Rampy Foundation Relays $65,000 Donation to UAMS Department of Neurology for MS Research

By Andrew Vogler

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Neurology in the College of Medicine received $65,000 for multiple sclerosis research from the Rampy MS Research Foundation during a ceremony today.

This is the third year the Rampy MS Research Foundation has conducted the run. Jo and Scott Rampy, along with other runners and walkers, relayed a check from Bentonville to Little Rock. The run was organized as part of the foundation’s Giving Tuesday fundraising efforts. The foundation made an initial pledge of $30,000 to UAMS, with donations made during the run added to the total amount.

“The Rampy Check Run is quickly becoming a favorite tradition at UAMS because it truly is inspiring to see all the participants give it their all every year for such a noble cause,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “I am very thankful for all the advocates who shine a light on MS and help support the doctors and researchers tackling this problem.”

Rampy Foundation Relays $65,000 Donation to UAMS Department of Neurology for MS Research

Scott and Jo Rampy, with other members of the Rampy Relay team, presented a check for $65,000 to Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, and Rohit Dhall, M.D. Image by Evan Lewis

Warren Stephens to be nominated as U.S. Ambassador to United Kingdom

KUAR | By Roby Brock / Talk Business & Politics

President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday (Dec. 2) that he will nominate Warren Stephens, chair, president and CEO of Little Rock-based Stephens Inc., as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Stephens Inc. is a privately held, independent financial services firm headquartered in Little Rock. Stephens has 28 offices worldwide and employs more than 1,200 people. It has offices in London, England and Frankfurt, Germany, two of the largest financial centers in Europe.

In a statement on his Truth Social account, Trump said:

“I am pleased to announce that Warren A. Stephens, one of the most successful businessmen in the Country, has been nominated to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s, a role in which he will act as our Representative to the United Kingdom. Over the last 38 years, while serving as the President, Chairman, and CEO of his company, Stephens Inc., Warren has built a wonderful financial services firm, while selflessly giving back to his community as a philanthropist.

Warren Stephens to be nominated as U.S. Ambassador to United Kingdom

Talk Business & Politics

Wiley named next director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation

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

Jared Wiley

The Arkansas Highway Commission has named Jared Wiley as director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). Wiley follows Director Lorie Tudor who announced Dec. 3 she will retire effective Jan. 10, 2025.

Wiley will become the department’s sixth person to serve in the director’s role in the past 52 years. His starting salary will be $225,992, according to ARDOT.

“The Department is very fortunate to have a deep pool of highly qualified talent to choose from in selecting the next Director. We know that Jared will do an excellent job leading ARDOT and the entire team. The Commission looks forward to working with him in this new role,” noted a statement from Commission Chairman Alec Farmer.

Wiley named next director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs opens 97-year-old time capsule

KUAR | By Nathan Treece

CHI St. Vincent Hospital in Hot Springs on Wednesday opened a 97-year-old time capsule recovered from the cornerstone of the soon-to-be-demolished St. Joseph Hospital.

The hospital was erected in 1927 by the Sisters of Mercy, and operated for decades before being repurposed as a dormitory for the Arkansas School of Math, Sciences, and Arts.

The building is set to be demolished in 2025. Michael Millard, Market Director of Mission for the hospital, said the time capsule was an exciting find that reinforces its history and mission.

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs opens 97-year-old time capsule

Nathan Treece/Little Rock Public Radio

CHI St. Vincent Market Director of Mission Michael Millard displays contents of 97-year-old time capsule retrieved from the cornerstone of St. Joseph Hospital in Hot Springs.

AGFC monitoring avian influenza in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is asking waterfowl hunters and wildlife watchers heading to the field to keep an eye out for any sick or dead birds they find in the wild that may be the result of avian influenza. The risk of humans contracting the disease remains low, but hunters can minimize that risk by following a few simple precautions.

Hunters and wildlife watchers who observe concentrations of sick or dead birds should contact the AGFC’s wildlife health program through www.agfc.com/avianflu with information about the species, number of birds affected and location.

According to Dr. Jenn Ballard, AGFC state wildlife veterinarian, this is the third year since Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was detected in the U.S. and it’s likely that periodic outbreaks will continue to occur.

“We’re getting reports consistent with cases in previous years and confirmation testing is underway,” Ballard said. “The reports so far this year have been almost exclusively snow geese with most being juveniles.”

According to Ballard, various low pathogenicity strains of influenza always circulate in wild bird populations, but HPAI has much more potential to spread and has caused billions of dollars of damage to domestic poultry production in Asia, Europe and North America.

Waterfowl hunters may remember finding dead and dying snow geese in 2022, particularly at the beginning of the waterfowl season in Arkansas rice fields.

“Mortality in 2022 was primarily found in those snow goose populations, but a few other duck species and raptors were affected as well,” Ballard said. “Eagles and hawks that may have preyed upon sick or dying geese were confirmed with the HPAI pathogen.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk for humans to contract HPAI is still low, but people who find birds that are obviously sick or bewildered should report them to the AGFC and refrain from handling them. The pathogen has also been found to affect dairy cattle, so anyone who works around any poultry or livestock should use extreme caution and practice good hygiene practices when handling, cleaning and preparing harvested waterfowl.

Safety Guidelines for Hunters

• Harvest only waterfowl that act and look healthy. Do not handle or eat sick animals.

• Wear disposable gloves when handling and cleaning game and field dress outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water afterward.

• Dispose of unwanted parts in a manner that prevents scavenging by domestic animals and wildlife.

• Thoroughly cook all game to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before eating it.

• Do not feed pets or domestic animals uncooked portions of waterfowl.

• Avoid contact between poultry and livestock and wild birds or their parts. After handling waterfowl, change or clean clothing, shoes and other equipment before coming into contact with domestic animals and livestock, including commercial production facilities and backyard flocks.

More information on avian influenza is available at USDA APHIS’s website.

Attorney General Griffin announces arrest of North Little Rock man on child pornography charges

Griffin: ‘Fighting the exploitation of our most vulnerable remains a priority for my office and requires a team effort to bring these perpetrators to justice’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement after agents in his Special Investigations Division arrested Richard Keith Dewberry, 68, of North Little Rock on 13 felony counts of distributing, possessing, or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a minor:

“This morning, special agents from my office arrested Dewberry following an investigation thanks to a cybertip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). I am thankful for the tip to NCMEC that led to this arrest and for the valuable assistance of the North Little Rock Police Department in this case. Fighting the exploitation of our most vulnerable remains a priority for my office and requires a team effort to bring these perpetrators to justice.”

In October, special agents from the Attorney General’s Special Investigations Division served a search warrant on Dewberry’s residence in North Little Rock, where they seized a laptop for forensic examination. During the examination, numerous images of child sexual abuse material were discovered on the laptop’s hard drive.

Dewberry was arrested on December 3. He was booked into the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility and is being held without bond.

If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of exploitation, call the NCMEC CyberTipline at (800) 422-4453 or visit https://report.cybertip.org.

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

New probiotic shown to improve digestion in poultry and swine

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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A novel probiotic has been developed as a direct-fed microbial in both poultry and swine feed to improve gut health and weight-gain efficiency. Additionally, feed cost savings may be realized through greater utilization of soybean meal in diets.

NEW PROBIOTIC — A probiotic made from a Bacillus strain isolated by poultry science researchers was found to also be beneficial for swine gut health. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

The probiotic, which is a beneficial bacterium, is made from a Bacillus-strain isolated by poultry science researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and is being co-developed by KENT Nutrition Group.

KENT licensed the patented technology from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and is currently making probiotic-infused poultry and swine feed with the Bacillus strain. The experiment station is the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

“We are grateful for our second novel technology collaboration with UADA,” said Kale Causemaker, senior director of sales and business development for Innovative Solutions, a division of KENT. “These discoveries help improve animal agriculture sustainability and welfare. We are excited and optimistic to have this probiotic commercially available for producers in 2025.”  

Bacillus-strain advantages

Advantages of a Bacillus-strain probiotic, compared to common probiotic microorganism of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, include its ability to survive higher temperatures and lower pH environments.

The non-genetically modified Bacillus bacterium also eliminates the need for multiple genetically modified enzymes that are added to animal feeds to help the animal break down ingredients in protein sources such as soybean meal.

Being heat- and pH-stable improves survivability rate in the animal’s gastrointestinal tract and feed processing such as the manufacture of pelleted feed. The strain was originally found to work well in poultry diets and preliminary data suggest the probiotic may also work well in swine.

Overcoming a problem

Billy Hargis, distinguished professor of poultry science, said experiment station studies on the Bacillus strain showed it increased the animals’ ability to digest non-starch polysaccharides in protein sources such as soybean meal. Hargis is also director of the John Kirkpatrick Skeels Poultry Health Laboratory for the experiment station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

Non-starch polysaccharides are difficult-to-digest carbohydrates found in soybean meal, which serves as the primary source of protein for both layer and broiler chickens, as well as turkeys and swine, Hargis explained.

“The problem with these non-starch polysaccharides is that they cannot be digested and utilized by the animal, but rather they feed detrimental populations of microbes within the gut, adding to intestinal inflammation and susceptibility to other causes of enteric disease,” Hargis said.

The strain of Bacillus by KENT was isolated by former post-doctoral researcher Kyle Teague under the co-advisement of Hargis and Samuel Rochell. Teague is now the director of poultry nutrition at Life Products, Inc., in Nebraska, and Rochell is now an associate professor of poultry nutrition at Auburn University.

From lab to market

The Division of Agriculture’s Technology Commercialization Office, or TCO, shepherded the Bacillus-strain’s patent-pending status and commercial licensing to KENT.

“Translating research to commercial products is the name of the game,” said Parker Cole, associate director of TCO. “We always enjoy working with industry and have enjoyed working with KENT. They’ve been a great partner to work with and collaborate with, so we’re excited to see these products go into the marketplace.”

Earlier this year, Innovative Solutions also released EFFICOR, an L. plantarum probiotic for swine that was developed in conjunction with Division of Agriculture researchers. Research trials showed EFFICOR helped improve body weight gain and feed efficiency in growing and finishing pigs, with nearly $2 per pig cost savings because of improved efficiencies at the time of the trials, Cole said. The foundational research for EFFICOR came from Jiangchao Zhao, former professor of animal science for the Division of Agriculture.

“Our office sits at the interface of academic innovation and commercialization,” said Cole. “Being able to take a technology that was developed here, work with industry, confirm that it works in a particular product or formulation, and have that company excited about it to where they want to license it and implement it in their portfolio, I think that speaks to the research quality and to the inventors that we have within the Division of Agriculture.”

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

Tyson Foods to shutter two more plants, cut 229 jobs

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Two small Tyson Foods’ plants in Philadelphia are slated to close over the next two months. The Original Philly cook beef plant and the Original Philly raw plant acquired by Tyson Foods in 2017 will close by Jan. 31.

The news came from a federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN notice) filed with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania this past week.

The plants employ 229 workers who prepare Philly steak products for Tyson’s prepared food business. Tyson has not yet said if the production will be shifted to another facility. Tyson Foods said it is working with state and local officials to provide additional resources to those who are impacted by the plant closures.

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our two Prepared Foods facilities in Philadelphia to increase the efficiency of our operations. We understand the decision’s impact on our team members and the local community,” Tyson Foods said in an email to Talk Business & Politics.

Tyson Foods to shutter two more plants, cut 229 jobs

AGFC conservation scholarships lay path toward bright future

BY Randy Zellers

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas students interested in a conservation career may be able to find a little tuition assistance thanks to the colorful wildlife-themed license plates found on cars throughout The Natural State. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Conservation Scholarship Program is accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year until Dec. 31, 2024.

The AGFC is giving the scholarship program a facelift this year with a renewed focus on creating a career path leading to a future in conservation.

“In the past, we gave a lot of scholarships that were worth a little money to help college students, but we’ve reduced the number of scholarships available and increased the money each recipient will receive,” Lauren Cannon, AGFC Facility Director at the Ponca Nature Center who is taking the lead in the scholarship program, said. “It will be more competitive, but it will also be more rewarding.”

Incoming freshmen who receive a scholarship under the new format will receive $2,500 per semester, an increase of $1,500 per semester over the previously awarded amount. The scholarship amount also increases as the student progresses in their college journey.

“They’ll get $2,500 per semester as freshmen and sophomores, but those who continue to qualify in their junior and senior years of college will receive $5,000 per semester. It’s a pretty substantial increase,” Cannon said. “But the money increase really is only one benefit of the revamped program.”

Instead of simply helping pay a bill to college registrars, the AGFC is stepping up to become a true sponsor of scholarship recipients through increased requirements and benefits. Scholarship recipients must complete at least 40 volunteer hours with the AGFC during their freshman and sophomore years, and they must complete a 400-hour internship during each of their junior and senior years.

Ava Smith, AGFC Social Science Research Specialist, said the change will make the program become much more immersive to help students on their career path.

“They will need to volunteer or work with at least four AGFC divisions, so they’ll get a good idea of the many career paths available to them in conservation,” Smith said. “A lot of scholarship recipients in the past may have veered from their original intent of conservation, and these requirements will help them discern what path is right for them. If they do decide to go a different direction, then the funds are available for other students who are interested in conservation fields.”

Smith says the paid internships also help fulfill another hurdle many conservation students face post-graduation.

“Hiring for entry-level positions has sometimes been difficult when students lacked the necessary technical or professional skills,” Smith said. “The internships and volunteer requirements will create opportunities for students to acquire those skills, and incorporate training that will create more qualified natural resource professionals.”

Smith says recipients of the new scholarships also will be paired with a mentor at the AGFC who is in their field of study. Mentors will be able to help students hone their college experience into a career path, laser-focused on the opportunities available at AGFC and other conservation agencies.

“The ultimate goal is to build a bench of conservation professionals to one day join the AGFC, but at the end of their college experience, scholarship recipients should be able to hit the ground running with a variety of organizations in the natural resource discipline,” Smith said.

Anyone who currently receives an AGFC scholarship will still be able to reapply for the traditional amounts with the previous qualifications, but they also will be eligible to compete for the new scholarship format.

“We didn’t want to just pull the rug out from under people who were already receiving a scholarship, so we’re allowing them to continue on their path through the transition and apply for the new opportunity, too,” Smith said. “As those students graduate, it will make more room for additional scholarships under the new format.”

All Conservation Scholarship Program requirements and the application and award timeline are available at https://www.agfc.com/education/conservation-scholarships. The AGFC also will host a special applicant webinar on Zoom at 6 p.m. Dec. 3. Students and their families can register online. The webinar will be recorded and available upon request. Applicants may also contact scholarships@agfc.ar.gov with any additional questions about the program.

Funded by the sale of Conservation License Plates, the AGFC’s Conservation Scholarship Program has been helping Arkansas students since 2001, the year after the first Conservation License Plate was issued. Since that time, more than $8 million has been delivered to students pursuing careers related to conservation.

Healthgrades Awards UAMS Five Stars for Cardiac, Critical Care

By Linda Satter

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received five-star ratings for its treatment of heart failure and sepsis from Healthgrades, the leading resource used by consumers to find a health care provider.

The 2025 ratings for clinical excellence are based on data collected from about 4,500 hospitals nationwide on all Medicare patients who used hospital in-patient services in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Paul Mounsey, M.D., professor and chair of the UAMS Division of Cardiology in the Department of Internal Medicine, said he appreciated the recognition — for the second consecutive year — of UAMS’ treatment of heart failure.

Healthgrades Awards UAMS Five Stars for Cardiac, Critical Care

Butterball closing Jonesboro plant, 180 workers affected

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Butterball will shutter its Jonesboro turkey processing facility next year impacting about 180 workers. The tentative plan is to close the plant by Feb. 3, 2025, according to a release from the company.

A reason for the closure was not released. Production at the Jonesboro plant, which produced cooked, ready-to-eat deli breasts, will be moved to other Butterball facilities.

Workers at the plant were informed during a meeting Wednesday (Dec. 4). Those who stay will be paid in compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications Act. It wasn’t immediately known if some of the displaced workers will be moved to other facilities within the company’s system.

Butterball closing Jonesboro plant, 180 workers affected

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

As the holiday season approaches, many of us are starting to think about our shopping lists and where we want to spend our hard-earned money. Now is the perfect time to consider supporting small businesses in Arkansas.

First and foremost, shopping at small businesses is a direct way to support your local community. With over 280,000 small businesses across the state, they represent 99.3% of all Arkansas businesses. By choosing to shop locally, you’re not just supporting the owners and employees of these establishments; you’re contributing to the economic health of your neighborhood. Small businesses are often the backbone of communities, providing jobs and a unique sense of identity. In fact, 47.5% of all Arkansas employees work for small businesses, underscoring their importance in our local economy.

Many small retailers curate products made locally or sourced from independent artisans, allowing you to give truly one-of-a-kind gifts to your loved ones. By supporting these businesses, you are investing in the creativity and talent of artists and craftsmen within your community.

Moreover, when you spend your dollars at small businesses, you ensure that a significant portion stays within the local economy. Research indicates that 68 cents of every dollar spent at a small business remains in the community, creating a ripple effect that helps to create jobs and contribute to the overall economic well-being of your area. This reinvestment is crucial, especially during the holiday season when many businesses are counting on the influx of seasonal shoppers to sustain them through the year.

Additionally, small businesses play a critical role in job creation, accounting for two-thirds of net new jobs in our country. They drive innovation and competition, which ultimately benefits consumers by providing more choices and better services. 

This holiday season, let’s celebrate local businesses and the vital role they play in making Arkansas a vibrant place to live and work.

Attorney General Griffin Announces Hiring of Jeff Chandler as Deputy AG to Lead Special Prosecutions Division

Griffin: ‘As a longtime prosecutor, Deputy AG Chandler understands the unique needs and challenges of prosecuting attorneys’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing a new Deputy Attorney General for Special Prosecutions in his office:

“I am pleased to announce that I have hired Jeff Chandler as Deputy Attorney General to lead my Special Prosecutions Division. Deputy AG Chandler’s extensive experience as a prosecutor, public defender, and as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps make him an excellent pick to lead this division.

“My Special Prosecutions Division works with prosecutors across Arkansas to provide support when needed and assist in prosecutions, particularly in the areas of human trafficking, organized retail crime, internet crimes against children, and public integrity. As a longtime prosecutor, Deputy AG Chandler understands the unique needs and challenges of prosecuting attorneys.”

Chandler is a retired lieutenant colonel who served in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps and served as the Chief Deputy Prosecutor of the 5th Judicial District from 1998 to 2018. Since 2018 he has worked for the Arkansas Public Defender Commission – Capital Conflicts and Appellate Division, where he defended capital murder cases. Chandler received his undergraduate degree in microbiology and molecular genetics from Oklahoma State University and his law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville.

Boozman, Welch Lead Push to Protect Access to Medicare Services

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Peter Welch (D-VT), along with 39 of their colleagues, are calling on Senate leaders to protect access to Medicare services by ensuring health care providers who treat Medicare patients are adequately compensated for the care they deliver.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing a rule to cut payments to Medicare-serving physicians by 2.8 percent in 2025. This would represent the fifth consecutive year that reimbursement rates were reduced.

“Persistent instability in the health care sector––due, in part, to consistent payment cuts––impacts the ability of physicians and clinicians to provide the highest quality of care,” the senators wrote to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. “These continued payment cuts undermine the ability of independent clinical practices––especially in rural and underserved areas––to care for their communities. Some practices have limited the number of Medicare patients they see, or the types of services offered.”

Text of the letter can be found below and here.

Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell:

We write to request that you urgently address the 2.8 percent cut to Medicare payments that will go into effect on January 1, 2025. Failure to address these cuts will threaten the continued ability of physicians and other healthcare providers to care for their patients.

On November 1, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule, which includes provisions subjecting all physicians and other clinicians treating Medicare patients in the outpatient setting to a 2.8 percent payment cut. The scheduled cut represents the fifth consecutive year that CMS has issued a fee schedule lowering payments to physicians and other clinicians.

Persistent instability in the health care sector–due, in part, to consistent payment cuts–impacts the ability of physicians and clinicians to provide the highest quality of care. These continued payment cuts undermine the ability of independent clinical practices–especially in rural and underserved areas–to care for their communities. Some practices have limited the number of Medicare patients they see, or the types of services offered.

In addition to addressing the looming 2.8 percent payment cut, Congress must develop long-term legislative solutions to reform the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), such as enacting targeted reforms to statutory budget neutrality requirements and payment updates reflective of inflationary pressures. These efforts are critical to supporting patient access to high-quality Medicare-covered services and bolstering our healthcare workforce.

On behalf of patients and healthcare providers, we look forward to working together to address the 2.8 percent payment cut and create stability in the Medicare program for our nation’s seniors.

We appreciate your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

Traditional Thanksgiving meal cost down 5% from 2023

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Families celebrating Thanksgiving with a traditional turkey dinner could pay about 5% less than a year ago, with the cost averaging $58.50 for a group of 10. The 2024 estimated cost is below the $61.17 in 2023, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

A Thanksgiving meal is still 19% more expensive than in 2019 as food inflation has remained sticky since the pandemic. Turkey prices are cheaper this year with supply outpacing demand. The average price for a 16-pound turkey is $25.67, about 6% cheaper than a year ago. Several retailers discounted turkey prices since the survey was completed the first week of November.

“The turkey is traditionally the main attraction on the Thanksgiving table and is typically the most expensive part of the meal,” said AFBF Economist Bernt Nelson. “The American turkey flock is the smallest it’s been since 1985 because of avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen, resulting in lower prices at the grocery store for families planning a holiday meal.”

Traditional Thanksgiving meal cost down 5% from 2023

AGFC director announces resignation

BY Randy Zellers

MOUNTAIN VIEW — Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Director Austin Booth tendered his resignation during today’s monthly commission meeting at the Ozark Folk Center Visitor Center auditorium. Booth’s resignation becomes effective Jan. 4, 2025. He’s been the AGFC director since 2021.

Booth explained that the commitments of his family and faith had to be balanced with the duties of his position at the AGFC over the last three and a half years, and he wished to be able to devote more time to his family and allow someone else to take the reigns of the agency with the intensity needed to continue moving forward in the pursuit of conservation.

“I want to thank my wife and my kids and my mom and dad and my in-laws … for keeping me grounded, for pointing me to Jesus, for their encouragement and for making sacrifices so I can be effective,” Booth said. “It has been an incredible three and a half years and I have no people to thank more than my family.”

Booth said he will be transitioning to the private sector after 13 years of commitment to his country and state.

AGFC Commission Chairman J.D. Neeley thanked Booth for his service and dedication to the men and women who enjoy and depend upon Arkansas’s natural resources.

“On behalf of the other commissioners and the staff of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, I want to thank Austin Booth, our director, for the last three and a half years of tireless dedication to the Commission and the people of the great state of Arkansas,” Neeley offered in a statement following the announcement. “There’s a saying, ‘Iron sharpens iron.’ His leadership has taken a tremendously skilled group of staff and strengthened our ability to put habitat and people first. His motto, ‘See you in the field,’ meant he had his sleeves rolled up and wanted to lead by example — a true servant leader.”

Neeley said Booth’s hiring in 2021 was one of the best decisions the Commission had made in his seven-year term as a commissioner. His role in the development of the agency’s five-year strategic plan, “The Natural State Tomorrow,” has left not only a footprint of success to build upon, but a blueprint to address the future of conservation in Arkansas.

“Booth’s plans and leadership will impact all hunters, anglers and conservationists; those present now and those yet to be born,” Neeley said. “While we are deeply saddened by his departure, we wish him and his family all the best and success in their future endeavors.”

In the last three years, Booth’s leadership has driven the AGFC to a level of performance and accountability never before seen in such a short period of time. The Natural State Tomorrow was only one of many milestones highlighting his time at the Commission. “People first, habitat always,” was a mantra often spoken during Booth’s presentations. He not only spoke these words, but lived them. In his first year at the AGFC, Booth took the challenge of restoring the AGFC’s famous greentree reservoirs head on, reinvigorating the efforts staff had placed in ensuring these valuable habitats continued to produce hunting memories for generations to come. He spoke to crowds at events promoting the AGFC’s actions, not preaching from a pulpit, but standing among the men and women he served.

“Would you rather stand here years from now and tell your grandchildren how great the duck hunting used to be, or have your grandchildren come to you and tell you how great the duck hunting is for them,” Booth would ask.

Tackling legacy issues was a common theme in Booth’s tenure as AGFC director.

The continued decline of aquatic habitat and infrastructure on Craig D. Campbell Lake Conway Reservoir was looming during the last decade. Never one to shrink from a challenge, Booth stepped up to the plate and convinced the Commission that a full-scale renovation was needed. Not only will the 76-year-old infrastructure be completely revamped to better accommodate water levels without manually lifted gates, but the entire lake is seeing a renewal. Nearly 30 miles of boat lanes will be upgraded to increase navigation safety, massive habitat projects will be completed to increase spawning, and brood-rearing habitat for fish and vegetation will grow along the lakebed to create a “new lake” effect, boosting productivity for the forage and game fish that will be stocked upon the lake’s return.

Stocking of fish saw a major turning point thanks to Booth’s vision as well. Thanks to his pursuits, Titan MAXX bass were stocked for the first time anywhere in a public reservoir. These thoroughbred Florida bass were chosen to be part of the building blocks of the newly restored Lake Monticello, another AGFC achievement that reached fruition during Booth’s time. A partnership with Red Hills Fishery of Georgia will ensure this same quality trophy bass will continue to be used in AGFC bass management and will be some of the first game fish to be placed into Lake Conway upon its completion as well.

The agency also saw a huge expansion in the state’s bear season, opening most of southwest and south-central Arkansas to bear harvest for the first time in modern history. He also tasked the agency’s Wildlife Management Division with a groundbreaking telemetry research project and developed a funding model for the technology needed to support this research through donations by Blood Origins to provide GPS collars to track and monitor bears in the newly opened zones during the inaugural season.

The entire structure of the AGFC saw many improvements during the last three years as well. Booth’s vision to elevate habitat enhancement on private land throughout the state as well as his commitment to grow recreational shooting in Arkansas prompted the development of two new divisions focused on these goals.

The Private Lands Habitat Division has hit the ground running, increasing habitat quality on private land throughout the state and championing many of the AGFC’s successful new initiatives. In the last five years, the agency’s Waterfowl Rice Incentive Enhancement Program has ballooned from 10 hunting locations to more than 65 spread across the state. Booth also pursued a special set-aside fund from the Arkansas General Assembly in 2023 which created the AGFC’s Conservation Incentive Program to deliver $3.5 million to private landowners for habitat work on their property.

“Private landowners hold nearly 90 percent of the land in Arkansas,” Booth said. “If we do an absolutely perfect job on all the land we manage at the AGFC, we’re still only improving 10 percent of what is possible. This program and division are here to change that.”

As for recreational shooting the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports, Archery in the Schools and AGFC Shooting Range programs were all mainstays in the agency’s Education Division, but Booth had the forethought to break these programs into a standalone division to increase visibility and focus on the contributions recreational shooters provide to conservation.

“Shooting sports is absolutely integral to hunting, but recreational shooters contribute so much more to conservation even if they never set foot in the woods,” Booth said. “The money derived from firearms and ammunition sales funds conservation on its own through Pitman-Robinson excise taxes. We want to support those men and women as much as they support conservation.”

In his closing address, Booth thanked the Commission, staff and many partners who make conservation work possible in The Natural State.

“I have always called Arkansas home, even when I didn’t live here for 15 years,” Booth said. “I love this state so much and I always knew that it had so much to do with the hard work of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Thank you so much to our staff and commissioners for letting me be a part of that even if it was just for three and a half years.

“I will let history and the next director say whether I’ve left it better than I found it,” Booth said as he closed. “But I do know that y’all have left me better than I was three and half years ago. Thank y’all, and I’ll see you in the field.”

In other business, the Commission:

• Heard presentation from AGFC Nongame Mammal Program Coordinator Blake Sasse updating them on the 2023-24 furbearer harvest and the status of many bat species in the state.

• Heard an update on the AGFC’s Private Lands Habitat Division and the many programs offered to benefit wildlife habitat for all Arkansans.

• Approved a $215,000 increase to the Information Technology Division budget to update and renovate the audio-visual capabilities in the AGFC’s Little Rock headquarters auditorium.

• Approved a $191,000 increase to the IT Division to install additional fiber optic lines and upgrade the security of the AGFC Mayflower Office and Enforcement Radio Dispatch Center.

• Approved a $36,000 budget increase to the Fisheries Division to replace items destroyed in May by a tornado at the AGFC field office in Rogers.

• Extended their condolences to the family of former Commissioner Craig D. Campbell, who died Nov. 9.

Take a chance on conservation with the AGFF’s ‘12 Guns of Christmas’

BY Randy Zellers

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation has the perfect opportunity to contribute to conservation efforts in Arkansas and maybe pick up a fantastic gift for that someone special on your holiday shopping list. Tickets for their annual “12 Guns of Christmas” membership drive are available now.

“We only have 1,000 of these tickets available, and each one gets you in 12 different drawings, each for a great firearm you can give to a loved one or put under the tree with your own name on the card,” Tyler Lawrence, director of events and programming for the AGFF, said. “Tickets are only $35, and you’ll also be added to the AGFF’s Gun Club membership, receiving a window decal and subscriptions to the AGFF’s newsletter.”

Lawrence says proceeds from this membership drive will go toward supporting the year-round work of the Foundation, which works closely with the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation to promote outdoor activities and support many AGFC programs such as Youth Shooting Sports, Archery in the Schools, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman and the many nature centers across the state, including the recently developed Simmons Family Farm, which specializes in providing mentored hunting experiences for youths and other beginning hunters.

Drawings for the firearms will be held Dec. 10-21, with one gun given away each day. Winners will be posted on the AGFF Facebook page and notifications will be sent via phone and email to the lucky winners. All winners must pass a federal background check to claim their prize.

Visit the AGFF’s bid site at https://one.bidpal.net/agff/browse/fixedPrice(details:item/2) to enter. A complete list of AGFF events is available at www.agff.org/events.

Attorney General Griffin Partners with University of Arkansas to Secure State’s Constitutional Documents

Griffin: ‘It is well past time that we bring these historical resources into the modern age by digitizing them and making them available to everyone’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing a joint effort by his office and the University of Arkansas, who will be working with the University of Oxford’s Quill Project to preserve historical documents related to the framing and ratification of the current Arkansas Constitution and previous versions and make them more easily accessible for research and public consumption:

“It is fitting that as we mark the 150th anniversary of the Arkansas Constitution, my office is working with the University of Arkansas to preserve and digitize the documents relating to our current constitution and previous versions dating back to our state’s founding.

“Thousands of legal opinions, law review articles, and legal memos are written every single year without the benefit of the documents that we possess in our archives. Why don’t we avail ourselves of the information that we possess? Because documents related to Arkansas’s constitutions, the current version of which was ratified in 1874, are publicly available, but not easily accessible. Someone wanting to research and read the documents must drive to their location and physically thumb through thousands of files.

“Not only are these documents difficult to access, but they also aren’t searchable. They aren’t digitized and, as a result, cannot be searched in the course of normal legal research as you would with cases, for example. While completing a recent research project, staff in my office spent several days rummaging through boxes of old documents, many of which are deteriorating and have been damaged over time.

“It is well past time that we bring these historical resources into the modern age by digitizing them and making them available to everyone. To do that, I am committing funding to the University of Arkansas to lead this initiative. The University of Arkansas will work in conjunction with the University of Oxford and its Quill Project that provides a portal for legal research involving all 50 states and the federal government and has established itself as the authority and leader on this type of research.
“This tool will revolutionize scholarship surrounding the Arkansas Constitution, providing a benefit not just to researchers and archivists, but also judges, attorneys, elected officials, and everyday citizens. This effort represents a collaboration between my office, the University of Arkansas, the University of Oxford, the Quill Project, and the State Archives. This is a monumental step for the State of Arkansas and an effort that will benefit generations of Arkansans to come.”

University of Arkansas Chancellor Dr. Charles F. Robinson provided this statement:

“As a land-grant institution, the University of Arkansas is dedicated to serving the people of our state and nation. Joining the Quill Project provides an incredible opportunity to fulfill this commitment by preserving Arkansas’s constitutional history and enriching our collective understanding of the foundations of American democracy.”

Senior Research Fellow and director of the Quill Project at the University of Oxford, Dr. Nicholas Cole of Pembroke College provided this statement:

“Democracy is stronger in America than anywhere else in the world, and Americans instinctively know that it is because of their federal system. Too little attention has been to the history of state constitutions. The history of institutions is something that, in the last few generations, has fallen out of the curriculum. If you understand the history of democratic institutions and how hard it is to reach agreement over very difficult issues, then I think you have more understanding of why things have evolved the way they have evolved.

“A minority of the world’s population have ever lived under democratic government at any one time. Democracy is a fragile and difficult thing. I think this project is about not taking it for granted.”

Dr. Cynthia Nance, Dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law, shared the following statement:
“The University of Arkansas School of Law is honored to contribute to this significant project, which will offer Arkansas citizens, researchers, and members of the judiciary and legal profession deeper insights into the origins of the state’s constitutional provisions. We commend the Attorney General for his leadership in pursuing this critical initiative.”

Dr. Colin Crawford, Dean of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Bowen School of Law, issued the following statement:

“The Quill Project promises to be an outstanding resource for scholars, lawyers, and citizens in Arkansas. I was trained as a historian before going to law school, and I know that historical context matters to understanding the law and our legal traditions. Being able easily to access the sorts of historical legal materials that the Quill Project identifies is sure to lead to better-informed thinking about and understanding of the law.”

Dr. David Ware, State Historian and Arkansas State Archives Director, shared the following:

“Studying and debating the origins, intentions and the contents of state and national constitutions is an important, vital part of citizenship. Often, one hears assertions of constitutional rights or the original intent of constitutions’ framers, based on beliefs or wishful thinking, rather than acquaintance with and examination of the available evidence. The Quill Project will collect that evidence and promises to make it generally, conveniently available, which is a big step on the road to better general understanding of the ‘whats and whys and wherefores’ of our constitutions. This is a collection of good work – the work of archives, libraries, historians and any who love the principle of law and enjoy studying it.”

Jason Battles, Dean of the University of Arkansas Libraries, provided the following statement:

“The Quill Project is an exciting undertaking for the University of Arkansas Libraries and we are grateful to Attorney General Griffin for entrusting us with the task of incorporating the rich constitutional history of Arkansas. Our participation will achieve multiple worthy goals: preserve at-risk documents, bring these documents together into one searchable site, and add important context to convention proceedings, related committee activities, and even delegate correspondence thus providing a more complete story of how critical documents of our state’s history came to be.”

Howard Brill, Professor at the University Arkansas School of Law and former Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, said:

“The Quill Project will be of singular importance to attorneys and judges. I teach a course on the Arkansas Constitution and these documents will provide valuable background information. In addition, when I was on the Court, I authored a dissenting opinion in Trujillo v. State, 2016 Ark. 49, which required an interpretation of a provision of the Arkansas Declaration of Rights as it appeared in all five Arkansas Constitution. These primary source documents would have been of great help in writing that opinion.”

Williams Baptist College Professor Dr. Rodney Harris, who has done extensive research on the Arkansas Constitution, shared the following:

“The handwritten 1874 Constitutional Convention journal presents one of the biggest obstacles for researchers when it comes to the present constitution. The framers of the Constitution either did not wish to spend the money to have the proceedings printed or they deliberately attempted to keep the public in the dark and we will never know which. I am confident that this project will make the intent of the framers better known and help shape our understanding of the 1874 Constitution.”

Extension’s Rowbotham humbled to be named to state influential list

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Each day, Jeanie Rowbotham puts her heart into Arkansas agriculture, as a farmer and as an agent for the Cooperative Extension Service, working with its 4-H youth development program.

She and her husband, Theron, own and operate Infinity Ranch in rural Johnson County. They have two children, Mae and Tate, and the family manages four commercial turkey houses contracted to Butterball as well as a commercial cow and calf operation.

Johnson County Extension Agent Jeanie Rowbotham has been named one of Arkansas' 250 most influential. (U of a System Division of Agriculture photo)

This month, Arkansas Business named Rowbotham among the 250 most influential people in the state.

“From the state’s top CEOs to the rising stars and the behind-the-scenes businesspeople, these selections are made by our editors and publishers based on the merit of being an influencer in business and community around the state of Arkansas,” Publisher Eric Olson said.

“It is an honor to be named one of the 250 most influential people in Arkansas!” Rowbotham said. “I can honestly say I am a little shocked and very humbled to be mentioned in this group among some truly inspirational leaders in our state.  

“It’s a beautiful thing when a career and passion come together,” she said. “I feel very blessed to be in the Arkansas Agricultural Industry in my personal and professional life.”

John Anderson, director of the Cooperative Extension Service, said “We are really proud of Jeanie and what she has accomplished in her career with extension. As a county agent, Jeanie works hard for the people of Johnson County, but she is clearly having a great impact far beyond the county’s borders.”

Sherry Beaty-Sullivan, extension’s Ozark District director who oversees 25 counties, including Rowbotham’s, said "It is no surprise that Jeanie is a top influencer. Look at the countless young people she has been able to influence over the years in the Johnson County 4-H program.”

“I am proud that others recognize her influence not only with young people but the entire agriculture community. We are very proud to have her as part of our team,” she said.

“It’s gratifying to see Jeanie Rowbotham counted among the state’s most influential people,” said Deacue Fields, head of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “It speaks to her dedication to agriculture and the big positive difference one person can make in her community. Congratulations to Jeanie on a well-deserved honor.”

Back in May, Rowbotham was named 2024 Arkansas Ag Woman of the Year by Arkansas Women in Agriculture, an organization dedicated to educating and supporting women in the field.

She has been an extension agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture since 2007. She came to the extension service with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural business and management from Arkansas Tech University, and a Master of Science in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas.

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. 

Arkansas Attorney General Provides $600,000 Grant to Support Women’s Mental Health Fellowship

By Tim Taylor

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has received a $600,000 grant from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin to support a women’s mental health fellowship in an effort to address the impact of the opioid epidemic on women and to help reduce the state’s maternal mortality rate.

The grant will be used to train a new generation of psychiatrists in the treatment of women with opioid use disorder and other psychiatric conditions, specifically during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

The Women’s Mental Health Program, based in the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute, has the state’s only three psychiatrists specializing in women’s mental health. The program recorded 3,758 patient visits between January 2023 and August 2024, 40% of which were for substance use disorders.

Arkansas Attorney General Provides $600,000 Grant to Support Women’s Mental Health Fellowship

Jessica Coker, M.D., serves as the medical director of the Psychiatric Research Unit’s inpatient units.