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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

AR: Rural/Farming

Since the most recent avian influenza outbreak began, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates almost 82 million birds have been affected in 47 states. (Anton Dios/Adobe Stock)
Avian flu outbreak highlights need for improved wildlife disease tracking

In the wake of the latest, highly contagious bird flu outbreak in Arkansas and across the country, Congress is considering a bill to improve the …

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One of every five households in Arkansas is considered food insecure, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)
Nutrition Program Would Expand Access to Healthy Foods in Rural Arkansas

September is Hunger Action Month, and an advocacy group is working to get legislation expanded to provide more healthy foods to people in rural …

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The National Audubon Society report states that if meaningful action is taken now to stabilize the <br />climate, 76% of climate-vulnerable bird species will experience less range loss. (Kevin/AdobeStock)
Report: Audubon Call to Action for Renewable Energy, Bird Protection

A new report highlights the need for more electric transmission, while showing how it can be implemented without hurting our feathered friends…

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Arkansas is a major exporter of rice, soybeans, cotton, poultry and feed grains. Of the 49,346 farms statewide, 97% are family-owned. (Branex/AdobeStock)
Bill Aims to Foster Farmer-led Education Networks in Arkansas

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Arkansas and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing numb…

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An American Hospital Association report revealed net losses in 2022 for some of the nation's largest nonprofit health systems were well above $1 billion, and in some cases, approached $2 billion. (AntonioDiaz/Adobe Stock)
Report: Hospitals Face Mounting Financial Pressures

The mounting financial pressures hospitals in Arkansas are facing are part of a national trend affecting people's access to care, according to a …

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In the next few decades, hotter summers are likely to reduce corn and rice yields in Arkansas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)
Solutions for Climate Change in Arkansas? Join the Discussion

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas is seeing the effects of climate change, from extreme weather events to less water in aquifers used by farms due to …

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There are an estimated 42,000 farms in Arkansas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)
USDA Audit Can Help Small AR Farms Expand to Wholesale

SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- New efforts are underway to help small-scale farms in Arkansas expand their business. The Food Conservancy, a northwest Arkansas …

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Arkansas farmers produce more than 9 billion pounds of rice each year. (Adobe Stock)
UArk Studies Profit Potential of Farming Organic Rice

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas produces more rice than any other state, and a new grant will help farmers explore ways to transition the industry to …

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More than 300 meatpacking and processing workers in the United States have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. (Adobe Stock)
One Year Later, Many Poultry Workers Haven’t Seen COVID Protections

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Workers say Tyson Foods and other poultry-processing plants haven't done enough to prevent Arkansas workers from getting sick as …

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In just four years of use, dicamba has damaged at least five million acres of soybeans, decimated fruit orchards and vegetable farms, and damaged trees, backyard gardens and natural areas throughout much of rural America. (Adobe Stock)
Public Interest Groups Sue EPA for Reapproving Controversial Herbicide

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Public-interest groups are suing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the agency's re-approval of products containing …

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Pigweed siphons nutrients and sunlight away from soybean crops, and is resistant to most herbicides. (Adobe Stock)
Battle Over Herbicide Dicamba Continues in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- An Arkansas farmer says he suspects retaliation for speaking out against use of the herbicide dicamba. Dicamba is used to kill …

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Last year, China bought nearly 264,000 tons of soybeans from farmers in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)
Report: US-China Trade Deficit Cost AR More than 24,000 Jobs

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas lost more than 24,000 jobs between 2001 and 2018 because of the ongoing trade deficit with China, according to a new …

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