Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

Arkansas PBS becomes Arkansas TV

Arkansas PBS will no longer exist in its current form. The state’s only public television network has become Arkansas TV. The loss of $2.5 million in annual federal funding from…

Delta Regional Authority names 2026 Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy class

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) has selected 33 community leaders from across its eight-state service region to participate in the 2026 Delta Leadership Institute (DLI) Executive Academy, an extensive leadership…

Three innovating lithium firms get Venture Center acceleration

Three companies ready to invest in pilot projects in Arkansas’ emerging lithium industry are building relationships with producers, investors and academics through The Venture Center’s Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator. The…

State, feds sign MOU for Blanchard Springs Caverns

Gov. Sarah Sanders and Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary Shea Lewis signed Monday (Dec. 8) a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service that begins the…

USDA to provide $12 billion in aid to farmers

President Donald Trump announced Monday (Dec. 8) that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $12 billion in bridge payments to farmers reeling from low commodity prices and tariff…

US Rep. French Hill on health insurance, housing affordability

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, spent time in Congress this week working on health care, housing affordability and a host of banking issues. In an interview for Talk Business…

Dan Wright re-elected Arkansas Farm Bureau president

Dan Wright of Waldron was re-elected Friday (Dec. 5) as Arkansas Farm Bureau’s president and Magen Allen of Bismarck was elected as the new vice president for the agriculture advocacy…

Arkansas will not yield: Defending our farmers against Oklahoma AG’s overreach

For two decades, Oklahoma Attorneys General have pursued a misguided lawsuit against Arkansas-based poultry companies operating in the Illinois River Watershed. This litigation, originally filed in 2005, has morphed into…

Gov. Sanders makes appointments to address Census

Gov. Sarah Sanders announced the following appointments Friday (Dec. 5): 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee Nicholas Ortiz, Little Rock, to the 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee. Term to expire Sept….

Coon Supper, pre-event reception scheduled for Jan. 10

The 14th annual Berry Pre-Coon Supper Reception will be held on Jan. 10, 2026, at the Berry Farm Shop in Gillett. The reception is a prelude to the Gillett Coon…

Ro Arrington to lead ADFA

Gov. Sarah Sanders announced Thursday (Dec. 4) that she has selected Robert “Ro” Arrington as the new president of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA). As president, Arrington will lead…

Attorney, Tyson exec, philanthropist Jim Blair has died

Jim Blair, a Fayetteville philanthropist and longtime attorney and Tyson Foods executive, died Wednesday (Dec. 3). He was 90 years old. Blair was a prominent attorney in the state for…

Delta Regional Authority invests $5.5 million in Arkansas

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA), in collaboration with the state of Arkansas, recently invested more than $5.5 million toward 12 projects in Arkansas through its States’ Economic Development Assistance Program…

Removing red tape

For as long as I’ve served in the Arkansas Legislature, I’ve taken pride in our state’s reputation for tackling difficult challenges through a conservative lens. Whether the issue is strengthening…

Chris Kane promoted to president of Delta Solar

Chris Kane of Little Rock has been promoted to president of Delta Solar Inc., an Arkansas-based solar energy development company. Kane previously was the company’s vice president of business development,…

Three picked for latest Venture Center lithium accelerator

Building on the success of its inaugural 2025 program, The Venture Center this week kicked off the second cohort of the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator (ALTA) — the nation’s first…

UAMS awarded $10.5 million for national research

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received a five-year, $10.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop biomarkers for all human diseases including…

Arkansas tax revenue up 7.3% in November, above forecast by 3.4%

Continued growth in income and sales tax revenue has pushed total Arkansas tax revenue up almost 2% in the first five months (July-November) of the fiscal year, with the state…

Obama: America is ‘an eternally youthful and forward-looking nation’

Former President Barack Obama took part Monday (Dec. 1) in the first live program for Crystal Bridges Museum’s new “Building Bridges” conversation series, saying his belief in the American spirit…

Arkansas farm income expected to drop 8% next year

Net farm income in Arkansas this year is projected to be down sharply when compared to 2024, but there are reasons — primarily new federal aid — to think net…

Simmons First quarterly net income up almost 22%

UAMS opens new orthopaedic and sports medicine clinic in Little Rock

Arkansas tourism sets record for visitors, tax generation

Flood mitigation dollars to flow to First District