Latest news with #Pledger
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Commissioners select interim Arkansas PBS director
The Arkansas PBS Commission meets for its quarterly meeting on March 6, 2025 in Conway. (Screenshot from livestream) The Arkansas PBS Commission named Sajni Kumpuris as the public television network's interim director during a special meeting Tuesday. Kumpuris, who currently serves as Arkansas PBS' education director and production director, will assume her new role on May 26. She replaces Courtney Pledger. The public media network announced in April that Pledger would leave her position in May. In a statement issued Tuesday evening, Kumpuris said she was 'honored' to step into the new role. 'This organization has long been a vital resource for our communities, and I'm committed to continuing our mission of providing high-quality educational content and programming that reflects the values and needs of all Arkansans,' she said. 'I look forward to working with our incredible team as we build on our legacy of service and innovation.' The majority of the eight-member board voted in favor of Kumpuris after meeting in executive section for nearly an hour. The voice vote included one audible dissent. Kumpuris will serve in an interim capacity while a national search for a permanent executive director is organized and conducted, Commission Chairman West Doss said during the virtual meeting. 'We've had a very good meeting of the commissioners and took the first step towards finding us a new executive director of Arkansas PBS,' Doss said. 'We had three excellent candidates with excellent credentials, all internal, and we are all blessed to have them at Arkansas PBS.' The other two internal candidates considered were Associate Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer Jason Kunau and Operations Director DeWayne Wilbur. All three candidates will be considered for the permanent position, Doss said. The permanent director will succeed Pledger, who joined Arkansas PBS in 2017 and also serves as vice chair of PBS' 27-member national board of directors. 'It has been my great honor to lead Arkansas PBS through a transformative time that points to the limitless potential of our statewide public media network,' Pledger said in a statement issued last month. Under Pledger's leadership, Arkansas PBS expanded its K-12 educational programming, launching 'Arkansas AMI' when schools closed during the pandemic. She also 'significantly increased the reach and impact' of ArkansasIDEAS, the state's most-used online professional development platform for teachers, according to an April press release. The network also started broadcasting state high school sports championships. During her tenure at Arkansas PBS, Pledger also faced multiple conflicts with the state Legislature, including in 2023 when the organization's regularly scheduled 2022 audit indicated that administrators might have sidestepped state laws related to contract bidding. Arkansas PBS announces executive director's departure next month Pledger told lawmakers the agency had no intention to break or circumvent state law and had learned from its 'mistakes and errors.' Arkansas PBS' spending authority has repeatedly faced resistance in the Arkansas House. Appropriations need approval from three-fourths of lawmakers, and PBS' fiscal year 2026 appropriation required five attempts to get 76 House members' support. Earlier this year, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Jonesboro filed a bill to abolish the Arkansas Educational Television Commission, which oversees Arkansas PBS' programs and finances, and transfer its powers and authorities to the state education department. After the bill to abolish the commission passed the Senate in February, Doss and Sullivan said they reached an agreement that led Sullivan to leave the commission alone. Sullivan, the legislature's most vocal critic of Arkansas PBS, unsuccessfully tried to reduce the public television station's spending authority during the 2022 and 2024 fiscal sessions. The governor appointed Sullivan's wife, Maria Sullivan, to the commission last year. Doss previously said that Maria Sullivan will lead an Arkansas PBS task force aimed at better serving homeschoolers, which is a high priority for her husband. The commission will next meet on June 5. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Otago Daily Times
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Highlanders pair do well for NZ in opening U20 game
Highlanders under-20 duo Dylan Pledger and Josh Tengblad impressed for New Zealand in their opening game in the Rugby Championship at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, South Africa. But Australia scored late to snatch a 29-29 draw in a topsy-turvy match. Pledger set up the first try of the game. The livewire halfback took a quick tap, weaved his way out to the left, sucked in the remaining defenders and got the pass to winger Harlyn Saunoa, who strolled in untouched. Liam Grover replied quickly for Australia. The centre had to back-pedal to pick up a stray pass, but ghosted into a gap and scored from 15m out. Tengblad, who had a strong game, drove over the line moments later. But the try was ruled out for an earlier knock on. Sid Harvey scored in the corner instead to give Australia a 12-5 lead. Fullback Stanley Solomon finished off a sweeping try for the Baby Blacks that was sparked by a nifty backflip pass by Pledger. The dish helped clear the ruck quickly and create some space further out. Grover scored his second just before the break to give Australia a 17-10 lead. Maloni Kunawave struck twice early in the second spell and New Zealand took a 22-17 lead. They were awarded a penalty try to extend their lead. But Australia rallied in the final quarter of the game. Replacement forward Trevor King barged over to cut the margin. And, in the 84th minute, Beau Morrison scored from a line-out drive and Harvey knocked over the conversion to grab a draw. New Zealand's next Rugby Championship fixture is against Argentina on May 7. U20 Rugby Championship The scores New Zealand Under-20s 29 (Maloni Kunawave 2, Harlyn Saunoa, Stanley Solomon tries, Penalty Try, Rico Simpson con). Australia Under-20s 29 (Liam Grover 2, Sid Harvey, Trevor King, Beau Morrison tries; Harvey 2 cons). Halftime: 10-17
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas PBS announces executive director's departure next month
Arkansas PBS Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger (right) and Chief Financial Officer Jason Kunau (center) answer questions from a Senate committee about the network's finances on Thursday, February 13, 2025. At left is Maria Sullivan, a member of the Arkansas Educational Television Commission and wife of Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, who is sponsoring legislation to abolish the commission. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas PBS CEO and Executive Director Courtney Pledger, whose eight-year tenure included multiple conflicts with the state Legislature, will step down in May, the agency announced Thursday in a news release. Pledger took over the state's educational public television network in 2017. She 'leaves behind a legacy of transformative leadership and innovative growth across content, education, and community engagement,' the PBS news release states. In a statement, Pledger said she appreciated 'building a phenomenal team eager to take on new challenges and collaborating with some of the very best independent creators and community partners in Arkansas.' 'It has been my great honor to lead Arkansas PBS through a transformative time that points to the limitless potential of our statewide public media network,' said Pledger, who is also the vice chair of PBS' 27-member national board of directors. The 'transformative time' included the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Arkansas PBS broadened its resources for K-12 students while schools were closed. The agency also started providing live high school sports coverage and online archives of state government meetings during Pledger's tenure, according to the news release. 'Her tenure marked a deepening of Arkansas PBS's community relevance, with an expanded multi-platform presence, robust social media engagement, and popular in-person events,' the news release states. West Doss, chairman of the Arkansas Educational Television Commission, said in an interview that Pledger decided months ago to leave the agency. He said Pledger has been 'a big part of some incredible growth and new initiatives that we've done' and is 'well-respected by our commission.' The commission will meet Monday morning to discuss Pledger's departure, and applications to succeed her will be open soon, Doss said. In the past few years, Arkansas PBS has faced legislative obstacles to its ability to spend its money. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, has been the Legislature's most vocal critic of Arkansas PBS, and he unsuccessfully tried to reduce Arkansas PBS' spending authority in the 2022 and 2024 fiscal sessions. Arkansas PBS' funds include approximately $5.8 million from state general revenue, $2.5 million from the federal Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $1.7 million in private donations, agency Chief Financial Officer Jason Kunau said in February. Arkansas PBS' spending authority has repeatedly faced resistance in the Arkansas House. Appropriations need approval from three-fourths of lawmakers, and PBS' fiscal year 2026 appropriation required five attempts to get 76 House members' support. Earlier this year, Pledger urged lawmakers not to abolish the Arkansas Educational Television Commission, which oversees Arkansas PBS' programs and finances. A proposed law from Sullivan would have moved the commission's powers and authorities to the state Department of Education; Arkansas PBS is already under the department's umbrella but operates independently. The agency would have stood to lose funding via grants and donations if it no longer had an independent board, Pledger told a Senate committee. Sullivan disputed the claim that the agency could have lost funding for its services, which include the state's emergency alert system. However, the Department of Education would have faced an 'expensive and time-consuming' effort to obtain Arkansas PBS' Federal Communications Commission license if the agency's governance changed, according to a Washington, D.C. law firm that specializes in telecommunications law. Lawmakers OK fresh audit into Arkansas PBS' purchases, procedures as far back as July 2021 The agency came under legislative scrutiny in 2023 when its regularly scheduled 2022 audit indicated that administrators might have sidestepped state laws related to contract bidding. Purchases of more than $20,000 would have triggered a bidding process, and the network made several purchases just below that threshold from the same company, according to the 2022 audit. A specially requested audit of the network's expenditures, purchasing procedures and 'internal controls' from July 1, 2021 to Dec. 30, 2023, concluded last year, with auditors referring the findings to a prosecuting attorney. Pledger told lawmakers the agency had no intention to break or circumvent state law and had learned from its 'mistakes and errors.' While both audits remained unresolved, a legislative subcommittee tabled a potential merit pay raise for Pledger at Sullivan's urging in August 2023 and tabled an appropriation request from the agency later that year because Pledger had missed some scheduled appearances before committees. Lawmakers said her absence was disrespectful; the network's then-chief financial officer said Pledger missed a meeting due to illness. After the proposal to abolish the PBS commission passed the Senate in February, Doss and Sullivan said they reached an agreement that led Sullivan to leave the commission alone. The panel convenes four times a year and will next meet in June. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Sullivan's wife, Maria Sullivan, to the Arkansas Educational Television Commission last year. Doss said Maria Sullivan is set to lead an Arkansas PBS task force aimed at better serving homeschoolers, which is a high priority for her husband. Discussion with bill sponsor 'saved' Arkansas PBS governing board from dissolution, chairman says
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas PBS executive director leaving position in May
CONWAY, Ark. – The executive director and CEO of Arkansas PBS will be departing next month, officials announced. Arkansas PBS announced Thursday that Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger will leave her position in May. She joined Arkansas PBS in 2017. 'I have had more than eight extraordinary years at Arkansas PBS, building a phenomenal team eager to take on new challenges and collaborating with some of the very best independent creators and community partners in Arkansas,' Pledger said in a statement. 'It has been my great honor to lead Arkansas PBS through a transformative time that points to the limitless potential of our statewide public media network.' Bill putting Arkansas library board and AETN under Department of Education passes in committee Arkansas PBS Commission Chair West Doss described Pledger as 'the catalyst of our success.' 'Her leadership has elevated Arkansas PBS to unprecedented heights, with 34 of the network's 47 Mid-America Regional Emmys being awarded during her tenure, a number of Public Media Awards from the National Educational Telecommunications Association and several original programs now broadcast nationwide by PBS,' Doss said. 'She will be greatly missed.' Before joining the public media network, Pledger worked in international film and television, holding leadership roles with multiple organizations like Illumination Entertainment and IndieProd Company, as well as working as a consultant for U.K.-based Aardman Animations. According to the release, the Arkansas PBS Commission is set to meet 'as expeditiously as possible' to find a replacement for Pledger. Congressional Republicans target PBS, NPR funding in contentious hearing You can read more about Pledger's time with Arkansas PBS on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Terrebonne president, councilman face public backlash for council meeting meltdown
Two women criticized the parish president and a councilman for their personal feud that derailed a recent council meeting. Cherry Wilmore and Sochille Harris chastised Terrebonne Parish President Jason Bergeron and Parish Councilman Brien Pledger during a council meeting Wednesday about their year-long feud that went public at the previous council meeting. Wilmore said the conduct from both men was unbecoming of their offices and concerned the people they represented. 'We don't ask you to like each other, but we do ask you work for the common good of this community,' Wilmore said. 'I'm not asking y'all to like each other, but I will ask that you respect each other, because respect sets a protocol.' Wilmore is the twin sister of Sherry Wilmore, and the two have made a name for themselves with their advocacy work and social media presence, including appearances on shows like "Jennifer Hudson Show." Pledger and Bergeron had a verbal dust up March 12, when Pledger said he felt disrespected by the parish president over a perceived Mardi Gras party foul when he wasn't presented a proclamation by Bergeron. During Pledger's outburst, he raised four issues he felt needed addressing in his district. When Bergeron responded in a snarky manner, Pledger walked out of the room. According to Wilmore, both officials were wrong for their behavior, and the community is concerned that their quarrelling would cause retaliation from Bergeron on the people of District 1 — Pledger's constituency. This is an unacceptable way to lead, Wilmore said, because the two are grown adults and need to set their differences aside and do what's best for the public. 'Each of you are public servants, and as a public servant you are all elected by us as a people to represent us. But ultimately, we are your bosses, and we are your supervisors,' she said. 'I'm not going to ever tell you who to like or who not to like, but those issues shouldn't have the individuals in the community believing that they are going to lose something.' Harris took a more aggressive stance. She took one verbal swipe at Pledger, then laid into Bergeron. She lives in District 1, and when she saw the video of the two men's live feud, she asked Pledger to explain the four issues to her. Armed with his explanation, she raised her voice at Bergeron. More: Is Chipotle closing in Louisiana? Rumors swirl, but owners say just the opposite is true More: Louisiana Crawfish Festival vendor sells Chinese mudbugs without required signage: report 'My question is, who are you moving forward in Terrebonne Parish, because it is not my community?,' Harris asked Bergeron. 'It is time for something to be done.' At issue: Terrebonne Parish Government seeks path forward after recent council meeting meltdown According to Bergeron, each has plans along the way to provide funding for projects in the district. The parish government has scheduled a sit down between Bergeron and Pledger to try to hash out their differences. This article originally appeared on The Courier: Terrebonne president, councilman face backlash for council meeting meltdown
