Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

Arkansas jobless rate dips to 3.7%

Arkansas’ jobless rate dipped back to near-record territory a day after Gov. Asa Hutchinson pre-empted the state’s monthly employment status report during an agriculture summit in Little Rock where he…

Medical Marijuana board gets low quote from Boston consulting firm to score, review pharmacy applications

The state Medical Marijuana Commission announced Friday (Aug. 17) that it has received two varied proposals to review and score the state’s 203 applications to locate up to 32 medical…

Interim UAFS chancellor named, UA System president to visit campus

Dr. Edward Serna, chief of staff and vice chancellor for strategic initiatives at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, has been named interim university chancellor by UA System President…

Gov. Hutchinson: Jobless rate 3.7%; ‘anxious’ for end to trade war

Governor Asa Hutchinson said Thursday (Aug. 16) the state’s unemployment rate will be announced as 3.7% Friday and said he hopes disputes over trade policies end soon. The state’s previous…

Minimum wage increase qualifies for ballot; opponents to mount legal challenge

An effort to raise the minimum wage in Arkansas to $11 per hour has enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Opponents are raising money for a legal challenge. Secretary…

Notes from the Campaign Trail: First District candidates spying endorsements and visitors

In the First Congressional District, the race between Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford and Democratic challenger Chintan Desai is drawing attention. The race is certainly not on the national…

Jonesboro passes diversity resolution

Jonesboro Alderman L.J. Bryant noticed a familiar pattern when he attended board or commission meetings or examined a roster of commissioners. The city’s boards and commissions are dominated by white…

Former Arkansas Supreme Court judge visits Northeast Arkansas to lobby against Issue 1

Former Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Annabelle Tuck thinks Issue 1 will diminish the power of the judiciary in the state, and will be a tool used by corporations and special…

Rogers voters approve 1-cent sales tax extension; Siloam Springs selects top two Ward 1 candidates

Rogers voters approved a $240 million bond issue, a 1-cent sales tax extension and to pay off nearly $60 million in existing bonds, with more than 70% of the vote,…

McGill wins Fort Smith mayoral race, Dawson and Price head to a runoff in director race

Rep. George McGill, D-Fort Smith, walked away from the Tuesday (Aug. 14) special election as the city’s new mayor and first African-American to hold the position in the city’s history….

Three file federal suit against Arkansas Works work requirements

Three Arkansans have filed suit in U.S. District Court against the new work requirements associated with the Arkansas Works Medicaid expansion program. The suit says the federal executive branch bypassed…

Glidewell wins special Senate election, to serve until Jan. 14

Former Rep. Frank Glidewell won Tuesday’s (Aug. 14) special election to serve out the remainder of the term of Sen. Jake Files, R-Fort Smith. Glidewell captured 70.9% of the vote,…

Farm income to slide further in second half of 2018 amid Trump tariffs

As other segments of the state and regional economy are expected to continue heating up in the second half of 2018, agriculture income and farmland values will continue to decline…

TV stations, Talk Business & Politics to host Governor, Congressional forums

Talk Business & Politics and its television content partners will host separate gubernatorial and Congressional forums in September, but Republican incumbents have chosen not to participate. From 7-8 p.m. on…

Names revealed for Fort Smith citizens’ millage advisory committee

The Fort Smith Public School district has released a list of 32 names who have agreed to serve on the inaugural citizens’ millage advisory committee (CMAC) approved by the school…

Don’t bet on it: Impact in Arkansas of legalized sports gambling unclear

Southeastern Conference football has become increasingly like the NFL in the past couple decades. But there remain significant differences — not least of which is the widespread notion the college…

McGill gets more than 40 endorsements, fights back against ‘too liberal’ criticisms

Rep. George McGill, D-Fort Smith, has released a list of more than 41 community and business leaders who have endorsed his candidacy in the Fort Smith mayoral race. Early voting…

Sen. Cotton on Charlottesville, foreign affairs and the fall elections

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., feels good about Republican chances to expand their majority in the U.S. Senate and contends that the GOP will hold the House, despite signs of Democratic…

Democratic Congressional upstarts see voter energy around tariffs, healthcare

Arkansas Democrats have a lot of energy and investment in the 2018 Congressional races and two of those candidates – Chintan Desai and Josh Mahony – shared their front line…

Democrats’ Henderson says teachers should be nation’s highest paid

Democratic nominee for governor Jared Henderson Thursday (Aug. 9) proposed a one-year, 10% minimum teacher salary increase along with a 10-year goal of making Arkansas teachers the highest paid in…