Arkansas News

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Efforts to block LEARNS continue at the Arkansas Supreme Court

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KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Briefs were filed Tuesday in a case challenging the constitutional legitimacy of Arkansas LEARNS. Plaintiff attorney Ali Noland is arguing the law was not passed through proper constitutional procedure.

Arkansas LEARNS is the name given to a package of omnibus education legislation passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders this year. The bill has many objectives; one is that it plans to use tax dollars to fund so-called educational freedom accounts, pools of money parents can use to enroll their children in private schools. LEARNS also allows struggling public school districts to be taken over by charter companies.

When the legislature passed the law earlier this year, lawmakers voted for both the bill and the emergency clause at the same time. Emergency clauses make legislation to go into effect immediately and not 90 days after the end of the session. Under the plain language of the Arkansas constitution, emergency clauses should be voted on separately from laws.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-06-07/efforts-to-block-learns-continue-at-the-arkansas-supreme-court

Courts.Arkansas.Gov/Courts.Arkansas.Gov

Briefs were filed Tuesday in a case challenging the constitutionality of the Arkansas LEARNS education law.

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Sanders Announces Shea Lewis as Interim Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Today, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Shea Lewis, currently Director of Arkansas State Parks, will be serving as interim Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary as Secretary Mike Mills steps away from the administration.

“Arkansas is the Natural State, and with his strong record of leadership in Arkansas parks and tourism, Shea Lewis is perfectly equipped to step seamlessly into this new role and continue our work to grow our outdoor economy and make Arkansas an unparalleled place to live, work, and raise a family,” Sanders said. “I thank Secretary Mills for his service to this administration and years of work as a pioneer in Arkansas’ tourism industry.”

Shea Lewis biography:

Shea Lewis was selected as the 10th director of Arkansas State Parks in 2022. In that role, he was responsible for the day-to-day operation of 52 state parks found in 48 counties, covering 55,000 acres across the state.

With over 9 million visitors on an annual basis, his areas of responsibility ranged from operations, maintenance, planning, development, emergency and program services, marketing, promotion, revenue, sales, outdoor grants, and general administration.

Shea started his career with Arkansas State Parks as a seasonal park interpreter in 1995. With nearly three decades under his belt, he has also served as a full-time interpreter, park superintendent, region supervisor, and deputy director for Arkansas State Parks.

He received a bachelor’s degree in parks, recreation, and leisure studies from the University of Memphis and a master’s degree in educational/instructional media design from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

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Arkansas Archeological Society Survey in SW Arkansas

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Dr. Michelle Rathgaber and Gillian Steeno of the Arkansas Archeological Survey

Dr. Michelle Rathgaber and Gillian Steeno were the guest speakers at De Queen Lions Club on Tuesday. Both are part of the Arkansas Archeology Society Survey, which has its 2023 Annual Training Program in Archeology and Public Programs in Southwest Arkansas on the De Queen Campus of UA Cossatot. Dr. Rathgaber is the Educational Outreach Coordinator at the Arkansas Archeological Survey. Rathgaber studies Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, and Bone Tools and earned a Ph.D. in 2019 studying the interactions of Mississippian people in Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri with the earthquakes of the New Madrid seismic zone in the late AD1400s/early AD1500s. Gillian is the Society Liaison and recently received a Master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Arkansas with a thesis that focused on the Carden Bottoms site, an Early Contact period Native American farmstead in the Arkansas River Valley.

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Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

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Agriculture has long been the backbone of our state’s economy.

Currently, the industry contributes more than $19 billion annually to our economy. The ripple effect of agriculture reaches far beyond the farm. It stimulates rural economies and supports local businesses. The industry supports more than 240,000 jobs statewide.

Every legislative session, the General Assembly introduces several bills aimed at addressing the needs of our farmers and surrounding communities.

The 2023 Regular Session was no exception. The following acts were signed into law this year:

Act 243 creates a fact-based agricultural education program for elementary school students in Arkansas. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education will collaborate with industry stakeholders to establish a pilot program to introduce young students to the principles and practices of agriculture.

Act 706 creates the Agri Scholarship Program Fund to be used by the Department of Agriculture to create and maintain the Agri Scholarship Program. The act expands the uses of funds in the Veterinary Examiners Board Fund to include requiring the department to fund the Agri Scholarship Program and the Rural Veterinary Student Scholarship Program.

Act 746 creates the Rural Economic Development Initiative.

Act 161 authorizes a collaborative practice agreement between a veterinarian and a veterinary technician specialist and sets up procedures for the collaborative practice agreement.

Act 591 exempts from the licensure requirements for a pharmacist and a pharmacy the sale or shipping of antibiotics and microbials for veterinary medical use directly from a wholesaler, distributor, pharmacy, or farm store to a client is based on a prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

Act 367 places the burden of proof on a party bringing an action against an agricultural operation as a public or private nuisance.

Act 636 prohibits certain foreign parties from acquiring any interest in Arkansas agricultural land, provides penalties for violations, and creates the Office of Agricultural Intelligence for information analysis and enforcement.

Act 824 transfers the authority to manage liquid animal waste systems from the Department of Energy and Environment to the Department of Agriculture.

Act 530 amends the Arkansas Soil Nutrient Application and Poultry Litter Utilization Act to provide that nutrient management plans and poultry litter management plans are not public records.

You can learn more about our state’s agriculture industry by visiting agriculture.arkansas.gov .

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Land-grants, collaborators launch Southern Ag Today digital platform

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By the U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — More than a dozen land-grant institutions, including the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, have collaborated with three other entities to launch Southern Ag Today, a digital platform aimed at providing timely, concise and insightful analysis facing Southern agriculture.

Collaborators include the Southern Extension Economics Committee, the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M, and the Southern Risk Management Education Center at the Division of Agriculture, as well as land grants from across the South.

Homepage of Southern Ag Today, a digital platform featuring analysis of challenges facing southern agriculture.

The platform offers daily peer-reviewed articles on topics including crop marketing, livestock marketing, farm management, agricultural policy, trade, and agricultural law. The platform features more than 100 contributors. 

“Farmers of every size and background across the South continue to adapt to the challenging agriculture environment made worse by the pandemic, current macroeconomic trends, climate variability, and disrupted supply chains,” said Ron Rainey, assistant vice president for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Southern Risk Management Education Center director.

“We hope Southern Ag Today is a valuable tool for all of our southern producers including socially disadvantaged, small, and beginning farmers, so they can feel confident in the decisions they’re making about their operations,” Rainey said.

 The land grant partners are:

  • Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture

  • University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension

  • Alabama A&M and Auburn as the Alabama Cooperative Extension System

  • Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension

  • University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture — Extension

  • University of Georgia Extension

  • Clemson Cooperative Extension

  • North Carolina State University Extension

  • Oklahoma State University Extension

  • Mississippi State University Extension

  • Extension University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension

  • Louisiana State University Ag Center Extension

  • Alcorn State University Extension

  • University of Maryland College of Ag and Natural Resources

  • Virginia Cooperative Extension — Virginia Tech and Virginia State University.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

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Restaurateur-turned-farmer gets first goods to local farmer’s markets

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By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As farmer's markets reopen for the summer, communities are feeling and tasting the impact of the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food's programs.

FARM TO MARKET — Brian Foster started Sunny Acres Farm with knowledge gained from the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Paden Johnson)

The center, operated through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's research arm, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, teaches sustainable agriculture and business methods to the next generation of farmers.

Now, program graduates like Brian Foster of Sunny Acres Farms in Fayetteville, are taking the first fruits of their labor to market. Produce grown by Foster and his partner, Becca Davis, can be found at the farmer's markets in Fayetteville and Goshen.

Recipe for success

Before becoming a specialty crop farmer, Foster was in the restaurant business from the age of 15. With instability in the restaurant industry caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Foster switched gears from plans of owning a restaurant to providing food for the community and carrying on his family tradition of gardening.

Foster was one of the first CAFF students to sign up for the program when it launched in 2020 with goals to train the next generation of farmers and strengthen farming and food systems in northwest Arkansas.

"I've been able to work in this area with a lot of very talented local chefs who have helped drive my passion for the food scene," Foster said. "What these creative and inspired people can do and what they can turn ingredients into was always really exciting for me."

In addition to fresh, locally grown produce, patrons of Sunny Acres may also receive recipes to take home from the farmer’s market.

"Food has always been my love language," Foster said. "Farming was the next logical step for me because it involved food, growing food, and I could continue to work with local chefs by providing them the ingredients to make cool dishes."

Foster is a 2021 graduate of CAFF’s Farm School. The 11-month program combines hands-on specialty crop farming with classes in production, business, and legal issues. He went on to work with Morgan Boehm at Middle Fork Farm the winter of 2022-2023 to get experience while building Sunny Acres Farms.

In addition to teaching sustainable and regenerative farming practices, Foster said the Center for Farms and Food taught him how to prepare a business plan better and market the produce. The center, he said, also provided networking opportunities to work with established farmers and learn from their experiences. There are 11 mentor farms cooperating with the center.

Training the next generation

Heather Friedrich, Center for Arkansas Farms and Food assistant director, said the center’s programs were developed to support new farmers and help maintain a secure, safe, and independent food system. Across the United States, farmers are aging. The mean average farmer age in Arkansas is 57 and it’s estimated that 70 percent of America’s farmland will change ownership in the next 20 years, she noted.

CAFF’s programs include the Farm School, which will begin taking applications in July for the 2024 session, and the Farm Apprenticeship program to match established farms with those who want to advance their farming skills in a working-farm setting. Both are 11-month programs beginning in January. Priority placement applications for 2024 Farm Apprentices open on Aug. 1.

CAFF Farm Stand opens in July

Beginning July 12, the CAFF Farm Stand will open at Agri Park on Garland Avenue in Fayetteville. Current students at the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food's Farm School will offer fruits and vegetables they have grown at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

The CAFF Farm Stand will be open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Aug. 30.

The farm stand is completely operated by students as a learning experience and is part of the Farm School curriculum, Friedrich noted. Customer service, marketing and quality control are just a few of the many lessons from running the CAFF Farm Stand. It helps Farm School students set up their own operation after completing the program, she added.

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.

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Division of Agriculture staff score 12 awards in APW annual competition

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By the U of A System Division of Agriculture

BENTONVILLE, Ark.  — Seven University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture staffers shared a dozen awards in the 2023 Communications Contest held by Arkansas Press Women.

Mary Hightower, chief communications officer for the Division of Agriculture, was presented the APW’s highest honor, the Communicator of Achievement.

Hightower is now among 15 finalists for the National Federation of Press Women Communicator of Achievement. There have been four previous winners from Arkansas: Roberta Forster, 1960, honored for her coverage of the 1957 Little Rock desegregation crisis; Charlotte Schexnayder,1970, a state lawmaker and co-owner of the Dumas Clarion; Margaret Woolfolk, 1977, journalist, attorney and historian; and Eva Marie Pearson, 2002, formerly of the Pine Bluff Commercial.

The awards were presented May 20 at NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville. Work produced in a variety of communications fields during 2022 was eligible for the competition.

Several Division of Agriculture staffers came up winners at the 2023 APW Communications Contest.

First-place winners in the APW Communications Contest are eligible to advance to the National Federation of Press Women competition if they are members of NFPW. National winners are announced during the NFPW’s annual conference  June 22-24 in Cincinnati. 

Kristin Netterstrom Higgins, Public Policy Center program associate at the Division of Agriculture won:

Mary Hightower, chief communications officer for the Division of Agriculture won:

Fred Miller, science editor of the Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, won:

For a complete list of the award recipients throughout the state please visit https://arkansaspresswomen.org/apw-celebrates-2023-award-winners/.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

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During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers passed fewest amount of bills since 1971

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KUAR | By Ronak Patel

In an interview with Talk Business & Politics, Misty Orpin, executive director of Common Ground Arkansas, shared data that she compiled on the past legislative session. She said that 62% of the bills that were filed did pass, while 38% failed.

Most of the bills that failed to pass were related to taxation. Orpin said that 61% of the bills filed in the revenue and taxation committees didn’t pass.

“The biggest graveyard was actually revenue and tax [committees]. I think that because the state is absorbing some of the big tax cuts that they ran in the previous sessions,” Orpin said. “There are really big ticket expenses that they passed that are coming down the pipeline. I think whether they would admit it or not they’re a little skittish about the budget.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-05-31/during-the-2023-legislative-session-lawmakers-passed-fewest-amount-of-bills-since-1971

Jacob Kauffman/KUAR

The Arkansas Legislature meets every two years to pass legislation. During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers passed the least amount of bills since 1971.

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Arkansas medical marijuana spending spikes on April 20; sales up 5.1%

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by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Average per day spending on medical marijuana in Arkansas is $787,000, but that tally toked higher to more than $2 million on April 20, a date – 4/20 – associated with the celebration of marijuana use.

Data from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) also show that licensed medical marijuana patients in the state spent $94.44 million for 18,847 pounds of medical marijuana, above the $89.835 million for 15,768 pounds in the same period of 2022. The sales total was up 5.1%, and the amount sold was up 19.5%.

The Arkansas Department of Health reports 94,282 active patient cards as of May 30, above the 93,977 active patient cards as of April 21, and up from 89,855 at the end of 2022.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/arkansas-medical-marijuana-spending-spikes-on-april-20-sales-up-5-1/

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Gov. Sanders sending 80 from Arkansas National Guard to Texas-Mexico border

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by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Gov. Sarah Sanders announced Thursday (June 1) that she is directing about 80 soldiers from the Arkansas National Guard to the Texas-Mexico border.

Blaming the Biden administration’s recent halt of Title 42, Sanders said the guardsmen will support the Texas National Guard in border control efforts during the month of July.

Title 42 is a policy started during the COVID-19 pandemic by former President Donald Trump and kept in place until May by President Joe Biden. It curtailed rights for petition for asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/06/gov-sanders-sending-80-from-arkansas-national-guard-to-texas-mexico-border/

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Arkansas LEARNS education overhaul put on hold temporarily

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An Arkansas judge put a major education bill on hold while a procedural lawsuit goes forward.

Arkansas LEARNS is a 145-page law passed this year by the Arkansas legislature and signed into law by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Among many things, the law raises teacher starting salaries, gives parents money to enroll their children in private schools, and allows charter school companies to take over struggling school districts. The struggling Marvell-Elaine School District in east Arkansas entered into a contract with Friendship Charter shortly after the lawsuit was passed.

Attorney Ali Noland is representing Marvell-Elaine citizens who do not want the contract to go forward. Her challenge argues the law was unconstitutionally passed. When LEARNS moved through the legislature it was passed with an additional emergency clause tacked on to the bill, meaning it goes into effect immediately. Under the plain language of the constitution, emergency clauses should be voted on separately from bills. The Arkansas Legislature customarily votes on emergency clauses and bills at the same time records the votes separately.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-05-30/advocates-detractors-react-to-arkansas-learns-being-put-on-hold

Commons.Wikimedia.Org/

A Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge decided to temporarily keep LEARNS from going into effect.

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Medical industry to move from ‘sick’ care to focus on ‘health’ care

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by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

A paradigm shift in the way medical care is paid for and administered will occur during the next decade or so, healthcare consultant Eric Shell told Talk Business & Politics.

Shell recently gave a lecture, “The Future of Healthcare: Strategies for Success,” at the Fowler Center on the Arkansas State University campus. New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine hosted the event.

Shell is the chairman of Stroudwater Associates, a Maine-based healthcare consulting firm that provides research and strategy for rural and community hospitals, health systems and large physician practices. He is the leader of the firm’s rural practice and chairman of the firm’s board of directors.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/medical-industry-to-move-from-sick-care-to-focus-on-health-care/

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UAMS-TRI Training Program Helps Postdocs Develop Entrepreneurial Spirit, Form Competition-Winning Pharmaceutical Startup

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By David Robinson

Only two years ago, the idea of commercializing their future research discoveries was a novel concept for Julia Tobacyk, Ph.D., and Megan Reed, Ph.D. Today they can say they created a startup company as postdoctoral fellows in the Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HSIE) training program, which is the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Research Service Award training core of the Translational Research Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

The HSIE program is unlike traditional academic postdoctoral education — the goal is to transform scientists to think like entrepreneurs and channel their research discoveries into commercial ventures to bring new health care products to patients.

Tobacyk and Reed are in their second year of the HSIE training program, and it is intensive. In addition to mentored laboratory research, HSIE postdocs take business classes in the Graduate Entrepreneurship Program in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. They attend mentoring workshops from entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, form teams to develop a business plan for a health science discovery with classmates from diverse ethnic and academic backgrounds, and compete in pitch competitions.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/05/24/uams-tri-training-program-helps-postdocs-develop-entrepreneurial-spirit-form-competition-winning-pharmaceutical-startup/

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Cooperative Extension Service welcomes new professor of organizational accountability and evaluation

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By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Jeantyl Norze, a new extension associate professor of Organizational Accountability and Evaluation for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said he looks forward to increasing the visibility of extension, particularly in urban communities.

EVALUATIVE THINKING — As the new extension associate professor of Organizational Accountability and Evaluation for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Jeantyl Norze hopes to increase the visibility of extension services in the state and ensure that the organization will "no longer be a 'best kept secret.'" (Division of Agriculture photo.)

“The Cooperative Extension Service has done an excellent job bringing about change in Arkansas communities,” Norze said. “However, we do not often have data to evidence the impact of extension in the lives of the individuals and communities we serve. I hope this position will help foster and sustain a culture of evidence in extension — a culture where everyone is actively seeking evidence of the impact being achieved and engaging in evidence-based storytelling.”

Norze said doing so is critical for scholarships and other necessary funding for extension.

“Extension should no longer be a ‘best kept secret,’” he said. “It’s imperative that our stakeholders — including our counterparts on campus, our partner organizations and the public — know and understand what we do.”

Stacey McCullough, extension assistant vice president of Community, Professional and Economic Development for the Division of Agriculture, said her team is excited to welcome Norze and his expertise.

“Under Dr. Norze’s leadership, we will strengthen our capacity to better evaluate the impact of Cooperative Extension Service programs and tell our story,” McCullough said.

Norze said evaluation will help more Arkansans benefit from extension’s services.

“I hope my position will help evaluative thinking become the new way of doing business at extension,” Norze said. “This is critical for quality programming and helps us focus on the programs that have greater public value. My position will help foster long-lasting collaborations with our internal and external stakeholders, including community partners, for broader impact. Relationships are key to making extension more effective.”

Norze received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2009 from the Agrarian University of Havana in Cuba. In 2015, he received his Master of Science in Human Resource Development and Leadership from Louisiana State University, where he later received his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Extension Education in 2018.

“I could not be more excited about joining the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service,” Norze said. “I hope to bring all that I have learned from my previous positions at other land-grant institutions. My colleagues are passionate about their work and eager to learn more about evaluation, which will help them continue improving their programs and achieve greater community change.”

Norze began his new extension role on April 3. He can be reached at jnorze@uada.edu. For more information about Community, Professional and Economic Development, visit uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/default.aspx.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

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Supreme Court WOTUS ruling narrows definition of wetlands, but what about levees?

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By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling this week narrowed the definition of what is considered “waters of the United States” in the Clean Water Act. But there remains room for discussion on wetlands separated by levees for flood control and dry creek beds, said the National Agricultural Law Center’s Brigit Rollins.

WOTUS RULING —The U.S. Supreme Court's latest WOTUS ruling provides guidance for the EPA to revisit definitions of wetlands subject to the Clean Water Act, says National Agricultural Law Center attorney Brigit Rollins. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

The high court’s opinion on a case out of Idaho, Sackett vs. Environmental Protection Agency, rejected the EPA’s argument that a wetland near Priest Lake on the Sackett's property should be considered “waters of the United States,” or WOTUS, because it did not share a continuous surface connection to the lake. Thus, the court found, the wetland should not be subject to the Clean Water Act, and the Sacketts are now cleared to build their home on the land after 16 years of litigation.

“The EPA is probably going to have to revisit its most recent definition of WOTUS, in no small part because what is in the EPA’s 2023 definition does not comport with what is in this opinion,” Rollins said.

The justices held that the Clean Water Act’s definition of “waters” should be limited to “geographic[al] features that are described in ordinary parlance as ‘streams, oceans, rivers, and lakes’ and to adjacent wetlands that are ‘indistinguishable’ from those bodies of water due to a continuous surface connection.”

Rollins said the opinion gets to the heart of what wetlands can be covered by the Clean Water Act by stating it has to share some kind of continuous surface connection.

However, she said, discussion may remain for narrowing what is considered an “adjacent wetland” if it contains a manmade levee for flood control.

“If it is a wetland that would share a continuous surface water connection with, say, the Mississippi River, if not for a levee … are those now no longer jurisdictional? Questions like this will be left for agencies and lower courts to determine how the opinion is interpreted,” Rollins said.

A question also remains, Rollins said, how the ruling will impact land in Western states that contain dry creek beds, also known as “washes,” that drain into a body of water covered by the Clean Water Act.

Rollins, who specializes in environmental law as it intersects with agriculture, will present a webinar on the recent Supreme Court decision on July 19 as part two of a two-part webinar series from the National Agricultural Law Center. Register for the free webinar by visiting the National Agricultural Law Center website. To watch the recording of the first WOTUS webinar in the series visit the website https://nationalaglawcenter.org/webinars/wotus/.

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.

For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on Twitter. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About the National Agricultural Law Center

The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.

The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.

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Cooperative Extension Service to host artificial insemination training course for cattle producers

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By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

HOPE, Ark. — For producers interested in improving their cattle through artificial insemination, the Cooperative Extension Service is offering a two-day training course on June 8-9.

UTILIZING AI TECHNOLOGY — For producers interested in improving their cattle through artificial insemination, the Cooperative Extension Service is offering a two-day training course on June 8-9. The workshop will include presentations on nutrition, herd health and record keeping, basic reproductive anatomy and physiology, pregnancy determination methods and more. (Division of Agriculture flyer.)

Charles Looney, extension professor of cattle improvement for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will lead the workshop. The training runs from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on June 8 and 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on June 9 at the Southwest Research and Extension Center, located at 362 Hwy 174 North in Hope, Arkansas. Registration is $450, which includes lunch on both days. Participants must register by June 5 at uada.formstack.com/beef_cattle_ai.

“The goal of the workshop is to introduce participants to the practice of thawing, loading and inseminating cows with frozen semen from genetically superior bulls,” Looney said. “We have live cows to practice with, and each participant will have the opportunity to learn the art of the procedure.”

The workshop will also include presentations on nutrition, herd health and record keeping, basic reproductive anatomy and physiology, pregnancy determination methods and more. Looney said the training provides important information about the benefits of AI technology for cattle producers.

“Artificial insemination is one of the most underutilized technologies in beef cattle,” Looney said. “Only about 10 percent of overall producers utilize this technology. Beef cattle producers who raise purebred cattle use this more than commercial breeders, mainly because of the labor and improved facilities that are necessary for AI technology to be successful.”

Looney said cattle producers can also benefit from adopting estrous synchronization technology, which involves manipulating females’ estrous cycle so they can be bred earlier, “thus producing higher weaning weight calves when they are older.” By then using AI technology to breed cattle with high genetic merit bulls, Looney said producers can “utilize the best bulls available at reasonable prices.”

Sponsors for the workshop include Premier Select Sires, CattleMax, Nashville Animal Hospital and Purina. For more information, contact Charles Looney at clooney@uada.edu or 870-777-9702.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

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Judge issues temporary restraining order on LEARNS Act; AG appeals

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by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

A Pulaski County judge issued a temporary restraining order late Friday (May 26) on the LEARNS Act, Gov. Sarah Sanders’ signature education bill, which is being litigated over whether or not the state legislature properly followed the Arkansas Constitution in voting on an emergency clause for the omnibus law.

The plaintiffs argue both chambers of the General Assembly did not hold separate votes on the bill and the emergency clause. They contend the state constitution calls for separate votes, citing Article 5, Section 1, which says the chambers “shall vote upon separate roll call” and “state the fact which constitutes such emergency.”

In issuing a temporary restraining order, Judge Herb Wright determined that the plaintiffs in the case have a chance to succeed on the merits of their claim (see notes from his ruling at the bottom of this story). His order is only extended through June 20, 2023, when a court hearing is scheduled.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/judge-issues-temporary-restraining-order-on-learns-act-ag-appeals/

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UA Little Rock receives $1 million energy grant for cyberattack focus

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by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock received $1 million Tuesday (May 30) to expand its Emerging Threat Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ET-ISAC). The university will use the money in combination with several partners to strengthen protection from cybersecurity attacks in the energy sector.

The project is supported with a $1 million award from the Department of Energy’s Office of Cyber Security, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER).

Through the already operational Forge Institute Emerging Threat Center, the money will enhance collaboration between electric utilities and partners from the energy sector to advance practices in cybersecurity threat sharing throughout the mid-South region of the country.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/ua-little-rock-receives-1-million-energy-grant-for-cyberattack-focus/

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Former chairman resigns from Arkansas Medical Board facing scrutiny in state, federal probes

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KUAR | By Hunter Field / Arkansas Advocate

Northwest Arkansas psychiatrist Dr. Brian Hyatt resigned from the State Medical Board last week, two months after he stepped down as chairman.

Hyatt’s resignation — confirmed by records obtained under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act — comes as he is under investigation by state and federal authorities.

The scope of the criminal probes is unknown, but court records indicate that investigators in the Arkansas attorney general’s office suspected Hyatt of Medicaid fraud. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas also confirmed this week that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents executed a search warrant at Hyatt’s Rogers office.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-05-26/former-chairman-resigns-from-arkansas-medical-board-facing-scrutiny-in-state-federal-probes

Jenny Kane/AP

Masks hang from an IV pole at a hospital.

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UA Cossatot Spring 2023 Graduates

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UA Cossatot Spring 2023 graduation ceremonies were held recently at the Bank of Lockesburg Historic Gymnasium. A total of 194 students were awarded a range of degrees and certificates. Included in the 194, were 39 students who earned college credit while attending high school in a number of Southwest Arkansas communities. UAC Spring 2023 graduates include:

ALLEENE: Ethan Jones, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

AMITY: Eufemia Estrada, Technical Certificate: Accounting, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting, Technical Certificate: Business Management, Certificate of Proficiency: Business Management

Joseph Galloway, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices

Kenyon Turner, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

ANTOINE: Jessi Dugger, Technical Certificate: Teaching Assistant, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

ASHDOWN: Jamie Adams-Smith, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Technical Certificate: Teaching Assistant

Ty Buchanan, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology

Logan Fisher, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Michael Wayne Friday, Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Technical Certificate: Industrial Electricity, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology, Certificate of Proficiency, Programmable Controls

Zulma Gonzalez, Technical Certificate: Cosmetology

Veronica, Hall, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Teaching, Associate of Science: Teaching: K-6

Kenneth Purtell, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of Science: Psychology

Kasie Robinson, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Technical Certificate: Teaching Assistant, Associate of Science: Teaching: K-6

Kimberly Strube, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding

Vonee Thomas, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Samantha Trotter, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Emma Wrinkle, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Teaching, Technical Certificate: Teaching Assistant, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant, Associate of Science:

Teaching K-6

BROKEN BOW: Jazmayn Johnson, Certificate of Proficiency: GIS Technology

COVE: Ricardo Maldonado, Certificate of Proficiency: Brakes, Suspension & Steering, Certificate of Proficiency: Electrical Systems & Engine Performance

DE QUEEN: Wilber Abarca, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices

Mayra Aguilar, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting

Jan Aguilar, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Deciredh Alvarez, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies: General Studies

Rodrigo Arroyo, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Adolfo Barreto, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding

Saul Barron, Technical Certificate: Automotive & Diesel Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Brakes, Suspension & Steering, Certificate of Proficiency: Electrical Systems & Engine Performance

Arlette Briones, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Tucker Brown, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Cristina Camacho, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Hailey Carter, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Karla Castro, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency, SMAW Welding

Clyde Chandler, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls

Jose Cortes, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting

Kaylee Coto, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Miranda Coto, Associate of General Studies, General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts, Associate of Arts: Teaching, Technical Certificate: Teaching Assistant, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant, Associate of Science: Teaching: K-6

Jera, Cotten, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Ismael Cristobal, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Abisai De Jesus, Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Technical Certificate: Industrial Electricity, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: Programmable Controls, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding

Jorge Delgado Ocampo, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Kevin Denova, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Laura Dooley, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Shawn Eastman, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Oscar Fernandez, Technical Certificate: Pipe Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding GTAW, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding SMAW Stainless Steel

Edgar Ferretiz, Technical Certificate: Pipe Welding, Certificate of Proficiency, Pipe Welding GTAW, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding SMAW Stainless Steel

Kayla Fuller, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Edith Garcia, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts, Associate of General Studies

Edwin Garcia, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding

Ercilia Gomez, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Dieon Gonzalez, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Carlos Gonzalez Rodriguez, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices

Angie Hernandez, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Teaching, Technical Certificate: Teaching Assistant, Associate of Science: Teaching K-6

Esmeralda Hernandez, Associate of General Studies, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts, Associate of Science: STEM

Johnathan Hernandez, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Manuel Hernandez, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Victor Hernandez, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

Allen Hong, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts

Ashley Johnson, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts, Associate of Arts: Teaching, Technical Certificate: Teaching Assistant, Associate of Science: Teaching K-6,

Irata Kelen, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding GMAW/FCAW, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding SMAW

Maximino Lemus, Associate of General Studies: General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

Erick Loredo, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding

Magdalena Lugo, Associate of General Studies, General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

Jair Marrufo, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology

Giovanni Mendez, Technical Certificate: Accounting

Yandel Mendez, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Dair Mendoza, Certificate of Proficiency: Electrical Systems & Engine Performance

Aldon Moreno-Cruz, Technical Certificate: Pipe Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding GTAW, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding SMAW Stainless Steel

Alexander Mosqueda, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency, TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Ariana Ortiz, Associate of General Studies

Alex Pacheco, Technical Certificate: Pipe Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding GTAW, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding SMAW Stainless Steel

Steven Peppers, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Fernando Perez, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Timothy Pham, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

Elijah Ramirez, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Sebastian Ramirez, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Jorty Ramirez, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding

Vorian Rehm, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding GMAW/FCAW, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding SMAW

Luke Rogers, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, De Queen Technical Certificate: Welding

Eric Rojo, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Allan San Juan, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Misael Sanches, Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Technical Certificate: Industrial Electricity, Certificate of Proficiency: Programmable Controls

Joshua Servante, Technical Certificate: Accounting, Associate of Applied Science: General Business

Joshua Soto, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Bryan Tapia, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Ulyses Tepozotlan, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls

Ivan Trejo, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls

Jackson Walker, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Jadeyn Walker, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies

Gage Woods, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Olivia Yandell, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Science: Middle Level Education, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

DIERKS: Nancy Diaz, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Kaytlynn Franklin, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies

Haylin Halcombe, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Justin Jackson Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

Kimberly McCauley, Associate of Science: Business, Associate of General Studies, General Studies, Associate of Science: Psychology, Associate of Science: STEM

Gary Robey, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

William Sirmon, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices

Allison Strasner, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Abigale Thomas, Associate of General Studies: General Studies

Jayda Young, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

FOREMAN: Caroline Beasley, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Zackery Carver, Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Technical Certificate: Industrial Electricity, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Programmable Controls, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Daniel Eyraud, Associate of Science: STEM,

Chase Gross, Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Technical Certificate: Industrial Electricity, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Programmable Controls, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Landon Lansdell, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls

Jessica Mustin, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies

GARVIN, OK: Hannah Honey, Technical Certificate: Agriculture, Certificate of Proficiency: GIS Technology

GILLHAM: Joaquin Ambriz, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Colton Brantley, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Kasey Frachiseur, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Kevin Hernandez, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding

Jasey Loredo, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

GLENWOOD: Keaton Cox, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Certificate of Proficiency: GIS Technology, Associate of Science: Natural Resources

Isai Felix, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting

Traemichael Samuel, Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices

GRANNIS: James Brinkley, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Kayla Richardson, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

HORATIO: Johnathan Allen, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Melissa Arellano, Associate of General Studies

William Bradford, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Carson, Bright Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

Jose Carbajal, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Carrie Foreman, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Technical Certificate: Teaching Assistant, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Bryan Hernandez, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Joseph Johnson, Certificate of Proficiency: Brakes, Suspension & Steering

Nicholas Marsden, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls

Kevin Quiroz, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Roberto Villeda Jr., Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding SMAW Stainless Steel

JACKSONVILLE: Esmerelda, Johnson, Associate of Science: Criminal Justice, Technical Certificate: General Studies

KIRBY: Jolie Brewer, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

LOCKESBURG: Nechelle Bell, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Ethan Clay, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Sabrina Cooke, Technical Certificate: Cosmetology

Cesar Cortes Espinoza, Certificate of Proficiency: Electrical Systems & Engine Performance, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Shalamar Dinger, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting

Emma Gilbert, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies

Harley Grooms, Certificate of Proficiency: Brakes, Suspension & Steering

Zane Moore, Certificate of Proficiency: Emergency Medical Technology

Brooklyn Roberts, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Daven Rodriguez, Certificate of Proficiency: Engine Repair & Climate Control

Valerie Smith, Certificate of Proficiency: GIS Technology

Arrionna Stout, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts, Associate of Science: Psychology, Associate of Science: STEM

MENA: Cash Parker, Certificate of Proficiency: Brakes, Suspension & Steering, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Heather Peterson, Certificate of Proficiency: Brakes, Suspension & Steering

MINERAL SPRINGS: Diana Garcia, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Alan Hernandez, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices

Marco Jimenez, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls

Cristian Perez, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency, SMAW Welding

Keon Piggee, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

X'aivier Reed, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Rashonda Vaughn, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

LaToya Vaughn, Associate of Science: Psychology

MURFREESBORO: JohnAaron Legate, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls

NASHVILLE: Gavin Anderson, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Gloria Avila, Associate of General Studies: General Studies

Cesar Barajas, Certificate of Proficiency: Brakes, Suspension & Steering

James Brockman, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding GMAW/FCAW, Certificate of Proficiency: Pipe Welding

Gilberto, Bustos Jr. , Technical Certificate , Teaching Assistant, Nashville

Esmeralda Camacho, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting, Associate of Science: Business, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Isai Camacho, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Klair Castleberry, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Aiden Chapman, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Reagan Cooley, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Garrett Ewing, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Emily Glass, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting, Associate of Science: Business, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Tyler Gordan, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Jerry Hernandez, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Megan Huffman, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Isaac Jamison, Certificate of Proficiency: Emergency Medical Technology

Jackson King, Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Technical Certificate: Industrial Electricity, Certificate of Proficiency: Industrial Motors & Controls, Certificate of Proficiency: Programmable Controls

Matthew McGilberry, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

Jessica Medina-Frias, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Yerania Neri-Garcia, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting

Zayda Orozco, Associate of Science: Criminal Justice, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Kortlan Parker, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Hayden Patrick, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding

Mia Phan, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies

Litzy Pizarro, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Autumn Reed, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Candice Schooley, Associate of General Studies

Mark Sillavan, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Mason Sillavan, Certificate of Proficiency: Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Certificate of Proficiency: Mechanical Devices,

Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Shaniah Stephens, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Alexa Turner, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

Wiley Washburn, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Weston White, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding

Kyrell Williams, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: SMAW Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Brenden Woodall, Certificate of Proficiency: MIG Welding, Certificate of Proficiency: TIG Welding, Technical Certificate: Welding

Haley Wright, Technical Certificate: Agriculture, Associate of Science: Agriculture Science, Certificate of Proficiency: GIS Technology

NEWHOPE: Austin Greenwood, Technical Certificate: General Studies

OZAN: Heather Castle, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting

Daleigh Morris, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

TEXARKANA: Kayla Baker, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies

Crystal Hamilton, Technical Certificate: General Studies

Robert Haworth, Associate of Science: Teaching: K-6, Associate of General Studies, Certificate of Proficiency: Teaching Assistant

UMPIRE: Jenna Bray, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Arts: Liberal Arts

WICKES: Vanessa, Smith, Certificate of Proficiency: Accounting

WINTHROP: April Klitz, Associate of Science: Agri Business, Technical Certificate: Agriculture, Associate of Science: Agriculture Science, Technical Certificate: General Studies, Technical Certificate: Health Professions

Riley Martin, Associate of Applied Science: General Technology, Technical Certificate: Industrial Electricity, Technical Certificate: Industrial Technology, Certificate of Proficiency: Programmable Controls