Public Policy Tipoffs Involving Arkansas
25 Educators Selected for Arkansas and Mississippi's First Joint Policy Fellowship
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 12 [Category: Education] -- Teach Plus, an organization that empowers teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that affect their students' success, posted the following news release:
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25 Educators Selected for Arkansas and Mississippi's First Joint Policy Fellowship
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#The 2026-27 Teach Plus Policy Fellows Will Target Chronic Absenteeism and Advocate for Connected Data Systems to Drive College and Career Readiness
QUICK FACTS
Who: 25
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Arkansas' College of Veterinary Medicine Opens its Doors at A-State
JONESBORO, Arkansas, Aug. 11 -- Arkansas State University posted the following news:
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Arkansas' College of Veterinary Medicine Opens its Doors at A-State
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JONESBORO - A historic moment for the state was witnessed today at Arkansas State University when the doors officially opened on Arkansas' College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
"The future of veterinary medicine will be shaped by the students who study here, the faculty who teach here, and the research that emerges from this colleg
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Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti Urges Congress to Strengthen Federal Protections Against ATM Crime
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 12 -- Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued the following news:
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Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti Urges Congress to Strengthen Federal Protections Against ATM Crime
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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a 15-state coalition urging Congress to pass the Safe Access to Cash Act (S. 3798/H.R. 1631), legislation that would strengthen efforts to prosecute the organized criminal networks responsible for a growing number of ATM robb
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Celebrating 40 Years of the Community Development Institute
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 12 [Category: BizEnergy] -- Entergy posted the following news release:
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Celebrating 40 Years of the Community Development Institute
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Reflecting on CDI's impact, partnerships, and Entergy Arkansas's role
in building vibrant communities
The Community Development Institute recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of transformative impact on communities nationwide. Founded in Conway at the University of Central Arkansas, CDI originated
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Chairman Cassidy, Ranking Member Sanders Holds Former Steward CEO Accountable for Hurting Louisiana Families'
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 -- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following news:
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Chairman Cassidy, Ranking Member Sanders Holds Former Steward CEO Accountable for Hurting Louisiana Families'
U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the HELP Committee, requested information from Attorney
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Children's HealthWatch Warns Medicaid Work Requirements Threaten Parental Coverage And Child Health
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 -- In response to a federal agency request for information, the following public comment letter was submitted electronically to the regulations.gov site.
801 Albany Street
2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02119
Phone: 617.414.6366
Fax: 617.414.7915
www.childrenshealthwatch.org
July 30, 2026
Submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov
The Honorable Mehmet Oz, MD
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Atte
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Florida SouthWestern Names Matt Creamer Head Women's Basketball Coach
FORT MYERS, Florida, Aug. 13 -- Florida SouthWestern State College issued the following news:
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Florida SouthWestern Names Matt Creamer Head Women's Basketball Coach
Florida SouthWestern State College has named veteran collegiate coach Matt Creamer as the new head coach of the Buccaneers women's basketball program.
Creamer brings more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience to Fort Myers, including successful stops at Northwest Florida State College, South Plains College, Chipola
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Giffords Opposes ATF Proposed Rule on Biological Sex Designation Citing Risks to Firearm Background Checks and Transgender Rights
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 -- In response to a federal agency request for information, the following public comment letter was submitted electronically to the regulations.gov site.
August 4, 2026
ATF Rulemaking Comments
Mail Stop 6N-518, Office of Regulatory Affairs
Enforcement Programs and Services
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
99 New York Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20226
ATTN: RIN 1140-AA64; Docket No. ATF-2026-0010; ATF No. 2025R-33P
INTRODUCTION
This comment is submi
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Giving Review: 1964 Civil Rights, '65 Voting Rights, and '69 Tax Reform Acts
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 -- The Giving Review, an independent platform featuring analysis of and commentary about philanthropy and giving, posted the following article on Aug. 12, 2026, by Michael E. Hartmann:
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The 1964 Civil Rights, '65 Voting Rights, and '69 Tax Reform Acts
Among the House members who cast ordinary yea-or-nay votes on all three bills, 72% voted for all three of them. Of the Senators who cast such votes on all three bills, 62% supported all three.
Opponents of policy reform
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Hendrix College President Karen Petersen's Appointment Extended to 2031
CONWAY, Arkansas, Aug. 13 -- Hendrix College issued the following news release:
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Hendrix College President Karen Petersen's appointment extended to 2031
The Hendrix College Board of Trustees Executive Committee unanimously approved a five-year contract to retain President Karen Petersen through May 31, 2031. Appointed by the Hendrix trustees in January 2023, Petersen has strengthened the College's competitive position, financial health, and integration of the liberal arts and career prep
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Identifying Minors Online Topic of CRS Report (Part 1 of 2)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R47884) on July 28, 2026, entitled "Identifying Minors Online" by Clare Y. Cho, industrial organization and business policy specialist:
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SUMMARY
Concerns about potential harms to minors on the internet, particularly on social media platforms, have grown in recent years. Dating to the 1990s, policymakers have enacted legislation seeking to protect minors online, some of which create requir
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Littler Issues Commentary: Pennsylvania Mandates Human Trafficking Awareness Training for Certain Hospitality Workers
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 12 -- Littler, a law firm, issued the following commentary on Aug. 11, 2026, by shareholder Andrea M. Kirshenbaum and associate Allison Gotthold:
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Pennsylvania Mandates Human Trafficking Awareness Training for Certain Hospitality Workers
Pennsylvania recently joined a growing number of states requiring anti-human-trafficking training by hospitality employers.
On July 20, 2026, Governor Josh Shapiro signed House Bill 1286, expanding Pennsylvania's anti-hu
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N.H. Banking Dept.: State Joins $15.5 Million Settlement With Mortgage Servicer: Company Wrongly Charged Customers for Force-Placed Insurance
CONCORD, New Hampshire, Aug. 13 -- The New Hampshire Banking Department issued the following news release:
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New Hampshire Joins $15.5 Million Settlement with Mortgage Servicer: Company Wrongly Charged Customers for Force-Placed Insurance
NewRez LLC to remediate more than $4.5 million to impacted borrowers and will pay an additional $11 million in penalties
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The New Hampshire Banking Department is among 48 state financial service agencies that have reached a $15.5 million settlement wi
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New Jersey Joins $15.5 Million Settlement with Mortgage Servicer
TRENTON, New Jersey, Aug. 13 -- The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance posted the following news release:
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New Jersey Joins $15.5 Million Settlement with Mortgage Servicer
Company Wrongly Charged Customers Force-Placed Insurance
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - New Jersey and 46 state financial agencies in 46 states have reached a $15.5 million settlement with one of the nation's largest mortgage servicers for improperly imposing "force-placed" insurance costs on borrowers who already
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New Natural History Museum at UA Little Rock will be Scientific Outreach to Community
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Aug. 11 -- The University of Arkansas Little Rock campus issued the following news:
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New Natural History Museum at UA Little Rock will be Scientific Outreach to Community
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The University of Arkansas at Little Rock's planned Museum of Natural History will feature "so many really amazing items from our collection, bring more people to campus, (and accomplish) scientific outreach" through its myriad displays, according to Dr. Sinead Ni Chadhain, associate professor
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Okla. A.G. Drummond Co-Leads 25-State Coalition Urging Supreme Court to Take Up Iowa Immigration Enforcement Case
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Aug. 13 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release:
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Drummond co-leads 25-state coalition urging Supreme Court to take up Iowa immigration enforcement case
Attorney General Gentner Drummond is co-leading a coalition in supporting Iowa's law criminalizing illegal entry into the state. Drummond and 24 attorneys general filed an amicus brief today in Bird v. Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear
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Oral Health Coalitions Urge CMS to Mitigate Medicaid Coverage Losses From Community Engagement Requirements
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 -- In response to a federal agency request for information, the following public comment letter was submitted electronically to the regulations.gov site.
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July 29, 2026
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Re: Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals, Interim Final Rule
File Code: CMS-2454-IFC
Dear Administrator Oz:
On behalf of the undersigned organizations, the American Network o
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Pittsburgh City Controller Opposes Medicaid Work Requirements Citing Harm to Vulnerable Residents
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 -- In response to a federal agency request for information, the following public comment letter was submitted electronically to the regulations.gov site.
CITY OF PITTSBURGH
OFFICE OF THE CITY CONTROLLER
Controller Rachael Heisler
414 GRANT STREET | CITY-COUNTY BUILDING, FIRST FLOOR | 412 255 2054
July 30, 2026
re: file code CMS-2454-IFC
To Whom it May Concern:
Sixty-one years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare and Medicaid Act, also known as the So
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State Financial Regulators Reach $15.5 Million Settlement with Mortgage Servicer: Company Wrongly Charged Customers Force-Placed Insurance
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 [Category: Financial Services] -- The Conference of State Bank Supervisors posted the following news release:
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State Financial Regulators Reach $15.5 Million Settlement with Mortgage Servicer: Company Wrongly Charged Customers Force-Placed Insurance
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Washington, D.C. - Forty-eight state financial agencies in 47 states have reached a $15.5 million settlement with one of the nation's largest mortgage servicers for improperly imposing "force-placed" insurance costs on
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The Bays Mountain Cut-Ups Come to Bluegrass Monday, Aug. 24
JONESBORO, Arkansas, Aug. 12 -- Arkansas State University posted the following news:
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The Bays Mountain Cut-Ups Come to Bluegrass Monday, Aug. 24
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JONESBORO - The Bays Mountain Cut-Ups will perform at the next KASU-FM Bluegrass Monday concert. The show will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24, at the Collins Theatre, 120 West Emerson St., Paragould.
Based in east Tennessee, this quartet is a fast-rising band that is quickly building a reputation for their energetic stage shows filled wit
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TMC Health Senior Urges CMS to Prevent Procedural Coverage Loss for Arizona Medicaid Beneficiaries
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 -- In response to a federal agency request for information, the following public comment letter was submitted electronically to the regulations.gov site.
July 30, 2026
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Attention: Medicaid Community Engagement Requirements
Submitted electronically
Dear Administrator:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on implementation of Medicaid community engagement requirements.
TMC Health ser
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University of Arkansas Researchers Look at 'Genetic Neighborhoods' to Find Pathogenic Bacteria
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, Aug. 13 (TNSjou) -- The University of Arkansas issued the following news:
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Arkansas Researchers Look at 'Genetic Neighborhoods' to Find Pathogenic Bacteria
When it comes to identifying harmful bacteria, it helps to look at the company their genes keep.
Researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the U of A Division of Agriculture, used a machine-learning approach to study not just which genes a bacterium has, but also where
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University of Arkansas: AECT Groups Attend Two Education Conferences, Claim Multiple Honors
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, Aug. 13 -- The University of Arkansas issued the following news:
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AECT Groups Attend Two Education Conferences, Claim Multiple Honors
Faculty members, students and former students from U of A's Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology attended two conferences this summer with several earning honors and awards.
Chris Estepp, professor of agricultural education; Don Johnson, University Professor of agricultural systems and coordinator of
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University of Arkansas: Education Reform Book Traces Arkansas' Education Evolution
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, Aug. 13 -- The University of Arkansas issued the following news:
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New Education Reform Book Traces Arkansas' Education Evolution
A new book from the College of Education and Health Professions' Department of Education Reform examines the evolution of Arkansas' educational landscape.
Coming in November and co-edited by Harry Patrinos and Kristen Scott, The State of Education in Arkansas draws on original empirical research, statewide longitudinal data and decades
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University of Arkansas: Hales Invest in Conway County Students Through Land of Opportunity Scholarship
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, Aug. 13 -- The University of Arkansas issued the following news:
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Hales Invest in Conway County Students Through Land of Opportunity Scholarship
Todd and Suzette Hale have committed $25,000 to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship, expanding access to higher education for Arkansas students with high financial need. Inspired by the opportunities that helped shape their own lives, the Hales hope their gift will ease the financial burdens of college and allow students
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University of Arkansas: Loftin Named to National Organization's Board of Directors
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, Aug. 13 -- The University of Arkansas issued the following news:
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Loftin Named to National Organization's Board of Directors
The National Association of College and University Business Officers announced Jamie Loftin will serve on its 2026-27 Board of Directors, a group of expert higher education leaders who will steer the association.
Loftin has worked at the U of A for nearly 19 years, starting as director of accounting for the Sam M. Walton College of Business
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University of Arkansas: National Institutes of Health Awards $11.2 Million to AIMRC
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, Aug. 13 -- The University of Arkansas issued the following news:
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National Institutes of Health Awards $11.2 Million to AIMRC
The National Institutes of Health awarded the Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center, or AIMRC, $11.2 million in Phase 2 funding. The funding rewards the successful completion of Phase 1 and is a strong validation of work done over the first five years of the center's existence at the U of A.
The AIMRC was created to deepen unders
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University of Arkansas: Urbanski Completes First Year of Community Development Institute
FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas, Aug. 13 -- The University of Arkansas issued the following news:
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Urbanski Completes First Year of Community Development Institute
U of A employee Keith Urbanski recently completed the first year of three years of the 40th annual Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas.
Urbanski works for the Professional and Workforce Development division of Global Campus as the workforce partnerships coordinator. He collaborates with employers acro
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ZERO Prostate Cancer Raises Concerns Over Coverage Loss for Prostate Cancer Patients
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 -- In response to a federal agency request for information, the following public comment letter was submitted electronically to the regulations.gov site.
July 28, 2026
The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
The Honorable Mehmet Oz
Administrator
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, M
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