Debate continues in Arkansas over a designation of the White River as a National Blueway. Federal officials say it is a voluntary program that is locally led. A partnership of federal, state, and local governments will come together to help with White River improvements in several areas; such as habitat, agricultural, hydrologic, recreation and education outreach. Those who oppose the designation fear the federal government is overstepping its boundaries and could take land away from property owners. KASU's Johnathan Reaves has more in this report.
Johnathan Reaves is the faculty advisor and editor-in-chief for Delta Digital News Service and the former News Director for KASU Public Radio. As part of an Air Force Family, he moved to Arkansas from Minot, North Dakota in 1986. He was first bitten by the radio bug after he graduated from Gosnell High School in 1992. While working on his undergraduate degree, he worked at KOSE, a small 1,000 watt AM commercial station in Osceola, Arkansas. Upon graduation from Arkansas State University in 1996 with a degree in Radio-Television Broadcast News, he decided that he wanted to stay in radio news. He moved to Stuttgart, Arkansas and worked for East Arkansas Broadcasters as news director and was there for 16 years.