Flags at half-mast for Mark Lowery
Flags are at half-staff until sunset in Arkansas today in honor of the memory of Mark Lowery, Arkansas’ state treasurer. He died this week at age 66. He was elected to the office this past November. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued the flag order, saying Lowery leaves behind a legacy of strong leadership and deep connections across Arkansas.
CAPES works for final signature push
The group looking to repeal the Arkansas LEARNS Act has three days left to gather more than 54,000 signatures from across the state.
The Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) has until Monday to gather and submit signatures to the secretary of state's office for approval in order to place a referendum on the November 2024 ballot. Steve Grappe is communications director for the organization.
"We're over 30,000 signatures that we have in hand we know about," Grappe said. "We have drive-thrus all over the state and now we're able to send teams to places like Camden, and Monticello, Magnolia, El Dorado, that we didn't have a big presence in before."
The group needs signatures from 3% of registered voters in at least 50 counties. Grappe said the organization has employed a new strategy of deputizing canvassers and focusing on population dense areas.
"And we've already got, I think we're at 30 counties right now," Grappe said. "And there is a whole slew of them that are at less than 100 signatures. So, we've shifted away from the focus on the 50 counties and to focus on the overall number."
Grappe said CAPES volunteers will canvass this weekend in larger cities such as Bentonville, Conway, Springdale, Jonesboro and El Dorado. Because the organization received reports from people who experienced intimidation over signing the petition, he said the organization has also set up a hotline to help.
The LEARNS Act is set to be implemented on August 1.
Senate passes defense bill
Arkansas Sen. John Boozman said he is pleased the Senate passed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act yesterday with bipartisan support and 86 votes in favor. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton also voted for the bill. Boozman said he pushed for language included authorization for projects needed for Ebbing Air Force in Fort Smith to host a foreign military sales program. The Senate version of the act does not include many of the provisions included in the House version including elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the Defense Department. The two chambers will now work to reconcile their versions.
Gov. Sanders commemorates Korean War veterans
Yesterday marked the 70-year anniversary of the end of the Korean War in 1953. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders commemorated the day at an Armistice Day Ceremony at The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. She previously proclaimed the day as Korean veteran armistice day.
Capri Salaam honored for Teacher of the Year
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders celebrated the 2023 Arkansas Teacher of the Year yesterday. Capri Salaam, a North Little Rock middle school social studies teacher, earned the honor. Salaam is known for her creative approaches to teaching. The governor mentioned one example where she taught students about the assassination Abraham Lincoln using a mock crime scene.
Salaam was announced as Teacher of the Year last year and given a check for $14,000 from the Walton Family Foundation. Jessica Saum, a special education teacher at Stagecoach Elementary School in Cabot, held the position for the 2022 school year.
UAMS Bone Research Center gets $11 million grant
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences will use a grant of more than $11 million to continue work at the Center for Musculoskeletal Disease Research. The grant, from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences follows a 2018 grant of more than $11 million dollars that helped establish the center in Little Rock. Conditions studied at the center include osteoporosis, bone-related cancers and joint repair. Since its inception, the center’s researchers have published 51 peer-reviewed articles and received more than nine-million dollars in external grants.
Summer Diversity is next weekend in Eureka Springs
Eureka Springs annual Summer Diversity is a celebration of LGBTQ+ culture. Out in Eureka is hosting the event during the first weekend of August. Diversity weekends have been held every spring, summer and fall since 2017. Director Jay Wilks said the weekend is packed with parties and entertainment starting Friday evening.
"There will be family-friendly meet and greets, they'll be other meet and greets, also live music starting on that Friday night at various venues, drag shows around town," Wilks said. "And then on Saturday we'll have our diversity in the park at Basin Spring Park, right in the middle of downtown."
Guitarist and digital mashup rocker Erin Deatherage, or "Dr. Shred,” will perform on stage in Basin Park. Hundreds of attendees are expected to participate in the traditional PDA (Public Display of Affection) group photo, wearing rainbow flower leis that will be handed out. Afterward, DJ Test Tube will host a bubble dance party in the park where vendors and organizations’ displays will be featured.
"Then at 5:30 p.m. we're bringing back our official drag show bingo," Wilks said. "It will be held at BREWS Coffee House, and that's free and family friendly."
The headliner for Summer Diversity is dance music artist and LGBTQ+ advocate Kristine W. At the event, she will perform her latest hit, By My Side. You can search Out in Eureka on Facebook for a full schedule of Summer Diversity events and tickets.
Natural play against the Travelers
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are now tied for first in the Texas League North standings. The Naturals defeated the Arkansas Travelers in North Little Rock last night, 3-1to tie the Travelers in the standings. The two teams play again tonight. The Naturals return to Arvest Ballpark August 8. There are 24 home games in Springdale remaining on the schedule.
Mike Neighbors on the WBCA Board of Directors
Arkansas Razorback head basketball coach Mike Neighbors is now on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Board of Directors. The WBCA Board is composed of directors representing programs in NCAA Division I, II and II, as well as high school. is now one of five NCAA Division I Coach Directors across the country and becomes the first Arkansas head coach to serve on the board.
