Producers Rice Mill to erect largest solar storage microgrid in the state

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Producers Rice Mill will have a new solar storage microgrid developed by Scenic Hill Solar and it will be a record-breaking.

The groups announced the project on Tuesday (March 21), but a timetable to complete the microgrid and price tag were not released.

The Producers’ project is the largest commercial and industrial solar project in Arkansas history and one of the largest microgrid projects in the U.S., the companies said. Since 1943, the Producers Rice Mill cooperative’s members – now including more than 2,000 U.S. farmers — have relied on the Producers’ facility in Stuttgart, to process, store, and ship their harvest around the world. The facility mills more than 40 million bushels of rice every year.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/producers-rice-mill-to-erect-largest-solar-storage-microgrid-in-the-state/

Bill seeks to ease workforce barriers for Arkansans with disabilities

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

A new bill in the Arkansas Legislature seeks to make it easier for Arkansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities to enter the workforce.

Senate Bill 443, sponsored by Sen. Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, would create a new state “Office of Employment First” and an advisory committee composed of disability rights advocates and officials from state government and the private sector.

Jonathan Taylor, executive director of the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, said another goal is to partner with businesses across the state to hire more Arkansans living with disabilities.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-03-23/bill-seeks-to-ease-workforce-barriers-for-arkansans-with-disabilities

Daniel Breen/KUAR News

The Arkansas State Capitol building is seen in this file photo from February 2023.

Arkansas legislators file two bills related to abortion during Spring Break

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas legislators filed two bills Wednesday morning pertaining to abortion, which is all but illegal in the state.

Arkansas has one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans, Act 180 of 2019, with the sole exception “to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency.” The act went into effect in June 2022, the same day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and left abortion access up to individual states.

House Bill 1684, filed by Rep. Denise Garner (D-Fayetteville), would add the health of the mother as an additional exception to Act 180, broadening the definition of a “medical emergency.” The bill was filed a day after Oklahoma’s Supreme Court loosened that state’s near-total abortion ban by allowing exceptions for the health of the mother.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-03-23/arkansas-legislators-file-two-bills-related-to-abortion-during-spring-break

Charlie Neibergall/AP

Bottles of the abortion-inducing drug RU-486, which is used to medically induce abortions in a two-step process. Women take mifepristone (left), and days later, they take misoprostol.

Texas federal court grants WOTUS injunction for two states; two more requests pending

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A federal court has halted implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new rule defining waters of the United States, and two more injunction requests are pending in cases involving 25 states, including Arkansas, said Brigit Rollins, National Agricultural Law Center staff attorney.

The new rule went into effect on Monday. The U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas issued the injunction Sunday night in Texas vs. EPA. The case halts implementation of the new EPA rule in both Texas and Idaho.

An injunction granted by a federal court judge is only the beginning for three cases challenging EPA's new rule that defines waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, according to Brigit Rollins of the National Agricultural Law Center. (U of A System Division of Agriuclture image)

There are two other cases pending — Kentucky Chamber of Commerce vs. EPA, which involves only Kentucky, and State of West Virginia vs. EPA, which involves 24 states, including Arkansas. Following the Texas action, attorneys in the two other cases filed additional briefs Sunday noting the injunction.

The injunction is “not the end of the road. That’s just sort of the first step in the lawsuit,” Rollins said. “The arguments and the claims are still lingering” and need to be heard.

“Should the judges in those other two lawsuits issue injunctions, there are a couple of things that are going to happen right away: Once the judge issues the injunction, the current WOTUS rule will no longer be in legal effect,” Rollins said. “What that means is that EPA is going to be applying the previous WOTUS rule that was in place.”

At issue in all three cases is how EPA defines “waters of the U.S.,” known as WOTUS. That definition is critical to enforcement of the Clean Water Act.

Muddying the waters

The legal vortex surrounding WOTUS means the waters may get muddier before clarity is achieved. Rollins said the situation harkens back to EPA’s 2015 rule redefining WOTUS and the resulting lawsuits.

“What ultimately ended up happening was that more than 50 percent of the states had an injunction on that 2015 rule,” she said. “What it meant for those states is that they were applying a different WOTUS rule than in the states that had not joined the suits.

“It’s not impossible that we could see that again,” Rollins said.

“It creates confusion for landowners, members of agricultural communities, and members of industrial communities. I would imagine it would be particularly challenging for anyone who is operating in multiple states,” she said. “You might be subject to different requirements in different states.

“There is the potential for issues to arise with pending Clean Water Act permits that are sort of stuck between those different rules,” Rollins said. “And at the moment it's going to be hard to say what that means for those permits.”

The National Agricultural Law Center has a page dedicated to WOTUS updates.

For updates on WOTUS and other agricultural law developments, subscribe free of charge to The Feed, the NALC’s twice-monthly newsletter highlighting recent legal developments facing agriculture.

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.

UAMS Holds Second Girlology Puberty Event

UAMS Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology physicians Laura Hollenbach, M.D., Nirvana Manning, M.D., and Kathryn Stambough, M.D., taught girls ages 8-14 at the second Girlology puberty event. Image by Bryan Clifton

By Yavonda Chase

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) welcomed more than 230 preteen and teen girls and their mothers, fathers or caregivers to the second Girlology puberty event.

Girlology participants raise their hands to ask questions during the event.Bryan Clifton

Held March 12 in the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Girlology aimed to help girls face puberty with greater confidence. Girls ages 8-14 attended the 2.5-hour course, accompanied by a parent or other caregiver.

During Girlology, attendees learned about such topics as growth and development; bras and bra shopping; hygiene and hair management; nutrition and growth; menstruation and menstrual hygiene; respect for self and others; moods and emotions; and internet safety and curiosity.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/03/20/uams-holds-second-girlology-puberty-event/

UAMS Hosts United States Telecommunication Training Institute (USTTI) for Digital Health Training Program

By Benjamin Waldrum

Representatives from the United States Telecommunication Training Institute (USTTI) visited the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) Institute for Digital Health & Innovation (IDHI) as part of a three-day digital health training course held March 7-9.

Thirteen international health and technology professionals converged on the UAMS Little Rock campus to learn more about applying digital health practices in their countries.

Several visitors look at a live, virtual display from an otoscope.Benjamin Waldrum

“It has been a privilege for the USTTI to partner with UAMS to provide world class training for 13 international officials,” said James O’Connor, USTTI chairman and CEO. “The participants from Costa Rica, Ghana, Hungary, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Rwanda, Thailand, Uganda and Vietnam are leading digital health initiatives in their countries. The information they gained this week along with the technologies and techniques they have been exposed to will be incorporated into their work and used to save lives when they return home.”

https://news.uams.edu/2023/03/13/uams-hosts-united-states-telecommunication-training-institute-ustti-for-digital-health-training-program/

Representatives from USTTI speak with Terri Imus, RN (foreground right) as a virtual EKG display is passed around. The three-day event showcased various aspects of digital health technologies at UAMS. Image by Benjamin Waldrum

Arkansas native elected next president of Southern Agricultural Economics Association

By Lauren Sutherland
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Starting next year, John Anderson will be in a position to provide strategic guidance to the Southern Agriculture Economics Association, an organization he says has helped shape him professionally for more than two decades.

Anderson, a native of Timbo in Stone County, is head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences.

John Anderson was elected president of the Southern Agriucltural Economics Assocation. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image by Fred Miller)

In February, Anderson was elected to be the next president of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association for 2024.

“It is an honor for me to have this opportunity to give back to an organization that has done so much for me,” Anderson said. “I am looking forward to working closely with them and the rest of the SAEA Executive Council over the coming year.”

Anderson has been a member of the SAEA since he was a graduate student in the late 1990s. His participation and involvement in the organization have helped shaped his professional outlook and provided him with countless opportunities.

“I have made lifelong friendships among my SAEA colleagues,” said Anderson. “I have known the current president, Marco Palma at Texas A&M, and past president, Rodney Holcomb at Oklahoma State, for many years and have the utmost respect for them both.”

The SAEA is a non-profit association comprised of economists striving to understand and explain the values and impacts of factors related to agricultural production, agribusiness, rural development, and natural resources management in the Southern United States.

“John is a very respected leader throughout the land-grant system,” said Deacue Fields, head of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and a past president of SAEA. “He will do a great job implementing programs for the SAEA. This is a great recognition of John’s leadership that will provide tremendous visibility for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.”

Encouraged to run

Rodney Holcomb, professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University, encouraged Anderson to stand for election.

“I’m a big fan of John Anderson. He’s an outstanding agricultural economist who is greatly respected by peers in both academia and industry,” said Holcomb. “He’s also a strategic thinker with excellent people skills, which is why he’s a good department head. That combination of talents is exactly what the SAEA needs, and that’s why I encouraged him to run for the office.”

Anderson was elected by a vote of the membership that includes 400 members of SAEA. The organization has a three-year rotation for the president's office where the candidate-elect will serve as president-elect for one year, president for the second year, and past president for the third year.

For that three-year period, Anderson will sit on the SAEA Executive Council to help provide strategic leadership to the organization and assist in managing the association’s functions, the primary functions being the organization and execution of the annual meeting and management of the SAEA’s peer-reviewed journal, the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

For more than 20 years, John has worked as a professional agricultural economist in both academic and industry positions. His work has involved describing and assessing the farm- and sector-level impacts of policy, regulatory, and market developments across a wide variety of agricultural commodities and markets. John has served as a faculty member, with primary appointments in extension, at the University of Kentucky and Mississippi State University. He received his Bachelor’s in Agribusiness from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri, a Master of Agriculture at Arkansas State University, and his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma 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 on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Save money and avoid food waste during No Waste Week

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Throwing out wasted food can quickly add up, both in the garbage can and the wallet. During No Waste Week from March 20-24, save money and cut down on food waste by planning meals, safely storing food and getting creative with leftovers.

NO WASTE WEEK — From March 20-24, join Katie Cullum, White County extension family and consumer sciences agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, in reducing food waste and saving money by planning meals in advance. Checking the pantry, fridge and freezer before shopping, sticking to a grocery list, and storing food where it can easily be seen can also help households cut down on their food waste. (Dreamstime photo.) 

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the food supply at the retail and consumer levels is wasted in the United States. This corresponds to approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion dollars of food.

Katie Cullum, White County extension family and consumer sciences agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said there are “many reasons why we waste food at home.”

“From schedule changes, to pickiness, to not planning, it’s not just a matter of your food dollars wasted — throwing your money down the trash,” Cullum said. “It also affects the environment. Organic waste, mostly food, is the second biggest component of landfills. Not to mention the waste of valuable resources, such as water, energy and land.”

One of the best ways to reduce food waste and to save money on the grocery bill is to plan meals ahead, Cullum said.

“Plan your meals for the week, and plan how to use the extra ingredients that you buy, especially produce,” she said. “Check your pantry, refrigerator and freezer before making a shopping list to see what you already have and what might need to be used up. And then stick to the list while shopping or use an app to keep track.”

Cullum suggested downloading the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s FoodKeeper app, which helps consumers keep food safe and not waste it. The app has an “add to calendar” feature that allows users to log certain foods and receive reminders to use products before they spoil. It also offers cooking tips, information on food safety recalls, and a function to search storage guidelines for specific foods.

Cullum said it’s important to only purchase what you can eat in a week and be realistic about how excess food will be used. “If you find a great deal on bagged salad, can you eat it all? Prep a few lunches with it so you can finish the bag,” she said.

To ensure leftovers and extra food don’t go to waste, plan a leftovers night and get creative about what that meal — or meals — may look like.

“Make a habit of using up whatever you have one night a week,” Cullum said. “Everyone may eat something different, but that’s OK. Go through all the places you store food to see what needs to be eaten. Half a pepper? Small zucchini? Green onions? Think about what you can make with those, such as an omelet or a pasta dish.”

After food is purchased, storing it safely is critical to both personal health and reducing waste. Cullum said the temperature setting of a refrigerator should be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and freezers should be zero degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s also helpful to store food where it can be easily seen. Keep the fridge clean and use clear containers to avoid mystery leftovers.  

“Keep produce or other foods you want to use in plain sight,” Cullum said. “Make it easy to find foods by keeping your fridge cleaned out. If you have more leftovers than you need, freeze them or use them for lunches, which also saves you money by not eating out.”

To read more about food safety and food waste, visit Cullum’s Small Steps to Healthy Habits blog. For more information about nutrition, meal planning and recipe tips, contact your county Family and Consumer Sciences agent.

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.

Ballot referendum to undo LEARNS Act faces high hurdles

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Opponents of Gov. Sarah Sanders’ LEARNS education plan are discussing potential litigation to undo the measure, and a possible citizens’ referendum could also delay enactment or even reverse the new law. That path, however, would be difficult.

The LEARNS bill, SB294, was signed into law on March 8th by Gov. Sanders and has been touted by her administration as “the biggest, boldest, most conservative education reforms” in the state’s history and the nation.

The law sets a new minimum starting teacher salary of $50,000, provides raises of $2,000 to current teachers, outlines initiatives for pre-K, literacy improvement and workforce training, and provides money for public school safety and transportation. The most controversial aspect of LEARNS centers on a voucher program called “education freedom accounts,” which will eventually allow public school funding to follow students to their choice of K-12 education, including charter, parochial and private schools as well as homeschooling.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/ballot-referendum-to-undo-learns-act-faces-high-hurdles/

Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation launches corporate partnership program with Greenway, Fiocchi

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), through its nonprofit foundation, announced Thursday (March 16) a new corporate partnership program designed for Arkansas companies to support long-term conservation efforts in the state.

The first two corporate partners to participate are Greenway Equipment, a John Deere equipment supplier with locations across Arkansas and southeast Missouri, and Fiocchi Ammunition, which has two ammo manufacturing plants in the Little Rock Port.

“Arkansas is blessed with not only fantastic natural resources, but we also are home to some of the most conservation-minded people and businesses in the country,” AGFC Director Austin Booth said. “Conservation is in the fabric of what makes us Arkansans, and this initiative will enable the many businesses who recognize that importance to contribute to the valuable work of conserving our natural resources for the next generation of Arkansans.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/arkansas-game-fish-foundation-launches-corporate-partnership-program-with-greenway-fiocchi/

ABF Freight hit with $535K penalty for clean water violations

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

ABF Freight, the less-than-truckload (LTL) subsidiary of Fort Smith-based ArcBest, has agreed to pay a $535,000 penalty to resolve allegations that the company violated requirements of the Clean Water Act (CWA).

The settlement was detailed in a press release Monday (March 20) from the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to the release, in April 2015, ABF voluntarily disclosed to the US Environmental Protection Agency that it failed to obtain industrial stormwater permit coverage at multiple facilities. The company discovered additional areas of noncompliance with the CWA through internal compliance audits, which were conducted at nearly all its facilities during 2013 and 2014.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/abf-freight-hit-with-535k-penalty-for-clean-water-violations/

Walmart AMP transitioning to digital tickets

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

Digital tickets will be the default method of delivery for the 2023 season at the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion (AMP) in Rogers. The change was announced Monday (March 20) in a news release.

Digital tickets are secure, paperless tickets accessible on a smartphone. According to the release, patrons will access their tickets by logging in to a personalized, online ticket wallet with the same username or email and password they use to purchase tickets.

Digital tickets will be delivered to a ticket wallet immediately upon purchase and can be securely shared. They use a rotating QR code so patrons know they have a valid ticket, and it reduces the ability to counterfeit tickets. The rotating QR code for each ticket will be delivered within 24 hours of the performance start time or at a time specified by the tour.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/walmart-amp-transitioning-to-digital-tickets/

Jewel performs at the Walmart AMP in Rogers in 2022. The venue's ticket sales were up 71% from last year.

Severe weather risk for Arkansas Thursday and Friday

A strong storm system is expected to bring showers and thunderstorms to the state Thursday through Friday night. Some of these storms could become strong to severe. In addition to the threat for severe weather, there is also a threat for flooding due to the expected heavy rainfall. Please see the attached briefing for more details.

There is a Marginal Risk for severe thunderstorm late on Thursday into early Friday, along and mainly north of our I-30 corridor. Damaging winds and large hail will be the primary threats and locally heavy rainfall could bring isolated flash flooding.

Locally heavy rainfall from a line of strong to possibly severe thunderstorms, could result in isolated flash flooding late Thursday into early Friday with the Slight Risk north of our I-30 corridor.

There is a Marginal Risk for severe thunderstorm late on Thursday into early Friday, along and mainly north of our I-30 corridor. Damaging winds and large hail will be the primary threats and locally heavy rainfall could bring isolated flash flooding.

Locally heavy rainfall from a line of strong to possibly severe thunderstorms, could result in isolated flash flooding late Thursday into early Friday with the Slight Risk north of our I-30 corridor.

A line of strong to severe storms will continue across the area during early Friday with afternoon heating firing up a Slight Risk for severe storms in deep E TX, all of our Parishes and south central AR during the afternoon. Damaging winds and large hail will be the primary threats and locally heavy rainfall could bring isolated flash flooding.

Tyson Foods to build $70 million hatchery in Hope

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

On the heels of Tyson Foods’ announcement to close its processing plant in Van Buren, Ark., with the elimination of almost 1,000 jobs, the Springdale-based meat giant reports a new $70 million hatchery it will build in Hope that will be completed in late 2024.

The new 131,000-square-foot hatchery will replace the existing facility and triple capacity, contributing to operational efficiencies at the company’s nearby poultry processing complexes in Hope and Nashville, Ark.

“We continually strive to unlock the next level of excellence in quality and service to our customers,” said Donnie King, CEO of Tyson Foods. “This investment is another way to demonstrate our long-term commitment to our home state of Arkansas and the Hope and Nashville communities.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/tyson-foods-to-build-70-million-hatchery-in-hope/

Readout from the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet Meeting

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Following Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Workforce Cabinet meeting, Sanders’ spokeswoman Alexa Henning released the following readout: 
 
“Today, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders hosted the first-ever meeting of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet with Chief Workforce Officer Mike Rogers and state leaders including Secretary Putnam, Secretary Bassett, Secretary McDonald, Secretary Wood, and Secretary Penn. The Governor thanked the members of the Cabinet for their dedication to career education and workforce development initiatives, which prepare students in Arkansas to graduate into high-wage, high-growth jobs. Last week, Governor Sanders signed into law the most far-reaching bold, education reforms in the nation, including important career education programs that will empower high school graduates with the skills they need to find a high-paying job in their community. The Cabinet emphasized their support for these reforms and discussed ways to streamline existing workforce development programs to ensure an all-of-government approach to this issue. They closed the meeting by reiterating their commitment to this issue and resolved to meet again regularly to fast-track additional workforce development reforms.”

Sanders to Appoint Dr. Wesley Kluck, Dr. Matthew Sellers, and Dr. Michael Birrer to the Arkansas State Medical Board

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced today that she will appoint Dr. Wesley Kluck, Dr. Matthew Sellers, and Dr. Michael Birrer to the Arkansas State Medical Board.

Dr. Wesley Kluck will replace Dr. Sylvia Simon, and his term will expire on December 31, 2028. Dr. Matthew Sellers will replace Dr. Rhys Branman, and his term will expire on December 31, 2028. Dr. Michael Birrer will fulfill the remaining term of Dr. Robert Breving, and his term will expire on December 31, 2026.

“Dr. Wesley Kluck, Dr. Matthew Sellers, and Dr. Michael Birrer are proven, successful physicians who have improved the lives of Arkansans across the state with their work, and today, I am proud to be appointing them to the Arkansas State Medical Board,” Sanders said. “Together, we will make sure that under my leadership Arkansas will never have COVID mask and vaccine mandates or shutdowns – because my administration stands for freedom. I am confident that they will excel in these new roles by ensuring that every Arkansan receives a high standard of care and our physicians operate with professionalism and integrity.”

Dr. Wesley Kluck Bio: 

Dr. Wesley Kluck is the university physician at Ouachita Baptist University and serves as a pediatrician and the president of Arkadelphia Clinic for Children and Young Adults. He is a graduate of Arkadelphia Public Schools and Ouachita Baptist University and earned his M.D. at the University of Arkansas Medical School. He completed his pediatric residency at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where he received the “Excellence in Primary Care” award.

He was named to Arkansas’ 250 Most Influential Leaders 2022 and was the Arkadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce “Person of the Year” in 2021. He has received the “Best Doctors in Arkansas” award every year since 1999. 

Dr. Matthew Sellers Bio: 

Dr. Sellers is a graduate of Bryant High School and the University of Central Arkansas. He obtained his medical degree at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he also completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Sellers is a Board-Certified OB-GYN with a clinical emphasis on OB-GYN and gynecological surgery.

Dr. Sellers has been practicing obstetrics and gynecology at Cornerstone Clinic for Women in Little Rock, Arkansas, since 2008. He lives in Little Rock with his wife and three children. An active member of his church, Dr. Sellers and his family are passionate about serving the community and the world. When he’s not working, Dr. Sellers enjoys spending time with his family, biking, hunting, playing tennis and traveling. 

Dr. Michael Birrer Bio: 

Dr. Birrer is the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Vice Chancellor and Director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Dr. Birrer earned his undergraduate degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and graduated with a BS in Biology. He was accepted into the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed his MD and PhD in 1982 with his principle area of study in microbiology and immunology. He then performed a medical internship and residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital. 

Dr. Birrer entered the medical oncology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland and upon completion performed a postdoctoral on the molecular genetics of lung cancer. After completing his fellowship, Dr. Birrer joined the faculty at the NCI in the Division of Cancer Treatment as an investigator in 1988. Three years later, Dr. Birrer was appointed as a senior investigator and established the molecular mechanism section in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. 

Dr. Birrer is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in gynecologic oncology. He has published over 400 peer reviewed manuscripts and another 30 book chapters and review articles. 

In November 2008, Dr. Birrer was appointed Professor of Medicine at the Harvard School of Medicine. In August 2017, Dr. Birrer accepted the position of Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). While there, he was a Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the recipient of the Evalina B. Spencer Chair in Oncology. During his tenure, Dr Birrer raised over 40 million dollars in philanthropic funds including a 30 million dollar gift to name the Cancer Center. In addition, during this time he designed and open the first cancer service line at UAB.

Sanders, Boozman, Cotton, Womack Applaud Selection of Fort Smith for F-35 Fighter Planes, Singapore Air Force Squadron

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton and Congressman Steve Womack applauded the U.S. Air Force’s selection of Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith as the home of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mission that will bring F-35 fighter planes and a Republic of Singapore F-16 squadron to the installation. 
 
“Today’s Record of Decision makes clear and cements Arkansas’ important role in training, equipping, and supplying our friends across the globe. This also means bringing jobs and economic prosperity to the state. I look forward to welcoming the new U.S. Air Force personnel who will be moving to our state and am excited for all our international partners to discover the meaning of Arkansas hospitality. The Arkansas Congressional Delegation and the Fort Smith community were instrumental in securing this major new mission for Ebbing Air National Guard Base – they have my deepest gratitude for their hard work,” Sanders said.
 
“This is a gamechanger for Fort Smith and our state that will enhance economic development and opportunity in the region and strengthen Arkansas’s role in defending our national security,” Boozman said. “The Arkansas Congressional Delegation has worked tirelessly along with state and community leaders to demonstrate to the Air Force what we all knew – Fort Smith is the best location for this mission.” 
 
“I’m pleased that the Air Force has selected Fort Smith as the location for this training mission, another positive step in bringing a manned flying mission back to Arkansas. I will continue to work with the Air Force, our congressional delegation, and Governor Sanders to bring the sound of freedom back to the River Valley,” Cotton said.
 
“Today’s Record of Decision makes official what Arkansans have known since the start of this process—Fort Smith is the premier location for F-35 FMS training and Singapore’s F-16 mission. Fort Smith’s central location, existing infrastructure, and airspace were essential differentiators but the people of Fort Smith and their desire to support national defense were truly the deciding factor. I’m proud the Air Force has made this final decision and look forward to hearing the ‘Sound of Freedom’ soon in the River Valley,” Womack said. 
 
Since 2021, when the U.S. Air Force announced Ebbing Air National Guard Base as its preferred location for these missions, members of the delegation have worked to strengthen relationships with Singapore leaders and allies who have an interest in enhancing their air power with the F-35 in addition to recently securing $28 million to support the F-35 FMS program.
 
State leaders have delivered critical funding in support of an expanded runway and community leaders have demonstrated their commitment with investments in this project, warm welcomes to foreign dignitaries and a widespread embrace of the project at public comment events.

Governor Sarah Sanders signs bills into law

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – On Monday, March 13, 2023, the Governor signed into law: 

SB276, to amend the candidate filing period for a position on a school district board of directors; and to declare an emergency.

HB1325, to standardize the hours early voting is available; and to amend the law concerning early voting.

SB200, to amend various provisions of law related to tuition benefits for soldiers and airmen of the Arkansas national guard.

HB1246, to amend the law concerning the effective date of benefits paid to survivors of deceased members, former members, and retirants under the Arkansas judicial retirement system.

SB199, concerning medical malpractice and gender transition in minors; and to create the protecting minors from medical malpractice act of 2023.

HB1455, to make technical corrections to title 17 of the Arkansas code concerning professions, occupations, and businesses.

HB1472, to amend the law concerning delinquency cases for which records must be kept for a period of time.

HB1494, to amend the law concerning fees related to marriage licenses.

SB295, to amend the Arkansas renewable energy development act of 2001; to prevent cost-shifting and ensure fairness to all ratepayers; to create the customer protections for net-metering customers act; and to declare an emergency.

SB287, to amend the law relating to recording subdivision plats, deeds, and instruments of transfer; and to amend the law relating to recording certain documents prepared by a land surveyor.

HB1244, to amend the law concerning the issuance of and application for a digitized driver’s license.

HB1365, to amend the law concerning records maintained by scrap metal recyclers; and to create offenses for theft of a catalytic converter and unauthorized possession of a catalytic converter.

HB1384, to amend the law concerning the payment of a tool allowance to certain employees of the Arkansas department of transportation.

HB1406, concerning the regulation of certain battery-charged fences by municipalities and counties.

HB1437, to amend the law concerning the operation of an all-terrain vehicle on a public street or highway by an employee of a utility, telecommunications, or cable company.

HB1082, to establish the occupational therapy licensure compact in Arkansas.

HB1128, to allow emergency medical responders to be licensed; and to authorize emergency medical responders to be reimbursed by insurance companies and the Arkansas Medicaid program.

HB1142, to create the Arkansas nuclear recycling program.

HB1181, to establish the counseling compact in Arkansas. 

HB1401, regarding public assistance; and to amend the duration of cash assistance.

HB1420, regarding emotional support animals.

Arkansas seeks federal disaster relief after winter storm earlier this year

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has asked President Joe Biden to issue a disaster declaration for 13 counties that experienced the worst of a four-day winter storm that hit the state in late January and early February.

The request for federal public assistance covers 11 counties in southern Arkansas — Bradley, Calhoun, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, Lincoln, Nevada and Ouachita — and Searcy and Stone counties in northern Arkansas.

“The sheer magnitude of this event created disastrous amounts of debris, caused extensive power outages, and resulted in the death of two Arkansans and the injury of many others,” Sanders said in a statement Monday afternoon. “We have determined that these storms are of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary federal assistance is necessary.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-03-21/arkansas-seeks-federal-disaster-relief-after-winter-storm-earlier-this-year

University Of Arkansas System Division Of Agriculture

A tree made top-heavy by ice tumbled into the side of a house in Pulaski County, Arkansas, during the winter storm of Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2023. The tree was uprooted as soils became saturated.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

House members will now be taking an extended recess. When the House reconvenes on March 27, members will be addressing public safety legislation, constitutional amendments, and the budget. 

In the days leading up to the recess, the House passed a number of bills addressing human trafficking, elections, and employment. Bills passed this week that amend human laws include SB282, HB1459, and HB1470. 

SB282 allows a victim of human trafficking to bring a civil action against a person or entity who knew or should have known that the individual was being trafficked. 

HB1459 increases the fines for a human trafficking conviction and trafficking-related charges to a range between $5,000 and $15,000. The bill directs that the fines be divided between specified funds that support exploited children and trafficking victims. 

HB1470 ensures victims are eligible for crime victim reparations even if they do not cooperate with law enforcement. 

Election bills passing the House this week included SB 250, SB 254, and SB 258. 

SB 250 requires counties to pay for the costs if using paper ballots. SB 254 eliminates the write-in candidate portion on a ballot, and SB 258 prohibits absentee ballot drop boxes. 

The House also passed HB1207 which requires local governments to act on permit applications in the first 60 days. 

And the House passed HB1575 which requires Arkansans to make at least 5 work searches a week when claiming unemployment benefits. That search could include applying for a job or participating in job training. 

In addition, the House passed SB81 and SB66.  

SB81 amends the law concerning libraries and obscene materials and creates the offense of furnishing a harmful item to a minor. It states furnishing a harmful item to a minor is a Class A misdemeanor.  

SB66 requires a commercial entity to use a reasonable age verification method before allowing access to a website that contains a substantial portion of material that is harmful to minors.  

We will continue to update you in the remaining weeks of the session. You can watch all House committee meetings and floor proceedings at arkansashouse.org.