LITTLE ROCK – When the jackpot approaches a billion dollars a lot of people go out and buy lottery tickets, even though normally they hardly pay any attention to the lottery. more

Fuel cost for cars fluctuates wildly and has recently been declining. I noticed that Casey’s had it for $2.999 and I could purchase it the day before in Springfield for $2.689. I wondered how that price was compared to 1963. I purchased it for $.299 in Fayetteville. Wow, it is 10 times more now. more

“Service” is the official theme for Veterans Day 2023. The theme seems fitting to me. Very few groups deserve the respect, gratitude and recognition more than those who have served in the military of the United States of America protecting our way of life and the constitution. “Service” is all inclusive as it should be. more

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas legislature has tried to apply lessons learned by other states when it enacted school safety laws over the past several years. more

Dear Editor, more

LITTLE ROCK – The state will continue to accept applications from families who want to fund their children’s tuition with Education Freedom Accounts, and perhaps as early as February the state will begin accepting applications for next school year. more

Our neighbors in Missouri were the latest to invite me to a Farm Bill listening tour in their rural communities. Show Me State producers shared their visions for the Farm Bill, and they mirrored what I heard in the other 16 states I visited. Updated risk management tools continue to be the top priority, but it is closely followed by the need for increased international market access. more

The Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) and ALC subcommittees convened this week. In these meetings, members received an update regarding the implementation of LEARNS, an update regarding a study of our state’s firearms laws, and approved funding to expand nurse training programs in the state. more

LITTLE ROCK – One of the ongoing developments in state government over the past six months has been the efforts of the Human Services Department to reduce the number of people on Medicaid. more

The opioid crisis has had a widespread and destructive impact on Arkansas. Individuals have struggled to overcome addiction and communities have invested in treatment and recovery to break the cycle of dependence, giving families hope in the fight against opioid abuse. more

Dear Editor, more

Welcome, fall. Not only is it great to feel the cooler temperatures, but it’s also great to see our leaves beginning to change. more

LITTLE ROCK – Since last year enrollment has gone up at most of the publicly supported institutions of higher education in Arkansas. more

In Arkansas we are blessed with an abundance of water resources that factor into our everyday lives, from clean drinking water to irrigation for crops and ideal settings for outdoor recreation. Whether it’s the Mississippi River or the Ouachita River, or other bodies of water like DeGray or Norfork Lake, a diverse range of opportunities and challenges are at stake with our waterways and groundwater. more

Domestic violence is often shrouded in silence and stigma. It transcends age, gender, race, socioeconomic status and geography. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This time of awareness stands as a call to action and a promise of support for those affected. more

LITTLE ROCK – The state Department of Education has released its annual school report cards, which allow parents to evaluate how well their children are being taught and whether they are learning at grade level. more

President Biden signaled an open-door border policy before he was even sworn into office. Once in the White House, he dismantled commonsense protocols that kept our border secure. His actions have unleashed chaos not only for the communities in the direct path of this unrelenting flow of illegal migrants, leading to the worst border crisis in American history, but also in towns and cities around the country. more

LITTLE ROCK – The state Transportation Department has written a plan to reduce carbon emissions by improving traffic flow and connecting highways more efficiently with railroad terminals and ports. more

When a loved one is suffering from physical or mental illness it often makes us feel helpless or even hopeless depending on how severe the situation looks from the outside. more

LITTLE ROCK – During the recent special session, the governor and her allies in the legislature tried to repeal the foundations of the state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), but thankfully their efforts failed because of an outpouring of opposition from ordinary Arkansas citizens. more