In 2007, when Brookland Mayor Kenneth Jones began his first term, 1,362 people lived in the Craighead County town. Locals then feared that the recent opening of the U.S. 49 bypass, which skirted the town to the west, would keep visitors from the downtown area. Revenues would dry up—both from less taxes on local sales and in the lack of tickets the police would issue to those zipping through the old main road through town. They were worried that booming Jonesboro to the south and Paragould to the north would expand toward each other, creating a smaller version of the Northwest Arkansas metropl ..read more

It’s official. Eric Musselman is the new men’s basketball coach at Southern Cal. Multiple news outlets in Arkansas had been reporting Thursday what most Arkansans have known since Monday — that Musselman was leaving Arkansas for USC. Late Thursday afternoon, Musselman’s wife, Danyelle, confirmed the news on Instagram as did the Trojan program. In addition, Musselman’s Wikipedia page has been changed to indicate he is now the coach at USC. Musselman’s five years at Arkansas represent his longest coaching tenure anywhere. As Arkansas coach, he led the program back to national relevance, po ..read more

Anchor Strategies, LLC, led by founder and CEO Susanna Watt, made its official launch last month as a government relations and lobbying firm. Anchor Strategies stands out as a beacon of excellence in strategic advocacy and policy influence. As a woman- and veteran-owned and operated firm, Anchor Strategies brings a unique perspective and commitment to diversity and inclusivity in the political arena. With more than 12 years of experience in government relations and lobbying, Watt has established herself as a prominent figure in the industry, advocating for meaningful change and championing th ..read more

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will again send members of the Arkansas National Guard to the southern U.S. border in Texas to assist state authorities working to curb illegal immigration. Roughly 40 Arkansas guardsmen and women will deploy from April 1 to May 30 to Eagle Pass, Texas, according to the governor’s office. The deployment of Arkansans had been expected since Sanders visited the border last month alongside 14 other GOP governors in a show of support for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Members of the Arkansas Guard’s 142nd Field Artillery Brigade will help the Texas National Guard with su ..read more

A group called Keep Our Dollars in Fayetteville is making plans to collect petition signatures to put a measure on the November ballot that would allow Sunday sales of alcohol. If approved by voters, it would make Fayetteville the largest city in the state to allow alcohol sales for off-site consumption on Sundays. Scott Hardin, spokesperson for the Alcohol and Beverage Commission, said Bentonville and Rogers recently demonstrated that larger cities in the state can successfully pursue and pass Sunday sales. Those cities approved Sunday sales by a margin of more than 70 percent in 2022. Sunda ..read more

Today, March 5, is Super Tuesday, and that means Arkansas and many other states will have primary elections. Early voting in Arkansas ended yesterday.  Democratic voters can choose between President Joe Biden and several other candidates, while Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump are the frontrunners of the Republican ballot. Voters from both parties and nonpartisan voters can also vote for candidates running for some other elected positions. According to CBS News, Republicans have primaries in Arkansas, Alabama, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Caro ..read more

Although early voting numbers for Pulaski County are down from 2016, they are higher than the numbers from the first week of early voting in 2020, said Amanda Dickens, Pulaski County election coordinator.  “Friday really bumped us up,” she said, adding that almost 1,600 people voted Friday, bringing the total to 6,400 early voters so far. That number is higher than the total at this time in 2020, which was a little more than 5,600, she said.  However, this year’s early voter count is still dwarfed by 2016, when there were nearly 7,100 early voters during the first week of early voti ..read more

In celebration of President’s Day, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has unveiled three new series of presidential bobbleheads: the first series of First Lady Bobbleheads featuring 15 first ladies, a Resolute Desk series featuring 11 presidents, and a White House Podium series featuring seven presidents, all individually numbered to 1,776 for the year of the United State’s founding. All are available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s online store. Martha Washington set many standards for American first ladies, and each first lady since has lef ..read more

Early voting for the 2024 preferential primary election will begin on Feb. 20 in preparation for the election on March 5. Voters from both parties will be able to vote for presidential nominees, as well as elected officials for a variety of offices. According to the Arkansas Secretary of State, Republican voters will be able to pick from a slate of candidates for presidential nominee, although many have publicly ended their campaigns. The list includes Asa Hutchinson, Ron DeSantis, Ryan L. Binkley, Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, David Stuckenberg, Donald J. Trump and Nikki Hale ..read more

*Disclaimer: The views expressed in this opinion piece do not necessarily reflect the views of AY Media Group. We often hear about the fierce economic and geopolitical competition between the United States and China – and for good reason. America’s ability to compete and win on the global stage is critical for ensuring a safe and prosperous world because an American-led world values freedom, democracy, and individual liberty. However, America’s global leadership isn’t guaranteed forever, and some major challenges facing our country could make us lose our competitive edge, empowering our adver ..read more