Opinion

Little Rock– The legislature completed the first week of the 2022 fiscal session, approving budgets for numerous state agencies and advancing reforms of public health insurance systems. For almost a year a group of legislators has been working on the complex task of reforming state employee and teacher health insurance systems, which have experienced financial problems to the extent that lawmakers last year replaced their governing board.

The 93rd General Assembly is now entering the second week of the 2022 Fiscal Session. The session began with an address by Governor Asa Hutchinson in which he outlined his budget priorities for the next fiscal year.

Little Rock– As Valentine’s Day approaches, Attorney General Rutledge is warning Arkansans to remain cautious of online dating romance scams. Would-be suiters take advantage of people looking for romantic partners on dating websites and social media.

Two weeks ago, I traveled to Washington to attend the Winter Session of the National Governors Association. As I met with my fellow governors, I was inspired by our shared hope that America will continue to be the beacon of freedom to the world.

I have never done this before, always stopped short because I didn’t want to make waves or lose friends here in Marion County. It’s one thing to build the center but it has to have money to continue once it’s done and being used.

As digital-first Gen Zers continue to encompass the future workforce, they are becoming increasingly eager to leverage virtual event tech’s broad reach to create communities with shared interests and values. Virtual and hybrid event platform, Hubilo, shares how these features help promote this social activism.

Strong- In response to the recent detection of a deer with chronic wasting disease in Union County, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and USDA APHIS Wildlife Services will conduct a sampling effort on Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge during the next week to further understand the prevalence of the disease in south Arkansas.

Washington– The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee unanimously approved landmark legislation championed by U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) to help meet the needs of veterans suffering from conditions caused by toxic exposure. This legislation will now go to the full Senate for consideration.

The big day is approaching. No time to waste.

My sister and I began our lives in Kansas City. We lived in a nice suburban neighborhood where the space between houses could be stepped off; heel-toe, heel-toe and everyone had a chain-link fence surrounding their back yard. This was the 1960’s when a kid’s bike was their favorite mode of transportation. A bicycle represented freedom as we pedaled and glided up and down streets with the wind rushing in our faces and nowhere to be until the streetlight came on at dusk.