KASU's Morning Edition

Janet Lee with the NPR Education team discusses the NPR Student Podcast Challenge and how classrooms in Arkansas can participate.

Ahead of the midterm election, research from The Sentencing Project found 4.6 million people, or one in every 50 adults, won't be able to vote in the 2022 midterms due to a felony conviction. In Arkansas, the report says over 81,000 people are affected.

Drought, high fuel prices and shipping disruptions along the Mississippi River are all leading to economic woes for Arkansas farmers.

The odds of success are low for the Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association (ACIA) to get legislation approved in the 2023 Arkansas General Assembly that would expunge records and/or alter jail sentences for those with marijuana convictions.

The Life360 HOMEs program will create new hospital-based support addressing maternal health, youth poverty, drug abuse and mental illness in rural communities.

Representatives of industry trade groups suggested legalizing marijuana would worsen problems for workforce recruitment and safety.

Representatives for and against proposals on the Nov. ballot to reduce property tax income for the Craighead County-Jonesboro Public Library debated at the NEA Political Animals club meeting. The debate was also presented by content partners KAIT-TV.

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock., said the current inflationary climate was caused by Federal Reserve actions and federal spending, while his Democratic opponent, Dr. Quintessa Hathaway, said corporations are price gouging.

U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., said he didn’t vote for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act because Democrats added $300 billion in spending before it reached the floor, while his opponent, Democrat Natalie James, faulted him for voting against it.

The three candidates seeking to become Arkansas' next chief executive made their pitch to voters Friday.