News

Severe Weather and Flooding Expected in Arkansas Friday

From the National Weather Service in Little Rock….

Severe weather and Flooding are expected today with multiple different waves or storms pushing through the state this morning into the evening. 

  • Main threats will be Large Hail (up to 1.75"), Damaging winds (up to 70mph), and Flash Flooding (max 2-3" of rainfall)

 An updated briefing with the latest information is attached. 

  • Severe Weather Friday/Heavy Rain Friday Main Threat Summary:

  • Friday Morning (Severe) / Excessive Rain Friday ○Damaging Winds: Up to 70 mph ○ Large Hail: Up to Golf Ball (1.75”) ○ Tornadoes: Unlikely ○ Flash flooding where storms train over the same locations (I-30/I-40 corridor and south) Trends/Confidence:

  • Severe thunderstorms potential has increased in the last 24 hours

  • Expect Severe weather early Friday morning with another round in the afternoon

  • Locally heavy rain can not be ruled out over parts of Arkansas Friday morning through the evening

Unattended baby wild animals may not be abandoned

BY Randy Zellers

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas is blessed with abundant wildlife and their offspring. As the green march of spring continues to increase outdoor recreation opportunities, many landowners and outdoor adventurers are likely to come across unattended baby wild animals. Offering a helping hand is not only a recipe for disaster; in some cases, it can be illegal.

Deer are nearly impossible to rehabilitate for release into the wild. Rehabbing them or keeping them as pets is illegal.  

First and foremost, don’t assume that these animals have been abandoned. One or both parents may be out of sight, waiting for you to leave. The spots on a fawn are nature’s version of camouflage; their strategy to avoid predators is to stay perfectly still and let the danger pass. The mother leaves the fawn alone for much of the day to feed and build up her milk supply for her young. Deer aren’t the only animals that use the stay away, stay safe strategy. A female rabbit only spends about one hour out of every 36 with her young. Many well-meaning good Samaritans have picked up a helpless baby deer only to have inadvertently stolen it from its mother.

Concerns over chronic wasting disease have made it illegal to rehabilitate deer in Arkansas because the removal of the infectious agent once a facility is exposed to the disease has proven impossible. As a result, taking an abandoned fawn also leaves the well-intentioned person in a sticky situation with no one to take it in and no way to care for it themselves.

Many landowners call the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in spring when they see baby birds that have fallen from their nest. Some may want to put the bird back in the nest, but, again, the best course of action is often to leave things be and let nature take its course. Baby birds almost ready to fly often will hop around in the tree branches, exercising their wings and fall out of the tree. Parents will feed these youngsters where they find them on the ground.

A fawn’s instinct is to lie perfectly still and let its camouflage hide it from predators. AGFC photo by Jeff Williams.

In some cases, the young animal may have a disease or some other issue that led to being abandoned by its mother on purpose. Trying to place this bird back in the nest may cause the problem to spread and create a complete nest failure.

Even in the best-case scenario, the young of such prolific species as rabbits, mice, songbirds and other small species have a 20 percent chance of survival through their first year. The survival strategy for these animals is to simply reproduce more young than will die from predation, disease and environmental causes.

It’s best to observe the young animal from a distance and prevent any unnecessary danger from pets and children. Housecats and feral cats are by far the biggest predators of songbirds in the United States, so keeping your cat away from the backyard birds is a good practice, no matter the time of year.

In addition to the baby deer mentioned earlier, federal laws may make it illegal to possess other animals. Migratory birds such as cardinals, mockingbirds and other songbirds fall into this category, as do hawks and owls. Even possessing the feathers of these birds requires a special permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and rehabilitating them also requires special training and permitting.

The AGFC lists licensed rehabilitators on its website at www.agfc.com/rehab to help connect people with these resources when they don’t heed the warning to leave abandoned wildlife alone. These rehabbers are not paid for their services and only do it as a labor of love. Please contact the rehabber before taking the animal from its setting, as they have space limitations and can only take in so many animals at a time.

New York Man Convicted of Medicaid Fraud and Tax Evasion, Will Pay $1.8 Million in Restitution

Griffin: ‘My Office Will Continue To Hold Bad Actors Accountable And Pursue Those Who Exploit Arkansans’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing the conviction of a New York man who pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud and tax evasion:

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“On April 30, Joseph Schwartz, 72, of New York pleaded guilty to one count of Medicaid Fraud, a Class B felony, and one count of Attempt to Evade or Defeat Tax, a Class C felony. Schwartz was sentenced to 12 months in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with an additional 48 months suspended imposition of sentence; and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, court costs, and restitution totaling $1,801,620.53.

“Schwartz was the principal owner and president of Skyline Healthcare, LLC, which operated multiple nursing homes in Arkansas. These facilities received Medicaid payments for residents in their care. Schwartz submitted false and misleading information that impacted the per diem rates paid to the facilities.

“He also failed to pay insurance premiums for employees, neglected grocery bills—forcing staff to buy food for residents, and paid himself as an employee in multiple facilities. Two of his Arkansas nursing homes were later placed into receivership by the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

“In addition, Schwartz withheld taxes from employees’ paychecks but failed to file required documents or remit those withholdings to the Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration.

“Schwartz didn’t just take advantage of our vulnerable population, he also preyed on Arkansans who worked in his facilities. By submitting false information to manipulate Medicaid payments and failing to turn over employee tax withholdings, he betrayed the trust placed in him as an employer and the owner of those nursing homes. My office will continue to hold bad actors accountable and pursue those who exploit Arkansans.

“I want to commend the exceptional work of our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) for their continued commitment to protecting Arkansans. I specifically want to thank Deputy Attorney General Tammera Harrelson, Assistant Attorney General Danny Broaddrick, Investigator Andrea Murdock, Senior Special Agent Rhonda Swindle, Chief Investigator Gregory McKay, Senior Assistant Attorney General Leigh Patterson, as well as the Prosecuting Attorney for the 6th Judicial District of Arkansas, Will Jones. I would also like to thank the Internal Revenue Service, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, and the Arkansas DF&A for their assistance on this case. Finally, I would like to thank South Dakota MFCU, Nebraska MFPAU, and the United States Attorney’s Office-District of New Jersey for their collaboration on this case. This prosecution was the definition of a joint effort.”

The Arkansas MFCU receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant totaling $4,685,736 for the Federal fiscal year 2025, of which $3,514,304 is federally funded. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,171,432 for State Fiscal Year 2025, is funded by Arkansas General Revenue.

Attorney General Griffin Announces Arrest of Little Rock Man Following Organized Retail Crime Investigation; Accomplice Remains at Large

Griffin: ‘Anyone Engaging In Retail Crime … Should Know That We Are Committed To Holding Them Accountable’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing the arrest of a Little Rock man for theft of property:

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin

“Earlier this year, my dedicated organized retail crime investigator received information from one of our private sector partners about possible organized retail crime occurring at a Marshalls store in Little Rock. At least two individuals and possibly a third had been observed executing a coordinated effort to steal merchandise from Marshalls on multiple occasions. These individuals stole merchandise valued at $1,464.58 during two separate incidents in December 2024.

“My office opened an investigation and identified two subjects: Casey Murrell Cunningham, 28, of Little Rock, and Sasha Rena Ziegler, 32, of Little Rock. Last week, Cunningham was located in White County and was arrested by the White County Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with theft of property, a Class D felony. After his arrest, it was discovered he also had active warrants from the Little Rock Police Department. He was transferred to Little Rock Police custody and transported to the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility.

“Ziegler remains at large with a warrant issued for her arrest on the charge of theft of property. Anyone with information about Ziegler’s whereabouts should call my office at (501) 682-2007.

“I am grateful for the excellent work done by my Special Investigations Division and for the assistance of the White County Sheriff’s Office, the Little Rock Police Department, and Sixth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones. Anyone engaging in retail crime, whether through an organized enterprise or through petty theft, should know that we are committed to holding them accountable.”

Black gold: Compost Awareness Week events in Arkansas from May 5-9

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Compost is part of what Matthew Bertucci calls “the perfect circle for sustainability.”

Bertucci, an assistant professor of sustainable fruit and vegetable production for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, is always looking to find ways that growers can reduce their inputs or environmental footprint while still producing high-quality produce that makes economic sense.

Ph.D. student Rachel Woody-Pumford is collecting samples of the compost to test for nutrients contents and its suitability as a soil amendment for growers. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Matthew Bertucci)

“As part of the NWA Specialty Crops Soil Health Program, I learned that many of our specialty crop growers are using compost as a soil amendment,” he said. “I figured that is a perfect circle for sustainability: compost is produced from yard waste, food waste, and other organic refuse.

“If that refuse can be diverted from landfills and turned into a beneficial soil amendment? You can’t get more sustainable than that!” he said.

During Arkansas Compost Awareness Week May 5-9, Bertucci, along with Division of Agriculture colleague Amanda Philyaw Perez, as well as Regional Food System Partnerships stakeholders and others will be hosting webinars to help gardeners, farmers or anyone with an interest reducing waste or improving soils, understand the utility of composting. Philyaw Perez is an associate professor, food systems and food safety specialist for the Division of Agriculture.

“What really struck me about composting — and why I’d like talk more about it is that compost is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and by the state of Arkansas as a waste product,” Bertucci said.

Why?

“Their regulations are intended mitigate the harm to the environment or to the public,” he said. “Testing requirements ensure that permitted compost facilities do not release any material contaminated with trace metals nor with harmful pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella.

“However, horticulture is the No. 1 consumer of compost, and horticulturists don’t see compost as a waste product,” Bertucci said. “We see it as ‘black gold,’ a soil amendment that can increase soil organic matter, improve soil structure, enhance soil microbial activity, and provide plant nutrients.”

Bertucci said there’s much to learn about the composting process “from the biology to chemistry to the environmental impacts. Composting is actually a lot of fun, and it can be a great educational opportunity.

“We hope that our programming provides a starting point for beginners and offers tips and tricks for experienced composters to improve their composting,” he said.

The effort also aims to better understand the needs of stakeholders and design outreach materials for sustainable agriculture, including videos such as “What is Compost?”

The webinars will be recorded and made available online.

Event schedule

May 5, noon to 1 p.m. — Compost 101 webinar.

  • “Compost 101” — Colin Massey, Washington County extension agent

  • “Digging Deeper: Compost as a Soils Amendment” — Bertucci

  • Update on Compost Week activities — Rachel Woody-Pumford, graduate student

May 6, noon to 2 p.m., in-person event:Composting at the Union,” Student Union, 435 N. Garland Ave., Fayetteville.

  • Students will learn about how food and packaging from the Union is composted rather than sent to the landfill. The event offers educational materials about how to compost and information on composting programs offered by the City of Fayetteville and Ozark Compost. Speakers including Bertucci; Faebyan Whittle, environmental educator, City of Fayetteville; Haley Hausam, Food Loops; and Tina Flakowitz, Ozark Compost.

May 7, Noon to 1 p.m., Not for Landfill! Composting for the Environment webinar.

  • “Composting to mitigate food waste” – Hausam, Food Loops

  • “Composting with the City of Fayetteville” – Whittle, City of Fayetteville

May 8, 5 to 7 p.m., in-person activityCompost meet-up at Fossil Cove Brewing, 1946 N. Birch Ave., Fayetteville

  • A meet-up to network and share ideas, activities, with Bertucci, Massey, Whittle and Flakowitz at Fossil Cove Brewing, 1946 N. Birch Ave, Fayetteville.

May 8, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., in-person activity — Composting social at the Farmers Market at St. Joseph Center of Arkansas, 6800 Camp Robinson Road, North Little Rock

  • Booths include Man of the Red Earth vermicompost, with a red wiggler demo, and more.

May 9, 1:30 to 4 p.m. in-person activity — Compost in action at the UADA research farm, including a compost giveaway, 2536 N. McConnell Ave., Fayetteville

  • This is a compost field day at the Washington County Extension Office, Fayetteville. Learn about the Master Composter program, see hands-on demonstrations for home composting systems, and see large-scale composting in action. Bring your own bucket. Five gallons of compost offered per attendee.

May 9, 4:30 to 7 p.m. in-person activity — Rebuilding the UA-Little Rock Campus Garden, 3343 Fair Park Blvd., Little Rock. Composting system volunteer action and networking event. Come out for a hands-on compost bin construction activity.

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.

‘Tagging the Future’ Lunch and Learn to discuss latest tech in cattle production

By Sarah Cato
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – As Arkansas cattle producers battle high input costs and thin profit margins, an upcoming lunch and learn session will cover the latest technology available to help ranchers maximize efficiency.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Arvest Bank are working in partnership to host a series of lunch and learn sessions covering timely topics and production strategies for cattle producers in Arkansas. This second installment of the “Beyond the Fence” sessions will be held at 11:30 a.m. May 22 at the Arkansas Cooperative Extension State Office in Little Rock. Online streaming via Zoom will begin at noon.

“We’re excited to continue the Beyond the Fence Lunch and Learn sessions, and technology is an important topic for producers,” said Maggie Justice, extension beef cattle specialist for the Division of Agriculture.

TAGGING THE FUTURE – A May 22 lunch and learn will cover the latest technology available to cattle producers in Arkansas.

“There are many opportunities to implement new tech in production practices that can really save producers time and money,” said Kristen Midkiff, animal health and wellbeing specialist at for the Division of Agriculture. “We’ll cover electronic ID tags – better known as EID tags – and other precision tools that can transform herd management.”

The May 22 lunch and learn will feature Midkiff along with Loren Teague from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. The session is free to attend and lunch will be provided. Those interested can register online or email mjustice@uada.edu.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution.  If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your mjustice@uada.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

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.

Arkansas 4-H Poultry Chain Project delivers the chicks

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
 

LONOKE, Ark. — Though fair season is still months away, the poultry competition officially began April 24 when more than 2,000 Arkansas 4-H members from 68 counties in Arkansas received their chicks as part of the 4-H Poultry Chain project. 

CHICK MAGNET — Shane Gadberry, assistant vice president for agriculture and natural resources with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, loads baby chicks into the cars of 4-H agents who delivered birds to more than 2,000 4-H members statewide who are participating in the 4-H Poultry Chain Project. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

The program teaches youth about poultry management and animal husbandry. Each participant received a set of 17 pullets — each the same age and breed from the same hatchery. Over the next few months, the youth will put the knowledge they have gained into practice in raising the birds. 

Most will take their best birds to county fairs, some will advance to the state fair, and many will use their flocks to start egg-selling businesses.

All in a day’s work

In just over 24 hours, some 36,000 chicks were transported overnight from a Texas-based hatchery to the Lonoke County Fair Grounds, where Cooperative Extension Service personnel unloaded and sorted the birds. 

Extension agents from across Arkansas picked up their county’s birds and distributed them to 4-H members in their respective counties. By late afternoon, the birds were settling into their new homes.

4-H members began preparing long before the birds’ arrival — setting up brooders, stocking up on feed and shavings, and purchasing brooder plates, which keep the young birds warm and are preferred over heating lamps, which pose fire risks. 

They’ve also learned about biosecurity measures to protect their flocks from disease, especially avian flu.

“My favorite part of this project is that everyone starts on the same day, with birds of the same genetics,” Logan County 4-H agent Sarah Enoch said. “By fair time, their husbandry, what they’ve done to feed and care for the chicks, really shows. It’s a more level playing field than other livestock projects.”

Gateway to 4-H

The Poultry Chain project is one of the most popular programs for Arkansas 4-H, the youth leadership program operated by the Cooperative Extension Service.

Enoch has about 50 4-H members raising chickens this year.

“Poultry Chain is our most popular 4-H program in Logan County,” she said. “It’s the gateway to 4-H. From chickens, some kids will become interested in showing a pig or a goat or want to try other projects.”

4-H offers more than 50 project areas that focus on healthy living, citizenship, leadership and the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

Logan County’s 4-H Foundation buys the chicken for its county 4-Hers, who raise the birds and take their best three to the county fair. The rest of their flock is theirs to keep. 

The birds are judged and awarded blue, red or white ribbons. Blue-ribbon chickens are the cream of the crop and often sell for higher prices in the public auction. The proceeds go back to the Foundation to pay for the next year’s chickens and to support 4-H programs, Enoch said.

Similar scenarios play out in other counties, though not all counties have foundations to pay for the birds, and not all fairs have auctions.

Burgeoning business

With current egg prices, many 4-H members are doing a swift business and often have wait lists of folks wanting to buy fresh eggs. While some buyers may be hoping to beat supermarket prices, many people are willing to pay competitive prices for fresh eggs raised by local youth.

“Everyone is excited to get 4-H eggs,” Prairie County 4-H program assistant Amanda Sinkey said.  Half of the county’s 40 4-H members participate in Poultry Chain, and many of them are looking forward to selling eggs.

“One of our members has repeat customers from year to year, and she sells eggs for $3 a dozen.”

Twelve-year-old Adam Hammond who lives near Hope, has had a poultry project for four years. He currently has 18 layers and typically collects 16-18 eggs a day.  While Adam is responsible for caring for the flock, his mother, Brittney, helps with marketing and delivery. She posts egg availability on Facebook and she and her son deliver the eggs to customers.

Adam sells the eggs in flats of 30 for $10.

“We feel that’s a good deal,” Brittney Hammond said. “We usually sell between two to five flats a week, depending on if it’s a good week or not.”

The experience has been a valuable lesson in money management as youth learn that not all egg revenue is free money — after costs of feed, supplies and tax are taken out.

Buyers’ preference

This year, Poultry Chain participants received Lohmann whites, a breed known to be good layers though a bit flighty and less friendly than other breeds. Many kids prefer to raise breeds that lay brown eggs to suit their customers.

“When people see white eggs, they think store-bought,” When they see brown eggs, they think farm fresh,” Brittney Hammond said.

Andrew Bolton, extension’s poultry instructor for youth programs, initially worried that participation in Poultry Chain might dip this year, based on breed preference and because of avian flu concerns.

Instead, participation increased slightly with a total of 2,108 recipients. The program is open to 4-H and Future Farmers of America members.

Bolton attributes the increased participation to egg demand and higher egg prices. Increased interest is good news in Arkansas, where poultry production accounts for 1 in 4 agriculture jobs in Arkansas, he said.

“The poultry industry is one of the largest industries in our state, and we always need people to work, whether that’s working in a plant, supervising feed mills, equipment operations, or in research and development,” Bolton said. “There are lots of options, and we hope this sparks an interest.”

To learn more about 4-H, visit 4h.uada.edu, 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. 

Student Research Day Celebrates UAMS’ Next Generation

By Nathan Tidwell

Aspiring researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) presented their work to faculty and peers at Student Research Day on the main campus in Little Rock on April 17.

The UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville hosted a concurrent Student Research Day at Washington Regional Medical Center.

The event, originally scheduled for February but postponed due to inclement weather, consisted of research project poster sessions and the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition at both locations, with awards in various categories. More than 290 posters were submitted, with all five colleges and the graduate school represented between the two participating campuses.

Student Research Day Celebrates UAMS’ Next Generation

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: 2% tourism tax revenue continued record pace

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

Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax revenue between January and October 2024 was $23.085 million, up 4.63% compared with the $22.062 million in the same period of 2023. The October revenue of $2.506 million set a new record for the month.

A record for monthly 2% collections was set in June 2024 with $2.839 million.

Of the top five counties in terms of 2% tax collections, Pulaski and Garland counties posted declines of 0.89% and 4.26%, respectively. Benton County posted the largest percentage increase among the top five counties at 14.76%.

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: 2% tourism tax revenue continued record pace

New laws impact retailers, truckers, human trafficking

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Five new laws passed in the 95th Arkansas General Assembly will have a major impact on retail, delivery logistics, and aspects of human trafficking. The Arkansas Attorney General’s office worked with industry officials and advocates and will have further jurisdiction to oversee aspects of these new laws.

One new law, Act 659, creates the criminal offense of gift card fraud, a growing concern for retailers and merchants.

The new law criminalizes gift card tampering and establishes penalties for the unauthorized receipt and use of stolen gift card redemption information, which had been a gap in leading to prosecutions. The law also ensures law enforcement has the authority to prosecute individuals who deceive victims into providing gift card redemption information under false pretenses.

New laws impact retailers, truckers, human trafficking

Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame announces 9th class

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

The Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame (AWHOF) has released the names of its ninth class of inductees — seven women and one organization that have made significant contributions to the state and their respective fields and stand as positive examples for women everywhere.

The inductees, who will be honored at a special ceremony on Thursday, August 21st, at the Statehouse Convention Center-Wally Allen Ballroom in Little Rock, are:

Contemporary
Margaret L. Bogle, PhD – Dr. Margaret L. Bogle spent 23+ years of her professional career in Arkansas. She was the first full time registered dietician hired for Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She was the first dietician to be appointed by the Governor of Arkansas as Chair of the First Arkansas Board of Dietic Licensure. She was a founding member and served as President of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and President of the International Women’s Group.

Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame announces 9th class

Tyson Foods expected to post a 34% gain in net income

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Tyson Foods may report a 34% net income boost when the company reports second quarter earnings on May 5. Market watchers predict quarterly net income of $296 million, better than the $220 million in the same period of 2024.

Revenue is forecast at $13.123 billion for the Springdale-based global meat company, up 0.5% from a year ago.

Stephens Inc. expects Tyson to outperform the market consensus, earning 85 cents per share, noting chicken profitability is better than expected. But the beef segment is likely to be a drag on overall results. Stephens analyst Pooran Sharma said there have been no signs of heifer retention and he expects pressure over the near to intermediate term for meat packers as beef margins continue to struggle.

Tyson Foods expected to post a 34% gain in net income

Christians divided over Arkansas law to mandate Ten Commandments

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A new law mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in all Arkansas public school classrooms was signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The law is shrouded in religious and First Amendment controversies.

In resisting the law putting the Ten Commandments in every Arkansas classroom, the Rev. Britney Stillwell wondered: does this trivialize my religion?

“At best they blend in and become something we don't pay attention to,” she said. “And at worse, there used as a bludgeon for what faith should be.”

The law doesn't just apply to schools. The text has to be hung in all public buildings in Arkansas. And along with the Ten Commandments, public places have to put up a sign that says “In God We Trust.” And you can't cheat. You can't make the font illegible or the sign too small. You can't hang these posters in a supply closet.

Christians divided over Arkansas law to mandate Ten Commandments

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Arkansas health department reports evidence of community spread of measles

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

The Arkansas Department of Health on Tuesday reported the state’s fourth confirmed pediatric measles case in an Arkansas resident. Because the child did not travel outside the state, this indicates the first case of community spread this year, according to a press release.

Measles is a highly contagious illness that can cause severe health complications. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and rash, according to the health department. Patients are infectious both four days before and after they develop a rash.

The individual was not fully vaccinated and lives in Faulkner County. While infectious, the person visited Conway Regional Greenbrier Family Medicine from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 18 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 21. The individual also visited Irby Dance Studio in Conway from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on April 23, according to the release.

Arkansas health department reports evidence of community spread of measles

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Striking while the iron’s hot: Arkansas 4-H club teaches blacksmithing skills to new generation

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

RISON, Ark. — The metallic clang of hammers rang out at the Pioneer Village in Rison, where members of the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club forged their own tent stakes from low-carbon steel.

The club’s monthly meeting took place April 19 during the Pioneer Craft Festival. The Pioneer Village, a collection of historical homes and structures dating back to the 1800s, includes a blacksmith’s shop built by local volunteers. Ed Montgomery, leader of the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club, said the location has been perfect for their group.

“This was specifically built to be a blacksmith’s shop,” Montgomery said. “Two retirees named Bill Gray and Luther Drye built this from used sheet metal and lumber from Luther’s sawmill. They donated their time in addition to the building materials. It’s been a great thing for the kids and the Pioneer Village.”

Montgomery said his passion for blacksmithing first began as a kid, when he was a member of the Scott County 4-H Buckskinners.

LESSONS IN FORGING — At a meeting of the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club, held at the Pioneer Village in Rison, club member Millie Montgomery explains how club volunteer Jeff Frey and his son Brayden Frey are heating a piece of low-carbon steel to be hammered into a tent stake. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

“Our club wasn’t all about blacksmithing, but as part of it, we had a forge,” Montgomery said. “None of us knew what we were doing with it, but we just got out there and learned what we could. It really took for me. I don’t do it for a living, but I just love to do it. Since then, I’ve collected as many tools as I can and just continually learned about it.”

The Cleveland County Blacksmithing Club began meeting in the fall of 2023, and its members include Montgomery’s three children.

“I enjoy showing this to them,” Montgomery said. “It’s passing on something that I feel is an important skill.”

At their April meeting, 4-H members shaped small pieces of low-carbon steel into tent stakes by tapering and sharpening one end to be hammered into the ground, then using the tip of an anvil to curl and press the top of the stake into a tight hook.

Members also operated hand-cranked blowers to keep a stream of oxygen flowing into three separate forges, which were heated using blacksmithing coke. Blacksmithing coke is coal that has been heated to burn off moisture and other substances, resulting in a fuel that burns hotter and produces less smoke. To get the coke burning, members first kindled a small wood and coal fire.

Montgomery said club members have made hand-forged nails, wall hooks and dinner bells.

As part of their blacksmith training, club members have also been taught hammer signals, which are helpful for team striking, when two people take turns hitting the same piece of metal.

“That’s a traditional way of communicating in a blacksmith’s shop,” Montgomery said. “At times, it can be too loud in a blacksmith’s shop to hear verbal instructions clearly. Taps on the anvil with a hammer can tell the ‘striker’ when to start and stop.

“And they’re learning teamwork – there’s no time for a kid to argue in this,” he said. “Participants learn that when the metal comes out of the fire, work must start on it immediately.”

David West, Cleveland County extension agriculture agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the 4-H Blacksmithing Club is “helping get kids active, build self-confidence, teach them a useful and practical skill and help them build relationships.

“It has so many positive layers to it,” West said. “Learning safety with tools and how to follow instructions, and expressing your artistic ability and imagination through heating, hammering and forging. I heard one student say it can even be therapeutic to hit some steel with a hammer.”

The club was recently awarded an Innovative Grant from the Arkansas 4-H Alumni Association and Arkansas 4-H Foundation. The grant recognizes 4-H programs that benefit more than just one club.

“Through Ed’s leadership and direction, along with many volunteers who have stepped up, this club is showcasing 4-H and 4-H’ers to their entire community,” West said.

Hands-on learning

Montgomery’s daughter Millie, 15, has participated in the club since it started.

“It’s a dying art, blacksmithing is,” Millie said. “Nobody really knows how to do it. I really enjoy it, and I like to help other people do it because it’s fun.”

Montgomery’s son John, 16, said he enjoys blacksmithing as a creative outlet.

“I was inspired, like many others, by a show called ‘Forged in Fire’,” John said. “I would say that blacksmithing is a good way to get some experience working with your hands. You have fun, you can work, and you can make money.”  

Desiree Frey, whose son Brayden, 13, is a club member, said the experience has helped her son practice his creativity and improve his social skills.

“I never knew anything about blacksmithing until we got into 4-H, then when they started this, I thought, ‘Oh Brayden, that would be really cool to get into,’” Frey said. “He’s made a lot of things. He’s made a couple of dinner bells, plant holder hooks, a spoon and nails.”

Jeff Frey, Brayden’s father, is a club volunteer. He said it’s important for young people to learn about hands-on trades and explore different career paths.

“College is great, but it’s not for everybody,” Frey said. “Blacksmithing might not be something you do day in and day out, but to be able to see you can do something like this, it’s good. I work in a paint and auto body shop, and you do all that work by hand. There’s a pride in that work, and that’s what I see in a lot of the kids here. Whenever they see the final product, they look at it, and they’re like, ‘I made that.’”

Katie Jo Strother, 14, who recently joined the club, said she enjoys coming to meetings to see her friends and take advantage of the unique opportunity to learn.

“You don’t see this kind of stuff anywhere around,” Strother said. “To be in my hometown and doing something that we all love, it’s just fun.”

Montgomery said his goal for the club is for members to continue growing in their confidence and abilities.

“We’ve really seen their skills increase, from barely being able to hit the metal to really hitting accurately,” he said. “I want to see them progress in their skills and make more and more complex things. My goal is for them to be able to work with their hands and work with their intellect, that way they diversify their abilities as they enter adulthood.”  

To learn more about the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club, contact Ed Montgomery at edmontgomery100@gmail.com. For more information about Arkansas 4-H, visit 4h.uada.edu.

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

Showers, thunderstorms, severe storms, and heavy rainfall Tuesday and Wednesday in Arkansas

At least a few rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected across Arkansas over the next few days. This could provide severe weather and flash flooding to parts of the state. 

National Weather Service in Little Rock Morning Crew

TUESDAY

Storm timing: Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night
Areas impacted: Northern half of Arkansas
Main hazards: Damaging winds up to 60 mph, large hail up to 1.00” (≥10% of significant hail of ≥2” within the hatched area), and a tornado or two is possible over mainly northern half of Arkansas

WEDNESDAY

Storm timing: Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night
Areas impacted: Much of Arkansas, especially the western half of the state
Main hazards: Damaging winds up to 60 mph and a few tornadoes are possible
Secondary hazards: Large hail up to 1.00”

An updated briefing with the latest information is attached below. 

Striking while the iron’s hot: Arkansas 4-H club teaches blacksmithing skills to new generation

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

RISON, Ark. — The metallic clang of hammers rang out at the Pioneer Village in Rison, where members of the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club forged their own tent stakes from low-carbon steel.

The club’s monthly meeting took place April 19 during the Pioneer Craft Festival. The Pioneer Village, a collection of historical homes and structures dating back to the 1800s, includes a blacksmith’s shop built by local volunteers. Ed Montgomery, leader of the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club, said the location has been perfect for their group.

LESSONS IN FORGING — At a meeting of the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club, held at the Pioneer Village in Rison, club member Millie Montgomery explains how club volunteer Jeff Frey and his son Brayden Frey are heating a piece of low-carbon steel to be hammered into a tent stake. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

“This was specifically built to be a blacksmith’s shop,” Montgomery said. “Two retirees named Bill Gray and Luther Drye built this from used sheet metal and lumber from Luther’s sawmill. They donated their time in addition to the building materials. It’s been a great thing for the kids and the Pioneer Village.”

Montgomery said his passion for blacksmithing first began as a kid, when he was a member of the Scott County 4-H Buckskinners.

“Our club wasn’t all about blacksmithing, but as part of it, we had a forge,” Montgomery said. “None of us knew what we were doing with it, but we just got out there and learned what we could. It really took for me. I don’t do it for a living, but I just love to do it. Since then, I’ve collected as many tools as I can and just continually learned about it.”

The Cleveland County Blacksmithing Club began meeting in the fall of 2023, and its members include Montgomery’s three children.

“I enjoy showing this to them,” Montgomery said. “It’s passing on something that I feel is an important skill.”

At their April meeting, 4-H members shaped small pieces of low-carbon steel into tent stakes by tapering and sharpening one end to be hammered into the ground, then using the tip of an anvil to curl and press the top of the stake into a tight hook.

Members also operated hand-cranked blowers to keep a stream of oxygen flowing into three separate forges, which were heated using blacksmithing coke. Blacksmithing coke is coal that has been heated to burn off moisture and other substances, resulting in a fuel that burns hotter and produces less smoke. To get the coke burning, members first kindled a small wood and coal fire.

Montgomery said club members have made hand-forged nails, wall hooks and dinner bells.

As part of their blacksmith training, club members have also been taught hammer signals, which are helpful for team striking, when two people take turns hitting the same piece of metal.

“That’s a traditional way of communicating in a blacksmith’s shop,” Montgomery said. “At times, it can be too loud in a blacksmith’s shop to hear verbal instructions clearly. Taps on the anvil with a hammer can tell the ‘striker’ when to start and stop.

“And they’re learning teamwork – there’s no time for a kid to argue in this,” he said. “Participants learn that when the metal comes out of the fire, work must start on it immediately.”

David West, Cleveland County extension agriculture agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the 4-H Blacksmithing Club is “helping get kids active, build self-confidence, teach them a useful and practical skill and help them build relationships.

“It has so many positive layers to it,” West said. “Learning safety with tools and how to follow instructions, and expressing your artistic ability and imagination through heating, hammering and forging. I heard one student say it can even be therapeutic to hit some steel with a hammer.”

The club was recently awarded an Innovative Grant from the Arkansas 4-H Alumni Association and Arkansas 4-H Foundation. The grant recognizes 4-H programs that benefit more than just one club.

“Through Ed’s leadership and direction, along with many volunteers who have stepped up, this club is showcasing 4-H and 4-H’ers to their entire community,” West said.

Hands-on learning

Montgomery’s daughter Millie, 15, has participated in the club since it started.

“It’s a dying art, blacksmithing is,” Millie said. “Nobody really knows how to do it. I really enjoy it, and I like to help other people do it because it’s fun.”

Montgomery’s son John, 16, said he enjoys blacksmithing as a creative outlet.

“I was inspired, like many others, by a show called ‘Forged in Fire’,” John said. “I would say that blacksmithing is a good way to get some experience working with your hands. You have fun, you can work, and you can make money.”  

Desiree Frey, whose son Brayden, 13, is a club member, said the experience has helped her son practice his creativity and improve his social skills.

“I never knew anything about blacksmithing until we got into 4-H, then when they started this, I thought, ‘Oh Brayden, that would be really cool to get into,’” Frey said. “He’s made a lot of things. He’s made a couple of dinner bells, plant holder hooks, a spoon and nails.”

Jeff Frey, Brayden’s father, is a club volunteer. He said it’s important for young people to learn about hands-on trades and explore different career paths.

“College is great, but it’s not for everybody,” Frey said. “Blacksmithing might not be something you do day in and day out, but to be able to see you can do something like this, it’s good. I work in a paint and auto body shop, and you do all that work by hand. There’s a pride in that work, and that’s what I see in a lot of the kids here. Whenever they see the final product, they look at it, and they’re like, ‘I made that.’”

Katie Jo Strother, 14, who recently joined the club, said she enjoys coming to meetings to see her friends and take advantage of the unique opportunity to learn.

“You don’t see this kind of stuff anywhere around,” Strother said. “To be in my hometown and doing something that we all love, it’s just fun.”

Montgomery said his goal for the club is for members to continue growing in their confidence and abilities.

“We’ve really seen their skills increase, from barely being able to hit the metal to really hitting accurately,” he said. “I want to see them progress in their skills and make more and more complex things. My goal is for them to be able to work with their hands and work with their intellect, that way they diversify their abilities as they enter adulthood.”  

To learn more about the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club, contact Ed Montgomery at edmontgomery100@gmail.com. For more information about Arkansas 4-H, visit 4h.uada.edu.

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

Blue Cross CEO touts legislative wins, watching federal Medicaid changes

Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Curtis Barnett points to two major victories from the state’s regular session: maternal health improvements and continuing Medicaid expansion.

In an interview on this week’s Talk Business & Politics, the leader of the state’s largest health insurance provider said the governor and legislative leaders deserve credit for addressing women’s health as it relates to pregnancies and child births.

“The Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act that Governor Sanders, Senator [Missy] Irvin, and Representative [Aaron] Pilkington spearheaded – that work represents transformational change for our state around maternal healthcare and the improvements that are needed and the improvements that can be made with that,” he said. “It also shows what we can do as a state when multiple stakeholders come together and really focus on an issue and really work on how to move the dial in that area. That’s clearly one of the most positive things that happened.”

Blue Cross CEO touts legislative wins, watching federal Medicaid changes

‘Thousand little things’ resulted in military pilot training center in Fort Smith

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

The first class of Polish Air Force pilots who are set to graduate from the foreign pilot training center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith are the first fighter pilots to cycle through the new center.

Lt. Col. Don “JAB” Roney, director of operations with the 57th Fighter Squadron, said the Polish pilots being trained now “are the initial cadre” and will eventually become instructors so they can be “self-sustaining” in terms of future training in Poland of F-35 pilots. Roney said the second class of Polish pilots is in Fort Smith. There are four Polish F-35 fighter planes in Fort Smith.

Ebbing, home to the 188th Wing in Fort Smith and co-located with the Fort Smith Regional Airport, was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the long-term pilot training center supporting F-16 and F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland, and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

‘Thousand little things’ resulted in military pilot training center in Fort Smith

F-35 jet built for Poland (photo from Lockheed)

UAMS Medical Center Recertified as Comprehensive Stroke Center

By Yavonda Chase

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Medical Center has been recertified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by DNV Healthcare USA Inc.

In 2018, UAMS became the first hospital in Arkansas to earn Comprehensive Stroke Center designation, highlighting its commitment to offering Arkansans the best in stroke care. Additionally, for 10 consecutive years, UAMS has received the Get With The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award, the highest level of stroke recognition by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association.

“Comprehensive Stroke Center status is one of the hardest certifications to achieve and maintain,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, chancellor of UAMS and CEO of UAMS Health. “Recertification is a testament to the dedication of our stroke team, which is fully committed to providing the best possible care for stroke patients.”

UAMS Medical Center Recertified as Comprehensive Stroke Center