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Division of Youth Services
Posted Wednesday, December 2, 2020, at 12:00 AMOver the past two years, few areas in state government have changed as much as the Division of Youth Services. In November of 2018 the division began an extensive overhaul of its physical facilities, and at the same time brought in widespread changes in how it handles juveniles who get in trouble with the law... -
School Enrollment Down
Posted Wednesday, November 25, 2020, at 12:00 AMArkansas schools this fall have seen a drop in enrollment of about 6,428 students... -
Balanced Budget Proposal
Posted Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 12:00 AMThe governor presented a balanced budget proposal to the legislature for next fiscal year. It would authorize about $5.8 billion next year in spending from the state’s general revenue fund, about three percent more than this year... -
Fresh Start Program
Posted Tuesday, November 10, 2020, at 12:00 AMThe state is helping people who have trouble paying their rent because of the coronavirus pandemic. People affected by the pandemic are eligible for help if their household income is less than 80 percent of the median income in their area. They can qualify for two-and-a-half months of rent under the newly created Fresh Start program... -
Child Care Programs
Posted Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at 12:00 AMAt the beginning of this year, there were more than 2,000 licensed child care programs in Arkansas. They had slots for 194,000 children... -
Federal Relief Money
Posted Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at 12:00 AMThe Legislative Council approved spending $48.5 million in federal relief money to fund a grant program that will help tourism-related businesses adversely affected by the pandemic. The grants will be available to small businesses that hire up to 250 full-time employees... -
Budget Hearings
Posted Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at 12:00 AMThe legislature has begun budget hearings, in preparation for the regular session that begins in January. Setting spending levels for state agencies is the most time-consuming duty for legislators. It also is one of the most important duties of the legislature, even though it rarely generates a lot of publicity... -
Proposed Amendments To State Constution
Posted Wednesday, October 14, 2020, at 12:00 AMIn this year’s election, Arkansas voters will determine the outcome of three proposed amendments to the state Constitution. If approved by voters, Issue One would make permanent the current half-cent sales tax that pays for highway construction and maintenance. In 2010, Arkansas voters approved spending the revenue from a half-cent sales tax on road work, and that tax is scheduled to expire in 2023... -
Federal Relief Funds
Posted Wednesday, October 7, 2020, at 12:00 AMArkansas legislators approved using $165 million in federal relief funds to shore up the state unemployment insurance trust fund. Legislative leadership approved an emergency request to allocate the $165 million in order to prevent increases in rates that businesses have to pay into the fund to keep it solvent... -
Economic Impact Of The Coronavirus
Posted Wednesday, September 30, 2020, at 12:00 AMArkansas cities and counties that have been hit hard by the economic impact of the coronavirus can apply for help, after legislators approved the use of $150 million for relief grants... -
Census Workers Knocking On Doors
Posted Wednesday, September 23, 2020, at 12:00 AMCensus workers across Arkansas will be knocking on doors until the end of September in a last-ditch effort to make sure that as many people as possible get counted in the 2020 U.S. Census... -
Expansion Of Broadband
Posted Wednesday, September 16, 2020, at 12:00 AMBefore this year, the legislature had already laid the groundwork for expansions of broadband capability in education and health care. In response to the changing needs of schools and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, legislators have accelerated the pace of projects that expand broadband access in rural Arkansas and in small towns... -
Absentee Ballots
Posted Wednesday, September 9, 2020, at 12:00 AMCounty clerks are preparing for a sharp increase in the number of absentee ballots that they expect to be turned in for the November 3 general election... -
Extra Unemployment benefits
Posted Wednesday, September 2, 2020, at 12:00 AMArkansas legislators approved a plan to add $300 a week to unemployment benefits, to extend the extra benefits available during the coronavirus pandemic... -
Challenging School Year
Posted Wednesday, August 26, 2020, at 12:00 AMLast March schools were forced to close because of the spread of the coronavirus, a decision that affected more than 470,000 students and 33,000 teachers... -
Transportation Department upgrading website
Posted Wednesday, August 19, 2020, at 12:00 AMThe Transportation Department is upgrading its web site to make it easier for Arkansas drivers to follow the progress of highway construction projects... -
Forest products industry workers
Posted Wednesday, August 12, 2020, at 12:00 AMMore than 28,000 Arkansas residents work in the forest products industry, cutting trees, producing paper and pulp, manufacturing furniture and shipping wood products across the world. The majority of those jobs are in rural areas. They support ancillary occupations that bring the annual payroll of forestry-related occupations to $1.7 billion. The value of standing timber is estimated to be more than $12.6 billion... -
Internet access for Arkansas school districts
Posted Wednesday, August 5, 2020, at 1:28 PMThe state Education Department will spend $10 million to expand Internet access in every school district in Arkansas. Many parents may keep their children at home during the upcoming school year because of concerns about the spread of Covid-19. Some students may be required to study from home in “virtual” classrooms if there is an outbreak of the virus at their schools... -
Average Debt for Bachelor's Degree
Posted Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at 12:00 AMThe average debt that a student incurs to earn a bachelor’s degree in Arkansas is almost $2,000 less than the national average. Over the course of a 30-year career, a person with a bachelor’s degree will earn an estimated $1.25 million, compared to $550,000 that a college dropout will earn over the same period... -
Annual Sales Tax Holiday
Posted Wednesday, July 22, 2020, at 12:00 AMArkansas will hold its annual sales tax holiday on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2...
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