Free Arkansas

Welcome to the first installment of ARKANSAWYERS, a premium interview show hosted by Edgar Award-winning Arkansas novelist Eli Cranor. Our mission is simple: Real stories. Real people. We are letting the individuals who live here rewrite our state’s narrative through independent thought, unscripted transparency, and open dialogue.In this episode, Eli sits down with Emmy-nominated Hollywood producer and Waldron, Arkansas native Jayme Lemons (Palm Royale, Enlightened). Jayme splits her time between Los Angeles and Fort Smith, giving her a unique vantage point on both worlds.Together, they tackle the economic reality of the Arkansas film industry. Why is our state legislature lagging behind neighbors like Georgia and Oklahoma when it comes to competitive film tax incentives? How does a movie production actively pour dollars into a small-town economy—and what are the potential downsides when Hollywood rolls into town?We also widen the lens past the movie business to discuss systemic fixes for the Natural State, find out who the most uncompromising "Arkansawyer" in Jayme's life is, and get her unvarnished, unfiltered prediction for the upcoming Razorback football season.Subscribe for monthly episodes featuring the prominent voices and quiet, foundational spirits of Arkansas.CONNECT WITH US:• Visit our flagship network for honest, open conversations: https://FreeArkansas.com• Learn more about Eli Cranor and his work: https://www.elicranor.com/Arkansawyers theme originally composed by Joshua Caleb Wilson.

🎙️ Arkansas State Senator Breanne Davis joins Andy McNeill for a wide-ranging conversation about public service, political division and the future of Arkansas.Davis shares the personal values that guide her family and political career, from her first school board campaign to her upcoming leadership role in the Arkansas Senate.🔹 Her path from school board member to state senator🔹 Raising four children while serving in public office🔹 Handling negative campaigns and political criticism🔹 Trust, truth and misinformation in politics🔹 Working across party lines without abandoning your beliefs🔹 Lila’s Law and protections for people with disabilities🔹 The Arkansas LEARNS Act, school choice and teacher merit pay🔹 The responsibilities of Senate leadership🔹 Income tax reductions, Medicaid and the next legislative session🔹 Artificial intelligence, privacy, data centers and economic growth▶️ Watch the full conversation for a candid discussion about leadership, policy and what it will take to move Arkansas forward.#FreeArkansas #BreanneDavis #ArkansasPolitics #ArkansasLegislature #Education #AndyMcNeill

In this episode of Free Arkansas, host Andy McNeill talks with Curtis Barnett, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, about how health insurance works, why medical costs continue to rise and what it will take to improve health care across the state.Curtis breaks down Arkansas’ roughly $30 billion health care system, explains where the money comes from and discusses the challenges facing patients, employers, insurers and medical providers. He also shares his journey from growing up in central Arkansas to leading the state’s largest health insurer.Topics include:• How health insurance works in Arkansas• Why health care costs continue to rise 📈• Employer plans, Medicare and Medicaid• Prescription drugs and high-cost treatments 💊• Arkansas’ chronic health challenges• Mental health and substance-use treatment• Rural hospitals and access to care#FreeArkansas #Arkansas #Healthcare #HealthInsurance #Leadership #ArkansasBlueCross #CurtisBarnett

In this episode of Free Arkansas, host Andy McNeill talks with Mike Preston, the CEO of CDI Contractors and former Arkansas Secretary of Commerce, about leadership, economic development and why Arkansas continues to be a place where big things can happen. Mike shares how he made Arkansas home, reflects on major economic development wins during his time in state government, and talks about his next chapter leading CDI Contractors, a Dillard’s-owned company known for major construction projects across the region. 🏗️Topics include:• Mike’s move from Florida to Arkansas• Arkansas’ economic development momentum 📈• Major wins in steel, defense and manufacturing• Changing perceptions of Arkansas• CDI Contractors and its next chapter• Construction trends, data centers and workforce challenges• Favorite Arkansas drives and places to visit 🌄#FreeArkansas #Arkansas #EconomicDevelopment #Leadership #Construction #CDIContractors #MikePreston

On this episode of Free Arkansas, Andy McNeill talks with Jay Brogdon, President and CEO of Simmons First National Corporation and Simmons Bank, about how banking helps shape growth, opportunity and capital formation across Arkansas.

Brogdon walks through the banking landscape in plain English, explains Simmons’ evolution from a Pine Bluff community bank into one of the larger regional banks in the country, and talks about the leadership, culture and technology needed to compete in a changing financial world.

In this episode:

• How community, regional and national banks differ
• Why Arkansas “punches above its weight” in banking
• Simmons Bank’s growth story and Arkansas roots
• Brogdon’s path from Deloitte and Stephens to Simmons
• Deposits, lending, risk and the business of banking
• Technology, AI and data inside modern banks
• How banks help drive jobs, growth and investment in Arkansas
• Why Brogdon is bullish on Simmons’ future

On this episode of Free Arkansas, Andy McNeill talks with Roby Brock, CEO of Natural State Media and longtime host of Talk Business & Politics, about Arkansas media, politics and the future of local news.

Brock reflects on how Arkansas politics has changed, why so much of it now feels nationalized and performative, and what he sees as the real challenges facing the state. He also talks about buying and rebuilding small-town newspapers — and why local journalism still matters in the age of Facebook rumors.

In this episode:

• How Roby Brock got started in politics and media
• The shift from Democratic dominance to Republican control in Arkansas
• Why politics has become more performative
• Tax cuts, economic competitiveness and state leadership
• Northwest Arkansas growth and business influence
• The future of Democrats in statewide races
• Why Brock is investing in small-town newspapers
• The importance of local news in rural Arkansas

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson joins Andy McNeill for a wide-ranging conversation about public service, leadership and where Arkansas, and the country, go from here.Hutchinson reflects on growing up on a farm near Gravette, the lessons he learned from his parents, his early career as the nation’s youngest U.S. attorney, and his work leading the DEA and helping build the Department of Homeland Security after 9/11.The conversation also turns to his eight years as Arkansas’ 46th governor, including job growth, tax cuts, education, highway funding, government transformation and his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.Andy and Gov. Hutchinson also dig into some of today’s biggest questions: artificial intelligence, data centers, privacy, the future of the Republican Party, national debt, political division, gerrymandering, Arkansas’ economic future and what it means to stand on principle in a changing political environment.Subscribe to Free Arkansas for conversations about the people, ideas and issues shaping Arkansas.

On this episode of Free Arkansas, Andy McNeill talks with Robin Wallis Atkinson, founder and CEO of Upkept, about what it takes to build a company at the intersection of fashion, repair, sustainability, labor and entrepreneurship.Robin shares how her background in art, community-building and nonprofit leadership led her to create Upkept, a company working to make clothing repair easier, more accessible and scalable. The conversation covers everything from America’s shrinking tailoring workforce to the growing problem of textile waste, and why repairing what we already own may be a practical and even radical answer to overconsumption.Andy and Robin also talk about what it really takes to launch a startup in Arkansas, the challenge of raising capital, how AI is helping Upkept automate the parts of the business that can be automated, and why skilled trade jobs may become even more valuable in the years ahead.🧵 How Upkept is making clothing repair easier♻️ Why textile waste is a growing landfill problem👖 The shortage of tailors and repair workers in the U.S.💼 What it takes to build and fund a startup in Arkansas🤖 How AI can support skilled trades without replacing them🚀 Robin’s vision for scaling Upkept into a national repair platformSubscribe to Free Arkansas for more conversations about business, innovation, policy and the people working to move Arkansas forward.

George Dunklin has spent decades at the center of duck hunting and conservation in Arkansas, from leading Ducks Unlimited to chairing the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to building Five Oaks into one of the most respected hunting lodges in the country. In this episode, he sits down with Andy to break down how the sport has evolved and what’s driving the changes hunters are seeing today.They get into everything from shifting habitat conditions and farming practices to access, pressure, and the role private landowners play in sustaining duck populations. It’s a grounded look at where duck hunting is right now, with practical insight from someone who’s been shaping it for years.In this episode:🦆 How duck hunting in Arkansas has changed over the decades🌾 The connection between farming, habitat, and bird movement🐕 What goes into developing a reliable hunting dog🌎 The role of private land in conservation efforts🍽️ Favorite ways to prepare duck after the hunt👉 Subscribe to Free Arkansas for more conversations on the people, ideas, and stories shaping our state.

Congressman French Hill joins Andy McNeill for a wide-ranging conversation that connects Washington policy to real life in Arkansas, tracing his path from building a bank from scratch to shaping national financial policy and explaining how decisions in D.C. impact small businesses, homebuyers, and everyday families. They break down what the Financial Services Committee actually does and why regulatory costs play such a big role in borrowing, investing, and economic growth.The conversation also digs into housing affordability, inflation, federal debt, and global tensions. Hill shares his perspective on rising costs, why fewer companies are going public, what policymakers are trying to do about it, and how the U.S. is approaching challenges like Iran—all while addressing the long-term risks facing the American economy.🔑 What’s inside this episode:💼 Building a business and launching Delta Trust from the ground up🏛️ What the Financial Services Committee controls 📉 How regulation impacts borrowing, small business growth, and public companies🏠 Why housing affordability is getting worse and what could fix it🌍 U.S. policy on Iran and the role of force vs. diplomacy💰 The $37 trillion debt problem and what it means for the futureIf you care about where Arkansas fits into the national economy and how decisions in Washington affect your wallet, this is one to watch.👉 Subscribe for more conversations like this from Free Arkansas