Latest news with #Arkansans
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge allows two additional groups to intervene in Arkansas ballot referendum case
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A federal judge on Wednesday permitted to additional groups to intervene in a case intending to strike down changes made to Arkansas ballot referendum laws. Protect AR Rights and For AR Kids will now be able to join in the League of Women Voters of Arkansas vs. Jester case. That complaint challenges a host of recently enacted laws by the Arkansas legislature, making it harder for Arkansans to file ballot referendums. Protect AR Rights ballot title to overturn recent ballot title laws rejected by attorney general a second time The motion to intervene was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, Elias Law Group LLP, and Shults Law Firm LLP. 'We're pleased that the court has granted our motion to intervene,' ACLU of Arkansas Legal Director John Williams said. 'This decision ensures that the voices of grassroots groups actively engaged in the ballot initiative process will be fully represented in this case.' Williams added: 'Our clients are already feeling the impact of these unconstitutional laws, and now they'll have the opportunity to stand up in court and defend the First Amendment rights of all Arkansans who seek political change through direct democracy.' Previously, Protect AR Rights had filed to place a question on the Arkansas general election ballot to overturn the new laws. It had been rejected twice by the attorney general's office due to the proposed ballot title being above an eighth-grade reading level, as required by one of the laws passed by the 95th General Assembly. Appeals court reinstates Arkansas ban on teaching Critical Race Theory Protect AR Rights is made up of a coalition of Arkansas Appleseed, Arkansas Citizens First Congress, Arkansas Public Policy Panel, For AR People, the Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP and the Arkansas Education Association. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Black America Web
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Black America Web
Return To What?! Whites-Only Town In Arkansas Sparks Uproar
Universal History Archive On August 20, 1959, the Arkansas State Capitol was swarmed by a large crowd of white protesters (seen above) who each wanted to express how red-in-the-face they got at the idea of integrating Central High School. This came just two years after the bittersweet plight of the Little Rock Nine, itself a result of the historic 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling that called for the desegregation of all public schools. The immediate backlash was brutal for those young souls who put themselves on the line as pioneers — daily harassment, verbal abuse and even acid attacks only scratch the surface — but thankfully it all resulted in the fully inclusive Central High School of today that even has an onsite civil rights museum to commemorate everything those nine students had to endure. While 66 years may seem like ample enough time to grow from past mistakes, unfortunately you've still got those who choose to not only harbor on the hate of yesteryear but also recreate it for a new generation of racist Arkansans. In 2025, there's a whole community living in the Ozark hills that call themselves Return to The Land and operate based on a very played-out 'whites-only' ideology. RELATED: 'Whites Only': Boston Mayor Defends 'Electeds Of Color Holiday Party' In City With Racist Reputation The 'no Blacks, no Jews, no gays' requirement to be part of Return to The Land speaks for itself in terms of bigotry, and their plans for expansion to Missouri only further the cause for concern. More info below via MSNBC : 'Group co-founder Eric Orwoll recently garnered national attention for the segregated community he helped launch on roughly 150 acres in northeast Arkansas. And he garnered more attention this week after revealing that his group might launch a community in Springfield, Missouri, with his self-expressed motive basically amounting to racist, anti-diversity hysteria. 'Whites should have the ability to live among their own people if that's what they want to do, and mass immigration is quickly making that nearly impossible in many Western nations,' Orwoll told KOLR-TV, the CBS affiliate in Springfield. 'If individuals decide to live in multiracial communities, then they should be allowed to do so, but we don't want racial forced on us in every aspect of life.' Orwoll, who also told the outlet that he plans to help start communities in all 50 states, has effectively asserted a form of the 'sovereign citizens' argument in claiming that his group is allowed to discriminate because, he says, they are doing so on private land. According to The Independent, the Arkansas AG said in a statement: 'Racial discrimination has no place in Arkansas or anywhere in a free society. These allegations raise all sorts of legal issues, including constitutional concerns. My office is reviewing the matter.'' It's unfortunate that Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin even had to state the obvious, but the swift action in response to such ignorance is how we should display examples of positive progression as opposed to even acknowledging the regressive thinking of a whites-only society. via @cwebbonline via @TheOnlyDSC via @queenie4rmnola via @BubbatheOG via @BigBroLGND via @AmiriKing via @detroitgarbage1 via @BigBroLGND via @jensenjeans via @drboycewatkins1 SEE ALSO
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas unemployment rate holds stable for fourth month
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Data from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the Arkansas unemployment rate has remained stable for four consecutive months. According to the agency, the state's unemployment rate remained at 3.7% from May to June. Can you get unemployment benefits if you're fired or quit your job? State officials said the civilian labor force and employment both slightly increased in June. There are 419 more Arkansans seeking employment, officials said. The report said that nonfarm payroll jobs dropped by 3,600, reflecting seasonal declines. Officials said the start of summer break at public schools and universities resulted in jobs in government dropping by 7,200. Hiring in leisure and hospitality and manufacturing was also reported. What's the average salary in the US? The unemployment rate dropped to 4.1% in the United States. For more information on unemployment rates in Arkansas, head to Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Business Upturn
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
L3Harris to Build More than 20 New Large Solid Rocket Motor Manufacturing Facilities in Calhoun County, Arkansas
CAMDEN, Ark., July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following a meeting with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and AEDC leadership at the 2025 Paris Air Show, L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) announced plans to build more than 20 new manufacturing facilities in Calhoun County, Arkansas, that will produce large solid rocket motors. The new campus will create 50 new jobs over two years, adding to L3Harris' ~1,300-person workforce in Camden. 'Arkansas is a great place for L3Harris to fortify the domestic solid rocket motor industrial base with its dedicated workforce and strong state and local partnerships,' said Christopher E. Kubasik, Chair and CEO, L3Harris. 'Large solid rocket motors are essential to our nation's missile and strategic defense, and as the Trusted Disruptor, we are strengthening our ability to produce these systems rapidly and at scale, which is essential for current demand and the Golden Dome missile defense shield.' Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and officials from the Arkansas Department of Commerce and Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) met with L3Harris executives at the Paris Air Show to secure this investment. The new manufacturing facilities will add to L3Harris' existing site in south Arkansas. 'After a great meeting with the CEO of L3Harris, Chris Kubasik, at the Paris Air Show last month and highlighting all that Arkansas has to offer, we are proud to welcome their new manufacturing facilities to South Arkansas, and excited they are helping to position Arkansas as the arsenal of democracy,' said Governor Sanders. 'Our state ranks best in the nation for cost-of-living, number one for inbound movers, and topped the country in economic growth for two quarters in a row – so it's no surprise that major companies like L3Harris continue to invest in our state and drive our number one export industry, aerospace and defense. Thank you, Chris and L3Harris, for choosing to make Arkansas home.' L3Harris is investing nearly half a billion dollars across its major production sites to support solid rocket motor production, including $193 million to be spent in Arkansas, with Arkansas businesses, to support the construction and activation of these new Camden LSRM facilities. Construction of more than 20 buildings in Calhoun County will add more than 130,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space supporting production of large solid rocket motors that can power missile defense targets, interceptors and hypersonic vehicles. 'L3Harris is a major part of the aerospace and defense industry in Arkansas, and we are excited to see the company's continued growth in our state,' said Clint O'Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. 'With this capital investment, L3Harris is advancing our national security and creating new jobs for Arkansans that will strengthen our state's economy and create new opportunities in south Arkansas.' L3Harris' new LSRM production facilities are expected to provide a six-fold increase in manufacturing capacity. L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, site is the company's 'Center of Excellence for Solid Rocket Motor production.' Approximately 1,300 Camden employees manufacture more than 100,000 solid rocket motors a year, from those that fit in the palm of your hand to the size of an SUV. In February, L3Harris announced it began construction on four new solid rocket motor production facilities in Camden. That expansion effort is part of a cooperative agreement between the Defense Department's Defense Production Act Title III program and L3Harris to increase domestic rocket propulsion manufacturing capacity. 'We are proud that L3Harris has committed to this investment in their facilities in Calhoun County,' said Calhoun County Judge Floyd Nutt. 'South Arkansas has a long history in aerospace and defense manufacturing, and this project will build on that history. Calhoun County provides a strong workforce and great business environment for L3Harris' continued growth.' 'The Calhoun and Ouachita County area is a hub for the aerospace and defense industry in Arkansas and the United States,' said Ouachita Partnership for Economic Development Executive Director James Lee Silliman. 'We are excited that L3Harris has chosen to invest in new facilities in Calhoun County, and we stand ready to assist them to succeed in our area.' About the Arkansas Economic Development Commission At AEDC, we know economic advancement doesn't happen by accident. We work strategically with businesses and communities to create strong economic opportunities, making Arkansas the natural choice for success. AEDC is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. To learn more, visit Media Contact: Tyler HaleArkansas Department of Commerce [email protected] 501-410-7883
Axios
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Gov. Sanders shifts her attention from acts to action
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said her administration will save Arkansas about $1 million by eliminating unused phone and fax lines. "I think there were north of like, 20 lines being run just into this physical office," she told Axios in a recent interview. She reached behind a couch and pulled out a bundle of cords. "I use my cell phone exclusively." The cut is part of the promised $300 million in savings from the Arkansas Forward initiative and emblematic of her approach to state government. The big picture: Arkansas' first female governor and the youngest in the U.S. is more than halfway through her first term. There've been a few clouds — Podiumgate, struggles to fund a new prison, critiques of the education voucher program. Still, she counts the LEARNS Act of 2023 — including school vouchers — income and grocery tax cuts, a higher education reform package and the Healthy Moms Healthy Babies Act as wins. State of play: The conversation was before the final passage of the federal "big, beautiful bill" this month, so not all impacts to the state were yet known. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. How did the legislative session go? It had a different feel than the first one, but a similar focus on education, public safety, economic development, tourism. Passing the legislation is the easy part, implementation is the hard part. That's what we're doing now, not just from this session, but also the session from two years ago. What's the status of the Arkansas Forward initiative? We were able to identify at least $300 million in savings or cost avoidance, and those things are going into effect. We're going to electronic payments for our vendors. We have over 20,000 vendors … it will save about $1.5 million just on printing and postage. The elimination of unused phone lines was another example. A public dashboard is expected this summer from the Department of Shared Administrative Services so Arkansans can track progress. What if there are cuts to Medicaid funding in the reconciliation bill? The goal of a program like that is never to keep people on it. Unfortunately, there are going to be people who always likely need assistance, and we want those people to be covered, but that's not the priority. We'll continue to look at reforms like the workforce requirement program waiver that we're seeking … that's where the state really can make changes. What's on your agenda now? Until everyone is thriving, until we have zero kids in foster care, until we have no one dependent on the government for their food, their health care, their housing and everyone has access to and is taking advantage of a quality education, until every student graduates and is either enrolled, enlisted or employed, we still have work to do. The same priorities I laid out when I ran for governor are going to continue to be what I focus on, hopefully for the next five and a half years. Any aspirations to run for president? This is home for me. My kids are happy. I have spent time in Washington — I couldn't get out of there fast enough and get home. I want to support and help President Trump be really successful, and I think I can do that best by being a great governor of our state. What we're watching: Sanders attended the Paris Air Show in June. A spokesperson told us last week she had several productive conversations there and that they expect developments related to the visit to be announced in the coming days.
