The Governor is calling the General Assembly into an Extraordinary Session next week to address the use of surplus funds to provide tax relief and funding for school safety measures. The Arkansas School Safety Commission was reinstated in the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Members of the original commission created in March 2018…
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August is Catfish Month in Arkansas
The catfish industry is the largest component of aquaculture in the United States and a significant industry in Arkansas. In fact, Arkansas catfish farmers contributed $19.5 million to Arkansas’s agricultural economy in 2021. That’s up 17% from the previous year. The month of August has been proclaimed as Arkansas Catfish Month. This designation recognizes the impact…
Back to school sales tax holiday coming August 6
It is estimated that the average family will spend more than $600 per child on back-to-school shopping this year. This time of year can bring a financial burden to many families across Arkansas. That is why we want to remind you about the upcoming Arkansas Sales Tax holiday. This year, the event will begin at…
Attention Medicaid recipients
This week we want to remind Arkansans who receive Medicaid coverage to make sure their contact information is up to date. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government temporarily stopped some Medicaid requirements and conditions. This was done to help keep people with Medicaid from losing their health coverage during the pandemic. However, Arkansas will…
LIHEAP application period begins July 25
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Officials with the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) have announced residents can begin submitting applications Monday, July 25 for help with the costs of summer cooling bills, including those from Entergy Arkansas and other utilities. LIHEAP is funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and is…
Boozman celebrates groundbreaking of National Desert Storm Desert Shield Memorial
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) celebrated the groundbreaking of the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial on Thursday. “One day a memorial will stand in this location as a symbol of reverence to and respect for the veterans and their families, and help teach future generations about this important moment in our nation’s tradition of…
Arkansas Department of Agriculture increases wildfire danger risk level designations for all 75 counties
LITTLE ROCK, AR – With hot, dry conditions throughout the state, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division has increased the wildfire danger risk level designations for all 75 counties over the past two weeks. Twelve counties in Northwest Arkansas were raised to the “high” risk level, and the remaining counties were rated as being at…
“Obey the sign or pay the fine”; Speed enforcement operation readied
Speeding violations on Arkansas roadways continue to rise and law enforcement officers across the state plan to ban together in a united operation under the banner, “Obey the Sign or Pay the Fine”. The two-week crackdown directed at speeders begins Monday, July 18th. “It’s an acknowledged fact, as a motor vehicle speed increases, so do…
State mourns the loss of first female nominee for Governor and longest-serving State Treasurer, Jimmie Lou Fisher
LITTLE ROCK – On Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Arkansas announced the passing of Jimmie Lou Fisher (1941 – 2022). Fisher served as Arkansas’s State Auditor and State Treasurer, a post she held for a record 22 years. She also held the distinction of being the first female nominee for Governor of Arkansas. Fisher served…
Commerce Secretary Mike Preston names new broadband director
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (July 11, 2022) – Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston today announced that Glen Howie has been named the state’s new Director of Broadband. Howie comes to the Commerce Department from Louisiana’s Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity. “I’m pleased to welcome Glen Howie to Arkansas, and I am confident that he is…
Arkansas House of Representatives weekly column
This week, we received the Fiscal Year 2022 Revenue Summary. It shows we ended the last fiscal year with the largest surplus in state history. It is likely we will convene for a special session in August to address additional tax relief. Fiscal Year 2022 ended on June 30. Net Available General Revenue collections totaled…
Governor Hutchinson reacts to revenue report; announces date for special session
LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson reacted Tuesday to the record state surplus and announced his intent to call an Extraordinary Session of the Arkansas General Assembly the week of August 8. “June revenue collection was more than $150 million above forecast, leaving a net surplus for the year in excess of $1.6 billion for…
Entergy Arkansas eyeing renewable energy
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Entergy Arkansas officials announced Thursday it has issued a request for proposals for 1,000 megawatts of solar and wind generation resources, emissions-free renewables that can provide cost-effective energy supply, capacity, fuel diversity, and other benefits to its customers. “Entergy Arkansas has a commitment to providing our customers with low-cost, reliable energy…
Cattle producers urged to monitor cattle for ticks; take preventative measures
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas cattle producers are being urged to check their herds for unusual ticks and take measures to prevent transmission of theileriosis or other tick-related diseases. The warnings follow the recent finding of additional Asian longhorned ticks in northwest Arkansas by scientists with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The invasive…
New dementia care pilot program launched in Arkansas
If you are someone you know is caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or other dementia, you may be interested in a new program launched this week. The Arkansas Legislative Council recently approved the creation and funding for the Dementia Respite Care Pilot Program. This program provides $500 respite grants to enable caregivers to…
Jefferson Regional Physician receives Preceptor award
Jefferson Regional General Surgeon John R. Taylor, III, M.D. has been presented with the Outstanding Clinical Preceptor Award from the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM). The award goes to a clinical preceptor who has made notable and outstanding contributions to the ARCOM graduating class. Dr. Taylor was the first recipient of the award, which…
Dana Harvey wins Bradley County JP District 9 seat in runoff
Posted on Author Saline River NewsPosted in Warren, Hermitage, South Bradley County, State NewsLeave a Reply
The following are results of votes cast in Bradley County for the Republican Primary runoff for the Justice of the Peace-District 9. Dana Harvey received 71 of a total 92 votes cast. She has no opponent in the general election in November later this year, so she will win the District 9 seat. Turnout for…
School safety a topic of discussion for Arkansas House and Senate Education Committees
This week, officials from the Arkansas Center for School Safety (ACSS) provided members of the House and Senate Education Committees with an update on school safety measures taken in recent years. In 2018, the Governor created the Safe Schools Commission to assess the state of school security in Arkansas. That commission gave the General Assembly…
Jefferson Regional announces name for new specialty hospital
Pine Bluff, AR – Jefferson Regional has announced additional details about its new rehabilitation and behavioral health hospital being built in Jefferson County through its partnership with LifePoint Health. According to Jefferson Regional President & CEO Brian Thomas, the new 76-bed facility will be named Jefferson Regional Specialty Hospital. It will be constructed on existing…
Deadline upcoming to apply for Academic Challenge Scholarship
Since 2010, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has helped raise more than $1.1 billion to fund more than 675,000 scholarships for students attending 51 Arkansas colleges and universities. This week we want to remind you about the fast approaching deadline to apply for the next round of scholarships. July 1 is the deadline to apply for…
Weekly Column from the Arkansas House of Representatives 5-27-22
Arkansas is home to so many families of brave men and women who deserve our recognition this Memorial Day. More than 2,183 Arkansans lost their lives fighting in World War 1. During World War II, an estimated 194,645 Arkansans served the nation in the various branches of the U.S. armed forces, and more than 3,500 were…