Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

ForwARd Arkansas moves forward with education research plans

The Little Rock School District needs to form a school-community partnership model, and four students from the Clinton School of Public Service will aid in that effort. The Arkansas State…

Walton group donates $120 million to University of Arkansas to create a school of art (Updated)

Editor’s note: Updated with many additions throughout the story. –––––––––––––––––––– The Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation of Bentonville will donate $120 million toward growing the University of Arkansas’ art department…

Fort Smith city government is $100,000 under budget on $5 million software system

The city of Fort Smith is running approximately $100,000 under budget on implementation of its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software that will integrate the city’s operations across all departments. When…

Sen. Cotton outlines differences in new Afghanistan military approach

Stressing that he does not believe a U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan will be permanent, despite a 16-year presence and no end in sight, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton said President…

Fort Smith street tax program has spent $24 million on Chaffee, full spending picture incomplete

The Fort Smith engineering department has spent $24 million across 14 projects developing the Chaffing Crossing district in the eastern portion of the city, according to Jennifer Walker, the city’s…

Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus president plans to run for District 36 seat against Rep. Charles Blake

Rep. Charles Blake, the incumbent Democratic lawmaker who announced Monday that he plans to run for this third term, will face an opponent from his own party in the 2018…

Gov. Hutchinson makes 47 appointments

Governor Asa Hutchinson announced the following appointments on Monday: Matt Keil, Texarkana, to the Pawnbroker Licensure Commission. Appointment expires August 1, 2020. Douglas Braswell, Little Rock, to the Pawnbroker Licensure…

De-glorifying our Confederate statues

It is time to either remove Confederate statues from public grounds or to change the plaques that purport their reason for being there. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on Wednesday: “When…

U.S. Rep. Womack remembers Broyles, says Senate has slowed House Congressional progress

In a wide-ranging TV interview, U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, paid tribute to former University of Arkansas coach and athletic director Frank Broyles, assessed the President’s handling of the Charlottesville…

Echols says he suffered brain injuries on Arkansas’ death row, his wife calls for end to executions

Six years ago Saturday (Aug. 19), Damien Echols woke for the last time on the wrong side of a set of jail bars. He spent 18 years in prison, convicted…

Arkansas jobless rate holds steady, 9,100 positions added to state’s tight labor market

Arkansas’ jobless rate held steady in July as the state’s brimming labor pool added another 9,100 new workers amid employers’ continued quest to find capable workers to fill positions throughout…

Chaffee board approves donation for Fort Smith chamber campaign, Mayor asks board to ‘reconsider amount’

The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority (FCRA) voted to approve a $10,000 donation to the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce economic development campaign fund on Thursday (Aug. 17) at the…

Gov. Hutchinson asked to set execution date for death-row inmate Jack Greene, state gets new supply of lethal injection drug

Now that the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC) has a necessary supply of the lethal injection drugs, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge on Thursday (Aug. 18) sent a letter to Gov….