Roby Brock / Talk Business & Politics

The Little Rock Port Authority board of directors approved three resolutions Wednesday that could add nearly 1,000 acres to the port’s land mass.

One resolution would enter into a contract with Southport Properties, LLC and members of the Thomas family and trust to purchase roughly 640 acres of land south of the port’s current footprint.

The 640-acre tract will undergo due diligence for environmental surveys, archeological scrutiny and title research over the next 90 days. The purchase price for the property is roughly $8.2 million.

Former Rose Bud City Councilman Nick Cartwright announced his campaign Thursday for the Democratic nomination for the Second District Congressional seat.

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, currently holds the seat and is seeking a fifth term. No other Democrats have announced for the race.

“I’m running to fight for regular, everyday Arkansans who have been left out of our politics for far too long. The people of the 2nd District deserve a representative from our communities willing to offer real, bold solutions to our biggest problems.”

Health officials have been sounding the warning for weeks on the Delta variant of COVID-19, but it has yet to slow down the public health threat. Now, UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson says the new strain of COVID-19 is overwhelming Arkansas’ health care system.

In a tweet Saturday, Patterson said, “The hospital @uamshealth is full. COVID-19 numbers increase every day. We are staffing inpatients in the ER and recovery room. No space for transfers. Running out of caregivers. Support health care workers. Mask up. Get vaxxed.”

Jake Bequette, an Army veteran and former standout Razorback defensive lineman who played in the NFL, announced Monday that he will challenge U.S. Senator John Boozman, R-Ark., in the GOP primary.

Bequette, 32, made his announcement on Fox and Friends Monday morning and through a subsequent press release and announcement video. Couching himself as a “conservative outsider” running against “career politicians,” Bequette outlined some of his strong positions.

President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., have varying job approval ratings in Arkansas, but for the most part, they are in line with historical polling trends.

A new Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College Poll of 535 Arkansas voters shows Biden and Boozman with negative job approvals, although Boozman has a large undecided block on his performance. This poll was conducted May 26-31, 2021 and has a margin of error of +/- 5.5%.

Q: Do you approve or disapprove of the job President Joe Biden is doing?

University of Arkansas Walton College economist Mervin Jebaraj says the April 2021 Arkansas jobs report is layered with good news.

Labor officials reported two weeks ago that Arkansas’ jobless rate in April remained stable at 4.4% from March and it was dramatically down from the 10% unemployment rate recorded in April 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jebaraj said April was good because it reversed a three-month trend of people exiting the state’s labor force.

UAMS announced to employees on Tuesday that it is collaborating on a new cancer care initiative with Little Rock-based Baptist Health.

“Building on our longstanding relationship, UAMS and Baptist Health are taking steps to expand the innovative and unique oncological care found at our Cancer Institute, starting with the opening in the near future of the UAMS Baptist Health Cancer Center on Baptist’s North Little Rock campus,” UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson revealed in a memo to employees.

The race for Arkansas Attorney General just added another candidate. Attorney Jesse Gibson announced Tuesday he would seek the Democratic nomination for the state’s top legal post.

Gibson will be challenging Democrat Jason Davis for the nomination. Lt. Governor Tim Griffin and Leon Jones have announced for the Republican nomination for the position. Current Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is term-limited and is running for Governor.

Gibson said consumer protection will be one of his biggest priorities in seeking the office.

Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care CEO Ray Hanley, a former Medicaid director for the state, said the lifting of the pandemic emergency order was "pretty inevitable," but he warns that a backslide is still possible. Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday (May 20) said he would end his 14-month long Covid-19 emergency order on May 30.

U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, said in a Sunday (May 16) interview the I-40 Memphis bridge situation is a “national concern.” He also weighed in on the ouster of Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, from House GOP leadership and said he plans to run for re-election in 2022.

Drax Group announced Thursday it will begin constructing the first of three new “satellite” pellet plants in Arkansas. Drax Group is a worldwide sustainable biomass production and supply company.

The three plants are together expected to produce approximately 120,000 metric tons of sustainable biomass pellets a year from sawmill residues, supporting the renewable energy company’s plans to increase self-supply to its power station in the U.K.

UA Walton College economist Mervin Jebaraj said new tax cuts and those proposed for later this year could help in a variety of ways, especially for lower income Arkansans, and he suggested the state’s businesses will have to work harder to overcome a national negative reputation in the wake of this year’s high-profile controversies in the legislature.

Still coy on running for President in 2024, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., offered a wide range of opinions in an interview Sunday on foreign and domestic policy issues and the 2022 and 2024 election cycle.

Cotton, the state’s junior senator, was re-elected to a six-year term in November 2020. He was active on the campaign trail for fellow Republicans in 2020 and expects to travel broadly to support GOP candidates in 2022. He’s still not willing to discuss speculation that he may be a Presidential candidate in 2024.

The leaders of the two legislative chambers and Gov. Asa Hutchinson outlined expectations for the end of the 93rd Arkansas General Assembly, and it should be an unprecedented and lengthy adjournment.

Holding a joint press conference Thursday to review the Revenue Stabilization Act (RSA), which keeps the state’s budget balanced, the trio of leaders explained their plans for completing the session business and taking care of additional matters later this year.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson may not have formally committed to a 2024 Presidential run, but he’s raising his profile to be a national voice in the 2022 cycle.

Hutchinson said Sunday in an exclusive Talk Business & Politics interview that beyond taking the reins as chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA) this summer, he plans to start a political action effort for education advocacy and to raise money for GOP candidates across the U.S. in the 2022 elections.

Arkansas lawmakers considered a variety of bills on Wednesday, but the main drama centered on the state’s Medicaid program. For the second day in a row, House members could not muster enough votes to approve a Department of Human Services budget that includes funding for a revamped Medicaid expansion program.

Arkansas House Minority Leader Rep. Tippi McCullough, D-Little Rock, said the abrupt ending to the Thursday judiciary committee that debated a hate crimes bill has raised more questions than answers.

House Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Carol Dalby, R-Texarkana, called the vote on SB 622 for supporters of the bill and then quickly adjourned the committee before a roll call vote could take place. SB 622 is a class protection bill that enhances time served for certain violent crimes and is touted by some as an alternative to hate crimes legislation.

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, announced plans on Thursday to introduce a change to the Paycheck Protection Program that he touted would help small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hill, R-Little Rock, said he was introducing the PPP Revenue Adjustment Calculation to Increase Capital Accessibility Long-Term, or the PRACTICAL Act, next week in Congress. In Arkansas, more than 14,000 businesses have received $4.6 billion through PPP funding over the course of the pandemic. Hill said it has helped save more than 375,000 Arkansas jobs.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson asked lawmakers Monday (March 29) to approve his 60-day extension of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, and they agreed but not without lengthy debate.

On a voice vote from the Arkansas Legislative Council, state legislators extended the emergency order although several members raised objections. In essence, the legislature voted “no” on a proposal by Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, to deny the governor the extension. After members voted down the rejection of his request, they voted to approve five executive orders related to the emergency declaration.

Democratic Party of Arkansas chairman Michael John Gray said Sunday that lowering filing fees to zero in some instances is the best way to ensure competition for Republican-held seats in the state Legislature.

Last week, the party voted to eliminate filing fees for Democratic candidates who are challenging incumbent GOP state legislators or where there is no incumbent Democratic legislator. The party also lowered its filing fees for U.S. Senate, Congress, governor, other constitutional offices, and incumbent legislative seats.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge says her new lawsuit against Walgreens is part of a continuing mission of accountability for the opioid crisis, and she says her experience as the state’s top legal officer makes her more qualified to be the next governor of Arkansas.

In a Talk Business & Politics interview, Rutledge claimed Walgreens should have done more to curtail the prescription of opioids. By not doing so, the national pharmacy chain has contributed to the black market for the extremely addictive drugs.

Arkansas House Speaker Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, said that the session’s expected April 9th recess and May 3rd sine die will likely be extended. He told members at the end of the day’s House session and elaborated to reporters in his end of the week press conference.

“We’ll file a resolution to extend the session by a little bit,” Shepherd said. “I know members are concerned about having enough time to get their bills through and get them moved on.”

The legislature will meet Monday and Tuesday of next week, then take off for spring break.

UAMS Chancellor Dr. Cam Patterson said there have been lessons learned one year into the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Arkansas, there have been more than 5,400 deaths and over 325,000 identified coronavirus cases. Patterson said it’s put a huge strain on the state’s healthcare system and made the year “seem like a decade.”

That said, UAMS and other healthcare providers adapted to the huge influx of patients. He’s proud of the response, and he anticipates it won’t be the last time a plan for a pandemic is needed.

Arkansas Farm Bureau and Arkansas PBS are partnering to produce community programming and local projects, the two groups announced Monday.

The content, which will be called “Good Roots,” will focus on education initiatives, health awareness and supporting agricultural and rural community life. Major funding for “Good Roots” is provided by Arkansas Farm Bureau.

Under construction for the past year, Arkansas lawmakers and Gov. Hutchinson’s administration will unveil their newest version of Medicaid expansion on Monday.

ARHOME (pronounced “Are-Home”) stands for Arkansas Health & Opportunity for Me. Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, and Rep. Michelle Gray, R-Bethesda, will be two of the lead sponsors of the proposal.

Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, R-Ark., pivoted from his pursuit of the governor’s office to Attorney General last Monday. His departure from the GOP primary field for the state’s top post leaves Sarah Huckabee Sanders and current Attorney General Leslie Rutledge in the race.

Leon Jones, who heads the state’s Fair Housing Commission, said Thursday (Feb. 11) he plans to run for Arkansas Attorney General on the GOP ticket.

Griffin said his switch in the race was made after hearing from supporters.

Arkansas Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe announced Thursday that he will seek the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor in 2022.

He has served as the state’s surgeon general since 2015 when he was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Bledsoe has been one of the governor’s chief advisors through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bledsoe is an emergency room physician and earned his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. After a residency at UAMS, he spent five years on the faculty in the Johns Hopkins Department of Emergency Medicine.

The chairmen of the Joint Budget Committee and House Revenue & Tax Committee want to provide tax relief for Arkansans who may not even know they could owe it. Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe, and Rep. Joe Jett, R-Success, filed SB 236 on Thursday which would exempt unemployment compensation benefits from state income tax in 2020 and 2021.