Attorney General Griffin launches Operation Obscured Vision to fight human trafficking statewide

Griffin: ‘January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the best way to prevent human trafficking and rescue its victims is to combat it on one of its key fronts: illicit massage parlors’

Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing the execution of search warrants at 12 locations across the state as part of Operation Obscured Vision to combat human trafficking, resulting in aid provided to 16 victims, the arrest of four individuals, and the seizure of nearly $70,000 and a luxury vehicle:

“January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the best way to prevent human trafficking and rescue its victims is to combat it on one of its key fronts: illicit massage parlors.

“Operation Obscured Vision was coordinated by my office’s Special Investigations Division and executed by local law enforcement and victim advocates groups to expose the pervasive issue of illicit massage parlors in Arkansas, rescue the victims of human trafficking, and permanently end the presence of illicit massage parlors in our state.

“Many of the women working in these illicit massage parlors are coerced to do so. One victim we interviewed stated that she is forced to work seven days a week, 13 hours per day.

“I am proud to announce that local law enforcement, with coordination by my office, executed 12 search warrants at illicit massage parlors in Jonesboro, Russellville, Hot Springs, Rogers, Harrison, and a Little Rock hotel. I congratulate the local police officers, sheriff’s deputies, the Arkansas State Police, and Special Agents in my office for successfully executing this operation.

“I appreciate the efforts of victim’s advocates and the Arkansas Department of Health, who provided language interpreters, nursing services, and other support to help victims receive comprehensive and coordinated assistance to ensure their safety and support their journey toward independence and recovery. Seventeen victims ranging in age from 29-65 were identified in the operation, sixteen accepted services from medical staff and victim’s advocates.

“I am grateful to members of the Arkansas General Assembly and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders for their support of adding a full-time human trafficking investigator to my office. That Special Agent worked tirelessly to coordinate this operation, and it wouldn’t have happened without the agent’s efforts.

“This operation is just a first step. The intelligence and evidence obtained through Operation Obscured Vision will be used in ongoing investigations and will aid in targeting similar massage parlors elsewhere in the state. The criminals who run these establishments and the men who patronize them are on notice. We are coming for you, and we will put an end to this horrific practice of exploiting women through human trafficking.”

Four women were arrested as part of Operation Obscured Vision.

• Haiyan Lu, 54, of Harrison, one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree

• Qing Chen, 53, of Jonesboro, one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree

• Hongliang Cai, 55, of Jonesboro, one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree

• Chunli Wang, 50, of Rogers, one count of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree

Law enforcement seized nearly $70,000 during the operation. Additionally, ¥1,870 in Chinese currency was seized in Russellville. A Mercedes-Benz vehicle was seized in Rogers.

Participating law enforcement agencies in Operation Obscured Vision included:

• Arkansas Attorney General’s Office Special Investigations Division

• Arkansas State Police

• Arkansas State Fusion Center

• Jonesboro Police Department

• Harrison Police Department

• Rogers Police Department

• Benton County Sheriff’s Office

• Russellville Police Department

• Little Rock Police Department

• Hot Springs Police Department

Prosecuting Attorneys participating in Operation Obscured Vision include:

• Sonia Hagood, Second Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

• Jeff Phillips, Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

• Will Jones, Sixth Judicial Prosecuting Attorney

• David Ethredge, Fourteenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

• Michelle Lawrence, Eighteenth-East Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

• Bryan Sexton, Nineteenth-West Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

Advocate groups participating in Operation Obscured Vision included:

• Arkansas Human Trafficking Council

• Into the Light

• Freedom Finders

• Hope Found

• NWA Forensic Nursing Team/REACH

• NWA Sexual Assault Center

• We Are Free

• Regional Intervention of Sexual Exploitation (RISE)

• Children’s Protection Center (CPC) Little Rock

Four-state beef cattle conference to cover herd expansion, cattle markets

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – Extension specialists from Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas are partnering for the 2025 KOMA Beef Cattle Conference.

MARKET UPDATE – Derrell Peel, Professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University will provide the keynote address at the 2025 KOMA Conference, covering herd expansion and market impacts.

The conference, co-hosted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University and the University of Missouri, is a one-day conference providing research updates from extension specialists, professors and graduate students from all four states. There are two opportunities to attend – Feb. 18 in Parsons, Kansas, and Feb. 19 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Each will have identical programs.

“We have an exciting lineup this year of expert-led presentations and discussions,” said Maggie Justice, beef production specialist for the Division of Agriculture. “We’ll get the latest update on cutting-edge research in cattle feeding, supplementation, reproduction and more.”

Justice said attendees can expect valuable takeaways on optimizing nutrition, enhancing reproductive efficiency and improving grazing practices.

“With the thin profit margins our producers have been seeing, cattle markets are on everyone’s mind,” Justice said. “A key highlight of the event will be the keynote address from Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University who will share his expertise on herd expansion and the impact it will have on the market.”

Cost to attend is $20 with lunch included. Those interested in attending in Arkansas can register online. An agenda will be coming soon.

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

Arkansas refugee resettlement disrupted as Trump administration suspends program

Dozens of refugees scheduled to travel to Northwest Arkansas over the next two months had their flights cancelled a week before an executive order was set to go in effect. “We weren’t expecting it–that’s not what the executive order said,” said Joanna Krause. “The impact has been devastating.”

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Joanna Krause is the Executive Director of Canopy NWA, a refugee resettlement agency based in Fayetteville. She spoke with Little Rock Public Radio Friday, at the end of a week she described as “incredibly difficult.”

President Donald Trump halted refugee resettlement in the U.S. with an executive order last Monday, disrupting travel plans for hundreds of refugees recently approved to come to the United States. 11 families assigned to Northwest Arkansas now have no clear path to resettlement.

Arkansas refugee resettlement disrupted as Trump administration suspends program

‘90 for 90’ Graceland exhibit offers new Elvis artifacts

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

It was the moment Gladys and Vernon Presley had been waiting for. She was set to give birth to the couple’s first child in the early morning hours on Jan. 8, 1935. Exuberance turned to horror.

The couple’s first little boy, Jessie, was stillborn. The infant was placed in a box and taken to the kitchen. Vernon and his brother had built the ramshackle house in east Tupelo, Miss., the year before for only $180. It had no running water or electricity.

There was little time to mourn. A second child was on the way. Elvis Aaron Presley was born 35 minutes later. After the death of his brother, Elvis would remain an only child. Gladys and Vernon never had another.

That one child would become one of the greatest musicians and one of the most recognizable cultural icons of all-time.

‘90 for 90’ Graceland exhibit offers new Elvis artifacts

House passes Womack cosponsored bill protecting life

Washington, DC—Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) last week voted to support H.R. 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, legislation he cosponsored to protect the right to life by ensuring that infants born alive after an attempted abortion receive the same standard of care as any other newborn.

Congressman Womack said, “Life is a sacred gift worth protecting. Babies who’ve suffered from an attempted abortion must receive the highest standard of care to have a chance at survival after birth. It’s our moral responsibility. This bill requires healthcare practitioners to administer lifesaving medical care to all babies, regardless of the circumstance. I will continue to fight to protect the vulnerable and the fundamental right to life.”

Details:

• While federal law establishes that every infant who survives an abortion is considered a person, it does not hold medical professionals responsible when they elect not to help these newborns.

• H.R. 21 requires that healthcare practitioners who are present at a live birth following an abortion or attempted abortion must provide necessary skill and care to preserve the life and health of the child. After those efforts, the healthcare worker must immediately transport and admit the child to a hospital.

  • Failure to provide this standard of care could result in criminal penalties for an offending healthcare provider, including fines and up to five years in prison.

  • Further, a healthcare practitioner who intentionally kills or attempts to kill an abortion survivor is subject to prosecution for murder.

• This legislation also bars prosecution of the mother of the child born alive and authorizes mothers of abortion survivors to bring a civil cause of action against a healthcare provider who violates this standard.

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Boozman, Sheehy, Van Hollen introduce Bipartisan Legislation to assist veterans with home ownership

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced the bipartisan VA Home Loan Awareness Act to help more veterans take advantage of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loan program and achieve home ownership. 

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The VA Home Loan program offers veterans no down payment, no private mortgage insurance and interest rates that are often lower than rates for conventional FHA loans. Despite these benefits, only 13 percent of veterans access the VA Home Loan program. Among veterans who don’t use the VA Home Loan program, 33 percent say they are not aware of the program.

“By making extra effort to inform veterans of the benefits they have earned, we can help the men and women who have served fulfill the American dream of home ownership,” said Boozman. “The VA Home Loan program has been historically underutilized, and I am pleased to see bipartisan support to increase awareness about its potential to help improve the lives of our veterans and their families.”

“For decades, owning a home has been the bedrock of the American Dream, but too often, those who have put their lives on the line for our country have been hampered by a lack of information from their own government. I’m proud to join Senator Van Hollen and my other colleagues in introducing this commonsense measure to empower our veterans with the knowledge and resources necessary to secure a VA Home Loan and achieve the same dream they fought to defend,” said Sheehy.

“After serving our country in uniform, our veterans deserve the support of a grateful nation. The VA Home Loan Program is one way we provide that support – by helping veterans purchase homes. But far too many of our veterans are unaware of this program and what it has to offer. Our bipartisan bill will help ensure more veterans and their families have the opportunity to use it to achieve their goal of homeownership,” said Van Hollen.

The VA Home Loan Awareness Act will help better inform veterans of opportunities provided by the VA Home Loan program by adding a disclosure to the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) informing veterans they may be eligible for a VA Home Loan, directing applicants to consult their lender for more information about the VA Home Loan program, and instructing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a review and report to Congress on lenders’ adoption of these URLA updates.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ted Budd (R-NC), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Peter Welch (D-VT), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), John Kennedy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

Click here to read the text of the legislation.

Worthington wins a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture horticulture professor and researcher was recently bestowed the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

Margaret Worthington, associate professor of fruit breeding and genetics for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, received one of the highest honors given by the United States government following a nomination in association with a blackberry breeding project supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD — Margaret Worthington, associate professor of fruit breeding and genetics, received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. (U of A System Division of Agriculture)

Worthington’s award comes with $250,000 in additional grant funding that she intends to use in hiring a post-doctoral bioinformatics specialist to help in her research. The money will also come in handy, she said, to support her travels back and forth from Fayetteville to the Fruit Research Station in Clarksville.

In addition to teaching courses in the horticulture department for the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas, she is the director of the Arkansas Fruit Breeding Program for the experiment station.

“It’s very exciting to get it,” Worthington said Jan. 15. “It’s a nice honor, and I’m very thankful.”

Worthington is among nearly 400 new PECASE Award honorees. According to a Jan. 14 Biden Administration White House news release, the PECASE Award is “the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers.” The awards are conferred annually at the White House following recommendations from participating federal agencies.

Worthington joined the experiment station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture, in 2016. She became director of the Fruit Breeding Program in 2023 and was among the international team of scientists that year to assemble the first complete sequence of the blackberry genome,

She is currently also serving as co-director of the $7 million NIFA-grant-supported national effort called “Through the Grapevine: Developing Vitis x Muscadinia Wide Hybrids for Enhanced Disease Resistance and Quality.”

“This PECASE Award demonstrates the national and international value and excellence provided by Dr. Margaret Worthington to fruit breeding, and we are thrilled for her to receive this,” said Mary Savin, professor and head of the horticulture department. “The nomination and receipt of this award highlights Margaret’s capabilities and contributions to horticultural science and research and reinforces that NIFA recognizes — and has recognized — her value to advance fruit science, production and sustainability.”

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.

Executive order puts Bass Reeves loop, other Fort Smith projects in limbo

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

There is about $40 million in federal grant funds awarded to the City of Fort Smith in limbo following an executive order by President Donald Trump to freeze certain infrastructure funds tied to bipartisan legislation approved by Congress and signed into law.

Trump’s executive order required federal agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act [IRA] of 2022 … or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act [IIJA].”

The White House later issued this statement in an attempt to clarify the order: “The directive in section 7 of the Executive Order entitled Unleashing American Energy requires agencies to immediately pause disbursement of funds appropriated under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58).  This pause only applies to funds supporting programs, projects, or activities that may be implicated by the policy established in Section 2 of the order. This interpretation is consistent with section 7’s heading (‘Terminating the Green New Deal’) and its reference to the ‘law and the policy outlined in section 2 of th[e] order.’ For the purposes of implementing section 7 of the Order, funds supporting the ‘Green New Deal’ refer to any appropriations for objectives that contravene the policies established in section 2. Agency heads may disburse funds as they deem necessary after consulting with the Office of Management and Budget.”

Executive order puts Bass Reeves loop, other Fort Smith projects in limbo

Governor Sanders appoints Jerry Halsey to Arkansas State Highway Commission

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced that she has appointed Jerry Halsey to the Arkansas State Highway Commission. His term expires January 14, 2035. He is replacing Alec Farmer.

“Jerry is an incredibly gifted businessman, a leader in Jonesboro, and most importantly, a great friend. I know his experience in community development in Northeast Arkansas will lend itself to his new role on the Highway Commission and I look forward to working with him to keep Arkansas the center of America’s road, river, and rail systems,” said Governor Sanders.

“I thank Governor Sanders for this opportunity to serve, and for her trust and confidence in me. I am excited and ready to go to work,” said Jerry Halsey.

Jerry Halsey bio:

Jerry L. Halsey, Jr. is the founder, CEO and President of Halsey Thrasher Harpole Real Estate Group, with offices in Jonesboro and Benton. 

Jerry is a graduate of Arkansas State University. He sold real estate through his college career, farmed with his father for a time, and then expanded the family business into real estate. 

Jerry holds a real estate license in multiple states and qualifies for designations based on training and experience. He was inducted into the Northeast Arkansas Board of Realtors Hall of Fame. He currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Arkansas Real Estate Commission and a member of the Board of Directors for the Arkansas State Police Foundation. 

Jerry previously served as a Commissioner for the Arkansas Building Authority, Chairman of the Jonesboro Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, a member of the Jonesboro Vision 2030 comprehensive planning advisory commission, SIOR President for the Arkansas Chapter, and President of the Board of Directors for City Youth Ministries.

The last straw: Broken by low prices, high input costs, some farmers are looking for the exit, extension experts say

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

LITTLE ROCK — As the world prepared to celebrate the turn of a new year, extension soybean agronomist Jeremy Ross picked up his phone.  

“One farmer called me on New Year’s Eve to say he was shutting down, and it really surprised me. He had a good yield, but he just couldn’t swing it another year,” Ross said.

HIGH YIELDS, LOW PROFITS — The 2024 growing season presented many reasons to celebrate. Every major row crop in Arkansas, including corn, cotton, soybeans and rice — saw record average yields. Global market trends, however, including production from competing countries, elevated input costs and depressed commodity prices, mean most American growers will see little if any profit. (Division of Agriculture image.)

The 2024 growing season presented many reasons to celebrate. Every major row crop in Arkansas, including corn, cotton, soybeans and rice — saw record average yields.

Global market trends, however, including production from competing countries, elevated input costs and depressed commodity prices, mean most American growers will see little if any profit.

Like nearly every other crop, market prices for soybeans in 2024 failed to keep up with production costs. Per-bushel prices fell to an average of $10.80, a $1.25 decline from forecast prices earlier in the spring. Ross, who works for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that in the squeeze between market forces, some farmers may be considering leaving the industry.

“There’s still some talk of some people not having a crop in 2025,” Ross said.

“I’ve heard from several others in the same situation,” he said. “And this isn’t just in Arkansas. Talking with my counterparts in other states, they’re hearing the same thing, in the Mid-South and the Midwest.”

Scott Stiles, extension agricultural economist for the Division of Agriculture, agreed that some producers will likely leave agriculture.

“No doubt we’ll see a few more farm auctions this winter,” Stiles said. “The ag lenders say growers have been really slow to come into their office. I think the farmers have been going to their accountant first, and waiting to see what kind of assistance may be coming from Washington.

“The American Relief Act provided some economic help,” he said. “But for soybeans, for example, the expected payment is $29.50 an acre. Cotton might get a payment of $87 per acre. For the majority of growers, these payments aren’t going to bring them to profitability.”

Stiles said the fact that many farmers don’t own the land they farm makes profitability more difficult to achieve.

“If you owned all your farmland, at today’s prices, you might be able to pencil out a profit,” Stiles said. “But the problem is that most growers are tenant farmers. They have to pay a share or some cash rent. In today’s price environment, it takes some really strong yields just to break even.”

Stiles said that, as an example, if a producer is paying a 20 percent share of his crop sales to a landlord, that grower would need to average 62 bushels an acre in soybeans or 235 bushels an acre in corn just to approach profitability.

“You’d have to be exceeding record average yields in everything,” he said.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, published its wrap-up of the 2024 growing season earlier this month, its pages replete with record numbers.

Corn

Overall, Arkansas growers planted about 7 million acres of crops in 2024, a decline of about 158,000 acres from the previous year. Corn acreage saw the most dramatic drop in the state, from 850,000 acres planted in 2023 to 500,000 acres planted in 2024. The average yield among those acres, however, tied the state record at 187 bushels an acre. Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said the crop represented “personal bests” for many growers he spoke with.

“A lot of the growers I visited with felt like it was some of the best corn they’d grown,” Kelley said.

An average market price of $4.20 per bushel, however, marked a continued decline from 2022’s peak price of $6.54 per bushel, making the crop unprofitable for most Arkansas farmers.

“Growers are going through their budgets right now and probably looking for things they can cut out that won’t impact yield,” Kelley said.

Rice 

Arkansas, the country’s No.1 rice-producing state, planted more than 1.44 million acres of the crop in 2024, all but 118,000 acres of it long-grain rice. Growers saw record average yields of 7,640 pounds per acre, producing more than 109 million hundredweight of rice. Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said that while growers managed significant yields despite harsh weather conditions, those same conditions reduced profitability in the end.

“It was the excellent production year we thought it would be,” Hardke said. “Everything pointed to being really close to 2021’s record yield.

“Unfortunately, the hitch for rice was the milling yield component,” he said. “It has a huge effect on the prices growers receive, and how much rice the industry actually has to work with.”

2024 saw widespread early planting from row crop farmers, with a significant portion of the crop in the ground before April 15. Periodic rains between mid-April and June made fertilizing the crop and effectively applying herbicides difficult. The summer then saw an extraordinary string of 100-degree-plus high temperatures, before finally being topped off with the effects of not one but two hurricanes rising from the Gulf of Mexico.

The result of the repeated wetting-and-drying cycles throughout the summer and early fall was reduced milling yields, which represent the amount of whole kernel grains from the overall crop.

“Nobody’s complaining about the yields, but we’re going to have some issues with market demands,” Hardke said. “Whole kernel rice is what has the greatest value. When the milling yields are low, it means our percentage of whole kernels after milling is lower.”

Cotton 

Arkansas cotton acreage jumped more than 27 percent in 2024 to 650,000 acres, a growth rate consistent with the United States cotton industry as a whole. The state also saw a record average yield of 1,313 pounds per acre, for an overall production estimate of 1.75 million bales.

Zachary Treadway, extension cotton and peanut agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said the high yields speak to the skill of the Arkansas cotton farmer.

“I think those numbers are really a compliment to our producers,” Treadway said. “They didn’t have the easiest of years: a very wet planting season, followed by endless weeks of hot, dry weather, broken by two hurricanes blowing in at the beginning of defoliation. Farming cotton is never easy, but this was a particularly difficult year. To have numbers like that, in a year like this, speaks to how well those growers can manage a crop.”

Nationally, the average estimated cotton yield fell about 7 percent, from 899 pounds per acre to 836.

Cotton prices remained low in 2024, falling from the 2023 average of 79 cents per pound to 76 cents.

“We’re seeing the same prices we were seeing in the 1970s,” Treadway said. “And input prices continue to rise. Even with the good yields, the margins are just super-thin this year.”

Peanuts 

Peanut acreage saw the largest expansion of all Arkansas row crops in 2024 by an order of magnitude, from 35,000 acres in 2023 to 45,000 acres in 2024, according to USDA.

“When you think of Arkansas, you don’t think of peanuts right off the top of your head,” Treadway said. “Seeing the acreages jump in Arkansas, that’s exciting. We’ve got a great group of peanut growers in Arkansas, who are really knowledgeable. They’ve faced some hardships this year, too — the same weather hardships, and other things specific to peanuts.”

While the average Arkansas yield fell from 5,800 pounds per acre to 5,500 pounds, the added acreage brought overall production up considerably, to 242 million pounds. The average market price fell to $510 a ton in 2024 from $530 a ton the previous year.

Soybeans 

Arkansas soybean growers saw record production of more than 166 million bushels, averaging 55 bushels per acre across more than 3 million acres. Ross said that beating the previous record, set in 2023, was astonishing, given the wildly different weather scenarios.

“Everyone did really well in 2023,” he said, “when we had almost ideal weather conditions for soybeans. 2024 was a different story altogether.”

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.

‘Gulf of America,’ recall process bills filed

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

An Arkansas lawmaker has filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow voters to remove certain public officials from office.

House Joint Resolution 1007, filed by Rep. Frances Cavenaugh, R-Walnut Ridge, would instate a recall process for several state officeholders, including the governor, attorney general and justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

The list also extends to the offices of secretary of state, treasurer, land commissioner, state auditor, as well as judges on circuit, district and appellate courts. Prosecutors, county judges, justices of the peace, sheriffs, county clerks, assessors, coroners, county treasurers, county surveyors, tax collectors and constables also fall under the proposal.

‘Gulf of America,’ recall process bills filed

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders named a new chair of the state Post-Prison Transfer Board (also known as the parole board) late Wednesday.

Committee rejects bill to allow nonprofit Arkansas hospitals to hold retail pharmacy permits

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

A proposed Arkansas law that would have allowed nonprofit hospitals to hold a retail pharmacy permit narrowly failed in committee Wednesday after more than an hour and a half of discussion and public testimony.

Arkansas is the only state in which the law currently prohibits nonprofit, tax-exempt or governmentally-funded hospitals from holding or acquiring interest in retail pharmacy permits.

Lawmakers have attempted for years to change this via policy proposals that intend to help both hospitals and independently owned pharmacies serve their communities, Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 58, told the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

Committee rejects bill to allow nonprofit Arkansas hospitals to hold retail pharmacy permits

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Ryan Gehrig (center), president of Mercy Arkansas Hospitals, testifies in favor of a bill that would allow nonprofit hospitals in Arkansas to hold retail pharmacy permits on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. At right is Troy Wells, president and CEO of Baptist Health, who also spoke in favor of the bill before it was voted down by the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

3 NWA chefs selected as semifinalists for 2025 James Beard Awards

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

The James Beard Foundation has named three Northwest Arkansas chefs as semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Awards, the foundation announced Wednesday (Jan. 22). This year marks the 35th anniversary of the James Beard Awards.

Matthew Cooper of Bentonville-based Conifer, Rafael Rios of Bentonville-based Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico, and Jordan Wright of Johnson-based Wright’s Barbecue are the Arkansas semifinalists in the Best Chef: South category of the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards.

The James Beard Awards, which have over 70 categories, recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries and are considered to be among the nation’s most prestigious honors, the release shows.

3 NWA chefs selected as semifinalists for 2025 James Beard Awards

Boozman Questions VA Secretary Nominee Doug Collins

Nominee Pledges Engagement with Congress, Attention to NW Arkansas Veterans Home Needs

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, questioned President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), former Congressman Doug Collins, and spoke about his current priorities to improve the care and benefits for veterans in Arkansas and across the country. 

Boozman inquired about future support for the VA’s State Veterans Home Program facility in Northwest Arkansas. Specifically, the senator asked Collins to commit to working together to address its needs and eligibility to qualify for grant funding. 

“The VA’s State Veterans Home Program is a great resource for many senior veterans, including those in Arkansas. The [NW Arkansas] location does excellent work caring for senior veterans, but needs upgrades to continue providing the standards of care expected,” said Boozman. “Do I have your commitment that the VA, under your leadership, will be working with us, on the issue?” 

“We are going to work with you and the appropriators, and also this committee, to make sure that the priorities as expressed will be taken care of – and we will work with you to do those as we go forth,” responded Collins. “For me, making sure that the states across this country, and the VA, is providing that care is frankly non-negotiable.” 

Boozman also expressed his concerns to Collins about the VA’s management and budgeting of the Toxic Exposure Fund in light of the implementation of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. 

“I am very proud of the committee’s work to pass the PACT Act, which now provides long overdue care for veterans dealing with the effects of toxic exposure,” said Boozman. “How will you make sure the VA’s Toxic Exposure Fund remains viable for years to come while providing the levels of care our veterans have earned?” 

“I think the biggest thing we have to do is, actuarially, look at this past year, and I promise, as I think you and I spoke about this in your office, is [asking] ‘are we at the VA getting good information and doing what the intent of the law was?’ so that they can continue to get those benefits,” said Collins. “And you have a commitment from me that when you get information about how we’re funding and how we are appropriating that, that whoever sits at this table, myself and any other person that comes from the VA will you give you good information and good numbers.” 

The senator concluded by asking Collins to reiterate his commitment to actively communicate with Members of Congress to address issues and provide timely, substantive responses. 

“You served, you were a great member in the House, you understand how important it is that when we need information, when we need to talk to you or somebody of importance, it’s so frustrating,” Boozman stated. “I think one of the most important things that we can talk about today is how important it is again, to be such that you are in constant tune with the members.” 

“Thank you for highlighting what I believe is going to be one of the biggest differences and, if confirmed by this body, at the VA, in the early stages, and that is going to be the involvement of our legislative affairs [team] on this Hill. I am committed to having 535, if you would, canaries in a coal mine – 100 senators and 435 representatives who actually can help us and work together to see where there are problems,” said Collins. “I want to know where the problems are because I am not a secretary, if confirmed, that will sit behind the desk. I will be out and I’ll be there making sure we get it fixed.” 

To watch the senator’s full line of questioning, click here.

UAMS Intervention Sees Significant Decrease in HbA1c, BMI Levels Among Marshallese Communities

By David Wise

LITTLE ROCK — Participants in a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) study to determine the effectiveness of culturally-adapted, family-based diabetes education and management programs for Marshallese families saw significant reductions in HbA1c and BMI (Body Mass Index) levels, according to researchers at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation.

The study examined 185 individuals, including 99 diabetics and 86 family members. Building on research conducted with Marshallese community members in Arkansas, the study was implemented in church settings in Hawaii and Washington state, using trained, bilingual community health workers (CHWs) to administer the family-based Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) program. The program was implemented in partnership with Washington State University and the Hawaii Island Community Health Center.

According to previous studies, more than 90% of Marshallese adults reported regular church attendance.

UAMS Intervention Sees Significant Decrease in HbA1c, BMI Levels Among Marshallese Communities

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

With committees ready to hear bills and legislative priorities taking shape, the 2025 Regular Session is off to a productive start.

Several House committees held their organizational meetings this week. These committees are now prepared to begin reviewing and debating the over 170 bills that have been filed in the House so far.  

Among the early legislative actions, the House passed HB1056, a bill to establish a Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. This new committee will consist of 12 House members and 8 Senate members from the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. It will focus on ongoing studies related to military and veterans' issues, a critical area currently handled by the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee. A resolution is expected soon to rename that committee to reflect its shifting responsibilities. 

Earlier in the week, the Governor addressed the 95th General Assembly and outlined her legislative agenda. A centerpiece of her plan is the Arkansas ACCESS initiative, which aims to expand access to higher education and non-degree credentials for Arkansans. She also proposed eliminating the state grocery tax, using revenue from medical marijuana sales to fund free school breakfasts for all Arkansas students, and enacting legislation to ban cell phone use in schools. In addition, the Governor announced plans to update the Social Media Safety Act to ensure its enforceability and expand the Communist China Defense Act, which would involve divesting state resources from China and banning adversaries from purchasing land near critical infrastructure like military bases and electric substations. 

The week began with House members sworn into office on Monday and the election of Representative Brian S. Evans of Cabot as Speaker of the House for the 95th General Assembly. Following his election, Speaker Evans announced his committee chairmanships and leadership appointments, which are now available on the House website at arkansashouse.org.

 As the first week concludes, the House looks ahead to a busy session. The House will reconvene on Tuesday, January 21, at 1:30 p.m., after observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

Arkansas hay production grew in 2024

By the U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Hay acreage declined in the southeastern United States in 2024, but the region’s hay production rose 2 percent, and was up 17 percent in Arkansas, according to the Crop Production Summary from National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The summary — issued Jan. 10 — included information about U.S. hay production, acreage, and yield, as well as data for Dec. 1 hay stocks. The report categorizes the data into two segments: alfalfa and other hay, with other hay being particularly relevant for producers in the Southeast.

Map showing change in production of non-alfalfa hay between 2023-2024, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Arkansas saw a 17 percent increase in hay production. (Image from USDA)

For the 2024-25 marketing year that started in May and ends in April, “hay stocks were higher compared to the previous year, totaling 21.01 million tons, which represents a 47 percent increase year over year,” said James Mitchell, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

In the southeast — a region comprised of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, hay stocks on May 1 reached 2.80 million tons, up 15 percent from the previous year, Mitchell said.

“These stocks, combined with the increased hay production in 2024, have elevated hay supplies to their highest level since 2020,” he said. “Total hay supplies for the 2024-2025 marketing year are 143.47 million tons. In the Southeast, the 2024-2025 hay supplies total 25.49 million tons, a 3 percent increase year over year, accounting for 18 percent of total U.S. hay supplies.”

Other hay production totaled 72.62 million tons in 2024, up 6 percent from the previous year and marking the largest annual total since 2020.

In Texas, the largest hay-producing state, production reached 11.52 million tons, more than double the total from two years prior, when it was just 5.7 million tons. In Arkansas, production increased 17 percent.

“The USDA’s estimate for Arkansas surpassed what I would have predicted last summer,” Mitchell said. “For several states included in the Southeast total, hay production was impacted by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene. Specifically, production in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee was down by 24 percent, 9 percent, and 4 percent, respectively.

All U.S. hay acreage declined by 3.38 million acres in 2024 to 49.39 million acres. In the Southeast, hay acreage decreased by 9.84 million acres, or 3 percent.

“Conversely, Texas saw a 5 percent increase in hay acreage,” Mitchell said. “Despite the overall decline, improved hay yields offset these reductions.”

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. 

Eight Arkansans among Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump

KUAR | By Debra Hale-Shelton

On the first day of his second presidency, Donald Trump pardoned all eight Arkansans among more than 1,500 of his supporters convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the nation’s Capitol.

Among them were the state’s two highest-profile defendants, Richard “Bigo” Barnett, who became notorious for a photo taken in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, and Peter Stager, who admitted to beating a police officer with a flagpole.

Barnett, 64, of Gravette was sentenced to 54 months in prison after a federal court jury convicted him in May 2023. He has been incarcerated in a prison in Seagoville, Texas. He wasn’t scheduled for release until July 17, 2026.

Eight Arkansans among Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump

U.S. District Court For The District Of Columbia

This video still from Jan. 6, 2021, shows Conway resident Peter Stager holding a U.S. flag. He pleaded guilty in 2023 to assaulting a police officer. He is among eight Arkansans pardoned by President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2025, for their roles in the 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol.

Womack reappointed Chairman of the Appropriations Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee

Washington, January 15, 2025

Washington, DC—January 15, 2025…House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (OK-4) today announced his appointment of Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) to again serve as Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. Congressman Womack will continue to serve on the Defense and Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Subcommittees during the 119th Congress.

Congressman Steve Womack

Congressman Womack said, “It’s been an honor to serve on the Appropriations Committee, particularly as Chairman of the subcommittee that delivers the most for Arkansans. Drawing on my experience as a mayor, I understand how THUD’s jurisdiction impacts every American's safety, economic opportunity, and quality of life. My service on Defense and FSGG allows me to strengthen our national defense and financial systems. My continued focus remains set on fiscal responsibility and securing wins for Third District Arkansans. I thank my friend, Chairman Cole, for his confidence in me to work on these vital components of the Appropriations Committee. With the rosters now in order, we must immediately finish Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations and begin our work on Fiscal Year 2026.”

Chairman Cole said, “The subcommittees that invest in America’s defense, infrastructure, and economic opportunity require strong fiscal understanding and experience—and Congressman Womack is equipped to serve these missions with distinction. At the helm of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee, you can expect leadership that strengthens America’s transportation and housing future. Grounded in his hands-on experience as a mayor, he knows how to turn practice into purpose. Chairman Womack is a seasoned appropriator who works each day to safeguard taxpayer dollars and support Arkansas and America. I look forward to the continued results delivered under his guidance.”

To learn more about the jurisdiction of each subcommittee, click the below links:

• Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (Chairman)

• Subcommittee on Defense

• Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government

Congressman Womack has served on the House Appropriations Committee since his first term in Congress in 2011. This committee is responsible for the discretionary portion of the federal budget and conducting critical oversight of federal agencies. He previously served as Chairman of the FSGG Subcommittee, and was first appointed as Chairman of THUD in April 2024.

Boozman, Cruz Introduce Thin Blue Line Act to Support Police, First Responders

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Thin Blue Line Act to increase penalties for criminals who target law enforcement. Federal law already makes the targeting, killing or attempted killing of federal law enforcement officers, judges and correctional officers an aggravating factor in the decision whether to impose the federal death penalty. The Thin Blue Line Act would expand this list to include state and local police, firefighters and other first responders.

“Our law enforcement officers put their lives at risk to serve and defend their communities,” Boozman said. “I am proud to join my colleagues to stand with the men and women behind the badge when criminals choose to target them with violence simply because they are committed to enforcing our laws and maintaining order.”

“Violent crimes targeting law enforcement demand immediate action. These crimes should never be tolerated. Every day, members of law enforcement risk their lives to protect our communities and they deserve the full protection of the law,” said Cruz. “I am proud to introduce this common-sense legislation to ensure that acts of murder or attempted murder against law enforcement will be met with maximum penalties.”

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators John Kennedy (R-LA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Hoeven (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Ron Johnson (R-WI) and James Lankford (R-OK). 

The Thin Blue Line Act is endorsed by multiple law enforcement groups. Here’s what they are saying about the bill. 

“Our federal, state, and local law enforcement officers risk their lives daily to protect the citizens of this great nation. While they work tirelessly to safeguard our communities, their families remain at home, burdened with concern for their loved ones’ safety. In 2024, 144 law enforcement officers tragically lost their lives in the line of duty—heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of others. The Thin Blue Line Act seeks to strengthen penalties for those who target law enforcement officers, underscoring the gravity of crimes against those who serve in these vital roles. This legislation is a powerful statement of national support, honoring their dedication to justice and reinforcing the profound respect owed to their unwavering commitment to public safety,” said Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association National President Mathew Silverman.

“The Thin Blue Line Act is a vital step in ensuring those who target our public safety professionals face the full weight of justice. Law enforcement officers and first responders risk their lives daily to protect our communities, and this legislation sends a clear message that violence against them will not be tolerated. As sheriffs, we are committed to standing up for those who stand in harm's way to keep us safe,” said National Sheriffs’ Association President Sheriff Kieran Donahue. 

“The United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association is honored to support the Thin Blue Line Act. With the current atmosphere of anti-law enforcement in America this bill is a great step forward in supporting law enforcement and other first responders. These are the men and women who not only put their lives on the line every day but are dedicated to advancing their communities.  The Thin Blue Line Act is a great way to support these heroes that go unnoticed every day,” said United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association Executive Director and National Trainer David Hinners.

“Law enforcement officers have always faced threats while on duty—it is nothing new. Although we go to work each day to protect others, within the past few years, officers have become a target for violence solely because of the uniform they wear.  It should not be ‘part of the job’ to be a target for someone who is looking to simply kill or injure a cop.  The Thin Blue Line Act aims to reduce these attacks by expanding the list of aggravating factors in death penalty determinations for those who target, kill, or attempt to kill a law enforcement or other public safety officers, which sends a clear message to those who target, kill, or attempt to kill a law enforcement or other public safety officer that they will be held accountable and punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Fraternal Order of Police National President Patrick Yoes.  

“For too long, members of the NYPD and law enforcement officers across this nation have been subjected to targeted acts of violence as they work to protect life, property, and the freedoms we all hold dear. While we know that these brave men and women will continue to face threats regardless of the uniform they wear, on duty or off, active or retired, the Thin Blue Line Act sends the long-overdue message that any action to target law enforcement officers for murder or violence will be met with the harshest of penalties,” said NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) President Vincent Vallelong.

Click here to read text of the legislation.