Jonesboro council backs police hiring incentives amid 24 vacancies
The Jonesboro City Council endorsed new-hire incentives after records showed 24 vacant uniformed police positions against a 175-officer budget target.
Arkansas
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Little Rock weighs standards for data centers and AI facilities
A proposed Little Rock ordinance would regulate where data centers, AI facilities and cryptocurrency mines are built and operated, but final action is unclear.
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Bauxite schools set Aug. 11 opening after district’s July back-to-school announcement
Bauxite Public Schools will begin the 2026-27 school year Aug. 11, with separate open-house events scheduled for grades 1-12 and kindergarten families.
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White Hall schools set Aug. 12 reopening, offer free breakfast to eligible students
White Hall School District will welcome students back for the 2026-27 school year on Aug. 12, with one free breakfast available to each eligible public-school student.
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Alma schools remain designated for Title I support in 2025-26
An Arkansas Department of Education report lists Alma School District and all four of its schools in the state’s 2025-26 Title I status report.
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Russellville approves up to $58,810 for planned Texas Roadhouse site work
The Russellville City Council voted 7-1 to approve an economic-development agreement tied to a planned Texas Roadhouse at the former Burger King property on East Main Street.
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Little Rock Board Election Filing Period Closes
Little Rock’s 2026 filing period for city Board of Directors candidates ended Aug. 5, setting the next phase of the local election cycle.
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Ozark mayor takes resident concerns on roads, recycling and growth to city staff
Ozark residents raised questions about recycling, traffic, roads, the August election and new development during a July 11 community conversation with Mayor Don Currence.
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$600 million solar farm proposal draws public hearing near Keo
About 100 people attended an Aug. 5 hearing on a proposed 6,000-acre solar project near Keo in Lonoke County.
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Arkansas Medicaid expansion renewal faces federal rejection, putting coverage for roughly 200,000 residents at risk
Federal officials have rejected or indicated they will not approve Arkansas’ request to extend the waiver supporting its Medicaid expansion, creating uncertainty for roughly 200,000 low-income residents.
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Arkansas School Employee Health Fund Could Be Depleted Within Three Years, Consultant Warns
A consultant told Arkansas officials that the state’s roughly $510 million public-school employee health-insurance fund could be depleted in about three years without changes to costs, contributions or benefits.
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Arkansas announces more than $3.4 million for water and wastewater projects
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced more than $3.4 million in grants for water and wastewater infrastructure and statewide operator training.
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Bentonville Proposes Wastewater Fee for New Development
Bentonville is considering a wastewater development fee intended to make new growth contribute to needed system improvements instead of relying entirely on existing ratepayers.
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Little Rock approves $25,000 engineering increase for Hilaro Springs Bridge replacement
Little Rock adopted a $25,000 engineering increase for the Hilaro Springs Bridge replacement, raising Michael Baker International’s contract ceiling to $319,634 as the city prepares a new federal grant application.
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Lonoke precinct codes changed as candidates face Aug. 5 filing deadline
Lonoke County replaced named election precincts with three-digit codes as independent municipal candidates face a noon Aug. 5 filing deadline for the Nov. 3 general election.
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Jonesboro Breaks Ground on New E-911 and Real-Time Crime Center
Jonesboro broke ground July 2 on a planned $5.5 million public-safety center at Madison and Monroe that will bring E-911 dispatch and real-time intelligence operations under one roof.
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Little Rock board weighs $40 million energy-as-a-service deal for downtown buildings
Little Rock directors are set to consider a second-reading ordinance allowing a sole-source ENFRA agreement for downtown energy upgrades, with proposed payments spread across as many as 30 years.
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Proposed DOJ settlement targets Arkansas paper mill pollution
A proposed Domtar settlement would require a $1.5 million penalty and at least $2.6 million in pollution-control work. Court approval is pending.
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Arkansas House District 44 voters decide who will finish vacant House term
Voters in portions of Pope and Van Buren counties cast ballots Tuesday, August 4, to fill the remainder of former Rep. Stan Berry’s Arkansas House District 44 term. Republican nominee Bill Teeter is unopposed.
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ArcBest cuts jobs, plans 10 freight-terminal closures
ArcBest plans to cut about 2% of its workforce, close 10 ABF Freight service centers and retire one Vaux product while consolidating brands.
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Little Rock board to consider data-center moratorium and Jan. 1 application cutoff
Little Rock directors are scheduled to consider an 18-month hyperscale data-center moratorium and a separate Jan. 1, 2027, application cutoff, while the Google-linked project’s status remains unresolved.
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Bentonville posts proposed Community Code changes affecting future projects
Bentonville has posted draft Community Code amendments that could change parking calculations, building height, airport reviews, signage and landscaping, but none of the changes is enacted yet.