Sarah Kellogg

After an eight-week, hands-on lab, the two short films created by the Arkansas Cinema Society’s Teen Girl Filmmaking Lab premiered to a full crowd on Thursday night.

The short films, "Ensemble" and "Justitia" were part of the 'Girls Night' program for this year’s Filmland festival in Little Rock. They preceded a screening of the film "Troop Zero," where writer Lucy Alibar and Bert, half of the directing duo Bert and Bertie, were both in attendance to answer questions about the film afterwards.

Starting Friday night, visitors to the River Market District will be able to bring alcoholic beverages outside as a part of the newly established entertainment district. 

The four-block zone stretches along President Clinton Ave. from South Cumberland St. to Interstate 30. Patrons 21 and older will be allowed to carry their drink in the established zone as long as they have purchased the approved wristband and cup.

Speaking on President Donald Trump’s recent comments on purchasing Greenland from Denmark, Sen. Tom Cotton said there is a logical case for wanting to purchase the territory.

Cotton revealed Wednesday, during the new Talk Business & Politics Power Lunch series, he met with the Danish Ambassador months ago and proposed the sale of Greenland to the United States and told Trump himself to pursue it.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law is launching two new programs that will provide free legal services to veterans in Arkansas. The law school will open a veterans legal services clinic and a veterans legal service center. Eventually, eight law school students, who are under the supervision of a clinical facilitator, will staff the programs and provide services each semester.

The clinic will initially focus on disability claims and appeals of discharge status. Those services may expand in the future to different areas.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson expanded on previous comments concerning two recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, including the prospect of adopting an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) in Arkansas. An ERPO, known colloquially as a red flag law, would outline a process officials could use to temporarily remove guns from individuals who are deemed a danger to themselves or others. Hutchinson said a red flag law would have to balance the need for protection with the due process of law.

Construction for the Saracen Casino and Resort in Pine Bluff is officially underway, after a groundbreaking ceremony took place Monday afternoon.

Speaking during the ceremony, John Berrey, chairman of the Quapaw Business Committee and Downtown Development Authority, said the main goal of this project is to create jobs to help Pine Bluff’s economy.

"This is about economic development… about hope… about keeping people here at home in the Delta and creating an economy based on people to come and visit, have a good time and enjoy this part of the state," Berrey said.

July marked the beginning of the fiscal year and state revenues totaled over $462 million, which is 1.4 percent lower than last year. Though some revenue sources are lower compared to last year, according to Friday’s released report, that does not necessarily indicate a negative trend to Arkansas’ economy.

Since this is the first month of the new fiscal year, there are no cumulative balances to consider. The report instead makes comparisons to last July.

Trade discussions between the United States and China resumed Tuesday months after talks initially dissolved. However, the lack of a deal, over one year into the trade war continues to leave Arkansas farmers with a surplus of crops and fewer vendors to sell them to. This combined with an above average amount of rainfall has led to a bad couple of years for farmers without a permanent solution in sight.