Potential government shutdown could halt Arkansas' agriculture industry
Arkansas’ agriculture industry is preparing for a possible shutdown of the federal government. Congress is facing a deadline of Saturday to pass spending bills to keep the government funded. Ryan Loy is an economist and assistant professor at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. He says several key U-S-D-A programs will go dark if the government does shut down.
"It's really going to depend on how long the government is shut down for, if it does happen. If it's a short amount of time, then the issue shouldn't be felt as strongly, but if it's about a month or over a month then that's where people are going to start really seeing issues.”
Loy says a shutdown would stall negotiations on the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, which oversees a number of public assistance and conservation programs. If that were to happen, Loy says it could have a direct impact on consumers.
"They're basically kicking out private competition that prices these commodities in the market. So what's going to end up happening is that the federal government is going to come in, be required to the provide a price support and that means they're going to outbid a lot of the private industries which means that the overall cost of milk, you know, cotton, wheat - those sorts of commodities is going to go up in the stores, because they're trying to bid against the federal government.”
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps, is the largest portion of the Farm Bill. However, that program will still continue even if the federal government shuts down at the end of this week.
UA personnel can now access latest COVID booster
University of Arkansas faculty, staff and students can now receive the updated COVID-19 booster. An email from University officials explains the COVID booster can be obtained by members of the university community at the Pat Walker Health Center. According to the email, COVID boosters cost 135-dollars with an additional 35-dollar administration fee. University employees insured through UMR will have 100 percent of the vaccine covered. Flu shots are also available at the center.
Fayetteville turns out the lights on illegal short term rentals
A proposed amendment to Fayetteville’s city code would allow utilities of illegal short-term rental properties to be cut off. The city council’s ordinance committee recently approved the measure that will be taken up by the full city council October 3rd. City attorney Kit Williams says he issued a memo to the committee outlining due process procedures to be taken by illegal short-term rental operators facing enforcement.
“The wording that I had, where they would get at least a letter telling them that this is what the city is thinking it’s gonna do, because they're operating in violation of city ordinances. And giving them an opportunity to request a hearing, and if they do, within 10 business days, then a hearing will be held, promptly.”
More than 180 short-term rentals were found to be operating illegally in Fayetteville as of this month, with 395 in full compliance. The rationale for the proposed enforcement code is to control unoccupied short-term rentals which is currently capped at 475.
Hutchinson misses the cut for California debate
The Republican National Committee says former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson will not be on stage at tomorrow night’s GOP presidential debate in California. Qualifications for this debate required candidates to be polling at some combination of three percent in national polls or early voting states. Hutchinson wrote on social media he intends to continue campaigning in early states like Iowa and New Hampshire to bring his polling numbers up.
Commemorating 66 years since the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School
66 years have passed since the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School. To commemorate the milestone, five of the first nine black students to attend the school gathered yesterday with the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. In 1957, the group faced angry mobs and harassment at the high school. Dr. Terrance Roberts commented on the Arkansas Department of Education’s decision to remove accreditation from AP African American Studies courses in high schools across the state.
"“They’re burning books, they’re interrupting coursework, they are proposing a fictional narrative that will be used instead of the whole truth, that could be used in curricula. I don't understand it, honestly.”
He was critical of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders who supported the decision, and has said courses like AP African American Studies contain “indoctrination.” Minnijean Brown-Trickey talked about meeting with young people in her activism work.
“They're gonna get sick of this stuff okay. They're going to get sick of being told they don't deserve to know. They're going to get tired of saying they're too young to know... and they're going to rise up and I'm helping them in every possible way I can.”
She said she was excited for the new generation of “informed” young people coming of age in America. At the event, the Clinton School of Public Service announced an endowment campaign to help fund a scholarship named in honor of the Little Rock Nine.
Arkansas Girls High School Golf Championships Tee Off
And Arkansas girls’ high school golf championships are being decided in six different places today. The Springdale Country Club is serving as the host course for the 6A finals. Springdale Har-Ber is the defending state champ. Bentonville and Fayetteville finished second and third, respectively, last year. Gravette and Charleston won last year’s 4A and 3A championships
