Cotton, Colleagues introduce bill to repeal Biden Administration’s Arms Embargo on Israel

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Israel Security Assistance Support Act, legislation that would force the Biden administration to send critical weapons to Israel. The bill comes after President Biden announced that his administration would withhold certain weapons from Israel if it conducted a full-scale ground invasion of Rafah in Gaza.

Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) are co-sponsors of the legislation. Congressman Ken Calvert (California-41) introduced companion legislation in the House.

“President Biden’s decision to impose a de facto arms embargo on Israel is a betrayal of one of our most important allies as it fights an existential war for survival. This bill will reverse Joe Biden’s arms embargo and withhold the salaries of officials who implement it,” said Senator Cotton.

“President Biden’s decision to withhold a portion of the Israel security aid just passed by an overwhelming and bipartisan majority of Congress projects the very weakness that has become a trademark of his presidency. If President Biden will not release these weapons, Congress must act to enforce the United States’ support for Israel in its efforts to eliminate Hamas. I thank Senator Cotton for his steadfast support for Israel and introduction of The Israel Security Assistance Support Act in the Senate,” said Congressman Calvert.

Bill text may be found here.

The Israel Security Assistance Support Act would:

• Force the Biden administration to complete the delivery of weapons to Israel.

• Cancel the salaries of any Biden administration official at the Department of Defense or Department of State who take any action to withhold the delivery of weapons to Israel.

Boozman, Graham introduce resolution condemning action by Biden Administration to withhold weapons for Israel

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and 46 Republican senators to introduce a resolution that condemns any action by the Biden administration to withhold or restrict ammunition or weapons for Israel.

“Israel is an American ally and we have a commitment to help our partner defend itself against Hamas terrorists and Iran and its proxies. President Biden’s decision to withhold critical weapons for Israel goes against our long-standing promise and makes it more difficult to rescue American hostages. His administration must unmistakably stand with Israel and deliver the resources it needs to successfully protect its interests,” Boozman said.

The resolution:

• Condemns any decision by the Biden administration to halt the shipment of United States-made ammunition and weapons to the State of Israel;

• Demands the Biden administration continue to fulfill the military aid requests from the State of Israel in order to provide the weapons needed to defeat Hamas and defend against attacks from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies;

• Reaffirms the importance of the long history of the United States providing military aid to the State of Israel and willingness to expedite delivery of such aid in times of crisis; and

• Upholds the commitment of the United States to the State of Israel’s security and long-term prosperity.

The resolution is also cosponsored by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL),  John Thune (R-SD), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Todd Young (R-IN).

It’s time to prioritize maternal health in Arkansas

by Ashley Bearden Campbell (Ashley@impactmanagement.com)

Mothers have a fundamental role in the fabric of our families and society. Each May allows us the opportunity to express our profound gratitude for their love and sacrifice, and to acknowledge the importance of maternal health – a value deeply rooted in Arkansas’ commitment to family and life.

May is also Maternal Mental Health Month. As a mom and maternal health advocate who has openly shared my own battle with postpartum depression, anxiety, and PTSD, I have a profound understanding of the importance of sharing our experiences to spark change in the way we approach maternal mental health before, during, and after pregnancy.

After delivering my daughter via an emergency cesarean at just 28 weeks and 5 days gestation, I was not only unprepared for the physical challenges I had to overcome due to complications from pre-eclampsia and a high-risk birth, but I was also unaware that NICU moms are more pre-dispositioned to experiencing mental health issues.

It’s time to prioritize maternal health in Arkansas

Image by Klara Kulikova

Cherokee Freedmen touring exhibit opens at the U.S. Marshals Museum

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

The U.S. Marshals Museum is the third location for a touring exhibit created by the Cherokee Nation that focuses on the tribe’s “painful moments” with slavery, especially with the Cherokee Freedmen.

“We Are Cherokee: Cherokee Freedmen and the Right to Citizenship,” features the stories, history, images and documents of Cherokee Freedmen, alongside original artworks by Cherokee Nation artists. The special exhibit opened May 11 at the museum, which is located at 789 Riverfront Drive in downtown Fort Smith.

The special exhibit is presented as part of the Cherokee Freedmen Art and History Project initiative, established by Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., to broaden Cherokee Nation’s understanding of the Cherokee Freedmen experience and ensure that it is included in the greater narrative of Cherokee history.

Cherokee Freedmen touring exhibit opens at the U.S. Marshals Museum

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., speaks during the opening of the Cherokee Freedmen exhibit at the U.S. Marshals Museum.

‘Cicadapolcalypse Now’ as emergence begins in Arkansas

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Maybe you haven’t seen them, with their dark green hard-shell bodies and large red eyes, but you may be hearing the trademark buzzsaw sound of the cicada.

The insects have made headlines for months because of the emergence of two broods — an occurrence two centuries in the making — is expected to bring astronomical numbers of these insects above ground. The group of cicadas known as Brood XIX emerge every 13 years. This is also the year for Brood XIII, to emerge after 17 years underground.

“Over the next few months, people in the South will witness the emergence of the largest brood of periodical cicadas in the country, spanning parts of 16 states,” said Jon Zawislak, extension urban entomologist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

“The insect army poised to invade are still nymphs, in the very last stage of their development,” he said “After feeding on fluids from tree roots for 13 years, slowly growing and molting underground, they will make their debut by crawling up and out of the soil when it warms to about 64 degrees Fahrenheit and is softened by rains.”

The two broods are only likely to overlap geographically in southern Illinois. The last time this occurred was 221 years ago, coinciding with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.  

Jon Zawislak. (U of A System Division of Agriuclture file photo)

Some of the insects are making their presence known. According to iNaturalist.org, app users have reported cicadas north of the Ozarks, in the Ouachita Mountains, around and east of Jonesboro and scattered in southern Arkansas around Crossett, Warren and Camden.

The adult cicadas pose no threat to people, pets or livestock. They don’t sting and don’t bite.

“Mature adults don’t feed and don’t even have functional mouthparts with which to bite,” Zawislak said. “Having spent the last 13 years doing little more than eat, they emerge with the single-minded goal of making more cicadas.”

The buzzing is the male’s way of attracting a female. After mating, the female cicada saws a shallow crevice into a tree branch, where she deposits up to 20 eggs.  She will repeat this process, producing up to 600 eggs over three to four weeks.  

After about six weeks, the eggs hatch and the nymphs drop to the ground and land unhurt because of their small size.

“They quickly burrow into the soil and will tap into plant and tree roots to feed on the xylem almost right away,” Zawislak said. “They will continue to feed like this, sometimes moving to new food sources as they slowly mature. These nymphs will grow and molt four times over the next 13 years, when it’s time for the next generation to emerge.” 

See Zawislak’s piece online. Learn more about insects in general by signing up for the pest management newsletter.

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 warehouse specialist awarded Quilt of Valor

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Never Forgotten in Arkansas, a group of Saline County quilters with the Quilts of Valor Foundation, recently awarded a Quilt of Valor to Johnny Woodley, warehouse specialist for the Cooperative Extension Service, to honor his decades of military service to Arkansas and the United States.

HAND-STITCHED GRATITUDE — Two members of the Never Forgotten in Arkansas Quilts of Valor group wrap Johnny Woodley's quilt around him. Throughout his 34 years in the Arkansas National Guard, Woodley has deployed to Kosovo, Germany and twice to Iraq, and he currently holds the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Headquarters with the Arkansas National Guard. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

The ceremony took place May 3 during a Technology and Textiles training at the Cooperative Extension Service State Office in Little Rock. Extension agents, program assistants and family and consumer sciences teachers gathered to learn about using STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — in textiles projects. One service-learning project included constructing a quilt block that will be used in a future Quilt of Valor.

The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach and education arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Woodley has worked for the extension for 27 years as a warehouse specialist, part of the facilities management team, at the state office. He joined the Arkansas National Guard in 1990 as a private first class and currently holds the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Headquarters with the Arkansas National Guard. During his service, Woodley has deployed to Kosovo, Germany and twice to Iraq.

Throughout his military career, Woodley has earned numerous awards and decorations, including the National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star, the Arkansas Federal Service Ribbon and the Arkansas National Guard Service Ribbon with four diamonds.

Kris Boulton, Saline County extension staff chair for the Division of Agriculture, thanked Woodley for his service.

“One of the things that’s most touching about Chief Johnny Woodley is he is the most sincere person, and he has the most humble presence,” Boulton said. “He has a huge amount of respect when he’s in the Guard, but here at extension, you would never know that he is Chief Woodley. He is one of the most sweet and tender people I know. He has served our country well, and I truly appreciate that.”

John Anderson, senior associate vice president of extension for the Division of Agriculture, spoke from personal experience about the meaningfulness of Woodley’s Army service.

“As an 18-year-old man myself, a long time ago, I enlisted in the Army Reserve to pay for school,” Anderson said. “When I was asked to speak today, I was very enthusiastic about it. Having at least a tiny bit of service myself, learning about Johnny’s service really meant a lot to me because I can see the significance of what this man has accomplished and what his service has been.”

Anderson said that as Chief Warrant Officer 3, Woodley has a unique set of technical and tactical skills.

“Chiefs are respected up and down the rank structure, not just for the rank on their uniform but for what they know and what they can do,” Anderson said. “I guarantee you, everyone in his unit up to his commanding officer is going to have a great deal of respect for Chief Woodley. He has our respect, not just because of his rank, but because of what he knows, and how he has served selflessly for a long time.”

Handmade and heartfelt gratitude

Karen Mitchell, group leader for the Never Forgotten in Arkansas Quilts of Valor group in Saline County, said the Quilts of Valor Foundation seeks to “cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.”

“Since its founding in 2003, Quilts of Valor Foundation has awarded over 382,000 quilts to veterans of military action, conflicts and wars, including World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan,” Mitchell said. “Each quilt is formed by loving hands joining bits of fabric together, one piece at a time.

“This quilt brings to you a three-part message from our hearts: first, we honor you for leaving all you hold dear to stand in harm’s way in a time of crisis, protecting us from the efforts of war,” she said. “Next, our quilters know that freedom is not free. The cost of our freedom is the dedication of lives of men and women like you. This quilt is meant to offer you comfort and to remind you that although family and friends cannot always be there, you are forever in our thoughts and hearts.”

The American Heritage Girls, a Christian-based scouting group from Saline County, served as the Color Guard for the ceremony. Rhiannon Dixon, Scarlett Dixon, Naomi Orme, Emma Orme and Brianna Moore presented the flag and led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem.

After receiving his Quilt of Valor, Woodley shared his appreciation for the honor, thanking his wife Telina Woodley for “wearing two hats when I’m gone, because when I’m deployed, my family is deployed.”

“I also want to thank the Cooperative Extension Service and the Division of Agriculture, because this organization has supported my career to where I am,” Woodley said. “I am a humble person, but I am a server, and that’s what I did. It feels good to be able to serve and be recognized.

“This Quilt of Valor means a great deal because they put in the time, the hours into stitching this quilt,” he said. “I feel honored to be among other veterans who’ve received these.”

For more information about the Quilts of Valor Foundation, visit qovf.org.  

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

Arkansas Elects New House Speaker: Rep Brian Evans

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

The Arkansas house elected Republican Rep. Brian Evans to be their next speaker Thursday. Evans won the speakership with 91 members of the 100 person house voting for him. Evans won the position over Republican State Rep. Johnny Rye from Trumann. Republican Rep. Jack Ladyman also planned to run for the position but told his colleagues he would step down after a “family emergency” with his wife. Evans opened his speech with a prayer for Ladymans family. In the rest of the speech, he decried the importance of leadership, judicial cooperation, and “building on the new.”

“During my time and your time in this house I have sought to work with you and my fellow colleagues to provide leadership that the people of Arkansas expect and deserve,” he said.

In Rye’s speech he talked about his many years of experience and quoted the Bob Dylan song: The Times They Are a Changing. He said that he is the person that “can deliver.”

Arkansas Elects New House Speaker: Rep Brian Evans

Senator Tom Cotton and colleagues introduce bill to overhaul workforce education

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the American Workforce Act, legislation that would overhaul workforce education. Funding from the bill—paid for in part by taxing wealthy private college endowments—would provide training vouchers to pay for education programs designed by employers.

Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) is co-sponsoring the legislation. Congressman Max Miller (Ohio-07) is introducing companion legislation in the House.

“For decades, the federal government has spent billions of dollars propping up bloated colleges that serve a minority of our citizens—and recently, have let antisemitic and anti-American ideas flourish. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans who don’t go to college are left behind. In fact, the federal government spends eight times more on college for the few than it does on job training for the many. My bill will right that wrong by investing heavily in a new workforce education strategy to help working Americans get ahead,” said Senator Cotton.

“In today's world, it's clear that the government's hefty investment in higher education hasn't really set up our next generation for success. Just look at our college campuses across America today. Our education system leaves behind Americans who want to head directly into the workforce pursuing careers that don’t require a college degree. It's high time we fix this by focusing on giving all American workers all the tools they need to grow our workforce, boost the economy, and secure a bright future. My bill is all about shaking up the education system to give a leg up to the folks who've been overlooked for too long while finally bridging the gap between,” said Congressman Miller.

Bill text may be found here.

The American Workforce Act would:

• Create a $9,000 federal voucher available to prospective “trainees,” defined as any citizen with a high school degree/GED, but without a bachelor’s degree or higher.

• Offer an additional $1,000 bonus to employers for each trainee that is hired after completion of the workforce training program.

• Require participating employers to provide training for positions paid at least 80% of the local median household income.

• Allow the voucher to subsidize employer-led workforce training that offers a full time, paid position combing on-the-job experience and skilled workforce training.

• Give employers wide flexibility to build their own training programs or delegate the training to a valid third-party entity, such as a trade association, community college, high school, non-profit, or union.

• Require E-Verify at participating employers.

• Levy a one percent tax on the fair market value of endowments that 1) have more than 500 full-time enrolled students, 2) have endowments worth more than $2.5 billion and $500,000 per full-time enrolled student, 3) do not have a religious mission.

Image by aleksandarlittlewolf on Freepik

New Arkansas laws regulate cryptocurrency mining

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has signed two laws regulating cryptocurrency mining in Arkansas, following months of outcry from lawmakers and their constituents.

Much of the push for mining regulation comes from a woman named Gladys Anderson. She lives next to a crypto mine in Bono, a neighborhood near Greenbrier. It’s a rural farming community, where residents say they woke up one day to hear a constant shrieking and humming sound coming from the mine.

Anderson lives closest to it, just a few hundred feet away. Her story has since gone national; speaking on CBS News, she called the noise “torture.”

New Arkansas laws regulate cryptocurrency mining

Rep. Crawford Statement on Senate Passage of FAA Legislation

Washington, D.C. — Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) released the following statement after the Senate passed a reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“It’s clear to me that after many months of delays in the Senate, we finally have a Senate-passed FAA bill for one reason: the hard work of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Chairman Sam Graves, subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves, and the entire staff of the Aviation Subcommittee and the full committee have shepherded this bill every step of the way through over a year of hearings, markups, and negotiations between the chambers and with industry and labor leaders. Their dedication to this effort is unmatched. While I don’t agree with every change the Senate has made to the original House-passed bill, I believe this is a fair compromise and a victory for the flying public and the aviation industry. I look forward to supporting this bill next week,” said Rep. Crawford.

Fact sheet offers risk analysis for poultry contract growers

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Last year’s closure of chicken processing plants in North Little Rock and Van Buren sparked a few questions in economist Jada Thompson’s mind.

“One of the questions was about what kind of risk was associated with lending and the risks involved for new producers,” said Thompson, an assistant professor for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture who specializes in the economics of poultry. 

The poultry industry is vertically integrated, which means poultry companies contract with growers and supply those growers with birds and feed. The growers supply the rest, including barns, electricity, water and labor. The industry is a big deal in Arkansas, which produced 7.35 billion pounds of broilers in 2022, ranking it third in the U.S. broiler production. The critical step between farm and consumer is the processing plant.

The recent closure of two Arkansas processing plants sparked a few questions in poultry economist Jada Thompson's mind. (U of A Sytem Division of Agriuclture file photo).

Thompson said that risk is part of any enterprise and in the case of the plant closures, growers had to figure out what to do with the houses they have to raise birds. Some growers had their contracts switched to a nearby plant with the same integrators, while others’ contracts were bought out and had scramble to find places to contract to process their poultry to ensure continued cash flow.

“In the unfortunate circumstances there isn’t another plant or integrator within a drivable distance, and assuming no alternative use of poultry growing complexes, the growers have no incoming revenues to pay debt obligations,” she said.

All of this led Thompson to invite grad student Kylie Roseler, to analyze the risks. Shelby Rider, a program associate brought Geographic Information System skills and fellow assistant professor Ryan Loy who brought his farm business management knowledge.

The result of this collaboration is the fact sheet Location, Location, Location: Mapping the Risks for Arkansas Broiler Production, which evaluates the risks for poultry producers and lenders by quantifying low, average, medium or high-risk areas. Among the factors the authors identified in determining risk level was the local cost of electricity, the location of feed mills, tax liabilities and the proximity of processing plants.

For example, their research showed that low-risk areas typically have more than four processing plants in their radius and in the lowest 50 percent for electric rates, whereas high-risk zones typically have only one processing plant and typically are in the top 50 percent of electric rates.

Using these factors, the team developed a map showing areas of highest risk, being in Jefferson County, which has only one integrator, and lowest risk, in northwest Arkansas, where there is a high concentration of integrators.

And while “this map may reinforce the idea of increased processing plant concentration in the poultry industry, where financial risks are lower. However, poultry is a living industry susceptible to biological hazards such as Avian Influenza, Newcastle, or Marek’s disease. These diseases spread rapidly when houses are in close proximity.”

The fact sheet concludes that “having high risk doesn’t mean that a location isn’t a worthy investment, just that there are obstacles a grower could face. Overall, this risk map aims to provide information so that informed decisions can be made.”

Meant for producers and lenders
“This fact sheet is going to be extremely helpful to chicken farmers,” Loy said. “If you're looking to get into the industry, you can use this fact sheet and say, ‘here are the riskiest areas of production in terms of the cost of electricity and the number of processors that are within some reasonable distance of you. You can look at the fact sheet and say, where are the least risky areas to poultry farm?

“On the lending side, the less risky you are, the more attractive you are to a lender,” he said. “A lender can see the location, evaluate the risk and that can come into play when it comes to securing credit.”

Takeaways
Roesler, who graduates May 2025 with a joint degree from the University of Arkansas and Ghent University in agricultural economics and rural development, said she became involved by “shifting from a scientific perspective of agriculture to the economic side.

“During my undergraduate studies in poultry science, I started to understand the growing importance of food security,” Roesler said. “However, through internships working on a farm and in a lab, I found my niche skills and how I can contribute to improving food security is through economic means.”

She said the most surprising thing about this project was “how the interests of individual producers might not align with the overall stability of the industry.”

As noted in the conclusion, “the consolidation of the industry is advantageous for a farmer’s contract security but poses a biosecurity risk,” Roesler said. “This observation was particularly significant for me, given that my thesis examines these disease risks in the context of international trade.”

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.

Sanders’ Letter to Governors, Arkansas Legislature Concerning the Mental Health Crisis Kids are Facing Driven by Social Media

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders sent a copy of Jonathan Haidt’s book, “The Anxious Generation,” to the governors of every U.S. state and territory along with a letter encouraging governors to come together to limit social media and screen use for kids and encourage outdoor play to combat America’s mental health crisis. A similar letter was sent to Arkansas state legislators. The text of the letter is below and can be found here:

America’s kids are facing a mental health crisis. I know this isn’t news to any of you. As governors, we’re all searching for ways to help our state’s children and reduce depression, anxiety, and suicide among our young people. 

Recent research shows us the driver of this crisis: phones and social media. The average American teen now spends nearly 5 hours a day on social media. Spending three or more hours a day on social media doubles kids’ risk of mental health problems. 46 percent of young teens say social media makes them feel worse about their body. 

Since smartphones and social media became widespread, suicide rates have tripled among young teens, self-harm among girls has gone up nearly 200%, and depression among teenagers has increased 150%. Teen math, reading, and science scores have dropped in the United States and other developed nations since 2012, while school alienation has risen across the board. Big Tech companies got American kids addicted to their products by preying on adolescent insecurities and basic human psychology. The result is a public health crisis that’s devastating childhoods and destroying lives. 

The statistics are grim. But there is a path forward. In recent years, a bipartisan group of states have enacted legislation to protect kids online. In Arkansas, we passed the Social Media Safety Act, which requires parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts. States have also pursued legislation to protect kids from social media advertising, enacted online privacy protections for kids, and required mandatory social media safety features for kids. Unfortunately, Big Tech-supported interest groups have blocked many of these laws and policies. 

Despite these setbacks, we must continue our work to protect kids. In the book I’ve sent you, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, the author joins experts to offer commonsense recommendations, which I believe we should work together to promote and implement when possible: 

1. No smartphones before high school 

2. No social media before 16 

3. Phone-free schools 

4. More outdoor play and childhood independence 

It’s an agenda I plan to pursue, and I hope you read this book and join me. Millions of American kids have fallen into the dark sewer of social media and screen addiction. As governors, we need to come together and help save this generation. 

Sincerely, 
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Governor of Arkansas

Attorney General Tim Griffin announces $104,246 settlement with wireless carriers over deceptive and misleading advertising practices

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing Arkansas will receive $104,246.46 as part of a $10.25 million, 50-jurisdiction settlement with AT&T, Cricket Wireless, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless, and TracFone Wireless resolving state attorneys general investigations into the wireless carriers’ deceptive and misleading advertising practices:

“Cell phones are important to the daily lives of Arkansans, and it is imperative that wireless companies are straightforward and honest in their advertising practices. Consumer protection is a core mission of my office, and it remains one of my top priorities. I want to thank my Public Protection Division for its work on securing this settlement, especially Deputy Attorney General Chuck Harder and Assistant Attorney General Matthew Ford.”

In the settlement, Arkansas will receive $49,017.04 from T-Mobile USA, $30,125.14 from Verizon Wireless, and $25,104.28 from AT&T.

Under the terms of the settlement, wireless carriers will be required to:

• Ensure that all future advertisements and representations are truthful, accurate, and not misleading;

• Refer in marketing to “unlimited” mobile data plans only when such plans do not set any numerical limits on the quantity of data allowed during a billing cycle and clearly and conspicuously disclose any restrictions on data speed, as well as the triggers of such restrictions;

• Offer to pay for consumers to “switch” carriers only when they clearly and conspicuously disclose the type of fees and amounts that they will pay consumers, the form and schedule that such payment will take, and all material requirements that consumers must satisfy in order to qualify for and receive such payment;

• Offer wireless devices or services for “free” or similar terms only when they disclose clearly and conspicuously all material terms and conditions that the consumer must meet in order to receive the “free” devices or services;

• Make offers to lease wireless devices only when the company makes clear that the consumer will be entering into a lease agreement;

• Make representations that a consumer will save money by purchasing its products or services only when it has a reasonable basis to do so based on comparisons with the prices of comparable goods or services of other providers, or where any material differences between those goods or services are clearly and conspicuously disclosed;

• Appoint a dedicated employee to work with the attorneys general to address ordinary complaints filed by consumers; and

• Train its customer service representatives who speak with consumers to comply with these terms and implement and enforce a program to ensure compliance with these terms.

To read the settlement with AT&T and Cricket Wireless, click here.

To read the settlement with T-Mobile USA, click here.

To read the settlement with Verizon Wireless and TracFone Wireless, click here.

Sanders Delivers Remarks at the Unveiling of the Daisy Lee Gatson Bates Statue in Statuary HallS

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered remarks at the unveiling of the Daisy Lee Gatson Bates Statue in Statuary Hall on Wednesday, May 8th.

The Governor’s remarks as prepared are below:

It is a privilege to be here in our nation’s Capitol to represent the State of Arkansas and honor one of our state’s finest, Daisy Gatson Bates. Thank you to Arkansas’ congressional delegation and congressional leadership from both sides of the aisle for being here. It’s also great to see so many friendly faces in the crowd. That’s not always the norm for D.C., but no surprise that, even though she is gone, Daisy is still bringing people together.  

I can’t think of a better way to elevate this program than with singers from two of Arkansas’ HBCUs – UAPB and Philander Smith. Both schools were at the center of activism during the Civil Rights Era – and today, one of them sits on Daisy Gatson Bates Drive in Little Rock. 

 We’re also here with many of Bates’ family and friends, and the President of the Daisy Bates Museum – living reminders that, though Daisy is no longer with us, her legacy and impact live on. 

I’m privileged enough to have met Daisy Bates. I’m a Little Rock Central High Class of 2000 graduate – the same school that Bates helped desegregate. We remember – rightly – the heroism of the Little Rock Nine who first desegregated Central. And we also remember that always right there with them was Daisy, one moment privately comforting those brave students, the next, publicly confronting Arkansas’ most powerful politicians. 

In 1997, my dad, then-Governor Mike Huckabee, joined then-President Bill Clinton to ceremonially open the doors of Central to the Little Rock Nine. One of my most vivid memories from growing up: thousands cheering in the crowd, media from all over the world – and up on the dais with the President, Governor, and Mayor, Daisy, in her rightful place of honor. 

But as much as I look back on that day in 1997 with fond memories, we can never forget the scene from forty years earlier. The crowds weren’t cheering, they were booing. The President had taken control of the National Guard. The Governor promised to shut the school down before he integrated it. 

The nine students were harassed, hurt, and haunted. Daisy Bates’ home was vandalized repeatedly. Bates herself was arrested. In a similar situation, most of us would’ve chosen anger and bitterness, even called for retaliation. 

But Bates didn’t. She didn’t arm the students with hate but instead with hope. She didn’t use her house to plan revenge, but instead made it a safe haven for black students. 

There was a fire inside this woman, but she didn’t use it to burn our state down. Instead, she used it to bring light to our state’s darkest corners. 

Today, it can be hard to imagine those hot September days of 1957 and the burning anger some felt toward their fellow Arkansans. It reminds me of a visit I made with my parents when I was 11, to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Israel’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. 

I remember walking through those halls, seeing the unspeakable brutality committed during that dark time. And I remember at the end, pulling my father’s pen out of his shirt pocket, and signing Yad Vashem’s guest book. After writing my name and address, I wrote, “Why didn’t somebody do something?” It’s a question that still haunts me. 

Back in 1957, thankfully somebody did do something: Daisy Bates. She stood up to injustice. Amid all the hate and anger, she moved our state forward.

Daisy was the picture of courage, being willing to take on the fight because it was right, not because she knew she could win.  

Arkansans take a lot of pride in where we come from – the pioneers and patriots who built our state, the activists and advocates who changed it for the better. Daisy is one of those heroes. It’s why my dad established Daisy Gatson Bates Day, why we have Daisy Bates Elementary, Daisy Bates Drives and Daisy Bates scholarships.  

But outside of Arkansas, Bates is less well known – and it’s time to change that. This beautiful statue and this ceremony are a great place to start. Long after we’ve all retired from politics, Daisy will be standing here in these marble halls – reminding everyone of the long, difficult march it took to get us to this moment, and the importance of continuing that march forward. 

As you would expect, Daisy said it best when she said it herself: “Arkansas is the home of my birth, my growth, my identity as a woman in this world. It has claimed me from birth, I have claimed it for life.” Daisy has always claimed Arkansas andwe are proud to claim her back and have her represent all of us here in this special place.  

As Governor, and on behalf of the entire state of Arkansas, Daisy Bates makes us proud. Thank you, and may God bless the great State of Arkansas. 

International Avian Influenza and One Health Emerging Issues Summit set for fall 2024

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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses adapt to infect a broad range of species, including one recent human case, the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science has expanded the outlook for its second annual international conference.

AVIAN FLU SUMMIT — Highly pathogenic avian influenza has adapted to species other than poultry, prompting The Internatioanl Avian Influenza and One Health Emerging Issues Summit this fall in Fayetteville. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

The International Avian Influenza and One Health Emerging Issues Summit will be held in person and online, Sept. 30-Oct. 3, at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1371 W. Altheimer Dr., in Fayetteville.

“Avian influenza has adapted to mammalian species, and it is now endemic in the United States,” said Guillermo Tellez-Isaias, poultry science research professor for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “Now we see that migratory birds that were not susceptible in the past are dying, and wild birds are spreading the virus worldwide.”

Tellez-Isaias is one of 14 organizers for the summit, hosted by the Division of Agriculture and the University of Arkansas Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Last year, 23 speakers made presentations over two days, and 1,842 people registered from 81 countries. This year, the summit remains free and will have 46 speakers over four days.

“The One Health concept recognizes that everything that affects humans will impact animals and the environment,” Tellez-Isaias said. “We are all connected in this world.”

Expanded outlook

Knowing the virus could mutate, organizers of the summit had already expanded the outlook to include other species and emerging diseases prior to the March 25 outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, in dairy cows.

On April 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced it confirmed one human HPAI infection after exposure to dairy cattle in Texas. The CDC has also reported H5N1 in domestic cats in Kansas and Texas, which “reflects the continued spread of clade 2.3.4.4b viruses that entered the country in late 2021.”

The CDC’s risk assessment for the public remains “low.” However, like the virus that is thought to have originated in a Kansas army camp near the end of World War I and became known as the “Spanish flu,” HPAI viruses mutate and have the potential to inflict massive casualties.

Tellez-Isaias said H5N1 “hijacks the immune system and creates a tremendous inflammatory response like an anaphylactic shock” in its victims.

“That’s why you don’t see any clinical signs,” Tellez-Isaias said. “No respiratory, sneezy coughing, no lesions. Nothing. You can leave a poultry house, and everything seems fine, but when you come back in the morning, you have up to 100 percent mortality.”

Since January 2022, multiple HPAI viruses have infected millions of wild birds, commercial poultry flocks and more than two dozen species of terrestrial and marine mammals worldwide. This bird flu has also spread across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australia, Europe and Antarctica.

Emerging issues

Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Gallinarum, Inclusion Body Hepatitis, and Histomonas meleagridis, a protozoal parasite that causes histomonosis, will also be addressed by speakers as emerging issues in food production.

Histomonosis, also known as blackhead disease, is lethal in turkeys 12 to 14 weeks old. It was controlled by arsenic-based drugs in poultry feed from the 1940s to 2013, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration withdrew approval for three common formulas. The FDA removed another chemical formula from the market in 2015. There are currently no vaccinations to control histomonosis.

Event registration

To register for the summit, online or in-person, please click on “Registration” at the top of the event page. The capacity for in-person attendees is 150 people.

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.

Jim and Pat Wallis Pledge $500,000 to Establish a Professorship in Radiation Oncology at UAMS

By Andrew Vogler

LITTLE ROCK — James “Jim” Wallis and Patricia “Pat” Wallis pledged $500,000 to create the James and Patricia Wallis Professorship in Radiation Oncology in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine’s Department of Radiation Oncology.

“I want to thank Jim and Pat Wallis for their continued support of UAMS — through their philanthropy, they have shown their belief in this institution and a commitment to the people of Arkansas,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “A professorship is a profoundly beneficial instrument at the disposal of a department, supporting activities that advance the mission of UAMS. I hope Jim and Pat know that this will help many people well into the future.”

The gift was made to support the Future of UAMS and was inspired by Jim Wallis’s tumor treatment using proton therapy at the Proton Center in Oklahoma City. The professorship holder will be a faculty member of the Department of Radiation Oncology, elected by the chair of the department with approval by the dean of the College of Medicine.

Jim and Pat Wallis Pledge $500,000 to Establish a Professorship in Radiation Oncology at UAMS

Jim Wallis served as chairman, president and CEO of ExOK Inc., a company he founded in 1979, serving as chairman, president and CEO.

Gov. Sanders opposes DOD's proposal to weaken states' powers over National Guard

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

In a letter to the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the National Governors Association expressed their displeasure with the department’s proposed legislation to Congress to weaken the authority that governors have over the National Guard.

Fifty-three governors from the states and U.S territories signed onto the letter. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders was among the governors to sign onto the letter. The letter explains that this proposal would make it more difficult for governors to respond to crises. Last year, Sanders activated the Arkansas National Guard to help local officials respond to the tornado in Central Arkansas. She also deployed the National Guard to the Southern Border.

Gov. Sanders opposes DOD's proposal to weaken states' powers over National Guard

Arkansas National Guard

Sanders Receives Outdoor Recreation Leadership Award

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders received the first ever “Outdoor Recreation Leadership” award at the Outdoor Recreation Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, May 7th.

“I’m honored to receive the Outdoor Recreation Leadership award and earn recognition for all the progress my administration has made on growing Arkansas’ outdoor economy,” said Governor Sanders. “Alongside my husband, Bryan, I created the Natural State Initiative to invest in state parks, grow outdoor entrepreneurship, get kids off screens and outside, and show Arkansas’ natural beauty to the world. I’m proud that work is admired on the national level and look forward to inviting even more Arkansans and visitors into our outdoor spaces and breaking tourism records year after year.”

Prior to receiving the award, Governor Sanders participated in a roundtable discussion on outdoor recreation with U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum. Sanders’ spokeswoman, Alexa Henning, released the following readout of their conversation:

“Governor Sanders joined Senator Hickenlooper, Governor Burgum, and outdoor recreation leaders from around the country to discuss Arkansas’ progress on growing our outdoor economy. The Governor spoke about the Natural State Initiative, which she formed alongside her husband, Bryan, to unite public, private, and nonprofit leaders around growing Arkansas’ tourism industry and improving our natural spaces. She talked about the group’s legislative successes and how, as a nonpartisan issue, growing outdoor recreation is an opportunity to bring together leaders from around Arkansas and both sides of the aisle. She also talked about how important quality of life is for attracting newcomers to Arkansas and encouraging Arkansans to stay in the state, and how the outdoors offer an opportunity for kids to get off screens. The Governor mentioned that Arkansas, as a year-round outdoor destination, has the opportunity to compete with states like North Dakota and Colorado.”

Cooperative Extension Service to host artificial insemination training course for cattle producers

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

HOPE, Ark. — Artificial insemination is a powerful tool that cattle producers can use to improve efficiency and profitability in their herds.

CATTLE — Dr. Charles Looney, a leading expert in cattle genetics, leads workshops in artificial insemination. UADA photo

Charles Looney, extension professor of cattle improvement for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, is recognized internationally for his expertise in cattle genetics and reproductive technologies. On June 13-14, Looney will offer a hands-on training course to teach cattle producers how to use the technology.

The workshop will be offered at the Southwest Research and Extension Center, located at 362 Hwy 174 North in Hope, Arkansas. Topics to be covered include:

• Basic reproductive anatomy and physiology

• Estrous synchronization

• Semen handling

• Pregnancy determination methods

• Reproductive health

• Training in artificial insemination on live cattle

Looney also will provide information on nutrition, herd health and record keeping, basic reproductive anatomy and physiology, pregnancy determination methods and more.

The workshop will run 8 a.m.-5 p.m. the first day and 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on the second day. Registration is $450 and includes lunch. The registration deadline is June 11, and participants can register at https://uada.formstack.com/forms/beef_cattle_ai_2024

Workshop sponsors include Premier Select Sires, CattleMax, Nashville Animal Hospital, Zinpro and Purina. For more information, contact Charles Looney at clooney@uada.edu or 870-777-9702.

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.

Legal experts weigh in on the use of dicamba

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

One of the most controversial topics in the agriculture industry is the use of the herbicide dicamba. Many state and federal policies regarding dicamba have changed in recent years including a federal court decision in Arizona that questions the future use of over-the-top dicamba products. The three products targeted are XtendiMax, Engenia and Tavium.

“The Feb. 6 decision from the U.S. District Court of Arizona was another major development in the ongoing saga impacting producers’ methods for protecting their crops,” Brigit Rollins, staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, said. “Pending a possible appeal, producers will not be able to rely on over-the-top dicamba as they may have in the past.”

A week after the court ruling, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice that it would still allow producers to use existing stocks of over-the-top dicamba during the upcoming growing season.

Legal experts weigh in on the use of dicamba