a replacement that is safe must be found.”

The recalled products include:

Beberoad Love New Moon Travel Bassinets: These bassinets violate federal safety regulations for Infant Sleep Products because they do not have a stand, posing a fall hazard if used on elevated surfaces. Only bassinets manufactured on or after June 23, 2022, are included in this recall.

Papablic Infant Swings: These swings pose a suffocation risk because they were marketed, intended or designed for infant sleep, and they have an incline angle greater than 10 degrees, which violates the federal safety regulations for Infant Sleep Products. They also violate other requirements for infant swings and the labeling requirements for Reese’s Law because the remote contains a button or coin-cell battery.

LED Light-up Jelly Ring Toys by Attom Tech: These toys violate the mandatory federal battery-operated toy regulation because the rings contain button cell batteries, which can be easily accessed without a common household tool. When button cell batteries are swallowed, the ingested batteries can cause serious injuries, internal chemical burns and death, posing an ingestion hazard to children.

RH Baby & Child Jeune French Contemporary Upholstered Panel Cribs: The cylindrical metal inserts in the crib’s wooden frame can become loose and detach, posing a choking hazard.

Brompton T-Line Foldable Bicycles: A loss of alignment between the handlebar and front wheel, due to insufficient torquing of steerer clamp bolts, can cause the rider to lose control of the steering, posing a fall hazard.

Avocado Organic Cotton Mattress Pad Protectors: The recalled mattress pads violate the mandatory federal flammability regulation for mattress pads, posing a fire hazard.

Roofe said consumers who have purchased a recalled product can usually get a refund, replacement, exchange or repair of the recalled item. If a significant injury occurred, then financial compensation may be pursued through the legal system.

For parents of infants and young children, Roofe recommends they focus on the safety and quality of the products they purchase.

• Before purchasing any baby products, research safety features, reviews and ratings.

• Look for safety certifications such as the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.

• Follow age and weight recommendations, especially for car seats, cribs and toys, to ensure they are appropriate for the child’s size and development.

• Register products with the manufacturer to receive recall and safety information updates.

• Beware of used or second-hand products for babies, as they may not meet current safety standards.

• Refer to the American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures for recommendations on safety standards, guidelines and recommendations for baby products. Family and friends are well-meaning, but they are not the experts.

Informed consumers are safe consumers

Roofe said it’s critical for consumers and business owners to be aware of product recalls and follow CPSC guidelines.

“Recalled products pose a risk to consumers’ health and safety,” she said. “Being aware of recalls and following guidelines helps us avoid dangerous products and prevent accidents and injuries. If we own a business and ignore safety recalls, there could be damage to the business’s reputation and legal consequences if someone is injured as a result of using a recalled product.”

To stay up to speed on product recalls, Roofe recommended the following steps for consumers:

• Sign up for email alerts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission at gov/Newsroom/Subscribe.

• Check the Food and Drug Administration website for product recalls and consumer resources at gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/recall-resources.

• Follow trusted news outlets and set alerts on your phone or computer to stay informed.

• Monitor social media, especially for products of interest, such as infant and child products, digital products and supplements.

• Register your products when you make a purchase. This allows the manufacturer to contact you directly if that product is recalled.

The U.S. CPSC is an independent federal agency responsible for protecting the public from risks of injury or death from the use of consumer products.

“Its work is carried out by setting and enforcing safety standards on a variety of products, such as toys, cribs and appliances; conducting research and testing; investigating product safety concerns and issuing recalls; working with manufacturers to address safety concerns; and educating consumers about product recalls and safety alerts,” Roofe said.

To learn more about extension Family and Consumer Sciences resources, visit the Personal and Family Well-Being webpage.

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. 

Boozman shares memories of Rogers Veteran

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) recognized the service and sacrifice of Chris Traxson in ‘Salute to Veterans,’ a series highlighting the military service of Arkansans.  

Chris Traxson

Traxson was born in Rogers and graduated from Rogers High School in 1999. He attended Northwest Arkansas Community College before enrolling at the University of Arkansas where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

He served as a police officer for his hometown and, after a year in that role, enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve.  

Traxson is from a family with a history of military service, including his dad who was drafted during the Vietnam War, and was inspired to help in the War on Terror.  

“It was a time when I felt like I wanted to do more. There was a lot going on in the Middle East,” he said. “I just felt like I was in a place in my life from the physical fitness standpoint and maturity level where I thought I could go in and help with the effort.” 

Traxson was encouraged to join the Marines by some of his law enforcement colleagues who were veterans of the branch. He wanted to serve on the frontlines and was convinced the Marine infantry division was the quickest path to combat. He also appreciated its proud tradition.

He was 24 years old when he attended bootcamp, “I was definitely the old man, they kinda came to me for that fatherly guidance even though I wasn’t a father. And it was the same in infantry  school as well.”

In 2006 he learned his unit was attaching to another from Detroit as part of a large battalion build up that would eventually be deployed to Fallujah, Iraq.  

Traxson arrived in Fallujah two years after the battles of 2004 and said the locals were just beginning to return to the city. However, there was severe property damage and a lot of hostility.

“In the first two weeks we were there it was extremely quiet and then after that two-week period things started popping off. We were getting enemy contact almost every day. And I had to ask, ‘Why was it so quiet those first two weeks?’ and they informed me that they were watching us,” Traxson recalled. “They knew we were a new unit.” 

Traxson said he had to be ready to go at a moment’s notice, so after long days out on a mission, the marines had to have their gear and vehicles prepared for the next time they would be called upon. His assignment was to ride in the turret of the Humvee operating the machine gun and watching the roadway for improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

He’d only been in Iraq four weeks when he was injured by an IED.

“I wasn’t even supposed to go out that day,” he said. He was given the option to sit out for 48 hours because his team had rolled over an explosive device on its last mission. However, he was cleared to participate and decided to join. 

He doesn’t remember a lot about the explosion but recalled the doors of the vehicle blew off. “I had taken off running because I was on fire,” he said. 

The marines in his Humvee were loaded onto a truck and taken to the hospital. Three weeks later he woke up at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. 

He had third-degree burns on 56 percent of his body. In the two years of recovery, he had more than 70 surgeries.

His mother, a nurse, quit her job in Arkansas to help take care of him and advocate on his behalf while he was in recovery. “She wanted to make sure I had somebody to speak for me,” he said. 

During his recovery, he received letters from his fellow marines updating him on friends in his unit. “Obviously, [we’d] suffered casualties and they would let me know about who those were,” he said. “Some of them I was close to so it was hard not being able to go to their funerals.” 

Traxson received a Purple Heart for his sacrifice. “No one wants to get a Purple Heart, but I’m happy to accept it.”  

He was discharged in 2009 and worked part-time at a local store as he continued his healing while also serving as a security guard at Northwest Arkansas Community College for eight years. He graduated from business school in 2013 and today works at the Benton County Veterans Service Office where he helps veterans in getting the benefits and services they’ve earned. “My experience makes it a lot easier for them to talk to me.”

He has been honored to talk to students about his journey and encourages them to be optimistic in addition to aspiring to a lifetime of public service whether in the military or other civic engagement.  

“Some of the best people I ever met were people in uniform,” he said. “They came from all over the country. They were all different colors, religions and that’s the thing I like about the military is that when you go in there, we all wear the same uniform. We’re not anything else but the uniform we wear. I learned a lot from the people I served with. They made me better.”

“Chris Traxson honorably served his country and has made a great sacrifice. His perseverance and determination are an inspiration to us all. I’m proud to capture and preserve his memories of his service for the benefit of future generations,” Boozman said. 

Boozman submitted Traxson’s entire interview to the Veterans History Project, an initiative of the Library of Congress’s American Folklife Center to collect and retain the oral histories of our nation’s veterans.

Do you know a veteran interested in sharing their memories for the ‘Salute to Veterans’ series? Nominate an Arkansas veteran to share their story by calling Boozman’s Fort Smith office at 479-573-0189.

7 startups to participate in UA outdoor recreation incubator

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

The sixth cohort of Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP) includes companies focused on cycling, firearms, outdoor apparel and camping, the University of Arkansas announced Tuesday (Aug. 13). The 12-week incubator starts Aug. 27.

Leaders from the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation oversee the program. GORP supports startups building products and services in the outdoor recreation industry by providing workshop training, team mentoring and business development consulting to help them scale.

GORP’s fall program runs through Nov. 12 and provides up to $15,000 in non-dilutive seed funding per company. This type of funding doesn’t require the owner to give up equity in the company.

7 startups to participate in UA outdoor recreation incubator

Weeklly update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

As we approach Labor Day, it’s crucial to highlight a significant initiative aimed at making our roads safer. From August 16 through September 2, including the Labor Day holiday weekend, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will partner with Arkansas law enforcement for the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" high-visibility enforcement campaign. This effort is designed to deter impaired driving and prevent the tragic accidents that have marked previous Labor Day weekends.

To underscore the importance of this campaign, consider the statistics from 2022. During the 2022 Labor Day holiday period (from 6 p.m. on September 2 to 5:59 a.m. on September 6), there were 490 traffic crash fatalities across the nation. Alarmingly, 39% of these fatalities (190) involved a drunk driver, and 25% involved drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) nearly twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). For drivers aged 18 to 34, the numbers are even more concerning—47% of those who died in crashes during the holiday were driving with a BAC of .08 or higher.

Here in Arkansas, we are committed to reducing these preventable tragedies. In 2022, our state saw 643 traffic fatalities, 153 of which involved drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher. Over the Labor Day weekend alone, we lost five lives in traffic accidents, one of which was caused by a drunk driver.

The Arkansas General Assembly has taken steps to strengthen our laws concerning drunk driving. In 2019, we passed Act 783, making it a Class C felony for anyone who recklessly causes serious injury to another person while driving under the influence.

The Arkansas Highway Safety Office offers several recommendations to ensure your safety:

• Designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely.

• If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 9-1-1.

• If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, help them find another way to reach their destination.

• Always wear your seat belt. It’s your best defense against a drunk driver.

For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving or contact the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at (501) 618-8136. Additionally, learn about Arkansas' "Toward Zero Deaths" campaign at https://www.tzdarkansas.org/ as we work together to eliminate preventable traffic fatalities.

Stay safe this Labor Day—don't drink and drive.

World Champion Squirrel Cook Off coming Sept. 7

SQUIRREL GIRLS
The World Champion Squirrel Cook Off will be held Sept. 7 at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center.

SPRINGDALE — Break out the shotgun and gather some ingredients now for the nuttiest cooking competition Arkansas has to offer. The World Champion Squirrel Cook Off will take over the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in Springdale beginning at 9 a.m. Sept. 7.

The family-friendly free event returned last fall after a three-year hiatus. After COVID cancellations and some logistical issues, the granddaddy of limb chicken cuisine settled into its new home at the nature center as easily as falling off a log.

Joe Wilson, event planner, cooking contest veteran and connoisseur of all things squirrely, has been busy since before the last dish was served last year to make this year’s event even more memorable.

“We’re always up to try something new and keep things fresh,” Wilson said. “We’re not sure exactly how everything will turn out, but we know it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Up to 40 three-person cooking teams will fire up grills, smokers and other cooking implements beginning at 9 a.m. and will present their dishes to a panel of judges beginning at noon. According to Wilson, there’s still time to gather up a few buddies and harvest some tree-range protein to join in the cooking fun. Complete rules and instructions to nab one of the few remaining cooking team spots are available at www.facebook.com/squirrelcookoff.

Side dishes served alongside the competition this year will include the return of the World Champion Squirrel Skinning Contest as well as the World’s Hottest Squirrel Eating Competition, and Wilson has upped the ante with a special squirrel-calling contest where competitors will bark, chatter and squawk their way to victory if they can convince a panel of expert judges that their bushytail lingo is up to snuff.

The AGFC will again host the World Squirrel Shootoff in the Marksmanship Center, where people can test their airgunning ability and get some helpful aiming tips heading into the meat of squirrel season, and there will be tons of squirrely activities in the Nature Center classroom to entertain and educate anyone who wants to learn more about The Natural State’s native nutcrackers.

Everyone loves a side dish, but let’s not forget the main course, the fantastic food. It is a cooking competition, after all. In addition to samples handed out by competing teams, Wilson’s got a smorgasbord of free fancy eats lined up you can’t buy in any store.

“We’re going to have a giant fish fry, sponsored by ACC Crappie Stix,” Wilson said. ‘Crappie and catfish will be served with a smile while the supply lasts. We’ll also have tons of other free wild food to give you a sample of something your taste buds haven’t tackled before. Last year’s carp tacos were a huge hit, and folks just kept coming back for all the rabbit fricassee their stomachs could handle.”

That’s just a brief sampling of the fun in store for folks who make the trek to Northwest Arkansas to enjoy the event firsthand. There’s even talk of a special cookbook being sold that’s full of past winning recipes and other sources of a squirrel-centric nature. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the local 4-H club, which is volunteering to help wrangle parking at this year’s event.

Visit www.facebook.com/squirrelcookoff for the latest developments on what’s sure to be something to chatter about for years to come.

Note for ingredient gatherers: Arkansas squirrel season runs May 15-Feb. 28, and hunters may take up to 12 squirrels per day. Focus on hickory trees as we get closer to September, as hickory nuts are some of the squirrel’s favorite foods this time of year.

Visit www.agfc.com for more information on the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center and squirrel hunting in The Natural State.

Youth With Chicken Wings

Squirrel isn’t the only thing served up at the event. Everything from chicken wings to fried fish will be available to taste while the competitors work on their limb chicken dishes for the judges.

AGFC Booth

A host of sideshow events will keep visitors entertained throughout the day. 

Stirring Pot

More than 3,000 visitors enjoyed last year’s event and sampled everything from carp tacos to rabbit fricassee. 

Get the best ‘hunting guide’ in Arkansas free online

BY Randy Zellers

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Code of Regulations saw more than 150 changes during the 2024 regulations process, which took place from March through July to help manage Arkansas’s game and nongame wildlife. While most of the changes were simple clarifications and tweaks to existing hunting and fishing regulations, a few major changes rewrote some of the ways in which hunters can harvest game in The Natural State.

You don’t have to wait for the printed versions to arrive at your local hunting and fishing license vendor to see all the changes; a downloadable version of the guidebook is available now at agfc.com to download and save to your phone. The current version of the guidebook also is available through the AGFC app in the Apple Store and Google Play Store.

Some notable changes that are highlighted in this year’s guidebook include:

• Non-semiautomatic centerfire firearms (including handguns with barrels 4 inches or longer) that fire a straight-wall cartridge .30 caliber or larger and large bore air rifles are now allowed during alternative firearms seasons (formerly termed muzzleloader season). Note that shotguns with slugs are not allowed during alternative firearms season. 

• In Deer Zones 4 and 5, non-semiautomatic rifles chambered specifically for straight-wall centerfire cartridge cases that fire .30 caliber or larger are now allowed during modern gun deer season. Shotguns with slugs are allowed in Deer Zones 4 and 5 during the modern gun deer season. 

• An early buck archery hunt is established for the first Saturday-Monday in September (Sept. 7-9, 2024), on private land and on AGFC-owned or leased land WMAs (Page 68). The Limit during early archery season is one buck. 

• The Private Land Antlerless Only Modern Gun Hunt was eliminated statewide. 

• Nonresidents may hunt deer with dogs on private and public land where it is allowed only during the final nine days of the regular modern gun deer season (not including Dec. 26-28). Nonresidents may take only one deer per year with the use of deer dogs.

• Cleburne, Craighead, Mississippi and Sharp counties have been added to the CWD Management Zone.

• Archery equipment that is legal for hunting now includes spears.

• In addition to weapons legal for the hunting season, wounded big game may be dispatched with a legally possessed handgun no larger than .45 caliber with a barrel no longer than 6 inches.

• The archery quota for Bear Zone 1 has been increased to 450 bears.

• Taking a radio-collared bear is illegal.

• Tree hooks with screw threads not greater than three-eights-inch in diameter are now allowed on AGFC-owned WMAs.

• Trail cameras on WMAs must have the owner’s name and address or CID visible and permanently affixed via paint, tag or permanent marker.

• Portable hunting blinds, stands or associated equipment on WMAs must be moved at least 200 yards after 14 consecutive days. Stands and blinds may not be placed on a WMA more than 14 days before deer archery season and must be removed within 14 days after the close of deer archery season.

• It is unlawful to provide hunting assistance without possession of a valid hunting license (i.e., youth hunts with mentors).

• Hunters harvesting an alligator may check the alligator online rather than calling AGFC Radio Dispatch after harvest and before moving it. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service CITES tag will be mailed to the hunter upon verification of online checking.

• Resident turkey hunters must obtain a free Resident Turkey Tag (RTT) in addition to a Resident Sportsman’s License.

• Nonresidents must possess one of the following to turkey hunt:

  • A Nonresident Annual Hunting License ($410) and a Nonresident Turkey Tag ($100), or

  • A Nonresident Annual Turkey License ($325), which includes a single turkey tag.

• Anyone guiding, aiding or assisting another person, for pay or other considerations, in the taking of any species of wildlife by any means in Arkansas, must have proof of at least $100,000 general liability insurance in addition to the appropriate guide license.

• All resident fishing and hunting guide license fees have increased from $25 to $250 annually (note: nonresident guide license fees increased to $500 last year).

• It is unlawful to hunt, drive, herd or harass wildlife by unmanned aerial vehicle (drone).

• Egyptian geese may be taken at any time.

• It is unlawful to hunt wildlife from a vessel, with the exception of waterfowl or alligator, and in taking frogs, fish or turtles by legal methods during open seasons.

Additional changes were made to that impact waterfowl hunters, which will be highlighted in the 2024-25 Waterfowl Hunting Guidebook available this fall, the most notable of which is the reinstatement of spinning-wing decoys on AGFC-owned and managed wildlife management areas. Spinning-wing decoys still are not allowed on Federal Wildlife Refuges for the 2024-25 Arkansas waterfowl season. 

Statewide 2024 Deer Season Opening Days:

Early Buck Archery Season (private land and some WMAs) — Sept. 7-9
Regular Archery Season — Sept. 28
Alternative Firearms (formerly Muzzleloader) Season — Oct. 19
Modern Gun Season — Nov. 9
Special Youth Modern Gun Hunts — Nov. 2-3 and Jan. 4-5
Private Land Antlerless-only Modern Gun Hunt — CLOSED

Visit www.agfc.com/guidebooks for downloadable versions of all AGFC hunting and fishing regulations guidebooks.

Heat Advisories continue for Arkansas and surrounding states

...A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING... AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE EACH DAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND TO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for south central Arkansas, southwest Arkansas, north central Louisiana, northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, east Texas and northeast Texas.

Hot temperatures and high humidity will bring dangerous levels of heat to the region through the weekend. Heat index values will likely climb above 105 degrees in most locations.

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

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

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. 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.

Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center hosts inaugural Rice Field Day

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture

HARRISBURG, Ark. — The new Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg welcomed more than 250 attendees to its inaugural rice field day to hear region-specific updates from researchers and extension specialists.

SITTIN' PRETTY — The new Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center was freshly manicured and ready to welcome guests to the inaugural NERREC Rice Field Day on August 8. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo.) 

Arkansas is the nation’s top rice producer, with the top four rice producing counties in the state located in the northeast corner. With two-thirds of Arkansas rice planted each year in the northern half of the state, the new Arkansas Agriculture Experiment Station location has given researchers with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture an opportunity to generate data specific to a large portion of Arkansas growers.

“This farm is unique,” said Rich Hillman, chairman of the Riceland Foods Board of Directors. “Studying this soil, studying the dirt in this part of the state that so many farmers raise their crops in, this farm and the work on it will definitely pay dividends for generations to come. This is something to be very proud of for the folks that are in this area.”

Hillman added that the educational facilities at NERREC, created for school-aged children to learn about rice and agriculture production in Arkansas, will impact thousands of students who are surrounded by agriculture but may not know much about what’s grown around them.

“What’s inside this building is just as important as the research plots outside,” Hillman said. “The educational component of this facility is unlike anything else in the state.”

NERREC Director Tim Burcham emphasized the effort required to get the research and extension center off the ground and thanked the many contributors, saying the station is for producers.

“Everything you saw today got started with one truck, a pair of boots and a shovel,” Burcham said. “I think it’s miraculous how far we’ve come and I’m thankful for our leadership team, our industry collaborators and the Rice Research and Promotion Board for all the hard work and long hours it took to get here. And this isn’t our station – it’s yours.”

During field tours, attendees saw firsthand how research conducted on the station is planned with Northeast Arkansas growers in mind.

“This has been a long time coming and we’re excited to be here and show off our plot work at this location,” said Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the Division of Agriculture. “We’ve been able to add a planting date study here in the heart of Northeast Arkansas to give us planting date information, where we’ve historically relied on the Stuttgart location.”

In response to poor milling yields that many Arkansas growers faced last year, Hardke said he is using some of his plots at NERREC to look at causes and potential solutions.

“Given the issues with milling last year, we are trying to look at things we can throw at the wall to improve our milling,” Hardke said. “We don’t know if they’ll be cost effective, but the question is can we get any response from late fertilizer applications to hold on to that milling yield? Hopefully this will give us some direction on what we can tease out to help improve milling yields in years, like this one, where everything is planted quickly and early but harvest drags out.”

Breeding updates

Division of Agriculture rice breeders Xueyan Sha and Christian De Guzman showcased varieties that are currently available with tolerance to Provisia and Clearfield, herbicides that are popular in Arkansas rice production.

“We are latecomers to Provisia rice breeding, but we’re catching up,” Sha said. “We started this program in 2019 and fast tracked – really fast tracked – the PVL04 which, from crossing to commercial production, only took four years. I don’t know anyone who can beat that.”

Sha said the PVL04 matures about three days later than PVL03, but with good yield potential in Northeastern Arkansas. More exciting varieties could be on the market soon.

“In the pipeline we have a number of very exciting Provisia lines,” Sha said, highlighting two potential varieties with increased yield potential and Provisia herbicide tolerance. “So we’ll probably see some changes in our Provisia line up coming soon.”

Rice season recap

Hardke’s biggest surprise this rice growing season was how quickly growers were able to get started.

“I got an incredible number of calls from this area of the state around April 7, April 10 saying ‘Hey, we’re done,’” Hardke said. “Following that tremendous start, we had a lot of rain and the wind would not quit blowing. So, weed control was an interesting effort. I’m flat out amazed at the job growers were able to do to keep fields clean.”

Although wet conditions delayed herbicide applications and some nitrogen applications, Hardke said the overall crop looks really good. However, he warns that early and quick planting can cause headaches at harvest.

“Just remember that all of this is getting ready faster than you think it is,” he said. “These first fields coming out are at 17 to 19 percent moisture and normally they’re 19 to 22 percent, so they’re starting to run away. I guess that’s my way of saying get out there and get on a combine.”

Hardke noted that current cooler conditions should help milling quality post-harvest.

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.

Oaklawn president donates $500,000 to Razorback Foundation

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

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort President Louis Cella has donated $500,000 to the Razorback Foundation at the University of Arkansas and is challenging other businesses to contribute to the foundation.

Cella, a graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law, said in a statement that “these are tough financial times for college sports,” and the foundation is no exception.

“They are competing in the toughest conference in the nation, and regularly going up against schools with far greater resources,” said Cella. “If the Razorbacks are going to remain competitive, it’s going to take backing from all of us. … I realize this doesn’t solve the financial crunch for U of A athletics.  But if more Arkansas businesses will consider pitching in too, it will be a huge step in the right direction for Razorback nation.”

Oaklawn president donates $500,000 to Razorback Foundation

Graduate School Program Gives Undergraduates a Chance to Explore Research

By Nathan Tidwell

For many undergraduate students, research isn’t an area they often get to experience. The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at the University of Arkansas of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) offers that opportunity.

SURP is a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded effort sponsored by the UAMS Graduate School.

Program co-directors are:

• Robert E. McGehee Jr., Ph.D., dean emeritus of the Graduate School, distinguished professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and executive director of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute

• Billy Thomas, M.D., professor and neonatologist in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics

Eleven students from six different colleges and universities were chosen for this year’s program, which ran from May 20-July 19.

Graduate School Program Gives Undergraduates a Chance to Explore Research

This year's Summer Undergraduate Research Program ran from May 20-July 19. Image by Nathan Tidwell

UAMS Hosts Nation’s First Pediatric Green Lab for Neurosurgery Residents

By Linda Satter

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Neurosurgery recently held its first “pediatric green lab” for neurosurgery residents — part of its ongoing efforts to provide training that is more sustainable, affordable and environmentally conscious.

“The course was unique, not only at UAMS but also in the nation, for resident teaching using pediatric models,” said T. Glenn Pait, M.D., the department’s interim chair.

The department first used synthetic cadavers in 2023, when it held a “green spine lab” to give residents hands-on experience in spinal surgery techniques without using actual cadavers, which are increasingly difficult to obtain, transport and store.

UAMS Hosts Nation’s First Pediatric Green Lab for Neurosurgery Residents

Pediatric neurosurgery residents learn how to perform a myelomeningocele repair on a synthetic pediatric cadaver. The head of the model is to the right.

Arkansas Attorney General Griffin clears owners of Fort Smith property near Ebbing Air National Guard Base

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement regarding the results of his investigation into the ownership of property near Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith:

“In my investigation into the ownership of 4811 S. Zero Street in Fort Smith, I determined that there is no violation of Act 636 of 2023. 4811 S. Zero Street, LLC is not owned by, controlled by, or associated with any ‘prohibited foreign-party-controlled-business.’

“I thank the Secretary of Agriculture for alerting me to this issue and to the owners of 4811 S. Zero Street, LLC for their cooperation in the investigation. I also praise the diligence of the attorneys and agents in my office who handled this case.”

For a printer-friendly version of this release, click here.

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