In 2021 the legislature approved Act 626, making Arkansas the first state in the nation to prohibit physicians from performing gender transition procedures on minors.

As Huntsville City Councilman Scott Thomas pointed out in last week’s Wage and Salary Commission meeting, Madison County is the fastest growing county in the state. 

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about David Preston Jr. being hired as the new athletic director for the Huntsville School District. Preston and his family moved from Smackover in south Arkansas. His wife, the former Heather Van Brunt, is a native of Huntsville.

The secretary of Human Services told lawmakers that the Arkansas Medicaid program would continue to reimburse assisted living facilities at the higher rate they were getting during the Covid-19 pandemic, at least until November.

We started looking for a rental house last week for a friend moving to Huntsville. Someone told us it would be easier to find a unicorn. 

These are tough times at the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Dispatchers have left, deputies have taken jobs elsewhere. Sheriff Ronnie Boyd announced last week that the sheriff’s office will no longer provide deputies as School Resource Officers to the Huntsville School District.

We recently commemorated the 79th anniversary of D-Day and honored the bravery and courage of the Allied troops who helped bring an end to World War II.

The Arkansas Human Services Department has officially petitioned the federal government for authority to make changes in the Medicaid expansion program.

Father’s Day is this Sunday. Like many men, I’d love to be able to speak with my pop again.

Students are clearing out their lockers and signing yearbooks as teachers grade final exams and close the classroom door for the final time this school year. While their attention is turning to summer, my staff is already preparing for fall and getting ready for our next Congressional Youth Cabinet (CYC).

The state Division of Workforce Services will close nine offices around the state.

I had a flashback to my childhood last week when I heard about what happened to Madison County Sheriff’s Office Logan Roddy.

Robust cybersecurity is increasingly important as cyber threats continue to evolve and target vital services. In recent years we’ve experienced disruptions to pipelines, key food suppliers and water treatment facilities. Here in Arkansas, our hospitals, school districts and county governments have found themselves in the crosshairs of cybercriminals within the last year.

As soon as the 2023 legislative session adjourned, the Senate and House Committees on Education began work on school funding in preparation for the 2025 session.

Our friends up the road at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge are making plans for a cool event on June 10.

Memorial Day is fast approaching. It is celebrated the last Monday of May every year. For many, Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer, the end of the school year, the beginning of summer vacations and the get-togethers with family and friends. For most, it is a day to look forward to the summer ahead. 

The Huntsville Class of 2023, above all else, can brag about one thing: They were first to hold graduation in the AT & Georgia Mae Smith Activity Center.

Law enforcement officers put on their uniform knowing the risks that come with the public duty to serve and protect. It takes a special person to take on that responsibility. As we commemorate National Police Week, we honor law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day to safeguard our communities. 

The major provisions of the new Protect Arkansas Act are well known, but they are only a few of the many measures passed during the 2023 regular session.

Fans of the television show “Yellowstone,” recently got the news they sort of expected, but didn’t want.