Is history being made in south Arkansas?

By Steve Brawner, © 2025 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Ordinarily, a couple of Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission meetings probably would not merit a comment in this news outlet. But years from now, these two meetings might be part of history.

The latest occurred June 23 at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. The commission agreed with a request by Saltwerx to pay Lafayette and Miller County landowners a 2.5% royalty for the sale of lithium extracted from the Smackover Formation. 

The decision follows one in May when the commission agreed to the same royalty rate for Standard Lithium and Equinor to pay landowners in Columbia and Lafayette counties. Not everybody is happy, but the commission has made it clear that 2.5% is the rate. Continue reading →

Going to college while still in high school

Micah Bradley is on track to graduate the Hope Collegiate Academy with her associate’s degree.

By Steve Brawner, © 2025 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Micah Bradley played shortstop and third base for the Hope Bobcats softball team this past year as a sophomore. She wants to go to college and become a nurse anesthetist, and she’s getting a head start. Thanks to the Hope Collegiate Academy, she’ll graduate high school in two years with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree, for which her family will have paid nothing. 

Students at Hope can earn a two-year associate of arts degree by taking concurrent classes at the nearby University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana campus. They get their basic courses done and can be well on their way toward a four-year degree.

Since the academy’s founding in the 2018-19 school year, 89 Hope students have completed the program. This year, 14 graduated with their associate’s degree three days before they received their high school diploma.

Arkansas High School in Texarkana has a similar program. Students take classes at UAHT’s Texarkana campus. Started a year later, 54 students there have graduated with an associate’s degree. Eighteen did this year. Continue reading →

Blind attorney’s tips on remembering what you see

By Steve Brawner, © 2025 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

When school board members and administrators have a question about school law or board policy, they ask Lucas Harder, Arkansas School Boards Association staff attorney. He’s a legal expert, and he’s legally blind. 

Harder’s ability to cite chapter and verse of a particular statute or piece of legislation has made him a trusted source of information and an object of awe for ASBA conference attendees.

Harder, 37, was born blind in his right eye with limited vision in his left. He could read regular-sized print at four inches and said he wasn’t really hindered. 

Then at age 13, he suffered a total retinal detachment that left him blind for nine weeks. Doctors removed his lens, which left him farsighted and substantially more limited. A membrane formed where his lens had been. Doctors removed it, but it returned. He became totally blind his high school senior year in October 2005. 

Continue reading →

Looking for third party signers, again

By Steve Brawner, © 2025 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

It’s the monthly Third Thursday event in Benton, when the city closes off a section of the downtown around the courthouse for vendors and booths. Dr. Michael Pakko, chief economist and state economic forecaster at the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, is carrying a clipboard, again.

“Well, I’m collecting signatures for the Libertarian Party to become a new political party for the eighth time,” he explained.

The Libertarians are Arkansas’ largest third party. Pakko estimated it has about 150 dues-paying members. He is now in his sixth term as state party chairman. 

“Matter of fact, I think it was 10 years ago today that I was elected,” he said. Continue reading →

Arkansas’ credit can’t escape Uncle Sam’s ills

By Steve Brawner, © 2025 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Governments want good credit ratings just like individuals and businesses do. In that respect, the U.S. government is moving in the wrong direction, and Arkansas is moving in the right one – for now.

S&P Global Ratings recently raised its long-term rating on the state of Arkansas’ general obligation bonds to AA+. It’s the state’s highest rating since 1966 and the second highest on S&P’s scale after AAA.

Meanwhile, Moody’s Ratings kept the state at Aa1, also its second highest rating, and said its outlook was “stable,” meaning it doesn’t think things will change. On May 16, it wrote, “The Aa1 issuer rating reflects the state’s strong governance practices, high reserves and low leverage. The state’s proactive and conservative budget management has driven a material increase in reserve levels while lowering tax rates.”

Sounds good to me.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders touted the state’s ratings in a press release, saying they could attract potential investors. Department of Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson pointed to the $1 billion Arkansas Reserve Fund. 

The news was not so good at the national level. That’s where Moody’s downgraded the federal government’s credit rating from Aaa, the highest possible, to Aa1. Continue reading →