NWS issues a Winter Storm Warning for southern and central Arkansas

Portions of the Winter Storm Watch have been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning, valid through the Thursday-Friday (January 9-10) timeframe. The Winter Storm Warning area currently encompasses where the highest confidence for impactful conditions exist. Changes and expansions to the watch and warning areas are still possible and should be expected!

• WHAT HAS CHANGED: Portions of the Winter Storm Watch have been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning, mainly including the southern half of the state (south of I-40). This largely includes where confidence of impactful snowfall is currently highest. Expansions of the warning are still possible!

• WHAT WE KNOW: A strong storm system is forecast to impact Arkansas Thursday morning through Friday evening bringing heavy snow across much of the state. Greatest confidence for impacts will be across west-central to central Arkansas.

• WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: Exact placement of greatest snow amounts, and where locally greater totals could occur due to banding. Where snow may change over to sleet, freezing rain, or just rain near the Louisiana border. Expect changes and refinement to the forecast!

Sanders Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Anticipated Severe Winter Weather

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME – GREETINGS:                          
 
DR 25-01: WINTER WEATHER EMERGENCY DECLARATION 
 
WHEREAS: On or about January 5, 2025, severe winter weather is expected to strike Arkansas and cause dangers, hardships, and suffering throughout the state, which in turn, warrants this executive action;
 
WHEREAS: Adverse circumstances could be brought to bear upon citizens and properties throughout the state as a result of such weather; 
 
WHEREAS: The weather-related conditions could create the need for commercial vehicles to haul heavy equipment, oversized loads, transformers, necessary hardware, and other transmission and distribution equipment for the purpose of restoring utility services to the citizens of the State of Arkansas;
 
WHEREAS: The weather-related conditions could result in a backlog of deliveries by commercial vehicles transporting essential items of commerce to customers in Arkansas; and
 
WHEREAS: Pursuant to 49 CFR §390.23, a motor carrier or driver operating a commercial motor vehicle shall be exempt from 49 CFR §§ 395.3 and 395.5 for up to 14 days following the declaration of an emergency by the Governor of a State, so long as the motor carrier or driver is providing direct assistance in response to the declared emergency.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Arkansas and pursuant to Act 511 of 1973, as amended, do hereby declare:

1. That a state of emergency exists in the State of Arkansas as applied to commercial vehicles hauling heavy equipment, oversized loads, transformers, necessary hardware, and other transmission and distribution equipment for the purpose of restoring service to citizens and properties in Arkansas; 

2. To commercial carriers transporting essential items of commerce to customers in Arkansas during this emergency, including but not limited to groceries, pharmacy items, medical equipment, goods, commodities, fuel, poultry, livestock, and feed;

3. That a state of emergency exists in the State of Arkansas as applied to emergency response vehicles, such as, but not limited to, utility vehicles, bucket trucks, and electric utility supply trucks responding to the storms and related damage. These emergency response vehicles are authorized to bypass all Arkansas Department of Transportation weigh station facilities through January 13, 2025. This authorization does not include vehicles that require permits to operate on Arkansas’ roadways. This authorization does not relieve size and weight restrictions. This declaration only applies to weigh stations and to vehicles traveling in convoy; and

4. This emergency shall remain in effect until January 13, 2025, unless otherwise terminated by amendment to this order.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 4th day of January, in the year of our Lord 2025.

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: 2% tourism tax revenue on pace to set new record

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax revenue between January and August was $18.392 million, up 5.2% compared with the $17.482 million in the same period of 2023. The August revenue of $2.254 million set a new record for the month. A record for monthly 2% collections was set in June with $2.839 million.

Of the top five counties in terms of 2% tax collections, Pulaski and Garland counties posted declines of 0.83% and 2.68%, respectively. Benton County posted the largest percentage increase among the top five counties at 14.76%.

The 2% tourism tax revenue in 2023 was $25.446 million, up 5.8% compared with the $24.049 million in 2023. Revenue in each month of 2023 set a new record, with those gains compared to record numbers in 2023.

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: 2% tourism tax revenue on pace to set new record

Jan. 15 webinar to discuss impact of 2024 elections on ag law, policy

By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With the 2018 Farm Bill having expired and an election cycle that has come and gone, what’s on the horizon for agricultural law and policy?

According to Hunt Shipman, principal and director at Cornerstone Government Affairs, one word encapsulates what can be expected: change.

“Election cycles bring with them many changes that have lasting impacts,” Shipman said. “With new members of Congress, as well as narrow Republican control of the White House and narrow control of Congress, among many other factors, 2025 is set to be very impactful for agricultural law and policy.”

On Jan. 15, Shipman will present the National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC, webinar, titled “Looking Ahead: Impact of the 2024 Elections on Ag Law and Policy.”

During the National Ag Law Center’s Jan. 15 webinar, Hunt Shipman, principal and director at Cornerstone Government Affairs, will discuss what the country’s recent political changes mean for the future of agriculture. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Mary Hightower)

Shipman brings an insider’s view to this webinar. He has served in the agriculture law and policy industry for more than two decades, with roles in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Senate Agriculture Committee and more. In 2002, he was USDA’s principal negotiator with Congress on the 2002 Farm Bill.

“Change in government impacts agriculture across the country,” Shipman said. “It’s important for agricultural stakeholders to grasp what is ahead amidst changing structures.”

The presentation will begin at 11 a.m. Central/Noon Eastern. Registration is free of charge online on the NALC website.

“Hunt has years of experience working on Capitol Hill and knows where things stand, as well as great perspective on where they are heading,” NALC Director Harrison Pittman said. “From administration, to policy and regulatory landscape, to the Farm Bill and beyond, Hunt offers valuable insight.”

Shipman said he looks forward to discussing what the country’s recent political changes mean for the future of agriculture.

“We’ll also discuss who is or who may be involved in agriculture under the Trump Administration, potential regulatory changes, along with what the path forward to reauthorize the Farm Bill may look like, as the 2018 Farm Bill expired in September,” he said.

For information about the NALC, visit nationalaglawcenter.org. The NALC is also on X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Subscribe online to receive NALC Communications, including webinar announcements, the NALC’s Quarterly Newsletter, and The Feed, which highlights recent developments in agricultural law and policy.

About the National Agricultural Law Center 

Created by Congress in 1987, the National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, agribusinesses, state and federal policymakers, lenders, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, students, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.

The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.

Two Transplant Surgeons Join UAMS

By Linda Satter

LITTLE ROCK — John R. Montgomery, M.D., and Tsukasa Nakamura, M.D., Ph.D., have joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as liver, kidney and pancreas transplant surgeons. Both will also serve as assistant professors in the College of Medicine Department of Surgery.

Montgomery comes to UAMS from New York City, where he completed a two-year fellowship in abdominal transplant surgery at New York University’s Langone Medical Center. Previously, he completed a residency in general surgery at the University of Michigan Medicine, which is a research university in Ann Arbor, and a research fellowship at the University of Michigan’s Center for Healthcare Outcomes & Policy (CHOP).

Nakamura joins UAMS from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where he completed fellowships in transplant surgery and transplant surgery research, and performed numerous liver and kidney transplant surgeries, including robotic-assisted surgeries.

Two Transplant Surgeons Join UAMS

John R. Montgomery, M.D., (left) and Tsukasa Nakamura, M.D., Ph.D.

Incoming Chairman Hill announces new Staff Director of the House Financial Services Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Incoming House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR) today announced that Ben Johnson will serve as his Staff Director of the House Financial Services Committee.

Johnson has worked in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly a decade. He most recently served as Staff Director for the House Small Business Committee, where he was responsible for managing the Committee staff and advancing Chairman Roger William’s priorities. Prior to joining the House Small Business Committee, Johnson handled the financial services portfolios for Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX) and Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM).

New Staff Director of the House Financial Services Committee Ben Johnson

“I have known Ben throughout my decade in Congress and have watched his impressive career progress. From his early days managing the financial services portfolios of Rep. Williams and Rep. Pearce to his most recent role as Staff Director on the House Small Business Committee, Ben possesses a deep understanding of American businesses, families, and seniors having access to business capital, mortgage credit, and investment advice and services. His time on the House Small Business Committee, paired with his decade of deep legislative knowledge in Congress, will make him an outstanding Staff Director of the House Financial Services Committee. I look forward to working with him as my Staff Director and watching his career continue to evolve as a leader on my Committee.”  

Cotton to Garland: The DOJ is targeting cops while ignoring criminals

Washington, D.C.— Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland condemning the Department of Justice for its recent push to impose federal consent decrees on multiple police stations across the country. This gross overreach undermines public safety and our police. 

In part, Senator Cotton wrote:

“No police department—like any human institution—is without flaw, but federal consent decrees have a well-established and atrocious record of increasing crime and endangering law-abiding citizens. Violent crime has surged in seven out of twelve cities that entered federal consent decrees since 2012. For instance, violent crime soared by 61 percent in Los Angeles County, 36 percent in Albuquerque, 27 percent in Seattle, 20 percent in New Orleans, and 19 percent in Maricopa County. 

Your department is reportedly nearest to entering consent decrees with Minneapolis and Louisville, where murders have already reached record highs in recent years. The last thing these cities need is unqualified defund-the-police radicals like Kristen Clarke micromanaging their police departments for the next ten years.”

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

The Honorable Merrick Garland

U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Washington, DC 20530 

Dear Attorney General Garland, 

I write to express my deep concern with your department’s attempted last-minute takeover of a dozen police departments across the country using federal consent decrees. 

According to The Washington Post, your department has opened “pattern or practice” investigations into twelve state and local law-enforcement agencies in a rush to gain federal control of these agencies before President Biden leaves office.

No police department—like any human institution—is without flaw, but federal consent decrees have a well-established and atrocious record of increasing crime and endangering law-abiding citizens. Violent crime has surged in seven out of twelve cities that entered federal consent decrees since 2012. For instance, violent crime soared by 61 percent in Los Angeles County, 36 percent in Albuquerque, 27 percent in Seattle, 20 percent in New Orleans, and 19 percent in Maricopa County. 

Your department is reportedly nearest to entering consent decrees with Minneapolis and Louisville, where murders have already reached record highs in recent years. The last thing these cities need is unqualified defund-the-police radicals like Kristen Clarke micromanaging their police departments for the next ten years. 

Crime has risen during the Biden administration and your tenure as Attorney General. We should be arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating criminals—not handcuffing our police. I object to your efforts to perpetuate this administration’s failed policies. I urge you to drop these midnight lawsuits and let the new administration get about the business of protecting Americans from violent criminals. 

Sincerely, 

Tom Cotton
United States Senator 

Six Fort Smith police officers fired after hazing investigation

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

The Fort Smith Police Department announced Monday (Jan. 6) that six officers have been terminated “for a range of sustained Civil Service violations” related to hazing new officers and lying during an investigation of the hazing.

Allegations were brought to the department’s Office of Professional Standards on Dec. 10, 2024. According to the FSPD, the allegations included “hazing, belittling, and dangerous ‘horseplay’ by certain officers assigned to the night shift patrol. The investigation, ordered by FSPD Chief Danny Baker found a “pattern of serious misconduct involving potentially criminal acts, hazardous behavior, and harassment of newer officers,” according to the department.

The officers dismissed, along with month and year they were hired, are Rodrigo Roque (August 2023), Michael D’Agostino (February 2023), Danny Nacalaban (August 2021), Seth Dominic (February 2023), Johnne Le (May 2022), and Dalton Tucker (February 2023).

Six Fort Smith police officers fired after hazing investigation

President Biden blocks U.S. Steel sale to Nippon

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Citing national security concerns, President Joe Biden has blocked the sale of U.S. Steel to Japanese-based Nippon Steel Corporation. The $15 billion deal, more than a year in the making, was halted by the president on Friday (Jan. 3).

“We need major U.S. companies representing the major share of US steelmaking capacity to keep leading the fight on behalf of America’s national interests,” Biden said in a released statement.

Both U.S. Steel and Nippon immediately threatened legal action. In a jointly released statement, the two steel manufacturers said there is no threat to national security and this was a politically motivated move.

President Biden blocks U.S. Steel sale to Nippon

UAMS Receives $2.9 Million NIH Grant to Study Virus that Can Trigger Cancers

By David Robinson

LITTLE ROCK — A discovery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) that a viral protein helps a cancer-associated herpesvirus evade the immune system has led to a five-year, $2.9 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Craig Forrest, Ph.D., will use the grant to help reveal functions of the viral protein known as latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA). The research is focused on LANA’s roles during infection by the gamma herpesvirus known as Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

Forrest, a professor in the College of Medicine Department of Microbiology and Immunology, hopes the work will someday lead to a vaccine for Kaposi sarcoma and other cancers caused by gamma herpesviruses.

UAMS Receives $2.9 Million NIH Grant to Study Virus that Can Trigger Cancers

UAMS researcher Craig Forrest, Ph.D. (center), and his lab team hope their work will ultimately lead to a cancer vaccine. With Forrest are (l-r) Sheldon Zeltner, Chandra Penthala, Shana Owens, Ph.D., and Steven Murdock, Jr. Image by Bryan Clifton

Farm aid could be on the way with proposed Continuing Resolution

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

LITTLE ROCK – Amid worries that an expired Farm Bill would leave farmers without an economic safety net, Congressional leadership released a Continuing Resolution Tuesday that includes $10 billion for crop producers. 

FARM AID -- Nine program crops covered in the Continuing Resolution are relevant to Arkansas farmers.

This new agricultural aid package follows the payment mechanism laid out by the previously proposed Farmer Revenue Assistance Mitigation Act. Hunter Biram, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture said the payments are based on three key variables: National season-average price reported, 10-year national average yield and 2024 cost of production.  

“Two key elements of this payment mechanism differ from the FARM Act,” Biram said. “The payment factor has been reduced from 60 percent to 26 percent of the estimated economic loss. However, a minimum payment has been included.”  

Biram said the minimum payment will be the product of 8 percent of the statutory reference price laid out in the 2014 and 2018 farm bills and the national Price Loss Coverage payment yield to be determined by USDA. 

“Among the nine program crops that are relevant to farmers in the southeast, three should expect to see the minimum payment be greater than the estimated payment,” Biram said. “This includes barley, peanuts and rice. The other six program crops considered will receive the estimated payment per acre. These include corn, cotton, grain sorghum, pats, soybeans and wheat.”  

Although the resolution has been the subject of much discussion, Biram said it is important to remember it still has to pass. 

“The deadline to pass a funding bill to avoid a government shutdown is Dec. 20,” he said. “While Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) have both  voiced support for economic assistance to farmers, there has been opposition from GOP hardliners who have voiced frustrations over not pushing funding issues to 2025. 

“Economic assistance seems likely, but we will not know with full certainty until the bill passes. The situation is very fluid,” Biram said. 

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.  

Education, maternal health, mental health will spark debate among Arkansas lawmakers in 2025

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas Republican lawmakers will continue championing Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ policy priorities during the 2025 legislative session, while Democrats hope to secure enough support to pass a wide-ranging agenda despite the ongoing GOP supermajority in both chambers, according to legislative leaders.

The Senate will be “largely a photocopy of itself” in January compared to the 2023 session, said Minority Leader Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville. Republicans will hold 29 Senate seats while Democrats will have six for the second consecutive session; Democrats gained one House seat in November and will have 19 to Republicans’ 81.

House Democrats presented their four-pronged policy agenda in November, focusing on maternal health care, mental health care, public education and access to voting and direct democracy. House Minority Leader Andrew Collins, D-Little Rock, has since filed 36 bills and three resolutions addressing aspects of all four priorities. Rep. Denise Ennett, D-Little Rock, is the only other Democrat to have filed legislation.

Education, maternal health, mental health will spark debate among Arkansas lawmakers in 2025

John Sykes/Arkansas Avocate

FILE PHOTO OF STATE CAPITOL John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate 02/15/2023

LeadAR leadership program accepting applications

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — LeadAR, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s leadership program, is accepting applications for its next class of leaders. The in-depth learning experience covers economic and social issues impacting communities throughout the state.

LEARN TO LEAD — Founded in 1984, LeadAR is the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's leadership program. Applications are open for the next class of leaders, and the 18-month program's alumni include farmers, educators, state legislators and more. (Division of Agriculture graphic.) 

Operated by the Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach and teaching arm of the Division of Agriculture, the 18-month LeadAR program will include two-day seminars in multiple regions of the state. Topics will include infrastructure and public health, natural resources, public policy and media, community and economic development and many more.

“Through the LeadAR program, participants receive a unique, hands-on experience in skill development,” said Julie Robinson, extension professor and LeadAR director for the Division of Agriculture. “They will gain a better understanding of local issues, which helps them see policy impacts at the community, state and national level.”

Robinson said participants can also expect to gain a better understanding of the legislative process and improve their leadership skills with research-proven tools.

Founded in 1984, LeadAR celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. It was originally modeled after the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s leadership training program. LeadAR now has more than 500 hundred alumni serving as leaders in their communities throughout Arkansas, especially in rural and agricultural areas.

Each applicant must be an Arkansas resident and must be 25 years old by the date of the first seminar. As many as 30 participants will be selected for the upcoming class, with a goal of including 50 percent rural residents, 25 percent urban residents and 25 percent agriculture professionals.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 7. The application can be found at uaex.uada.edu/leadar/. The program’s advisory council will conduct interviews in February, and all applicants will be notified of the Class 21 selections by March 7, 2025.  

Local, national and international perspectives

LeadAR Class 21 members will participate in a mock legislative session at the Arkansas State Capitol. They will then travel to Washington, D.C. in September 2025 for a week-long tour, where they will meet with officials representing government agencies, nonprofits and industry. They will also meet with the Arkansas congressional delegation and aides to discuss issues in their own communities.

The program culminates in September 2026 with an international study tour, during which participants will study political dynamics and how global issues impact Arkansas. Since its founding, LeadAR class members have visited 34 countries, including Morocco, Portugal, Greece, Bolivia, Canada, Australia and Vietnam, among others.

LeadAR participants will also work on a leadership service project throughout the program, focusing on creating positive change in their communities. Past projects have included building a local library and developing the annual Goat Festival in Perryville, Arkansas.

The LeadAR alumni network includes farmers, educators, state legislators, city council members, school board members and more. LeadAR is supported by program alumni, corporate donors, foundations and the Division of Agriculture. The cost to participants is $3,500, which covers seminar expenses, most lodging, meals and travel expenses. Class members are encouraged to seek tuition support from outside sources, such as their employer, and scholarships are available to help participants with payment.

To learn more about LeadAR and to apply, visit uaex.uada.edu/leadar or contact Julie Robinson, LeadAR director, or Lisa Davis, program coordinator, by emailing LeadAR@uada.edu.

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

Arkansas awarded $17 million grant to support maternal health initiatives

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

Arkansas has been awarded a $17 million grant, the Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Human Services announced Monday (Jan. 6).

Applying for the TMaH grant was among the recommendations made by the Strategic Committee for Maternal Health established by Gov. Sarah Sanders’ executive order last year. The funds will support efforts to improve the health of pregnant women, new mothers, and babies, the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) said.

The grant will provide the funding over 10 years to several state Medicaid agencies, including Arkansas, with a goal of reducing disparities in access and treatment.

Arkansas awarded $17 million grant to support maternal health initiatives

Winter Storm Watch for Arkansas Thursday and Friday

Western to southwestern Arkansas and the Ouachita Mountains is expected to see the greatest snowfall accumulations.

• WHAT HAS CHANGED: • Forecast liquid-equivalent (QPF) was increased across the forecast area, which has increased forecast snowfall amounts. • A Winter Storm Watch has been issued across portions of western, southwestern, and central Arkansas, following the areas of highest confidence for winter weather impacts Thursday through Friday (January 9-10).

• WHAT WE KNOW: • A strong storm system is forecast to move across the southern Gulf Coast Thursday through Friday, and is expected to bring impactful winter weather to the state. • Greatest confidence for impacts remains across western to southwestern Arkansas.

• WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: • There is still uncertainty regarding the exact placement of where the greatest snowfall amounts could occur. This will be addressed over the next few runs of forecast data. • There is also uncertainty across the Arkansas/Louisiana border region with regard to mixed precip types (freezing rain versus wintry mix). Expect changes and refinement to the forecast!

Confidence continues to increase on an impactful winter storm across the state during the Thursday-Friday timeframe (January 9-10). New updates with this briefing include the issuance of a Winter Storm Watch for a large portion of the state. 

 The greatest impacts are currently expected across western to southwestern, and portions of central Arkansas. Expect changes to the footprint of greatest snowfall accumulations, and the Winter Storm Watch!

UAMS Receives $1.9 Million Department of Justice Grant for Emergency Response Program in Little Rock Schools

Dec. 30, 2024 | LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) Institute for Digital Health & Innovation has received a three-year, $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to create a community-based emergency response program in Little Rock schools.

“We are grateful to have been awarded these funds by the Department of Justice and look forward to improving safety infrastructure for our partner schools,” said Joseph Sanford, M.D., the institute’s director.

The Little Rock Violence Intervention and Safety Innovative Outreach Network (LR VISION) will implement advanced safety technologies, including behavioral threat assessments, to manage and intervene in potential threats early. It will provide campus digital mapping to enhance emergency responses, anonymous reporting systems that are safe and confidential, and comprehensive site assessments to identify and address safety concerns within school infrastructures.

UAMS Receives $1.9 Million Department of Justice Grant for Emergency Response Program in Little Rock Schools

The UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation is working on a community-based emergency response program for the Little Rock School District.

Arkansas Clean Plant Center leads global effort to wipe ‘phantom agents’ from pathogen regulatory lists

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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Wiping “phantom agents” from a list of suspected plant pathogens would improve agricultural efficiency and food security by updating regulations on international shipment of pathogen-free plant materials destined for countries where they are needed.

Phantom agents are suspected pathogens that have been reported in scientific literature going back to the early 1900s with no real evidence they exist, according to Ioannis Tzanetakis, professor of plant virology for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and director of the Arkansas Clean Plant Center. The experiment station is the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

PHANTOM AGENTS — Scientists around the globe have called for reform in testing some regulated pathogens because there is no way to accurately test for them. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

The Arkansas Clean Plant Center led the efforts of a team of 185 agricultural scientists from more than 40 countries that test for plant pathogens. They are calling for the removal of more than 120 phantom agents from regulation lists because they are outdated and impede access to plant materials clean of pathogens. Clean plants are needed for the sustainable production of crops.

India, for example, is the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world, but its lack of disease-free propagation material limits its yield potential, Tzanetakis said.

Most of these phantom agents were described before modern molecular techniques, and there are no samples or genome sequences available to study them. Despite the lack of evidence of their existence, the suspected pathogens made their way into international regulations that control the shipment of plant materials.

The result, Tzanetakis said, is a confusing mix of real and phantom agents on regulatory lists that must be ruled out by the sender before plants can be shipped from country to country.

“We have tried to clean the list of regulated pathogens to make this process much more mainstream,” Tzanetakis said. “What we call phantom agents are names where there’s not really any knowledge of what they are, nor are there any places on this planet where you can go pick this plant and say it is infected with agent X.”

In a Plant Disease article recently published by the American Phytopathological Society, Tzanetakis and a broad host of co-authors identify phantom agents in eight crops that still appear on regulated pathogen lists even though there is no way to accurately test for them.

The article is titled “Streamlining Global Germplasm Exchange: Integrating Scientific Rigor and Common Sense to Exclude Phantom Agents from Regulation.”

“With today’s technology, if an indicator plant shows symptoms, it would undergo analysis by high-throughput sequencing, also known as HTS,” Tzanetakis explained. “If this process identifies a novel agent, it’s unlikely to be attributed to a phantom. Instead, it would be recognized as a new pathogen of the host. As a result, phantom agents tend to persist indefinitely.”

High-throughput sequencing is a scientific method that allows researchers to quickly sequence DNA from a large numbers of samples and/or organisms simultaneously.

Start clean, stay clean

The Arkansas Clean Plant Center, or ACPC for short, is the newest center for berries in the National Clean Plant Network. The network, also known as the NCPN, was created to protect U.S. specialty crops from the spread of economically harmful plant pests and diseases. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds the NCPN, which includes scientists, educators, state and federal regulators, nurseries and growers who work together to make sure plant propagation material is clean and available.

Labs like the Arkansas Clean Plant Center conduct testing to identify and verify the presence of plant pathogens like those on regulatory lists. The ACPC also provides “clean-up” services to ensure that plant material is the best quality possible before providing it to nurseries, breeding companies and growers.

Tzanetakis said cleaning plant material might be responsible for the elimination of some of the pathogens on the list of phantom agents. Suspected pathogens could also be caused by either a single or multiple viruses now known under a different name, or possibly even eliminated through resistance in modern cultivars.

For example, among the list of phantom agents is “Strawberry band mosaic virus,” something described as a disease once in Hungary in the 1960s on an old cultivar by its display of symptoms based on a single picture present in a publication.

REFORM CALL —  Ioannis Tzanetakis is professor of plant virology for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and director of the Arkansas Clean Plant Center. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

“Given the limited information provided in the single report, the agent cannot be studied further,” Tzanetakis and his co-authors noted.

The ACPC lab is one of only two in the National Clean Plant Network with in-house HTS capabilities, which streamlines the testing and clean-up processes for breeding lines that improve quality control in pathogen testing.

The goal, Tzanetakis said, is to improve crop production and ensure that farmers have access to high-quality, disease-free plants without unnecessary obstacles.

“Those regulations are in place even though we have so many better tools to test for a disease,” Tzanetakis said.

New tools in the toolbox

Tzanetakis said that NCPN labs like the Arkansas Clean Plant Center are designed to test for and eliminate viruses from plants.

Once the plants are “clean” — that is, free from systemic pathogens like viruses — the ACPC maintains “G1” — Generation 1 — materials to offer “the highest level of protection against re-infection by systemic pathogens,” Tzanetakis added.

“This ensures the long-term maintenance of G1 materials, providing breeders and stakeholders with confidence in the quality and integrity of their advanced selections,” Tzanetakis said.

Along with HTS-based virus diagnostic tools and robotics for nucleic acid extraction, Tzanetakis noted that the ACPC is also staffed by a team of experts.

The collective experience, facilities, equipment and staff, Tzanetakis said, add up to “smooth virus elimination operations, offering solutions for selections that are difficult to propagate in vitro, while also keeping pace with and tailoring new protocols for virus elimination.”

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

Arkansas Supreme Court majority blocks chief justice’s attempt to fire 10 judiciary employees

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Two days after being sworn in, the Arkansas Supreme Court’s new chief justice attempted to fire several employees of the state court system, which a majority of the court claimed was inappropriate, “unnecessary and unfortunate.”

Five of six associate justices — Rhonda Wood, Barbara Webb, Shawn Womack, Cody Hiland and Nicholas Bronni — issued an administrative order Friday saying Chief Justice Karen Baker did not have the authority to fire 10 Administrative Office of the Courts employees for whom she’d prepared termination letters.

Some AOC employees, including the director, cannot be terminated without approval from at least four of the Supreme Court’s seven members, the five justices stated. Other workers cannot be fired without the AOC director’s approval, which Director Marty Sullivan did not give.

Arkansas Supreme Court majority blocks chief justice’s attempt to fire 10 judiciary employees

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock.

Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame to add 6

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

Six inductees will be added to the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame, reflective of industry-changing work in aquaculture, forestry, rice, poultry and cattle as well as the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

The six inductees that make up Class XXXVII are:

• Aubrey Blackmon of Houston, a founding member of Perry County Cattlemen’s Association in 1970 and recipient of the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association lifetime service achievement award in 2012;

• Carl Brothers of Stuttgart, who spent 53 years with Riceland Foods, retiring as senior vice president and chief operating officer and whose leadership was instrumental in passage of the 1985 farm bill, also known as the Food Security Act of 1985;

• Chuck Culver of Fayetteville, retired University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture executive who helped secure more than He helped secure more than $600 million in public and private funding for agriculture research and extension projects;

• Mike Freeze of Little Rock, co-owner and operator of Keo Fish Farms — America’s largest producer of hybrid striped bass fry and fingerlings — who helped Arkansas become one of the top three states in aquaculture production;

• The late Jack Reaper of Albion, who was a prisoner of war in a German concentration camp before starting with a 24-acre farm in White County and growing it into a model farm that included poultry, cattle and row crops; and

• Frank Wilson of Rison, who began planting pine trees with his dad more than 70 years ago and started Wilson Brothers Lumber Company in 1972, followed by several logging companies and other timber industry enterprises offering more than 100 jobs in rural Cleveland County.

Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame to add 6

Weekly update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Maternal health will likely be a key focus of the 2025 Regular Session of the Arkansas General Assembly as lawmakers work to address an ongoing challenge in our state. 

Addressing maternal health will not only save lives but will also strengthen Arkansas families and communities. Currently, Arkansas faces one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation. More than 60% of Arkansas counties have limited maternity care, and many counties have none at all. Limited access to quality health care before, during, and after pregnancy creates serious risks for families. 

In March 2024, Governor Sanders signed an Executive Order to Support Moms, Protect Babies, and Improve Maternal Health. The order established the Arkansas Strategic Committee for Maternal Health, which brought together over 100 stakeholders representing organizations from across the state. 

The committee's comprehensive report offers several recommendations to address the maternal health crisis, including:

• Creating Medicaid pathways for doulas and community health workers as provider types with reimbursable services.

• Expanding prenatal care services at local health units where care is currently limited or unavailable.

• Establishing a Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowship and exploring the creation of obstetrics and gynecology residencies and a school of midwifery in Arkansas.

• Considering the establishment of maternal health homes and expanding the Life360 Maternity Care Homes program.

The proposals represent solutions to combat the maternal health disparities affecting our communities and ensure that every Arkansan has access to the support and care they need during one of life’s most critical moments. The Governor’s budget proposal also includes $13 million in new Medicaid funding for recommendations made by the committee. 

The General Assembly will convene on January 13, 2025. All meetings of the House of Representatives will be streamed live and available for replay at arkansashouse.org.