Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

FCRA to consider ideas making property offers more transparent

Members of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) may in the near future consider ideas that alter the process by which property offers are known to the authority even if…

Undecided voters control fate of runoffs in U.S. Senate primaries

The two races for U.S. Senate nominations in Arkansas will both be determined by undecided voters who have yet to make up their minds in the May 24th statewide primaries….

Three prosecutor candidates make pitches at Jonesboro Kiwanis Club

Three candidates – Corey Seats, Sonia Fonticiella and Martin Lilly – are vying in the May 24th primary to become the next prosecutor in the Second Judicial District which includes…

Treasurer Dennis Milligan endorses Pitsch over Lowery in GOP primary

Treasurer of State Dennis Milligan, R-Ark., announced Tuesday (May 3) he is endorsing State Sen. Mat Pitsch, R-Fort Smith, over Rep. Mark Lowery, R-Maumelle, in the Republican primary to succeed…

Arkansas’ available tax revenue surplus just under $1 billion

Arkansas’ net available fiscal year-to-date revenue surplus is $987.9 million thanks in large part to record business and individual income tax payments in April. The fiscal year (July 2021 to…

Roe reversal would trigger Arkansas’ anti-abortion law; Biden says all privacy rights now in jeopardy

Arkansas Republican political leaders praised a likely U.S. Supreme Court decision ending abortion rights while decrying the leak of the court’s draft opinion. The state’s Democratic Party chair said taking…

Homes, Rice, Ducks & the Internet: Broadband expansion expected to benefit Stuttgart

In 1918, the Great War was ending in Europe and a new strain of influenza, the Spanish Flu, was causing illness around the world. Residents of Stuttgart, located in Arkansas…

Securities Department names Amber Crouch as general counsel

The Arkansas Securities Department promoted Amber Crouch to general counsel following the retirement of the ASD’s long-serving chief attorney, David Smith. As general counsel, Crouch will supervise the staff attorneys…

Hutchinson makes ag board appointments

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced appointments to several boards and commissions within the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Here is a list of the appointments within the department: Arkansas Forestry Commission David…

Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. elected president of African American Mayors Association

Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. was sworn in Friday (April 29) as the new President of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA). Scott takes over for outgoing AAMA President,…

Export leader sees opportunity for Arkansas agriculture, aircraft

Jonathan Bricker, a banker with Arvest Bank, began his finance career working as an international business development representative. The economic development side of the business stuck with him and now…

AHA says hospitals had $15.2 billion impact in 2020

Arkansas hospitals had an estimated annual economic impact of more than $15.2 billion in 2020, and they directly provide 47,300 jobs with a total payroll of almost $3.7 billion, according…

AG Rutledge files suit against Family Dollar

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge filed suit Thursday (April 28) against Family Dollar Stores after a rodent infestation in its West Memphis distribution center led to a Food and Drug…

UA researcher receives grant to study moisture levels to keep dry foods safe from bacteria

Bacteria found in foods sicken millions around the globe each year, cost billions of dollars in economic losses, and in rare instances, even result in deaths. One Arkansas food safety…

Fort Smith police chief pitches aggressive plan to raise salaries by almost 24%

Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker proposes using proceeds from a sales tax plan to boost all salaries by 23.87% and begin adding five officers a year beginning in 2028….

GOP Senate candidate clarifies statement about Hispanic, Latino communities

A Republican candidate for the new Arkansas Senate District 27 was criticized for comments she made about the Hispanic community during a candidate forum April 18. The newly drawn senate…

Fort Smith School Board to get a revised look at teacher pay raise plan

Fort Smith Public Schools administration has a new plan to increase teacher salaries it hopes will satisfy board members and employees when presented May 9. The plan will add one…

Arkansas to receive about $61 million from tobacco companies in 2022

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced Monday (April 25) that money from the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) with tobacco companies will be distributed, with Arkansas receiving nearly $61 million. The…

States mull restrictions of foreign purchases of agriculture and forest lands

Foreigners and foreign-based companies have owned agriculture and forestry land in the U.S. since before it was founded, and in recent years that trend has been on the rise. As…

Dana and Robbie Wills open aircraft repair business at Conway airport

Dana Wills and her husband, former Arkansas Speaker of the House Robbie Wills, have started Conway Aircraft, a repair business based at the Conway Regional Airport. The couple partnered with…