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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

AR: Poverty Issues

More than 2,900 students who have earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas are currently employed, with an average salary of more than $90,000. (Gift Culture Media/KOTO)<br />
University of Arkansas tackles affordable housing crisis with prototype home

By Matthew Moore for KUAF-FM.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Arkansas News Service reporting for the KUAF/Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation-Publ…

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In Arkansas, an estimated 467,550 people do not always have enough nutritious food for regular meals. Almost 135,000 of them are children. (Allistair F/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)
Arkansas expands summer food access to combat childhood hunger

Arkansas wants to tackle childhood hunger this summer, by opting into a summer food program for kids. One in five children in the Natural State …

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Prior to the start of this 2024 open enrollment period, about 1.5 million more people enrolled in marketplace coverage nationwide from March to Sept. 2023, compared to the same period in 2022.<br />(STOATPHOTO/Adobe Stock)
Arkansans still have time to sign up before ACA enrollment deadline

In Arkansas and across the nation, open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act ends on December 15 at midnight. The …

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Food insecurity was higher than the national average in Arkansas and six other states and lower than the national average in 17 states, according to the latest USDA report. (Syda Productions/AdobeStock)
Report: Arkansas leads nation in food insecurity; urgent action urged

The number of families in Arkansas and across the nation that are struggling to put food on the table rose dramatically last year, according to the …

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A person who is blind or has a qualifying disability who applies for SSI may get special services to help them work. These services may include counseling, job training, and help in finding work.<br />(Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)
SSA Expands Outreach for SSI Benefits to Rural Communities

The Social Security Administration has taken a proactive step to bridge the gap between critical financial assistance and the people who may be eligib…

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The Kids Count Data Book reports in 2020-21, 15% of children from birth to age 5 in Arkansas lived in families in which someone quit, changed, or refused a job because of problems finding or affording child care. (ShunTerra/Adobe Stock)
Report: Arkansas Ranks 43rd in Child Well-Being

A new report found Arkansas consistently ranks toward the lowest 10 states for child well-being. The annual Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

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Arkansas is one of nine states with levels of food insecurity above the national average from 2019-2021, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. (disha1980/Adobe Stock)
AR Changes SNAP Requirements to Ease Hunger, Temporarily

People may still be able to qualify for SNAP food benefits if they have up to $5,500 in assets, under a bill passed by the Arkansas Legislature…

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According to Feeding America, one in seven people in Arkansas faces hunger. Local food banks are always in need of volunteers to help. (Adobe Stock)
Arkansans Encouraged to Roll Up Their Sleeves and Volunteer

National Volunteer Month, and AARP Arkansas is encouraging people to dedicate a little more time and energy to the communities and causes important …

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In Arkansas, more than 400,000 people face hunger, and 138,410 are children, according to Feeding America. (Oksana Kuzmina/AdobeStock)
March is 'School Breakfast Month' in Arkansas

Better health and educational outcomes are being touted as Arkansans recognize March as School Breakfast Month. Research has proven providing …

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A new study from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families notes continuous coverage protection nearly eliminated churn, protecting children from gaps in health coverage. <br />(Robert Kneschke/AdobeStock)
Arkansas Children's Uninsured Rate Could Rise if Health Emergency Ends

A pandemic-era law to help keep children and families continuously covered is set to expire this spring, and advocates are worried the state's …

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The most recent Arkansas Food Desert Working Group report found the state has
Grocery Chain Mega-Merger Could Affect Rural Arkansas

The proposed merger between the grocery chains Albertsons and Kroger has antitrust laws in the spotlight, as the supermarket companies are already …

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The Sales and Use tax in the Natural State has stayed the same, at 6.5%, since 2013, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. (Zimmytws/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />
Analysis: The Longer-Term Effects of AR's Lower Tax Rates

Arkansans will owe the state fewer tax dollars this year, due to tax cuts that have just gone into effect. The General Assembly met for some special …

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