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    AR Legislature
    June 20, 2025

    House Republicans Refuse to Help Their Own Employees with Debt Forgiveness

    This morning in the Arkansas Legislative Council, House Republicans refused to review a contract to Aptus Financial, an in-state consulting firm that won a contract to help state employees determine…
    Sam Watson
    Love0
    Uncategorized
    June 6, 2025

    Don’t Paint Over Bentonville: A Community Rallies to Save Public Art

    When a city tries to quietly erase approved public art, the cycling community fights back Bentonville, Arkansas has built a reputation as a popular mountain biking destination and made significant…
    Sam Watson
    Love1
    AR LegislaturePower and Control
    March 18, 2025

    A closer look at Hammer’s Boys and Girls Club grudge

    Senator Kim Hammer’s attack on the Boys & Girls Club didn’t begin with SB362. His grudge against the organization — and his broader hostility toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love1
    AR LegislatureElections
    March 7, 2025

    Kim Hammer’s SB296 could kill early voting in towns like West Memphis

    It's Hammer time again, folks. Since yesterday's post, we've learned that SB296, a bill Hammer filed in late February, would give hand-picked Republican election commissioners unchecked power to erase early…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    AR Legislature
    March 6, 2025

    The Hammer vendetta: SB362 targets the Boys & Girls Club

    The Boys & Girls Club — an organization that provides youth with safe spaces, mentorship, and educational support— is a pillar of local communities. But now Senator Kim Hammer is…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    AR LegislatureElectionsPower and Control
    February 6, 2025

    Kim Hammer wants to destroy direct democracy

    Hammer's bills are designed to shut you out of the democratic process Sen. Kim Hammer is running for Arkansas Secretary of State, and if you think he wants to serve…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    AR LegislatureNewsPower and Control
    January 30, 2025

    Senate cowards cave on SB3

    The push to ditch public affirmative action is back, and it's uglier than ever. Last session, fifteen Arkansas state senators voted against SB71, Dan Sullivan's 2023 bill to gut public…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    Uncategorized
    January 8, 2025

    Commissioner for sale? Chris Caldwell’s alarming conflict of interest

    Bad news for those who value government accountability and transparency During routine conflict of interest research, On AR Watch uncovered that Chris Caldwell, the current Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioner,…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    AR LegislaturePower and Control
    November 11, 2024

    Senate GOP picks power + control over cooperation

    The move isn't about governing but rather ruling with an iron fist In a blatant display of partisanship and disregard for its chamber's so-called contemplative nature, the Arkansas Senate GOP…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    Power and Control
    November 8, 2024

    State steamrolls small town with unwanted prison. Time to hold them accountable.

    Last night in Charleston, Arkansas, residents packed out a town hall to express their frustration with Governor Sarah Sanders’ seemingly sudden decision to build a massive 3,000-bed prison on the…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love1
    EducationNews
    October 22, 2024

    Voter Misinformation Alert! Misleading Texts Target Pulaski County Voters

    Early voting has started in Arkansas, which means a firehose of disinformation has started to target voters.  Over the weekend, Pulaski County Clerk Terri Hollingsworth tweeted that she’d received reports…
    Sam Watson
    Love0
    CorruptionElections
    October 21, 2024

    Did Anita Bell try to rig an election for her daughter-in-law?

    Voter Suppression in Crittenden County + Anita Bell’s Conflict of Interest Last week, voters in West Memphis, AR got some encouraging news: early voting would be restored. It's a big…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    CorruptionPower and Control
    October 17, 2024

    John Thurston Doesn’t Play by the Rules

    Campaign finance is where power and influence truly converge— behind every political career is a network of financial backers and influential players. John Thurston’s political war chest is no exception,…
    Sam Watson
    Love0
    Uncategorized
    October 8, 2024

    Partisan Court Appointments Target Voter Rights on Medical Marijuana Issue

    Democracy takes another hit. Governor Sanders’ recent appointments to the Arkansas Supreme Court raise serious concerns about fairness, impartiality, and the lengths to which political power will go to control…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    Uncategorized
    October 4, 2024

    Crittenden Co. Election Commission puts voter suppression on display

    In a shameful display of voter suppression, Republican-led election commissioners in Crittenden County are actively working to prevent Black voters in West Memphis from casting their ballots early. The county’s…
    Gennie Diaz
    Love0
    Corruption
    August 30, 2024

    Rhonda Wood Isn’t Even Pretending To Be A Justice

    Here’s some clear law for you, Justice Rhonda Wood.  Arkansas Code § 7-10-102(a): “The offices of Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, circuit judge, district…
    Sam Watson
    Love0
    EducationNews
    August 21, 2024

    An update on Schools for the Blind and Deaf

    Remember when we wondered if Arkansas's Schools for the Blind and Deaf would be the next targets of Jacob Oliva's ire? We have an update. Today, the Democrat-Gazette reports the…
    genniediaz
    Love0
    Education
    August 19, 2024

    We Should All Pay Less Attention to Jason

    Arkansas’s least favorite, former state senator recently made headlines because of his inane and dangerous comments regarding state libraries. The long-suffering women of the State Library Board once again put…
    Sam Watson
    Love1
    Power and Control
    August 6, 2024

    Do The People Really Rule?

    Did you know that not every state in the US has the ability to create citizen-led constitutional amendment petitions? Arkansas is just one of nineteen states that provide for citizen…
    Sam Watson
    Love0
    Power and Control
    August 3, 2024

    Arkansans Need Clear Reporting on Abortion

    In the continuing dustup over the Arkansas Abortion Amendment, one thing has stood out to us.  It’s really easy to create a “technically correct but misleading” headline, and it gets…
    Sam Watson
    Love0
    It’s time to rebuild a government of AR people, by AR people and FOR AR PEOPLE.

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