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03/24/2023

Arrest Reports:
Justin D. Conner - GF - 33 - FTAEdward W. Corkern - Huntsville - 19 - FTAHarrison Edmond - BV - 49 - driving on susp/rev DL, driving left of center, no proof of liability insuranceChristie D Edmondson - BV - 49 - possession, drug paraphernalia driving left of centerChelsea J. Jacobs - Pocola, OK - 33 - hold for other agencyBilly R. Langley - BV - 54 - FTA x 2, assault on fam/HH member, domestic batteryKrystal D. Manues - Fayetteville - 45 - DWI, refusal to submit to chemical test, speeding, driving left of center, open containerJose Pedraza-Torres - BV - 25 - FTA x 3Raymond J. Phillips - BV - 26 - public intoxSharina R. Watkins - Springdale - 43 - court commitment
National Agriculture Week March 21-27
American agriculture is the foundation of our country. It’s the backbone of a healthy and prosperous nation, made possible by the hard work of America’s farms and farm families who lead the way in preservation and innovation for the health of our planet. It's a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Every year, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture. The Agriculture Council of America hosts the campaign on a national level. However, the awareness efforts in communities across America are as influential - if not more - than the broad-scale effort. Again this year, the Ag Day Planning Guide has been created to help communities and organizations more effectively host Ag Day events. Ag Day is about recognizing - and celebrating - the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:* Understand how food and fiber products are produced.* Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.* Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.Why Celebrate Agriculture? Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis. But too few people truly understand this contribution. This is particularly the case in our schools, where students may only be exposed to agriculture if they enroll in related vocational training. By building awareness, the Agriculture Council of America is encouraging young people to consider career opportunities in agriculture. Each American farmer feeds more than 165 people ... a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Quite simply, American agriculture is doing more - and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States. Today, we feature Olivia Lee, the winner of the National Ag Week video essay. National Ag Week runs through the 27th. Our local sponsors for National Ag Week are Bank of 1889, Harts Family Center, Montgovery Whiteley Realty, Anstaff Bank, Southern Paramedic Service, Carroll County Cattleman's Associaton and Casey's Equipment.
Berryville Man Arrested After Leaving the Scene of an Accident
On Sunday, March 19th, a little after 3:30pm, Berryville Police were dispatched to South Springfield to the report from Dispatch of a "hit and run". Witnesses said the person was in a white vehicle that had left the scene. Shortly after, it had been seen parked at the Berryville Liquor Store. The vehicle was gone when Police arrived. Patrolman Zachary Gray returned to the scene of the accident and found a broken power pole, which was just behind Saunders Museum. The pole had significant damage. A few hours later Officer Knott found the vehicle, a 2001 GMC, and the driver, identified as 27 year old Christopher Sheen. Patrolman Gray began a series of sobriety tests, at which time Sheen failed each one. He was then taken to the Green Forest Police Department for a blood alcohol content test which registered .220%. He was then placed under arrest and taken to the Carroll County Detention Center. He's been charged with DWI2, careless and prohibited driving, driving on suspended D/L for DWI, and leaving the scene of an accident. The aftermath of that accident affected power supply to that area of town, including KTHS and Mercy Hospital, because of the broken power pole. Entergy crews and Kinetics worked most of the day Monday repairing damage.
Possible Litigation Considered to Undo LEARNS Plan
Opponents of Gov. Sarah Sanders’ LEARNS education plan are discussing potential litigation to undo the measure, and a possible citizens’ referendum could also delay enactment or even reverse the new law. That path, however, would be difficult. The LEARNS bill, SB294, was signed into law on March 8th by Gov. Sanders and has been touted by her administration as “the biggest, boldest, most conservative education reforms” in the state’s history and the nation. The law sets a new minimum starting teacher salary of $50,000, provides raises of $2,000 to current teachers, outlines initiatives for pre-K, literacy improvement and workforce training, and provides money for public school safety and transportation. The most controversial aspect of LEARNS centers on a voucher program called “education freedom accounts,” which will eventually allow public school funding to follow students to their choice of K-12 education, including charter, parochial and private schools as well as homeschooling. The Arkansas Department of Education has started holding public meetings to gather input on various aspects of the measure to proceed with rules and regulations to implement it before the start of the next school year. Legal observers say a possible lawsuit may have to wait until the law is implemented for an aggrieved party to have court standing and to argue they have been injured or harmed. In the meantime, some opponents of LEARNS are exploring Arkansas’ Constitution, which may offer another path to reverse the governor’s signature education reform measure. It is a route that would no doubt need a big coalition of like-minded activists, deep financial resources, and some political luck. Article 5, Section 1 of the state Constitution deals with the initiative and referendum process. Initiatives are when citizens propose constitutional amendments or state laws (initiated acts) to voters. There are requirements for signature thresholds, the timing of the petitions to be reviewed, and the posting of legal notices. The referendum section of the Constitution deals specifically with overturning “any general act, or any item of an appropriation bill, or measure passed by the General Assembly.” The section of the Constitution also sets requirements for petition signatures. It states that the “petition shall be filed with the Secretary of State not later than 90 days after the final adjournment of the session at which such act was passed.” That final adjournment is known as “sine die,” when the General Assembly officially closes its business, currently slated for early May.
Arkansas Woman Stabs Three People at Basketball Game
An Arkansas woman is accused of stabbing three people during a fight over a basketball game. Trumann Police said the Jonesboro Police Department notified them after a stabbing victim arrived at the St. Bernanrd’s Medical Center around 1:43 a.m. Monday. The two other victims arrived at the hospital later. An investigation determined Sheila Watson, 47, stabbed the three victims and assaulted others during a fight on Main Street. Investigators said the fight was over a basketball game at Cedar Park earlier in the day. Police said Monday one victim remains at the hospital in critical condition. The other two victims have been released. Watson is charged with three counts of first-degree battery, one count of second-degree battery, and probation violation.
Fairfield Bay Man Hears on TV He's a Lottery Winner
A man from Fairfield Bay tuned into the news at just the right time, learning he had won a life-changing amount of money. According to Arkansas Scholarship Lottery officials, retired Marine Corps veteran Gary Wall was watching KARK 4 News when he discovered that he had won the $121,200 Natural State Jackpot prize. A regular lottery player, Wall said he used numbers close to his heart for the NSJ, like his daughters’ birthdays and his own birthday. Wall had purchased the ticket from T & A Oil Co. ahead of Friday night’s drawing. He said he plans to treat himself to a brand-new car or pickup truck. He also offered a bit of advice for lottery players hoping to score big too. “It will pay off in the end,” Wall said. This isn’t Wall’s first brush with luck. Just five years ago, he won $5,000 playing another Arkansas lottery game. Lottery officials said that more than 92 cents of every dollar of ASL revenue goes to prizes, scholarships, retailer commissions and other expenses in Arkansas. Since 2009, the lottery has raised more than $1.2 billion in proceeds for scholarships.
Jonesboro Doctors License Suspended Over Opioids
The Arkansas State Medical Board has suspended a Jonesboro doctor’s license following claims he prescribed “excessive amounts” of opioids. The board issued an Emergency Order of Suspension charging Michael E. Crawley, MD, with violating the Medical Practices Act and board regulations. The emergency order accused Crawley of the following: Grossly negligent or ignorant malpractice Persistent and flagrant overtreating of patients Prescribing excessive amounts of controlled substances to patients, including writing an excessivenumber of prescriptions for addicting or potentially harmful drugs to patients According to the order, the board received an anonymous complaint on March 24, 2022, concerning Crawley’s prescribing practices. The Pharmacy Services and Drug Control Division of the Arkansas Department of Health then conducted an investigation of Crawley. A review of the seven patient charts mentioning the anonymous complaint showed a “significant lack of medical documentation in each of the seven files to justify the continued use of narcotic medication.” The report also noted that in one case, “Dr. Crawley continued to prescribe large amounts of opioids after an intentional opioid overdose.” The board will hold a hearing in Little Rock on April 13 to determine if his license to practice medicine in Arkansas should be revoked or suspended, and whether he should face further sanctions.
KFC Offering Employees Free Tuition to College
A partnership between a long-standing fast-food chain and a university will allow Arkansas employees to attend college tuition-free. The KFC Foundation, the charitable arm of the KFC restaurant franchise, announced its partnership with Western Governors University to provide 100% scholarships to KFC employees. A KFC Foundation spokesperson said the scholarships were non-competitive, all applicants would be accepted, and applications could be made on day one of employment. Arkansas has 57 KFC restaurants, according to the company. UA Little Rock partnering with businesses to provide scholarships WGU is a fully accredited online university with monthly starting dates that offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as certifications across various specialties. KFC Foundation Executive Director Emma Horn said the free-tuition program fits the foundation’s model. Foundation program funding comes from register round-ups and KFC’s “Secret Recipe” fries sales. Franchisees can also participate in an annual donation program to support the foundation. The foundation began with franchise founder Colonel Harlan Sanders paying for a hitchhiker’s tuition, according to the organization.
Arkansas One of Least Innovative States
A new study by WalletHub.com found that Arkansas is one of the least innovative states in the U.S. For its report, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across “22 key indicators of innovation-friendliness.” The data sets range from share of STEM professionals to R&D spending per capita to tech-company density. Arkansas was ranked 47th, with only West Virginia, North Dakota, Louisiana and Mississippi checking in lower. The District of Columbia was slotted at #1, followed by Massachusetts and the state ofWashington. The Natural State came in 45th for “human capital” and 49th for “innovation environment,” according to the report. It also had the 48th-ranked share of STEM professionals, as well as coming in 48th for projected STEM job demand in 2030.
Chevy Camaro Going Out of Production
The Chevrolet Camaro, for decades the dream car of many teenage American males, is going out of production. General Motors, which sells the brawny muscle car, said Wednesday it will stop making the current generation early next year. The future of the car, which is raced in NASCAR and other circuits, is a bit murky. GM says another generation may be in the works. "While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro’s story,” Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet, said in a statement. The current sixth-generation Camaro, introduced in 2016, has done well on the racetrack, but sales have been tailing off in recent years. When the current generation Camaro came out in 2016, Chevrolet sold 72,705 of them. But by the end of 2021 that number fell almost 70% to 21,893. It rebounded a bit last year to 24,652. GM said the last of the 2024 model year of the cars will come off the assembly line in Lansing, Michigan, in January. Spokesman Trevor Thompkins said he can’t say anything more about a future Camaro. “We’re not saying anything specific right now,” he said. If GM revives the Camaro, it almost certainly will be electric, said Stephanie Brinley, an associate director with S&P Global Mobility. “It would be unlikely to see another internal combustion engine vehicle,” she said. GM has said it plans to sell only electric passenger vehicles worldwide by 2035. Brinley said the push to sell more electric vehicles makes it likely that all new muscle cars will be powered by batteries. But if there’s still a mixed combustion and battery fleet on sale in 2030 or 2040, some gas-powered muscle cars could survive. Thompkins said GM has an understanding with auto-racing sanctioning bodies that the sixth-generation car can continue racing. GM will have parts available and the Camaro body will stay on the race track, he said. NASCAR said that because the Generation 6 Camaro was in production when GM originally got permission to race, it remains qualified to race in NASCAR Cup and NASCAR Xfinity Series races. GM will offer a collector’s edition package of the 2024 Camaro RS and SS in North America, and a limited number of high-performance ZL-1 Camaros. The collector’s edition cars will have ties to the first- generation Camaro from the 1960s and its GM code name “Panther,” the company said without giving specifics.
Lady Razorbacks Taking On Texas Tech Friday
The Arkansas Razorbacks women's basketball team is set to take on Texas Tech in the Super 16 of the WNIT. That matchup is set for 7 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena on Friday. This is the team's third straight home game in the WNIT. Tickets are $10 and tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The Ladybacks beat the Ladyjacks of Stephen F. Austin in the second round of the WNIT. Arkansas was led by Samara Spencer who had 27 points, shooting 4-8 from behind the arc. The Lady Raiders took down Southern Methodist University Monday night. The Hogs beat Louisiana Tech 69-47 in the first round. Arkansas has never lost a first-round WNIT game. The men's basketball team is headed to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. They're set to take on UCONN Thursday in Las Vegas.
ASU Hires New Men's Basketball Coach
Arkansas State University is welcoming a new men’s basketball coach, regarded as one of the top recruiters and assistant coaches in the nation with 15-plus seasons as a collegiate coach. Vice Chancellor of Intercollegiate Athletics Jeff Purinton announced Wednesday that Bryan Hodgson has been hired as head coach of Arkansas State University’s men’s basketball program. Hodgson comes to A-State after spending the last four seasons at the University of Alabama. He became the 17th head coach in program history. Hodgson was recently rated as the No. 2 recruiter nationally by 247Sports.com. Hodgson played a vital role in recruiting top-15 classes each of the last four seasons in Tuscaloosa. Alabama, the overall No. 1 seed this season. A press conference will be held in the Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center, which is open to the public, will be held at an undetermined time next week to introduce Hodgson to fans and the university at large.

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03/23/2023

Arrest Reports: 03/23
Charles A. Cosby - HI - 29 - court commit x 2Waylon D. Graves - Rogers - 37 - FTA, hold for other agencyJazaline A. Horn - ES - 28 - theft of servicesAnthony Risher - Danville, PA - 36 - public intoxAmber L. Walker - BV - 39 - breaking and entering, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, harassing communications, obstruction Gov operationsJeremy W. Worsham - Rogers - 45 - FTA
National Agriculture Week Being Celebrated National Ag Week Faqs
How important is agriculture to the economy? Agriculture is described as a wellspring of the economy. A strong and healthy agricultural system provides the food supply for the nation, but it also provides the other raw material for the industry that supports the economy. It brings self-sustenance to a country. What are the types of agriculture? Based on the socio-economic and geographical conditions, there are two main types of agriculture: subsistence farming and commercial farming — the variants of agriculture range from being crop- oriented to livestock-oriented or adopting a mix of both. The levels at which farms operate are based upon the living standard and wealth of the farmer.How many people in the U.S. are involved in agriculture? While farmland may stretch far and wide, the actual percentage of the U.S. population involved in agriculture is only 1.3%, or 2.6 million people. 5 Interesting Facts About Agriculture Everyone Should Know* There are 22 million people employed in the agriculture sector.* Today every farmer feeds 144 people as compared to the one farmer for 25 people in the 1960s.* The average time a farmer operator spends on the farm in a lifetime is 58.3 years.* The average farm size in the U.S. is about 434 acres.* 11% of the farmers in the U.S. previously served in the army.Here's a USDA report on the number of farms in the country. Our Ag Week sponsors include Anstaff Bank, Southern Paramedic Service, Harts Family Center, Bank of 1889, Montgomery Whiteley Realty, Casey's Equipment, Carroll County Cattlemen's Association.
Quorum Court Hears from Citizens on Wind Turbine Development
Many citizens in Carroll County are debating a potential project surrounding wind turbines. Both sides spoke their minds at quorum court at the Carroll County Courthouse Tuesday night. Dozens of people filled the room, even spilling out into the hallway. One major concern among citizens like former County Judge Richard Williams is county roads... Photo: A.O. Writer
AFD Reports Prescribed Burns in the Area
According to the Arkansas Forestry Division, prescribed burns, including Benton, Madison, and Washington counties combined with winds are causing many to see and smell smoke in Northwest Arkansas. AFD's website says the prescribed burns began . on March 20. The list of locations and amount of acres burned: Benton County: 500 acres — two miles east of Garfield (ending around 3 p.m.) Madison County: 1,349 acres — 12 miles southeast of St. Paul 486 acres — 8 miles northeast of Huntsville Washington County: 50 acres — .2 miles north of Greenland The burns are all ending at around midnight unless otherwise stated, according to the AFD. The AFD chooses days when rain is in the forecast to help mitigate risk, with vegetation still fairly wet it's easier to control the blaze. Light south winds help crews plan the direction of the burn. It's not too windy to bring a fire out of control. Prescribed fire is a planned fire; it is also sometimes called a “controlled burn” or “prescribed burn." According to the National Parks Service, controlled burns are an important tool used to manage fire. "A scientific prescription for each fire, prepared in advance, describes its objectives, fuels, size, the preciseenvironmental conditions under which it will burn, and conditions under which it may be suppressed." The fire may be designed to create a mosaic of diverse habitats for plants and animals, to help endangered species recover, or to reduce fuels and thereby prevent a destructive fire, the NPS says.
Legislator Introduces Bill to Create Broadband Advisory Council
A bill filed this week by state Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock, aims to create a broadband advisory council to aid state officials in expanding access to high-speed internet. Senate Bill 449 would establish a 16-member panel intended to provide input to the state broadband manager and the secretary of the Department of Commerce on implementation of the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. During an interview Tuesday, English said the council would resemble broadband advisory panels established in other states. She hoped the group -- which under the bill would represent interests from Arkansas' banking to health care sectors -- would provide state officials with feedback from various stakeholders. The federal program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will spread $42.45 billion across the U.S. and its territories to expand broadband access. Each state, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico will receive at least $100 million and other U.S. territories will receive at least $25 million. Federal officials will distribute remaining funds using a formula that considers the number of unserved and high- cost locations, according to a federal website. English's bill would task the panel with researching several topics related to broadband accessibility including the "needs, barriers, issues, and goals for broadband access." The panel would have to explore the needs and uses of broadband for education, health care, agriculture, energy, industries, businesses, libraries, governmental operations, public safety and other key economic sectors in Arkansas. English said she expected one of the priorities for the panel if the bill is approved will be studying ways to bolster digital literacy. She noted that improving digital literacy would help strengthen the state's workforce and aligns with the LEARNS Act, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' expansive education bill that lawmakers passed and Sanders signed earlier this month.
U of A Looks at Job Turnover of Teachers Marked by the Pandemic
Arkansas' kindergarten-through-12th grade public school system has experienced an overall uptick in teacher turnover during the school years marked by the covid-19 pandemic. That is one of the conclusions reached by a research team at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville that looked at job movement among teachers in the 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years as compared with previous years. Andrew Camp, Gema Zamarro and Josh McGee of the university's Office for Education Policy are the authors of the study. The research team found that the state's typical teacher retention rate of nearly 80% in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years dropped to 76.9% in 2021 and to 74.4% in the current 2022-23 school year. "Given that about 32,000 teachers are employed by Arkansas school districts each year, this indicates that about 1,250 more teachers left the classroom during the summer of 2022 than what we would have expected on average during pre-pandemic years," the research team found. Previously, there was a one-year dip to a 74.7% retention rate in the 2015-16 school year that jumped up to 77.1% the next year. At a time when student achievement has declined in the pandemic years, teachers -- who are generally recognized as the most important school-based factor for student achievement -- have indicated on surveys that they are stressed and considering job changes. "Given the serious challenges that Arkansas students face and apparent dissatisfaction among teachers, it's natural to be concerned about increased teacher turnover and potential teacher shortages," the authors wrote. The research team broke down the types of teacher turnover to include those who: Left or exited the profession -- 10.4% this year compared with 8.7% the year before. Moved from one campus to another -- 10.9% this school year compared with 11.2% the year before. Switched to a non instructional role in public schools -- 4.3% in 2022-23, up from 3.3% in 2021-22. Teachers who moved from one campus to another or moved into non-instructional school jobs should prompt education leaders to identify why one school or one job is preferred over others, the researchers said. An even deeper dive is necessary to determine the reasons why greater numbers of teachers left the profession entirely, the team said. The research team also found that the teacher turnover rate varies across the state, with south and east Arkansas seeing higher turnover than north and west parts of the state. But all parts of the state have seen changes. Thirty-nine Arkansas districts saw turnover rates in excess of 35% this year, up from 15 districts in 2021-22. Entering this school year, 24 districts saw turnover rates of no more than 15%. But last year, a better-than- double 57 districts had a turnover rate of 15% or less. The research team looked into the status of teachers who exited the teaching profession, with the idea that the information could lead to the design of better teacher retention practices in the future. Eighty percent of those who left at the end of the 2020-21 school year "do not appear as an employee at any unemployment insurance-covered employer in the state," the team said.
Dangerous Fungus Moving Across the Country
A fungus that poses “an urgent antimicrobial resistance threat,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has already been detected in more than half of U.S. states. Candida auris, or C. auris, is so concerning because it is often resistant to antifungal drugs, making it hard to treat infections. It can also be hard to identify with standard lab tests, making it even more difficult to treat properly and early. The fungus was first detected in the United States in 2016. The fungus “spread at an alarming rate” between 2020 and 2021 in health care facilities, the CDC wrote in a memo released Monday, and has continued to spread in 2022. By the end of 2022, there were more than 8,000 instances of Candida auris identified across 28 states and Washington, D.C. The map below shows confirmed cases of the fungus, with states shaded in red having the most infections. While it usually isn’t a significant threat to healthy people, the CDC said, Candida auris outbreaks are a big threat in health care settings, where the fungus can enter patients’ bloodstream and cause severe, deadly infections. Sick people, those staying in the hospital long-term, and patients with invasive medical devices (like catheters or IVs) are most vulnerable. The strain put on the health care system by the COVID-19 pandemic may have allowed the fungus to spread more quickly. “The rapid rise and geographic spread of cases is concerning and emphasizes the need for continued surveillance, expanded lab capacity, quicker diagnostic tests, and adherence to proven infection prevention and control,” CDC epidemiologist Dr. Meghan Lyman said in a press release.
Oldest Surviving Biblical Manuscripts Being Sold
One of the oldest surviving biblical manuscripts, a nearly complete 1,100-year-old Hebrew Bible, could soon be yours — for a cool $30 million. The Codex Sassoon, a leather-bound, handwritten parchment tome containing almost the entirety of the Hebrew Bible, is set to go on the block at Sotheby’s in New York in May. Its anticipated sale speaks to the still bullish market for art, antiquities and ancient manuscripts even in a worldwide bear economy. Sotheby’s is drumming up interest in hopes of enticing institutions and collectors to bite. It has put the price tag at an eye-watering $30 million to $50 million.

03/22/2023

Arrest Reports: 03/22
Jason E. Arnold - HI - 46 - theft of property x 4Wesley R. Clark - BV - 31 - DWIAnthony E. Hall - Eagle Rock, Mo - 33 - revocation, FTA x 2
National Agriculture Week March 21-27, 2023: Why National Agriculture Week is Important
It honors the farmers This holiday is an official statement of appreciation to all farmers and employees of the agricultural industry. It is through their efforts that the nation can sustain itself. It serves to promote agriculture as a good source of income and as a field of research and technological advancement. Agriculture has seen a decline in the interest of people as urbanization increases. So to get the interest back towards agriculture this week is a good idea to promote agriculture and its benefits. From seven million farmers and ranchers in the 1950s to only 2.6 million in 2017, people are losing interest in agriculture. They are moving to more urban settlements for jobs that are of urban lifestyles. This means that in the years to come, the agricultural industry will have very few people employed, which might cause a problem for the country. So awareness about this fact needs to be spread. Our local sponsors for Ag Week include Carroll County Cattleman's Association, Casey's Equipment, Bank of 1889, Montgomery Whiteley Realty, Harts Family Center, Anstaff Bank and Southern Paramedic Service.
Melissa Casey Recognized with Arkansas Power Woman in Banking Award
Charlie Cross, Chief Executive Officer, CS Bank, is pleased to announce Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer/Chief Financial Officer, Melissa Casey, has been named the Arkansas Power Woman in Banking Award recipient by the Arkansas Bankers Association. The ABA Power Woman in Banking Award celebrates a woman in the banking profession within the state of Arkansas who has made positive and substantial contributions to the industry, is active within their community and goes the extra mile to promote and inspire women to reach their full potential. Cross stated, “Melissa certainly epitomizes the spirit of this award and is a role model for professional women throughout the State of Arkansas. I remain proud of her leadership and stewardship here at CS Bank and feel this recognition to be richly deserved.” Ms. Casey is a resident of Berryville, Arkansas where she lives with her husband Charles. She has three children, serves on the Mercy Hospital Board and is involved with numerous community and philanthropic endeavors throughout the area. CS Bank is a $510 million-dollar, Northwest Arkansas based bank with seven locations throughout the area and plans for continued expansion, including a second location in South Harrison.
Hospitality Employer Helping Get Affordable Housing and Childcare for Workers
People moving to Eureka Springs often have a new job but don’t often have their own address. Affordable rental property is in short supply. One of the town’s largest hospitality employers, the Crescent Hotel, decided to make some space for them. The hotel purchased a building that was once an assisted living facility and is now an apartment complex. The right and left sides are apartments and in the middle, a babysitting facility. The Crescent’s executive vice president decided transitional housing can help retain new workers. The Executive Vice President of the hotel, Jack Moyer, says the company is converting what was an assisted living facility into small apartments. Moyer also says he is working on more full-time childcare. Moyer said only half of the building’s apartments have been completed. They are expecting to finish renovations sometime this summer.
Rogers Fire Department Chief Dies Suddenly
The Rogers Fire Department made a Facebook post around 1 a.m. announcing the death of a captain who has served nearly 23 years. Fire Captain Shawn Treat suddenly died Monday night while off duty, according to a Rogers Fire Station spokesperson.
Walmart Shareholders Meeting May 31
Walmart Inc. announced their annual shareholders’ meeting along with their traditional Friday AssociateCelebration, according to a press release. A virtual shareholders meeting is for May 31. There will not be a physical location for the annual meeting. The annual meeting will focus on shareholder voting. According to a press release, shareholders are expected to vote electronically, online, by mail or by phone prior to May 31. Walmart associates from around the world will be joining us on June 2 at the Bud Walton Arena for the Friday Associate Celebration. The event will feature entertainment and messages from senior leadership to highlight accomplishments. According to a press release the event will also be webcast through a link on the company’s website.
John Boozman Interview on Shortage of Healthcare Professionals
Linda Boyer has details here....
Mulberry Teacher Facing Multiple Charges
A Mulberry High School teacher is facing multiple charges in connection with exchanging nude photos with a student. Hiedi Leeann Oliver , 41, was arrested Thursday in connection with two counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, according to a probable cause affidavit. She was booked into the Crawford County jail and released on a $100,000 bond. According to the affidavit, the Crawford County Sheriff's Office investigated a report Thursday involving a 17- year-old boy and an educator at Mulberry High School. Police said the boy was interviewed at Hamilton House in Fort Smith. He said he and Oliver exchanged nude photos. He added he spent a night at her home in January. He didn't say there was any sexual contact, but told investigators the two discussed meeting up to have intercourse at a later date, police said. Oliver admitted during an interview at the Sheriff's Office she received at least two graphic pictures from the boy. She also said he stayed over at her house, and they had a conversation of "a sexual manner." She also confirmed she had sent him sexual pictures of herself, according to the affidavit.
Dirty Produce Guide is Out
You may want to be a little more cautious in the kitchen and make sure your groceries are clean. The 2023 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce is out, and strawberries and spinach own the top two slots on the so-called “dirty dozen.” Kale came in third place followed by two other greens: collard and mustard respectively. The report also says nearly 90% of blueberries and green bean samples had concerning findings, including more kinds of pesticides than in previous years. Health officials said exposure to food with pesticides could potentially be harmful, especially for pregnant women and children. The researchers said, if you can’t buy organic, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables, it’s important to properly wash the food items. Avocados are on the top of the list for least-contaminated foods, followed by sweet corn. The findings of this report came from nearly 47,000 samples tested by The Department of Agriculture.

03/21/2023

Arrest Reports 03/21:
Lonnie R. Elsey - Springdale - 50 - FTAJessica S. Kasper - Huntsville - 38 - court commitmentTyson N. Lautiej - BV - 21 - FTAKelvin Y. Roman Nieves - Branson, Mo - 22 - possessionof controlled substance, possessionof drug paraphrnalia, no liability insuranceRaymond Williams - Fayetteville - 23 - driving on suspended DL, no insurance
National Agriculture Week Being Celebrated
National Agriculture Week is celebrated every year in March on dates announced by the Agriculture Council of America. This year the holiday commences on March 21 and ends on 27. The week celebrates and acknowledges the agricultural industry and the role it plays in stabilizing the economy. The holiday gives thanks to the industry as a whole for being a source of abundant food, fiber, and renewable products. It also provides millions with stable jobs and careers. It also emphasizes the efforts made by those involved in agriculture for providing us with necessities that most of us take for granted. History of National Agriculture Week Agriculture is the biggest food contributor in America. America is the net exporter of food, which means that this industry is a source of food and wealth. The rich history of agriculture in the U.S. attracted colonists to the area. Since most colonists were European, the styles of agricultural cultivation and production were Europe influenced as well. Colonists also brought a large amount of livestock with them to America, which caused changes in its natural landscape. As the population grew, farms expanded, and settlements moved from the east into the west. This caused the agricultural industry to grow exponentially, with a larger variety of produce being rooted. Once the west was populated and cultivated, a wheat frontier was formed. The east was firmly set on cattle and livestock with only a handful of small-scale crops. On the other hand, the south was dominated by tobacco and cotton. Lastly, the north was dominated by people who planted only what they needed, anything in excess was sold to the market. It was only during the Civil War and the Second World War that the agricultural system became centralized, and a proper agricultural system was introduced. The Agriculture Council of America, formed in 1973, has supported the farmers and agricultural advancements in farming techniques in the U.S. It comprises influential leaders in agriculture, food, and farming who work together as a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the world on the importance of agriculture in American Society. At the same time when the council was formed, the first National Agriculture Day was also introduced, which soon developed into an entire week-long celebration. National Agriculture Week has been celebrated ever since, with full enthusiasm to support agriculture and spread awareness about the potential and vitality of agriculture. Our sponsors for National Agriculture Week are Carroll County Cattlemen's Association, Southern Paramedic Service, Anstaff Bank, Harts Family Center, Montgomery Whiteley Realty, Bank of 1889 and Casey's Equipment.
Rockin' Library Fundraiser Set for Saturday, March 25
Tired of all the potholes in your driveway? Or has all this season’s heavy rain washed out your drive so much that you need a four-wheel drive to reach your house? Carroll County Stone has your solution! Saturday, March 25, is Love Your Library Day at Carroll County Stone, located just 2 miles east of Berryville on Highway 62. Carroll County Stone has teamed up with the Berryville Library and will be offering a full pickup load of base rock for only $20 per load with 100% of the proceeds going toward the Berryville Library Building Project. Carroll County Stone, referred to by many locals as Rock Crusher Hill, will open the gates Saturday, March 25, from 8am-2pm. No reservations needed, just show up and the Carroll County Stone team will load up your pickup. Please contact Carroll County Stone for pricing if you need more than a pickup load. According to Berryville Friends of the Library President Calvin Cleaver, “We can’t thank Carroll County Stone enough for hosting this great fundraiser again for the library. Last year’s event raised over $2,300, and this year is shaping up to be even bigger! This is such a great deal, and spring is a perfect time for those do-it-yourself kinds of projects that need this base rock!” If you’ve been putting off fixing your driveway or getting to that outdoor spring project, don’t wait any longer. Help us ROCK this fundraiser with Carroll County Stone, benefiting the Friends of the Berryville Library. Even if you don’t have a project that needs base rock, come on out anyway and see the fine folks at Carroll County Stone while greeting some of the Friends of the Berryville Library volunteers. Donations will be gladly accepted and are tax-deductible to the extent of the law. For more information about this event or if you’re interested in making a donation to the Berryville Library Building Project, call (870) 654-6565
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge to Celebrate 31st Anniversary
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge will celebrate its 31st anniversary and is inviting Carole Baskin, who appeared in the hit Netflix documentary “Tiger King”, along with her husband Howard to speak at the event. According to a press release from Turpentine Creek, the Feast with the Beasts event will be held on April 29 from 3:30-8 p.m. The release says guests will be able to enjoy a happy hour in the Discovery Area among the big cats with cocktails, appetizers and live music. Visitors will be able to experience a special tram tour followed by dinner which will also be served in the Discovery Area. “We want to come and join Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in celebrating their anniversary and passage of this important legislation,” Baskin said, referring to The Big Cat Public Safety Act President Joe Biden signed into law on December 20. The release says there will be both a silent and live auction with proceeds benefitting the animals at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. The wildlife refuge says it will also share never-before-seen footage of rescues.
Missing Kayakers on Beaver Lake Identified
One of the kayakers reported missing at Beaver Lake on March 16 is the percussionist for the famous instrumental band Lotus. The band’s Facebook page told fans on March 17 that Chuck Morris and his son Charley had gone missing and asked fans to contact local authorities. The Facebook page linked to a GoFundMe page on March 18 which asked for financial support for the Morris family. The GoFundMe reached more than $10,000 in the first two hours after its creation. Chuck and Charley were reported missing in the Lost Bridge area of Beaver Lake. The search was placed on hold due to weather conditions and lack of visibility. The search resumed on March 17. Lt. Shannon Jenkins with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office says the Morris family traveled from Kansas City to vacation at Beaver Lake. A prayer vigil was held on March 18 for the kayakers at the Lost Bridge Village Recreation Center in Garfield. Jennifer Thompson, the wife and mom of the kayakers, says she’s been grateful to see the support from the community and continues to hope they’re found safe. “I’m just hoping that people pray in whatever way that means for them to bring our loved ones back to us. Chuck and Charlie, the loves of my life,” Thompson said. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of the kayakers, call the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at (479) 721-1008
Arkansas General Assembly Taking Week Off for Spring Break
The Arkansas General Assembly is taking a spring break this week from its regular session, but legislative leaders are hoping to lay more groundwork during the week to help reach their goal of completing their work in the regular session by April 7. In the regular session, the Republican-dominated Legislature has enacted Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' education overhaul legislation that raises the state's minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000 a year, creates Educational Freedom Accounts to help students attend private schools, parochial schools or to home school, and enacts many other changes in the education system. It's Act 237 of 2023. The Legislature and Sanders still have to enact a Revenue Stabilization Act that prioritizes the distribution of state general revenue in fiscal year 2024 that begins July 1, and determine what to do with $1.3 billion in unallocated general revenue surplus funds. Lawmakers also will grapple with whether to refer up to three proposed constitutional amendments to voters in the 2024 general election. Lawmakers also want to complete action on a wide variety of measures.
Shell Knob Woman Injured in UTV Rollover
A woman was taken to a hospital with serious injuries Saturday evening after she was involved in a crash. A Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report indicated 67-year-old Mitzi Mathews and 65-year-old Steven Mathews, both from Liberty, Missouri, were driving a Kawasaki Mule UTV just before 6 p.m. on March 18. As they were driving on Fish and Fun Road, about five miles south of Shell Knob, Missouri, their vehicle veered off the road and overturned. Mitzi Mathews suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital in Springfield, Missouri. She had been wearing a seatbelt. Steven Mathews, who did not suffer any injuries, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to the report. MSHP stated he was not wearing a seatbelt.
Amazon Eliminating 9,000 More Jobs in Addition to 18,000
Amazon plans to eliminate 9,000 more jobs in the next few weeks, CEO Andy Jassy said in a memo to staff on Monday. The job cuts would mark the second largest round of layoffs in the company's history, adding to the 18,000 employees the company said it would lay off in January. In the memo, Jassy said the second phase of the company's annual planning process completed this month and led to the additional job cuts. He said Amazon will still hire in some strategic areas. This month, Amazon paused construction on its second headquarters in Virginia following the biggest round of layoffs in the company’s history and its shifting plans around remote work. Last week, Facebook parent Meta announced it was slashing another 10,000 jobs and will not fill 5,000 open positions as the social media pioneer cuts costs. The company announced 11,000 job cuts in November, about 13% of its workforce at the time. Meta and other tech companies have been hiring aggressively for at least two years and in recent months have begun to let some of those workers go.
Google Laying Off 12,000 Workers
Google is laying off 12,000 workers, or about 6% of its workforce, becoming the latest tech company to trim staff as the economic boom that the industry rode during the COVID-19 pandemic ebbed. CEO Sundar Pichai informed staff Friday at the Silicon Valley giant about the cuts in an email that was also posted on the company's news blog. The firings adds to tens of thousands of other job losses recently announced by Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook parent Meta and other tech companies as they tighten their belts amid a darkening outlook for the industry. Just this month, there have been at least 48,000 job cuts announced by major companies in the sector. “Over the past two years we’ve seen periods of dramatic growth,” Pichai wrote. “To match and fuel that growth, we hired for a different economic reality than the one we face today.” He said the layoffs reflect a “rigorous review" carried out by Google of its operations. The jobs being eliminated “cut across Alphabet, product areas, functions, levels and regions,” Pichai said. In a regulatory filing late last year, the company said that it employed nearly 187,000 people. Pichai said that Google, founded nearly a quarter of a century ago, was “bound to go through difficult economic cycles.” “These are important moments to sharpen our focus, reengineer our cost base, and direct our talent and capital to our highest priorities,” he wrote. There will be job cuts in the U.S. and in other countries, according to Pchai’s letter.
Microsoft and Meta Eliminating Jobs
Microsoft announced 10,000 job cuts, or nearly 5% of its workforce recently. Amazon has said its cutting 18,000 jobs, although that's a fraction of its 1.5 million strong workforce. Facebook parent Meta is shedding 11,000 positions, or 13% of its workers, while business software maker Salesforce is laying off about 8,000 employees, or 10% of the total. Twitter CEO Elon Musk has slashed jobs at the company after he acquired it last fall. Employment in the U.S. has been resilient despite signs of a slowing economy, and there were another 223,000 jobs added in December. Yet the tech sector grew exceptionally fast over the last several years due to increased demand as employees began to work remotely. EOs of a number of companies have taken blame for growing too fast, yet those same companies, even after the latest round of job cuts, remain much larger than they were before the economic boom from the pandemic began.

03/20/2023

Weekend Arrest Reports:
3-20-23Lisbeth A. Agniotti-Watson - BV - criminal trespass, criminal mischief, resisting arrest, theft, obstructing Gov operations, public intox, disorderly conductJeremy W. Coyle - Prairie Grove - 42 - domestic battery x 2, endangering welfare of minor x 3, interference with emergency communicationsUles E. Holder - BV - 59 - driving on suspended DLNicole Monroe - Broken Arrow, OK - 40 - public intoxRichard Olcott - Harrison - 64 - FTAChristopher L. Sheen - BV - 27 - DWI, violationo f interlock device, no proof of insurance, leaving scene of accident, careless or prohibited drivingRaymond Williams - Fayetteville - 23 - drivingon suspended DL, no insuranceRebecca Wright - BV - 23 - hold for other agency
3-18-23Nathan D. Drake - BV - 37 - court commit x 2Brandon A. Hawkins - ES - 42 - FTA x 2Jeremy S> Heinrich - Huntsville - 29 - contempt of courtAustin Jarkion - GF - 40 - no proof of liability insurance, drivingon suspended or revoked DL. FTA x 3Damon A. Kelley - BV - 29 - court commitJesse S. Lestage - BV - 46 - drivingon suspended DLBenjamin N. Miller - BV - 35 - contempt of court, FTASamuel G. Pate - ES - 51 - court commitmentJose G. Quintana - BV - 40 - FTAJasper Riklon - GF - 44 - FTAArvil D. Tyler Jr - GF - 55 - court commitment x 2Sharina Watkins - Springdale - 43 - court commitLisbeth A. Watson - Fayetteville - 49 - obstruction Gov operations, driving on suspended DL, failure to register vehicle, no proof liability ins., hold for other agenciesAnthony Zacherias - GF - 43 - FTA
Quorum Court to Hear Wind Farm Development Project
A main topic expected to be discussed at Tuesday night's Carroll County Quorum Court meeting will be a proposed Wind Farm project in the eastern part of the county. Scout Clean Energy of Boulder, Colorado has announced plans to erect wind turbines at various sites among 9,000 acres, a total of about 14 square miles. The area of construction is south of Green Forest, and west of Alpena, according to a Scout Clean Energy news release. If the project is completed, it would generate 180 megawatts of electricity at peak demand. That's projected to be enough power to supply approximately 30,000 homes, according to industry estimates. Residents who oppose the intended project are expected to address the Quorum Court Tuesday night. A Carroll County official has said there is little that the county government could do to stop the project.
Father and Son Still Missing on Beaver Lake
The Benton County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) reports that a father and son are missing after a kayaking trip on Beaver Lake last Thursday. Search and rescue operations had to halt after the first several hours of the search due to weather and vision issues, but the search began again in the morning. BCSO reports that the two left Lost Bridge on Beaver Lake at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 16, in kayaks and were reported missing hours later. The BCSO says that "the search area was about 2000 square feet— I think it's about a 15-mile area that we're searching between the land and the water, it's just going to take a little while. " The Bentonville Alert System sent out a warning stating two kayakers were overdue on Beaver Lake in the Lost Bridge area on Thursday, March 17: BCSO says that they found one kayak and one life jacket in the Pine Log Hollow area. According to a Facebook post, the father, Chuck Morris is part of a band named Lotus. The band posted on its Facebook page about the search. Any information on the missing kayaker's whereabouts should be reported to the Benton County Sheriff's Office at 479-271-1008
Arkansas Legislature News
1. A bill before the Arkansas legislature would end taxes on food and food ingredients. House Bill 1661 was submitted Thursday, and would strip entire blocks from the Arkansas code, ending taxes on food and food ingredients. Bill would change definition of beer in Arkansas “Food and food ingredients,” by Arkansas law, do not include prepared food items, such as a sandwich or a box of donuts. Alcohol-containing beverages are also not included as a food or food item by state statute. According to Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration spokesperson Scott Hardin, the Arkansas tax rate on food has been reduced over the years.Hardin said that Arkansas’s tax rate on food and food ingredients is currently 0.125%, first set in 2013. Previously, the legislature lowered the food tax rate to 1.5% in 2011. In 2009 the tax was reduced to 2% by the legislature. Hardin said that currently, all collections go to the state’s Conservation Fund, which divides it between Arkansas Game & Fish, Parks & Tourism, Department of Heritage and Keep Arkansas Beautiful. In its February revenue report, the DFA showed Arkansas tax revenues for the eight-month fiscal year are $250.2 million, or 5.6%, above what was forecast. Arkansas bill to protect minors from viewing porn making its way through legislature The 0.125% state sales tax on food generated $8.4 million for Arkansas in fiscal year 2022, which ran from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Kendon Underwood (R-Cave Springs). 2. Arkansas lawmakers sent Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders legislation that would raise the property tax credit that thousands of homeowners receive for their primary residence. Sanders’ office said the Republican governor planned to sign into law the legislation, which will raise the homestead property tax credit from $375 to $425. The Senate approved the bill by a 33-0 vote on Thursday. The state Department of Finance and Administration has projected the increase, which the House approved by a 99-0 vote earlier this month, would cost the state $34 million next year. More than 711,000 people received the tax credit in 2022. The credit is funded by a one-half cent statewide sales and use tax. The tax credit was established through a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2000. It was last raised in 2019 by former Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Sanders’ Republican predecessor. 3. Arkansas House Speaker Matthew Shepherd filed a bill Thursday to expand the state's law that allows college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness to include some high school students. The state's current name, image and likeness law applies only to students who are enrolled in a college or university. House Bill 1649 would expand the law to include high school students who have signed a national letter of intent, or similar agreement, or have been accepted to a college or university. Previously the National Collegiate Athletic Association had barred college athletes from profiting off their name, image and likeness but ended the policy in June 2021. Under the name, image and likeness policy, athletes can be compensated through marketing and promotional events, such as product endorsements, autographs and more. By allowing some high school athletes to enter into name, image and likeness deals, Shepherd said the proposed bill is aimed at keeping the state's universities competitive in the often cutthroat world of recruiting. "From my perspective, I'd rather [prefer] that we didn't have to go down this road, but the fact of the matter is that's the environment in which we live, that's the world in which we live," Shepherd told reporters during a news conference after the House adjourned Thursday. "So it's important that our laws are keeping up with what's going on across the country." However, the bill addresses only a portion of high school athletes, with Shepherd deferring a future name, image likeness policy for all high school athletes to the Arkansas Activities Association, saying he expects there to be an interim study to look into the issue.
Arkansas vs. UConn in Sweet Sixteen Thursday
The Arkansas-UConn Sweet Sixteen matchup will take place on Thursday, March 23 at 6:15 C.T. and aired on CBS. The game will take place in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena. UCONN beat Saint Mary’s 70-55 on Sunday night to punch their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen. Arkansas upset Kansas in NCAA Tournament 72-71 The last time the Huskies were in the Sweet Sixteen was in 2014 and they went on to win the national championship that year. Arkansas punched their ticket to this game by taking down No. 1 seeded Kansas 72-71 on Saturday night. Hunter Yurachek Presents Renovation Plan to Bud Walton Arena The University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek presented a plan to renovate Bud Walton Arena to the university's board of trustees on Tuesday. The presentation's intention was to only pitch three renovation options and to inform the board that UA Athletics is initiating a study on those concepts. Kevin Trainor, the spokesperson for the athletic program, said the renderings shown in the presentation are "conceptual only and no decisions have been made on types or locations of seating etc." Yurachek presented three scenarios: Deferred maintenance Deferred maintenance and the addition of premium space additions Deferred maintenance, the addition of premium space additions and back-of-house renovation and expansion According to the presentation, deferred maintenance alone would cost $44 million, including roof, HVAC, seats/seating bowl, concessions, restrooms and more. The second option would include the maintenance, and the expansion of premium space options including a club level, loge boxes, upper concourse suites, courtside bunker suites and baseline-to-baseline student seating. The third scenario would include options one and two, plus the addition of the expansion and renovation of the back-of-house to accommodate multi-use events. The presentation also included details of a capital campaign goal of $125 million. This goal includes: $40 million football stadium naming opportunity $35 million Bud Walton Arena naming opportunity $10 million soccer stadium naming opportunity $10 million softball stadium naming opportunity $30 million for miscellaneous opportunitiesPreliminary financing scenarios include a $50 million athletic department bond issue for the first option, the bond plus $25 million in gift commitments to cover the second option and the bond, gifts and an additional $25 million in third-party partnerships to cover the scenario that includes all three.
State Capitol Week in Review: Senator Bryan King March 17, 2023 - LITTLE ROCK
The legislature has advanced a long list of bills to prevent voter fraud and protect the integrity of elections. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have passed HB 1510 to schedule all special elections on the same date as traditional primary elections in May and general elections in November. A motivation of the sponsors is to prevent local officials from holding a special election for a tax increase on a date when few people will know about and go to the polls. In presidential election years, Arkansas primary elections are in March and that is when special elections could be held. SB 250, which affects counties that choose to use paper ballots, has been sent to the governor. It requires those counties to use paper ballots that are compatible with the vote counting machines of the Secretary of State, and it requires the county to pay the costs of printing and counting the ballots. SB 254 eliminates write-in candidates in state elections. It has been sent to the governor. SB 255, which has been sent to the governor, prohibits state and local election officials from accepting any gifts, services, products or anything of value from any source other than the government entity that employs them. A goal is to prohibit social media, consultants, political parties and strategists from paying for any election expenses. SB 258 prohibits the use of drop boxes for collecting absentee ballots. All absentee ballots that are not delivered by mail must be hand delivered inside the county clerk’s office. SB 258 has passed in both chambers and is on the governor’s desk. Already in law is Act 236, which affects citizens’ groups trying to place an issue on statewide ballots. They will have to gather signatures of registered voters from at least 50 counties. That is an increase from at least 15 counties. SB 377, which has been advanced by the Senate Judiciary Committee, would make it a crime to destroy signatures gathered on petitions to place an issue on the ballot. The bill was prompted by incidents that occurred when competing casino interests paid or harassed canvassers. HB 1513 creates an Election Integrity Unit with the state Attorney General’s office. It is in the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. The Senate has passed SB 272 to require more audits of elections by the state Board of Election Commissioners. In odd-numbered years an election audit will be performed in 15 to 20 counties, randomly selected. The Board can order an audit in response to complaints of election fraud, and the legislature’s Joint Performance Review Committee can designate a county to be audited. Act 194 authorizes the state Attorney General to review ballot titles and popular names of proposed amendments and initiatives. For many years the Attorney General reviewed ballot titles, but in 2019 the legislature transferred that authority to the Board of Election Commissioners. Last year, in a decision on a proposed ballot issue to legalize recreational marijuana, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that the Board of Election Commissioners had no authority to approve ballot titles.