Westerman cosponsors legislation to permanently repeal The Death Tax

WASHINGTONCongressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) joined Congressman Randy Feenstra (IA-04) and 162 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in introducing the Death Tax Repeal Act. This legislation would permanently repeal the death tax, which imposes an unfair and costly tax on the transfer of property, land, and other assets from a deceased family member to heirs of family farms and small businesses.

Over 99% of our country’s two million farms and ranches and over 95% of our nation’s small businesses are owned and operated by individuals and families, and this legislation would enable these multigenerational businesses to continue to support their families without having to pay a devastating tax upon the death of a family member. 

The Death Tax Repeal Act enjoys support from 194 organizations.

“In the aftermath of losing a family member, Arkansans should be able to grieve and continue the legacy of their loved one, without being faced with an onerous tax bill from the federal government just to keep their family business going,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman. “Unfortunately, this is the reality for many who inherit family farms or small businesses after the tragic loss of a family member. I’m proud to cosponsor the Death Tax Repeal Act, with overwhelming support from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to fully repeal the death tax. Family farms and small businesses are critical to Arkansas, and this legislation will ensure that families can afford to keep their business, and the legacy of their family, alive for years to come.”

“The death tax represents double taxation at its worst. Iowa families grieving the loss of a loved one should not face an enormous tax bill from the federal government just to continue the family tradition of farming or keep their small business open and operational,” said Rep. Randy Feenstra. “I’m proud to lead 162 of my colleagues to permanently repeal the death tax, ensure that hardworking families, farmers, and small businesses keep more of their hard-earned money, and strengthen family-owned-and-operated enterprises in Iowa. By fully eliminating the death tax, we can keep China away from our farmland, allow family farms and small businesses to succeed, and encourage the next generation of Iowa farmers and business owners to plant their roots in rural Iowa, support our main streets, and contribute to our economy.”

“Families who spend a generation building up a successful farm, ranch, or small business should be rewarded – not punished – by our tax code. Unfortunately, when a loved one passes away, many such families are forced to choose between attending to their grief or the threat of losing their business because of the excessive costs imposed by Washington’s misguided death tax,” said Rep. Jason Smith, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. “Repealing the death tax is a necessary step to ensuring that family-owned farms and small businesses across America can continue to thrive and carry on their family’s legacy of hard work. I am proud to support this important piece of legislation introduced by my colleague, Rep. Feenstra, and look forward to continuing the fight on behalf of American family farmers, ranchers, and small businesses.”

“I have always believed that the death tax is politically misguided, morally unjustified, and downright un-American,” said Rep. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. “It undermines the life work and the life savings of farmers and jeopardizes small- and medium-sized businesses in Georgia and across the nation.”

Full legislative text can be found HERE.

GORP kicks off 5th outdoor recreation incubator

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

The Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP) has launched its spring startup incubator with eight Northwest Arkansas startups, including those that rent outdoor gear and make quivers, according to a Jan. 24 news release.

GORP is a business incubation program led by the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI) at the University of Arkansas. GORP is focused on helping outdoor recreation startups and is based at the Collaborative in Bentonville. GORP is supported by a $4.1 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation.

Semiannually, GORP has offered 12-week business incubators for early-stage outdoor recreation startups. The incubator offers workshop training, team mentoring and product and service development to help them scale. GORP provides up to $15,000 in non-dilutive seed money per startup. It’s money that doesn’t require the owner to give up equity in the company.

GORP kicks off 5th outdoor recreation incubator

UAMS Faculty, Staff Members Recognized for Excellence in Mentoring

By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) honored nine faculty and staff members during a Jan. 17 ceremony that acknowledged their commitment to the mentorship of colleagues and students. 

The 2024 Excellence in Mentoring Award recipients are:  

Eddie Reed Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Antiño Allen, Ph.D., associate director of diversity initiatives at the UAMS Translational Research Institute and professor in the UAMS College of Pharmacy   

Diversity Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Eva Woodward, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry  

Women Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Luann Racher, M.D., associate professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 

Clinical Emerging Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Lauren Gibson-Oliver, M.D., MBA, family medicine physician at the UAMS Health Family Medical Center in Little Rock 

Clinical Legend Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Prasad Padala, M.D., professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Department of Geriatrics  

Clinical and Research Staff Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Oleksandra Pavliv, research assistant in the College of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics 

Administration and Education Staff Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Sharanda Williams, assistant dean for student affairs in the College of Medicine 

Research Emerging Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Clare Brown, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health 

Research Legend Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Award 

Jerry Ware, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Physiology and Cell Biology 

UA System Division of Agriculture organizes community water drive to help Helena-West Helena residents

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Extension family and consumer sciences personnel with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture are collecting drinking water and hygiene supplies for residents of Helena-West Helena where some families have been without water for a week.

WATERLESS — The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is collecting donations of water and hygiene products for Helena-West Helena (Division of Agriculture graphic)

Water infrastructure problems made worse by winter weather have left many residents without water for drinking, plumbing, cooking and washing clothes. Local officials and the Arkansas National Guard are responding to the crisis by bringing in water, but local officials suggest that residents could be without water for an additional two to three weeks.

“This is clearly a difficult situation for families in the Helena-West Helena community,” said John Anderson, director of the Cooperative Extension Service. “Extension will do what we can to lend a hand, and our personnel are already leading efforts to collect and distribute supplies needed by residents in the affected areas."

State office staff are collecting supplies to deliver to the Helena West-Helena community including bottled water, five-gallon buckets, 5-9 percent unscented household bleach for purifying water, portable water filters, LifeStraws, baby wipes or other body wipes for cleansing, and other items that may help with the creation of potable water. 

“From a health perspective, a lack of clean, household water presents a huge challenge to safety, especially for vulnerable populations who may be more susceptible to bacteria found in non-potable water,” said Bryan Mader, assistant professor and extension health specialist with the Division of Agriculture. “Ensuring safe, clean water for residents to drink and safely prepare food is our top priority.”

Extension family and consumer science professionals also are creating resources for the communities related to purifying water through boiling, and other safe methods for purifying water to drink and use in cooking and for other household needs.

Ways to help

Donations can be dropped off at the Cooperative Extension Service state office at 2301 S. University. Ave. in Little Rock from 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Donations can be shipped to or dropped off at the Phillips County Justice Complex, 1804 MLK Drive, Helena, AR 72342

For more information, contact Phillips County FCS extension agent Julie Goings at 870-995-1923 or jgoings@uada.edu or Darby Treat at 870-995-3568 or dtreat@uada.edu.

The department of family and consumer sciences is part of the Cooperative Extension Service, all part of the land-grant system that focuses on the human dimensions of food and agriculture. Through the application of scientific research, outreach education and partnerships, FCS helps families and consumers make informed decisions that enhance quality of life and well-being in areas such as health and wellness, finance, family and consumer economics, nutrition, food safety and preservation, leadership, and parenting and family life.

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.

Cooperative Extension Service’s Best Care program offers professional development for Arkansas childcare providers

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — For Arkansas childcare professionals seeking continuing education hours, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Best Care program will provide 28 in-person professional development training sessions throughout the state in 2024.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT — Each year, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture provides professional development for thousands of Arkansas childcare professionals. (Division of Agriculture file photo.) 

“The first five years of life is a period of rapid and intense development,” said Rebecca Simon, extension program associate for Early Childhood and Family Life for the Division of Agriculture. “Research has found that during this time, children build critical foundational skills that profoundly influence their later health, ability to learn, social relationships and overall success. High-quality early childhood environments are critical to supporting child development and learning. Our programs offer research-based, unbiased curriculum for childcare providers using three different delivery methods.”

Best Care is offered free statewide through the Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach arm of the Division of Agriculture, in partnership with the Arkansas Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education. The program began in 1997 as a pilot program and has been funded by the Arkansas DCCECE since 1999. The program also receives funding from the Arkansas Department of Education’s Arkansas Better Chance program.

Arkansas childcare providers are required to earn at least 15 hours of professional development each year to “enhance the quality of care for children birth to age 9,” Simon said. To help meet this need, extension offers four grant-funded childcare training programs: Best Care, Best Care Connected, Guiding Children Successfully and Best Care Out of School Time.

In 2023, extension Family and Consumer Sciences agents provided 10 hours of Best Care professional development to 1,989 participants through 27 in-person trainings offered statewide. Through Best Care Connected, which is an online program that offers five hours of professional development, agents reached 1,384 participants.

Guiding Children Successfully, an online or self-paced correspondence program, offers 38 hours of continuing education for parents, foster parents and childcare educators. In 2023, 1,482 participants earned more than 10,000 training hours.

The Division of Agriculture also offers five hours of professional development through Best Care Out of School Time, an online program, to better meet the needs of childcare providers who work with school-aged children in after-school, summer and camp settings. In 2023, this program reached 3,380 participants.

Simon said that through providing these trainings, county Family and Consumer Sciences agents connect with their communities and become trusted resources.

“County Family and Consumer Sciences agents are instrumental in the continuing education of the childcare professionals in their communities to ensure that children are receiving quality care,” Simon said. “Agents often say that because of providing training to these professionals, they are better able to create positive connections within their communities and are asked to provide additional programming in child development, nutrition and health.”

Katie Cullum, White County Family and Consumer Sciences agent for the Division of Agriculture, said more than 90 childcare providers attended Best Care training in White County in 2023.

“I think our providers like Best Care because we are local, they can get 10 hours in one day, and the material is great,” Cullum said. “We have many providers who come back year after year. I've had multiple people call or email to ask, ‘When is the next training?’ so that they can get signed up. Each year is different, and they learn about a variety of topics that will help them as providers, whether they are new or experienced.”

Simon shared a comment from a Best Care participant following a training on observation skills in early childhood: “This section really dove deep into teaching us how to observe and take notes on our students,” the participant said. “I personally like those different methods of observation that were presented. I shared those methods with my staff so that they can start using some of the different methods during observation periods.”

Another participant shared that after completing a training focused on creating active classrooms, “I have implemented a creative active classroom by adding more activities for learning and growing that are fun and exciting. Creating active classrooms is very important to keeping children healthy and happy.”

In 2024, Simon said Best Care will cover topics including Saying No to Time Wasters, Stress Management, Eating with Ease, Breastfeeding Information in the Early Childhood Setting, Fun Ways to Teach Math, Family Wellbeing and more.

Anyone interested in Best Care training should contact their local Family and Consumer Science agent at uaex.uada.edu/counties/ for information about upcoming training in their area. More information about Early Childhood Professional Development opportunities in Arkansas can also be found at uaex.uada.edu/life-skills-wellness/child-care-providers/.

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. 

Arkansan Sees Advanced Cancer Disappear with Experimental Drug Offered at UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

By Marty Trieschmann

An experimental immunotherapy in Phase 1 Clinical Trials at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute has given a Little Rock man with resistant kidney cancer a complete remission.

Dwight Hamilton, 58, battled stage 4 renal cell carcinoma for four years. His cancer returned multiple times even after receiving all of the standard cancer treatments –   surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and other immunotherapies.

Hamilton is cancer-free after receiving a promising new immunotherapy which was tested for the first time in humans exclusively at UAMS in Arkansas and at 45 other hospitals nationwide. Michael Birrer, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and UAMS vice chancellor, oversaw the study in the Phase 1 Cancer Clinical Trials Unit at UAMS, the only academic clinical trials unit in Arkansas focused solely on testing new, early phase cancer therapies.

Arkansan Sees Advanced Cancer Disappear with Experimental Drug Offered at UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute

Arkansas attorney general approves FOIA amendment title

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has approved the title of a proposed amendment to enshrine the Freedom of Information Act in the state constitution.

The proposal was put forth by Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT). The group hopes to get a constitutional amendment put on the ballot in November called the “The Arkansas Government Transparency Act.”

The law would enshrine the Freedom of Information Act in the State constitution. This comes after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders made moves to weaken FOIA last year.

Arkansas attorney general approves FOIA amendment title

Daniel Breen/Little Rock Public Radio

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Wednesday approved language of an amendment title to enshrine FOIA in the state constitution.

Transparency group sues Arkansas attorney general

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A citizen group filed suit Tuesday against Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin in the state Supreme Court.

Arkansas Citizens for Transparency (ACT) has spent months trying to enshrine the Freedom of Information Act in the state constitution. They hope to get a constitutional amendment put on the ballot in 2024 called the “The Arkansas Government Transparency Act.”

Getting an amendment on the ballot is a lengthy process which is rarely successful. First, Griffin must approve the amendment's title and description. Then, ACT can begin collecting the over 90,000 needed signatures from across the state to put the amendment on the ballot.

Transparency group sues Arkansas attorney general

Michael Hibblen/Little Rock Public Radio

A lawsuit against Attorney General Tim Griffin alleges that he is violating the constitution by making it too difficult to get ballot titles approved.

AG Griffin approves abortion amendment ballot title with changes

Attorney General Tim Griffin approved Tuesday (Jan. 23) a proposed constitutional amendment to provide exceptions for abortions in Arkansas, but he made two changes to the proposal.

The proposed constitutional amendment – known as the Arkansas Abortion Amendment – would prevent the state from restricting access to abortion up to 18 weeks after conception or in the instance of rape or incest, fatal fetal anomaly, or when abortion is needed to protect the pregnant woman’s life or health.

“Having reviewed the text of your proposed constitutional amendment, as well as your proposed popular name and ballot title, my statutory duty at this stage is to substitute and certify the popular name and ballot title indicated below. With regard to your proposed ballot title, I believe the following minor changes are necessary to ensure that the ballot title clearly and accurately sets forth the purpose of your proposed initiated amendment to the Arkansas Constitution,” Griffin said.

You can read Griffin’s opinion letter here.

AG Griffin approves abortion amendment ballot title with changes

Owner of failed nursing home chain accused of $38 million tax fraud scheme pleads guilty

By Laura Strickler

The former owner of a collapsed national nursing home chain who ran more than 100 facilities out of a tiny office above a New Jersey pizzeria has pleaded guilty in federal court in connection with what prosecutors called a $38 million payroll tax fraud scheme.

Joseph Schwartz, whose Skyline Healthcare nursing home chain was the subject of an NBC News investigation, pleaded guilty to failing to pay the IRS employment taxes withheld from his employees and failing to file annual financial reports with the federal Labor Department.

If the court accepts his plea agreement, he will be sentenced to a year in prison and three years’ supervised release, with a requirement to pay $5 million in restitution. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May.

Owner of failed nursing home chain accused of $38 million tax fraud scheme pleads guilty

Ace Reporters

Joseph Schwartz speaking to lawyers during a sworn deposition in June 2017; Ashton Place Rehabilitation and Care Center in Memphis, Tenn.

Boozman, Scott introduce National School Choice Week Resolution

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tim Scott (R-SC) led their colleagues in introducing a resolution designating January 21 through January 27, 2024, as National School Choice Week.

“We all want youth to succeed, and parents deserve more than just a seat at the table when it comes to their child’s education. Moms and dads want and need to be their child’s fiercest advocates,” Boozman said. “I’m proud to join my colleagues supporting greater educational freedom so every family is empowered to find the best learning option that fits their students’ needs.”

“It is unacceptable that today – in the United States of America – millions of kids who grew up just like I did still lack access to quality education simply because of their zip code,” said Senator Scott. “We cannot leave our kids’ education and the future of America’s children to chance. Instead, transforming our nation’s education system and ensuring every child has access to a quality education must be our call to action every single day.”

In addition to Boozman and Scott, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Budd (R-NC), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Katie Britt (R-AL), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Braun (R-IN), Mike Lee (R-UT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

A companion resolution was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI).

Click here to read the full resolution.

Division of Agriculture names Rushing as first extension forestry instructor

By Lon Tegels
U of A System Division of Agriculture

MONTICELLO, Ark. — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has named Jaret Rushing, a 16-year veteran of the Division’s Cooperative Extension Service, as its first extension forestry instructor.

FIRST OF HIS KIND — Jaret Rushing will provide forestry expertise and assistance for Arkansas forest landowners, county agents, forestry professionals and youth. Before this appointment, Rushing served as an extension agent for the Calhoun County Cooperative Extension Service office, most recently as staff chair. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Rushing will provide forestry expertise and assistance for Arkansas forest landowners, county agents, forestry professionals and youth. Before this appointment, Rushing served as an extension agent for the Calhoun County Cooperative Extension Service office, most recently as staff chair.

“So now, instead of being confined to a county, I can do forestry programming across the entire state of Arkansas as well as with all other agents whenever they need help, do programs, demonstration work, and things of that nature,” Rushing said. He will now be part of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, housed at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus.

Rushing grew up in Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, graduating from Watson Chapel High School in nearby Pine Bluff. He later obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. 

“Once I got to UAM, I got heavily involved in timber sports activities,” Rushing said. “My small claim to fame is even to this day, I still hold the Southern Regional conclave record for knife throw, 12 out of 15.” 

Rushing and his wife, Traci, are proud parents of a nine-year-old son and six-year-old twin daughters. 

Rushing said his experience as a county agent guides his drive to help county agents with forestry issues statewide.

“Forestry is so vast, and it's also very seasonal,” he said. “I want to be somebody that at the drop of a hat can help the agents out. I can speak at events, and I can develop and program events. I can hold trainings here on campus or wherever in Arkansas.”  

Rushing said he is also eager to help landowners and youth as an extension forestry instructor.

“Extension programming starts blue-collar with the landowners, and I don't want to put them out of sight,” he said. 

Near the Camden area, the Division of Agriculture has a partnership with the owner of hundreds of acres of pine forest with a long history of management focused on wildlife habitat and timber production. This forest is a unique part of the Division’s Discovery Farm network, highlighting the ecological and hydrological benefits of sound management. 

Rushing is developing youth programs and demonstration projects focused on the Camden Discovery Farm. “Once we get those off the ground, I'll be aiding in those projects and programs,” he said. 

“The underlying motto of extension is our classroom is where we need it,” Rushing said. “I've done programs on the back of a truck's tailgate before. I’ve stood at a podium and talked to 300 people, so wherever I'm needed is where I'll go.”

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.

 About the Arkansas Center for Forest Business

Established in 2021, Arkansas Center for Forest Business is part of the University of Arkansas, College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Center provides technical assistance for market-based solutions to forest resource challenges, programs for degree and post-baccalaureate education, and information on timber supply, forest products markets and operational efficiency.

Mission:

The Center for Forest Business will provide market-based economic solutions to forest resource issues, improving business practices for forest enterprises, and enhancing economic competitiveness.

About the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center

The College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a University of Arkansas System Center of Excellence, brings together interdisciplinary expertise through a partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The College and Center are headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus, but their programs range statewide with the mission of developing and delivering teaching, research, and Extension programs that enhance and ensure the sustainability and productivity of forest-based natural resources and agricultural systems. Academic programs are delivered by the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources through the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, research is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and Extension and outreach activities are coordinated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offer all of their programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers.

Ruling favors Board of Corrections, blocks Gov. Sanders’ move to add prison beds

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

Recent legislation used by Gov. Sarah Sanders in her attempt to take control of prisons from the Arkansas Board of Corrections (BOC) has been blocked in a ruling handed down Friday (Jan. 19) by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Patricia James.

Sanders and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin say that Acts 185 and 659, passed in the 2023 Legislative Session, give the governor direct authority over leadership at the Department of Corrections. The BOC on Dec. 14 filed lawsuits in Pulaski County Circuit Court challenging the constitutionality of sections of Acts 185 and 659. The BOC claims that Amendment 33, ratified in 1942, does not allow a governor to take direct control of the state’s prison system.

Judge James on Dec. 2 granted a temporary restraining order preventing Sanders and Griffin from exercising authority under Acts 185 and 659. A hearing on the lawsuit was held Jan. 4.

Ruling favors Board of Corrections, blocks Gov. Sanders’ move to add prison beds

Winter Weather Advisory with freezing rain expected from the NWS

Arctic air remains entrenched across Arkansas, but will start to exit to the east later tonight and Monday. Clouds and moisture will continue to increase tonight with rain developing. The precipitation will be in the form of freezing rain through Monday morning before temperatures warm and it transitions over to just regular rain.

Before this change occurs, a quarter of an inch of ice or more could fall over parts of western and  northern Arkansas where ice storm warnings are in effect. Outside of the warning area, winter weather advisories are in effect for some ice accumulation.

Additional rounds of rain are expected through the week with several inches of rain possible, especially over the south and southeast.

Winter Weather Advisory

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
227 PM CST Sun Jan 21 2024

ARZ050-051-059>061-OKZ077-221100-
/O.CON.KSHV.WW.Y.0002.240122T0400Z-240122T1500Z/
Sevier-Howard-Little River-Hempstead-Nevada-McCurtain-
Including the cities of De Queen, Nashville, Mineral Springs,
Dierks, Ashdown, Hope, Prescott, Idabel, and Broken Bow
227 PM CST Sun Jan 21 2024

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS
EVENING TO 9 AM CST MONDAY...

* WHAT...Freezing rain expected. Total ice accumulations of around
  one tenth of an inch, except isolated higher amounts between a
  tenth to a quarter of an inch in the higher elevations of
  Northern McCurtain, Northern Sevier, and Northern Howard
  Counties.

* WHERE...Portions of southwest Arkansas and southeast Oklahoma.

* WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to 9 AM CST Monday.

* IMPACTS...Difficult travel conditions are possible, especially
  on bridges and overpasses. The hazardous conditions could
  impact the overnight and morning commute.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Slow down and use caution while traveling. Prepare for possible
power outages.

The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can
be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

J.B. Hunt solar project to begin construction in 2024

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. plans to start construction this year on a solar array expected to offset more than 80% of electricity demand for its corporate headquarters in Lowell.

In January 2022, the Arkansas Public Service Commission approved the 4.99-megawatt array as a net-metering facility with grandfathering, which allows the rate structure to remain in effect until June 1, 2040. The approved rate structure allows electricity generated by the array to receive a 1:1 retail rate credit and for an initial grid charge of zero.

Following is a J.B. Hunt statement in response to questions about the array’s regulatory request: “J.B. Hunt’s application to build a net-metering solar facility has been approved by the APSC, and the APSC has closed the public docket regarding the matter. The solar facility will help offset more than 80% of the electricity consumed at J.B. Hunt’s main corporate headquarters in Lowell. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024.”

J.B. Hunt solar project to begin construction in 2024

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Public education stands as the primary expenditure within state government. This month, the House and Senate Education Committees began working on the Educational Adequacy Study. This study will serve as a recommendation to the legislature to determine funding for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years.

This in-depth process involves assessing the entirety of public education to ensure equal opportunities for students, covering aspects from teacher salaries to technological requirements. Arkansas employs a specific formula, the matrix, to calculate per-student funding, which is set to increase from $7,618 to $7,771 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The committees will later examine facilities funding and partnership programs in February, followed by a review of teacher-related aspects such as recruitment, retention, salaries, and professional development in June.

The culmination of this study results in a final report due on November 1, serving as a crucial guide for funding decisions in the subsequent year.

At the most recent meeting, committee members reviewed student achievement data. Reports revealed that in 2022, 30% of Arkansas 4th-grade students scored proficient or above in reading, slightly below the national average of 32%. Additionally, 28% of Arkansas 4th-grade students and 35% nationally scored proficient or above in math.

The House and Senate Education Committees approved an emergency rule to implement literacy tutoring grants and High Impact Learning Grants.

The literacy grant program is designed to help struggling readers in grades K-3. It will allow families to invoice up to $500 per year for tutoring services.

The second program will provide a limited amount of funding for schools to spend on tutoring services during the school day.

The proposed rule now goes before the Arkansas Legislative Council Executive Committee, scheduled to meet on January 18.

The House and Senate Education Committees will convene again on February 5 and February 6, with live-streamed and recorded meetings accessible at www.arkansashouse.org.

Arctic Air blasts Arkansas this weekend; freezing rain and heavy rainfall early next week

From the National Weather Service in Little Rock

Arctic air is arriving from the Plains Friday morning. A gusty northwest wind will produce wind chill index values from zero to ten below zero in the northern two to three rows of counties in Arkansas. 

Below to much below normal temperatures will continue through the weekend. Saturday will be the coldest day, with lows in the single digits and teens and highs in the 20s and 30s. Minimum wind chill indices will be in the single digits above and below zero Friday night into Saturday morning. 

Late Sunday night and Monday, Arctic air will begin exiting to the east. Clouds and moisture will increase, with rain developing. Precipitation will likely start off as freezing rain, with the potential for at least a tenth of an inch of ice in northern/western sections of the state. 

Rain will continue through at least Thursday. The forecast calls for one to more than three inches of rain across the region, with the heaviest amounts over the southern counties.

Cattle producers saw price improvements in late 2023

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Cattle producers have had several turbulent years with low prices and higher input costs that were fueled largely by drought conditions. Cattle farmers that were able to maintain their herds benefitted in 2023 when prices jumped.

Throughout most of the year, both futures and cash markets for steers, calves and more marked a vast improvement over 2022. By the last week of November, prices for medium and large number one steer calves (weighing 500 to 600 pounds) were above $270 per hundredweight, more than $80 per hundredweight higher than the same time in 2022 and more than $100 higher than the average from 2017-2021.

James Mitchell, assistant professor and extension economist in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that the benefits of high prices largely fell to those with access to good grazing and forage.

Cattle producers saw price improvements in late 2023

Senate Education Committee begins work on adequacy and equity report

Lawmakers conduct the thorough review every two years, with the help of legislative staff. They use the results to determine how much to increase education funding, and whether or not to tighten curriculum standards and financial accountability measures.

The study is due on November 1, 2024, in advance of the next regular session of the legislature in 2025.

Arkansas Senator Jimmy Hickey, Jr.

Under the Arkansas Constitution the state must provide funding for an adequate and equitable education for every child. The legislature has the constitutional duty of appropriating tax revenue for state government operations, therefore it is the legislature’s responsibility to approve adequate funding of schools.

The Education Committee will meet regularly throughout the year to address the many aspects of school funding. The categories include teacher salaries, facilities and equipment, transportation costs and uniform curriculum standards. The new adequacy study will update how the state responds to the needs of small and isolated school districts, fast-growing districts and schools in fiscal or academic distress.

If necessary legislators can update the matrix, a chart that serves as a tool to determine whether or not the state is funding an adequate school system, under the mandates of the constitution, Supreme Court rulings and state laws. Staff reiterated to members of the Education Committee that the matrix is a tool to measure how the legislature funds schools, not how much schools actually spend.

In addition to keeping track of funding and spending, writing a new adequacy report includes evaluating how effectively current programs are achieving their goals. One method is a thorough analysis of student test scores, taking into account the different social situations in schools.

Generally, students in poor, isolated districts don’t score as well on standardized tests as students in prosperous neighborhoods. Similarly, students whose parents are college graduates generally score better than students whose parents never got a degree. After taking those factors into account, education officials can predict test scores.

A successful school is one in which students’ actual scores are better than the predicted scores. Legislative staff will schedule visits to those schools to learn what makes them effective. Staff also conducts surveys of superintendents, principals and teachers.

Throughout 2024 superintendents and school boards will closely follow the work of the Education Committee on adequacy, because the final product will be the basis for state funding of local school districts next year.

In Arkansas the major source of school revenue is state aid. Local property taxes are the second largest source of school revenue, and federal aid is third.

The legislature’s duty to provide equitable funding is challenging, due to disparities in local wealth and local property tax rates. The same tax rate in a city with manufacturing plants will generate much more revenue for schools than it will in an isolated region with no industries.

The state Supreme Court has ruled that under the Arkansas Constitution, the legislature must prioritize education funding. The legislature must rely on evidence to fund schools adequately and equitably, and legislators cannot simply appropriate to schools what is available in the state budget.