Today’s headlines from KASU News include major changes coming to Arkansas’s State Library Board, new state laws taking effect—including a ban on student cell phone use during the school day—and Jonesboro city leaders weighing new city contracts and the future of park safety. Additional stories cover legal rulings, healthcare changes, local crime updates, and education news across Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee.
00:00 – Intro
00:30 – State Library Board overhaul in Arkansas
Arkansas’s State Library Board faces major changes as a new law dissolves the current board and requires Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to appoint new members within 30 days. Recent board debates have focused on book restrictions and library regulations.
01:40 – New Arkansas laws take effect
A range of new state laws are now active, including the Bell to Bell No Cell Act, a ban on cell phone use by students during school, the approval of nitrogen gas executions, and a measure ending affirmative action in state and local government.
02:20 – Ten Commandments law blocked
A federal judge temporarily blocks Arkansas from enforcing a law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in all state-run buildings while legal challenges proceed.
02:46 – Medicaid waiver for psychiatric care
Arkansas receives federal approval to use Medicaid funds for short-term psychiatric hospital stays, a move aimed at expanding mental health care access for adults.
03:15 – Jonesboro council to vote on city projects and park ranger program
The Jonesboro City Council meets to consider contracts for a new 911 center, renovations to Winter Wonderland, and formalizes a park ranger program. The new rangers focus on safety, code enforcement, and community engagement across Jonesboro’s parks.
04:37 – Life sentence in Fordyce mass shooting
An Arkansas man receives four life sentences and over 200 years in prison after pleading guilty to a mass shooting at a Fordyce grocery store that left four dead and 11 injured in June 2024.
05:10 – Arrest in Tennessee killings
Authorities in Tennessee charge a 23-year-old woman with helping a man wanted in connection with the deaths of four people. The suspect remains at large, and two others face charges for aiding him.
05:47 – Tennessee execution with defibrillator raises questions
Tennessee prepares for an execution involving an inmate with a working defibrillator, raising ethical and medical concerns. The execution is the state’s second this year.
06:24 – Missouri senator advances stock trading ban
A proposal from Missouri Senator Josh Hawley to ban stock trading by top federal officials advances with bipartisan support, despite criticism from former President Trump.
06:52 – Missouri students and youth mental health
As Missouri students return to school, mental health professionals highlight the need to recognize stress and behavioral changes in children, urging parents to seek support early.
07:54 – NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at A-State welcomes new class
The NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at A-State holds its annual White Coat Ceremony, welcoming 124 new medical students. Scholarships are awarded for service in underserved communities, and the program continues to draw students from across the region.
