Arkansas motorists pay fifth-lowest gas prices in U.S. as Memorial Day approaches

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

Average fuel prices declined in Arkansas as the number of Memorial Day (May 29) travelers is expected to be the third highest since 2000, according to AAA. The number of holiday travelers who will fly is expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels and might be the highest since 2005.

In Arkansas, regular unleaded fuel declined by 2 cents to an average of $3.10 a gallon from $3.12 last week. The U.S. average was flat at $3.54 per gallon compared to a week ago. Arkansas motorists are paying the fifth-lowest price in the United States. Mississippi has the lowest price at $2.98, while California has the highest at $4.79.

According to AAA, lower crude oil prices have helped to reduce fuel prices. Over the past week, energy markets have been balanced, and crude oil prices have been stable at about $70 per barrel.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/arkansas-motorists-pay-fifth-lowest-gas-prices-in-u-s-as-memorial-day-approaches/

UAMS, Baptist Health Celebrate Opening of New Cancer Clinic in Little Rock; Infusion Center to Open This Fall

By Marty Trieschmann

Baptist Health and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) on Thursday, May 18, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening of a new cancer clinic and infusion center on the campus of Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock.

UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Clinic-Little Rock, in Suite 500 of the Hickingbotham Outpatient Center, offers expert diagnosis and care for patients with cancer.

“Both Baptist Health and UAMS understand that cancer care is a critical part of providing quality health care to our community,” said Troy Wells, president and CEO of Baptist Health. “That’s why we are committed to expanding cancer services and resources together so that Arkansans can receive the care they need as close to home as possible. We remain committed to helping those who are fighting this difficult battle and ensuring they receive the best possible outcomes. It is our mission to provide Arkansans with compassionate care that meets the highest standards of quality.”

https://news.uams.edu/2023/05/18/uams-baptist-health-celebrate-opening-of-new-cancer-clinic-in-little-rock-infusion-center-to-open-this-fall/

A ribbon cutting was held May 18 to celebrate the opening of the new UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Clinic and Infusion Center located in the Hickingbotham Outpatient Center, Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock. Image by Baptist Health

Arkansas' congressional delegation agree with GOP's approach to debt ceiling raise

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Earlier this year, U.S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned lawmakers the United States could default on its debt if the debt ceiling isn’t raised by early June.

With June approaching, lawmakers have started negotiations for a debt ceiling raise. Arkansas’ congressional delegation has been supportive of their party’s approach to the debt ceiling.

U.S Rep. Steve Womack, Republican of Arkansas’ 3rd Congressional District, appeared on Arkansas Week and said the debt ceiling needs to be raised. He added a default is off the table. Womack said he supports his party leveraging the debt ceiling to pressure the Biden administration to cut spending.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-05-13/arkansas-congressional-delegation-agree-with-gops-approach-to-debt-ceiling-raise

Patrick Semansky/AP

President Joe Biden has started negotiations with lawmakers about raising the debt ceiling. Arkansas' congressional delegation agrees with their Republican colleagues that raising the debt ceiling should be tied to budget cuts.

Arkansas group receives $1 million grant to study Delta health, economic outcomes

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

A coalition of organizations in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi will use a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to promote improved and equitable health and economic outcomes in the Mississippi Delta regions of those states, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement announced Thursday (May 11).

ACHI is the recipient of the planning grant, entitled NSF Engines Development Award: Advancing Equitable Access to Food and Health Technologies in the Delta.

ACHI will lead the tri-state effort, partnering with the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership, the Mississippi-based Delta Health Alliance, Mississippi-based HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union, and Hope Policy Institute), the Louisiana Public Health Institute, and the Louisiana-based Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/arkansas-group-receives-1-million-grant-to-study-delta-health-economic-outcomes/

Arkansas Children’s CEO hopes to open expanded facilities by 2026

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas Children’s CEO Marcy Doderer said expansion plans in central and northwest Arkansas are being driven by different factors and she’s optimistic that new facilities can be in service by early 2026.

Over a week ago, Arkansas Children’s announced a $318 million expansion that will add up to 100 new doctors and 400 new support staff.

Appearing on this week’s edition of Talk Business & Politics, Doderer said the hospital’s Springdale campus is feeling pressure from the population growth in the region.

“Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW) just celebrated five years of being in existence. I can’t believe it’s gone that fast. It was built as a small community hospital knowing that we would probably steadily and readily have to expand it in order to meet the needs of that community,” she said. “As the population continues to really move up in northwest Arkansas, there are more kids demanding services from our state. What we’ve also found though, is being up there in that corner of Arkansas, we are attractive to families in eastern Oklahoma and southern Missouri, so we find it’s now time to expand our spaces at ACNW.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/arkansas-childrens-ceo-hopes-to-open-expanded-facilities-by-2026/

UAMS Names Rohit Dhall, M.D., as Neurology Department Chair

By Tamara Robinson

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) named Rohit Dhall, M.D., as chair of the Department of Neurology in the College of Medicine, effective July 1.

“Dr. Dhall brings extensive leadership experience to his new role as well as a deep commitment to ensuring exceptional neurological care for Arkansans today and in the years ahead through research, education and clinical innovation,” said G. Richard Smith, M.D., interim dean of the College of Medicine and UAMS executive vice chancellor.

A faculty member since 2016, Dhall has served as professor, vice chair for clinical research and director of neurodegenerative disorders in the Department of Neurology since 2021. He has directed the Cure PSP Center of Care at UAMS since 2017. Dhall has co-directed the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) Center of Excellence, with Dr. Tuhin Virmani, since 2021. He also directs the Parkinson’s Foundation Comprehensive Care Center, which obtained designation from the Parkinson’s Foundation Global Care Network under his leadership in 2022.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/05/15/uams-names-rohit-dhall-m-d-as-neurology-department-chair/

Rohit Dhall, M.D., is the new chair of the Department of Neurology, effective July 1.

Arkansas Trucking Association announces 2023 conference speakers

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

Shelley Simpson, president of Lowell-based J.B. Hunt Transport Services, and Gov. Sarah Sanders will be featured speakers at the annual Arkansas Trucking Association Conference & Vendor Showcase next week in Little Rock. Chris Spear, president and CEO of American Trucking Associations, will also speak at the three-day event.

More than 300 trucking industry leaders are expected to attend the event from Monday through Wednesday (May 15-17) at the Statehouse Convention Center. Speakers will address economics, leadership, politics, workforce equity, nuclear verdicts and the state’s role in the global supply chain.

On Tuesday, Simpson, who was named president of J.B. Hunt in 2022, will speak about the role Arkansas plays in the supply chain and the future of trucking. Bryan Day, executive director of the Port of Little Rock, will highlight the expansion of business in central Arkansas and how trucking is helping to drive the growth. Ross DeVol, president and CEO of Bentonville think tank Heartland Forward, will provide strategies for promoting regional innovation to enable job creation and economic growth.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/arkansas-trucking-association-announces-2023-conference-speakers/

Woman who grew up 7 miles from Rohwer Research Station named its new director

By Fred Miller
U of A System Division of Agriculture

ROHWER, Ark. — Linda Martin grew up just 7 miles from the Rohwer Research Station, and worked there as a high school student when she was 16. Now she’s the resident director at the research facility in Desha County.

CAREER PATH — Linda Martin is the new resident director of the Rohwer Research Station, following a career path of only 7 miles from Watson, where she grew up. The southeast Arkansas native has big plans to expand the impact and relevance of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station research facility. (Photo submitted)

“Linda has been part of that southeast Arkansas community her whole life,” said Nathan Slaton, associate vice president for agriculture and assistant director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. “She knows the research and the multiple disciplines that are the heart of the work at Rohwer, and she is well equipped to run the research station.

“We are extremely happy to get her in that job,” Slaton said. “She’s a hard worker who knows how to get a job done, and she’s well-liked by the station staff and the southeast Arkansas community. I’m certain she has all the tools to be successful as the Rohwer Research Station director.”

The Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station is the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Research at the Rohwer Research Station focuses on Arkansas’ leading row crops, including rice, soybeans, corn, grain sorghum and cotton. In recent years, researchers have launched projects on cover crops — plants grown to protect the soils in fields that are not in production. They have also studied specialty crops like edamame and sweet sorghum. Rohwer is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station’s network of research stations located throughout the state to ensure research accounts for Arkansas’ different soil types and climate conditions.

Martin grew up on a family farm in Watson, a short drive north on Arkansas Highway 1 from the Rohwer station. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. While there, she was a student worker for the Division of Agriculture’s former Southeast Research and Extension Center, occasionally working at what was then called the Rohwer Branch Station.

After completing her degree, she worked as an agricultural supervisor in the Garden Division at the Arkansas Department of Corrections Cummins Unit from 2010 to 2013. She joined the Rohwer Research Station as a program technician in 2019.

While working at Rohwer, Martin completed a master’s degree in soil fertility from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

She began her position as resident director on April 17.

Martin said one of her goals will be to elevate the public profile of the research station.

“I’m working on creating a social media presence focused on our community,” Martin said. “I also plan to be more involved with state schools to promote the Rohwer station and the Division of Agriculture. And I want to raise awareness in students to career opportunities in agriculture and research.”

Martin participates in a working group of research station and research and extension center directors endeavoring to keep their facilities up to date with the latest technology and agricultural practices. That includes seeking input from growers to keep up with the latest technologies that Arkansas farmers are using.

“We are constantly improving the efficiency of our stations and looking at how we can stay relevant to the agricultural industry,” Martin said.

Martin’s central responsibility is supporting the ongoing research efforts of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and creating opportunities for new research programs.

“I’m reaching out to Division of Agriculture scientists to see what they need to support their research,” Martin said. “And we’re in constant communication with them to match what the station offers to the resources they need and want with an eye toward bringing additional projects here.”

“I love finding new opportunities for new research on things no one has ever looked at before,” Martin said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how I can continue to move the station forward and advance research that supports Arkansas agriculture and building our base of knowledge."

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and on Instagram at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Second effort to overturn Arkansas LEARNS Act rejected by attorney general

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

A second effort to place a citizen’s referendum on the ballot to repeal the LEARNS Act, Gov. Sarah Sanders’ signature education bill, has been rejected by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin. The Attorney General is charged with approving ballot titles for proposed referenda.

Citizens for Public Education and Students, or CAPES, was rejected in its first attempt to qualify its referendum in late April.

Griffin outlined several reasons for the latest rejection, although he declared a portion of it “legally sufficient.” In a letter to CAPES executive director Steve Grappe, Griffin said:

“Under the foregoing rules, your proposed popular name is legally sufficient as submitted. But your proposed ballot title is insufficient and must be redesigned. As explained in more detail below, the current version of the ballot title (1) fails to adequately summarize the LEARNS Act; (2) fails to make all the changes noted in my response to your first submission; and (3) is printed in a font that is so small, most people would be unable to read it,” Griffin said.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/second-effort-to-overturn-learns-act-rejected-by-ag-griffin/

Arkansas Research Alliance Selects UAMS Researchers as Scholar, Fellow

By Benjamin Waldrum

The Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) recently announced that two researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will be joining their ranks.

John Imig, Ph.D., an accomplished scientist focused on cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney diseases, was named an ARA Scholar, and Antiño Allen, Ph.D., a researcher known for his insight into the effects of radiation on brain function, was honored as an ARA Fellow.

Imig will receive $500,000, and Allen will receive $75,000 to further their research.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/05/12/arkansas-research-alliance-selects-uams-researchers-as-scholar-fellow/

National health advocacy groups ask governor to pause Medicaid disenrollment process

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

A coalition of 23 national health-related nonprofits expressed concern Thursday (May 11) over Arkansas’ early Medicaid disenrollment numbers and called on Gov. Sarah Sanders to pause the process.

The governor’s office said it is following state and federal law and has a systematic plan to evaluate and assist those whose Medicaid healthcare coverage is being redetermined.

The 23 groups (listed below) include the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association, March of Dimes, and Susan G. Komen.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/national-health-advocacy-groups-ask-governor-to-pause-medicaid-disenrollment-process/

Arkansas minority health commission ends diversity scholarship following lawsuit

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

Quinyatta Mumford credits an Arkansas Minority Health Commission scholarship with affording her the opportunity to finish her doctorate in public health with less stress.

The single mother of three will graduate from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences next week and was disheartened to learn the Minority Health Workforce Diversity Scholarship is being discontinued as part of a lawsuit settlement.

“We already know that minorities are underrepresented across health care and in public health, so if we take away the ability to incentivize those that are typically marginalized, then it’s going to make it very difficult to entice people, not only to go into the field, but to entice people to come to Arkansas,” she said.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-05-12/arkansas-minority-health-commission-ends-diversity-scholarship-following-lawsuit

Jenny Kane/AP

Masks hang from an IV pole at a hospital.

UAMS Receives $5.5 Million Supplemental Award for Programs in Rural, Underserved Communities

By Chris Carmody

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received a $5.5 million supplemental award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to fund training and outreach programs in rural and underserved areas of the state.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, awarded the money under its Value-Based Medical Student Education Grant. The supplemental funding brings UAMS’ fiscal-year award to $6.6 million and raises the overall grant award to nearly $19.6 million over four years.

UAMS will use the funding for projects intended to increase the number of primary care physicians practicing in rural and medically underserved communities in Arkansas.

Those projects include:

• Renovation of training facilities for a primary care accelerated medical school track and four-year traditional medical school track at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville

• The expansion of point-of-care ultrasound training for medical students with new equipment and fellowship programs for faculty members in six of the eight Regional Campuses and the Family Medical Clinic in Little Rock

• The Medical Scholars in Public Health Postbaccalaureate Program for Arkansans from socially, economically or geographically disadvantaged backgrounds

• Medical-student rotations in rural and underserved communities

• Partnership programs from the UAMS Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Arkansas’ historically Black colleges and universities

• Expansion of medical-school courses in primary care, behavioral health and lifestyle medicine in rural and underserved areas

• Workforce mapping for rural primary care physicians — a new program that aims to improve training and care in rural communities

• Upgrades to facilities and simulation equipment for the UAMS Simulation Center and the Northwest Regional Campus Simulation Center.

  https://news.uams.edu/2023/05/10/uams-receives-5-5-million-supplemental-award-for-programs-in-rural-underserved-communities/

UAMS faculty members take part in a training session on point-of-care ultrasound technology. The expansion of point-of-care ultrasound training for medical students is among the projects that UAMS plans to implement using the new grant funding.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

National Police Week begins on Sunday, May 14. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation that designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. 

National Police Week offers honor and remembrance while allowing law enforcement, survivors, and citizens to gather and pay homage to those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Remembering our fallen officers helps ensure their bravery and dedication to serving and protecting our communities are not forgotten.

Nationwide in 2022, 246 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty. Seven of those officers were from Arkansas. Two of the Arkansas officers who lost their lives died from Covid-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, protective service workers, including police officers, have had some of the highest Covid mortality rates of any occupation.

One of the Arkansas officers who lost their lives in the line of duty last year was Jonesboro Police Officer Vincent Parks. Officer Parks died on his first day of training at Camp Robinson last summer.

His death prompted changes in training procedures. During the most recent legislative session, we passed  Act 199 creating the Vincent Parks Law.  It would require instructors to complete training on the recognition and management of certain health conditions and establish procedures in the event a cadet or officer has symptoms of cardiac arrest while receiving training.

When an officer is killed it is not only a loss to the agency, it’s a loss to our entire state. We will continue to find ways to support our law enforcement agencies and invest in resources that make their job safer.

You can find the names of all the Arkansas officers killed in the line of duty in 2022 at arkansashouse.org. The link includes photos and stories about their bravery and service to our state. May we all remember and honor them and their families this week. Arkansas will forever be in their debt.

UA Cossatot Scholarship Presentation in Foreman, AR

Misty Eudy of UA Cossatot presented John Critchlow of Foreman the UA Cossatot Scholarship Tuesday night at Foreman High School.

Arkansas 4-H photographers capture landscapes, animals in photo contest

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

Ready for her close-up, a handsome brown cow and the intricate textures of her tawny hair are the focus of nine-year-old Evelynn Wallace’s photo, which won Best in Show at the 2023 Ross Photography Contest.

BEST IN SHOW — Evelynn Wallace, 9, a member of the Sebastian County 4-H Club, took home Best in Show in the 2023 Ross Photography Contest for her close-up shot detailing the hair patterns of a cow. Contest judges said that overall, the quality of this year's entries improved, making their jobs tougher. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

Sponsored by Arkansas 4-H, the Ross Photography Contest asks 4-H members to submit black and white or color photos of Arkansas subjects. The 2023 contest drew 465 student participants, with 50 of the state’s 75 counties represented. Of the entrants, 209 were new participants.

Other category winners captured shots of fog rising along a quiet country road, nature’s reclaiming of an animal skeleton and the joys of wishing on a dandelion. For the contest, “living subjects” were limited to people and animals.

One judge said that Wallace, a member of the Sebastian County 4-H Club, has a “really good eye for photography,” and that her winning shot of the brown cow was “udderly the best photo in the contest.”

Kerry Rodtnick, extension photographer and videographer for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, coordinates the annual competition and said the quality of this year’s entries had improved, making the judges’ jobs tougher.

“The judges had a hard time narrowing their choices down to just a few winners,” Rodtnick said. “The photographers seemed to be using sound photography composition, more so than in the past. The variety and creativity used for these photos were at a higher level. The judges look at technical skill within the photographs, but they also look at creativity and the effort put forth in capturing the image. They want to know that a photographer spent time and thought as they were taking it — not just grabbing a camera and snapping a photo of a friend.

“Hopefully our competition encourages these kids to dig into photography practices so they can compete better each year,” he continued. “Maybe it will inspire future professional photographers. Or perhaps they will simply take better photos of their families as they grow. Both results make our contest a success.”

At the state level, prizes were awarded in four categories to the first-, second- and third-place winners. The Best in Show winner was selected among the category winners. All winning photographs can be viewed in the Division of Agriculture Flickr album.

The 2023 Ross Photography Contest winners are:

Color Living

1st — Evelynn Wallace, Sebastian County

2nd — Kenzly Weaver, Independence County

3rd — Emma Eubanks, Hot Spring County

Black and White Living

1st — Braylei Griffin, Washington County

2nd — Rebecca Frealy, Fulton County

3rd — Serenity Mora, Logan County

Black and White Non-Living

1st — Asa Eddington, Craighead County

2nd — Chloie Thomas, Washington County

3rd — Cailyn Smith, Montgomery County

Color Non-Living

1st — David Culver, Franklin County

2nd — Isabella Hays, Pope County

3rd — Ethan Doss, Stone County

Best in Show

Evelynn Wallace, Sebastian County

The Arkansas 4-H youth development program is operated by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture.

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

NWA radio personality reaches winner’s circle at Kentucky Derby

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

Derek “Deek” Kastner of Springdale has been picking horses since he was seven. Several months ago, one of those picks was his most wise investment.

Kastner, a popular radio personality in Northwest Arkansas and lifelong horse racing fan, was in Louisville, Ky., this past weekend, where he watched a horse he owns win the sport’s most famous race.

At 15-1 odds, Mage won the 149th Kentucky Derby before a crowd of over 150,000 at Churchill Downs. It was the horse’s fourth career start. He’d only won one of the previous three.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/nwa-radio-personality-reaches-winners-circle-at-kentucky-derby/

Derek "Deek" Kastner and his wife, Lexi, following the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6, in Louisville, Ky. (Photo courtesy Derek Kastner).

Tyson Foods posts $97 million quarterly loss, reduces earnings guidance

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Tyson Foods reported a second fiscal quarter net income loss of $97 million on Monday (May 8), a wide swing from net income of $829 million in the same quarter last year. Revenue was $13.133 billion, up from $13.117 billion a year ago, but $600 million less than the consensus estimate.

After one-time adjustments for restructuring and plant closures, the net loss per share was 4 cents, down from $2.28 earned a year ago. Tyson fell way short of the 80 cents per share consensus estimate. The earnings miss in the quarter ending March 31 and weaker guidance for fiscal 2023 by Tyson Foods sent the stock tumbling more than 15% in heavy trading Monday morning after the earnings report was posted.

“While the current protein market is challenging, we have a strong growth strategy in place and are bullish on our long-term outlook,” said Donnie King, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. “We saw strong performance in our branded foods business and continue to be laser-focused on meeting customer needs and planning the future with them.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/tyson-foods-posts-97-million-quarterly-loss-reduces-earnings-guidance/

Gov. Sanders: New Air Force mission in Fort Smith will have ‘generational impact’

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

The plaudits were frequent and magnanimous Friday (May 5) as political and business leaders met at the Ebbing Air National Guard base in Fort Smith to ceremonially mark the U.S. Air Force’s decision to locate a foreign military pilot training center on the base.

Ebbing, home to the 188th Wing in Fort Smith and co-located with the Fort Smith Regional Airport, was selected in March 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 and other countries participating in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Ebbing was selected over the Selfridge Air National Guard base north of Detroit.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the federal agency managing the FMS, notes that the program provides “responsible arms sales to further national security and foreign policy objectives by strengthening bilateral defense relations, supporting coalition building, and enhancing interoperability between U.S. forces and militaries of friends and allies.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/gov-sanders-new-air-force-mission-in-fort-smith-will-have-generational-impact/

(from left) U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., Gov. Sarah Sanders, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, participate in a press conference Friday (May 5) at Ebbing Air National Guard base in Fort Smith.

Arkansas Children’s announces $318M expansion plan

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

Little Rock-based pediatric healthcare organization Arkansas Children’s is planning a $318 million expansion to increase child healthcare in Arkansas.

“Pediatric health needs are more complex than ever before, and we are committed to the highest levels of access and health care quality for the children and families across the state,” Arkansas Children’s President and CEO Marcy Doderer said. “This plan includes recruiting more than 100 new providers and 400 new team members, adding new programs, and building and modernizing facilities.”

According to the news release, the expansion will begin this summer and last nearly a decade. It will include construction projects at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) in Little Rock and Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW) in Springdale.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/arkansas-childrens-announces-318m-expansion-plan/

Arkansas Children's Northwest in Springdale.