Today’s episode covers the biggest stories happening across Arkansas — no spin, just facts you won’t hear anywhere else:

🚔 A massage parlor in Hot Springs raided in a human trafficking sting — part of what the AG calls “gray zone warfare”
🛒 16 people arrested in a retail theft sweep tied to big-box stores across Jonesboro
🌫️ Wildfire smoke from Canada brings breathing warnings and hazy skies to Central Arkansas
🍔 The Big Daddy Burger from Melbourne wins Arkansas’ Best Burger
⚖️ The state’s lawsuit against TikTok moves forward — what the Supreme Court just ruled
🎤 A Fort Smith free speech lawsuit is dismissed in federal court
🗳️ A ballot amendment is blocked
🧑‍💼 Steven Person enters the race for House District 77
⚾ UALR’s postseason run ends in Baton Rouge after a hard-fought game against LSU
👍 Subscribe and hit the bell for daily briefings with no fluff, no filter, and no political games

#arpx #arkansasnews #freearkansas #tiktoklawsuit #humantrafficking #wildfiresmoke #bestburger #UALR

Omaha dreams, political shakeups, and a manhunt still underway — here’s what’s happening across the Natural State.In today’s episode of Free News Arkansas, we break down:

⚾️ UALR’s Cinderella run: Two big wins in one day, including an upset over LSU
🐗 Razorbacks roll through the regional with home run power and a dominant Gage Wood
🗳️ Two new challengers take aim at Rep. Steve Womack and Rep. French Hill
🚨 Eight days and counting — convicted murderer Grant Hardin still on the run
🧪 Tontitown landfill: New round of air testing complete, results still pending
🌽 Corn crop update: 98% planted, but spring storms and rising fertilizer costs took a toll
🎣 Free Fishing Weekend kicks off Friday — no license needed, just grab a pole

No spin, no fluff — just what you need to know in under 10 minutes.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for daily updates.

📍 Find more at https://FreeArkansas.com
📱 Follow us on X: @FreeNewsAR

#ArkansasNews #UALRBaseball #Razorbacks #GrantHardin #ArkansasPolitics #FreeFishingWeekend #Tontitown #FreeNewsArkansas #ArkansasDailyBriefing

In this episode of Free Arkansas, host Andy McNeill sits down with Troy Wells, President & CEO of Baptist Health, for a wide-ranging conversation on the challenges and innovations shaping Arkansas’s largest healthcare provider.

With 11,000 employees and 12 hospitals, Baptist Health plays a massive role in the state’s economy — and in the daily lives of thousands of Arkansans. But as Troy explains, leading a nonprofit hospital system in the lowest-reimbursed state in the nation comes with serious hurdles.

That’s right: Arkansas ranks dead last in both Medicare and commercial insurance reimbursement rates — meaning hospitals here get paid less than anywhere else in the country for the same procedures. And the impact of that reality ripples across every part of the system.

Andy and Troy dig into:

• 💰 Why Arkansas hospitals get paid less — and what that means for care

• 📉 The double burden of underfunding and high chronic disease rates

• 🏥 The quiet crisis of rural healthcare access

• 🧑‍⚕️ Why Baptist employs most of its doctors — and what that says about national competition

• 🧪 The promise (and pressure) of AI, boutique medicine, and longevity clinics

• 🧾 Medicaid cuts, misinformation, and the economics no one wants to touch

• 🛠️ What Troy would fix first if he could wave a magic wand

This is a candid look at the economics, politics, and public trust behind one of the state’s most essential services — and what it will take to fix a system that’s stretched to its limit.

🔗 Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about Arkansas' future — from healthcare to education, infrastructure to innovation.

In today’s episode of Free News Arkansas – Daily Briefing (May 30, 2025), we’re covering the biggest stories shaping the Natural State:

🛑 $57 million approved for designing a new mega-prison in Franklin County — but lawmakers haven’t even funded the prison yet. What’s going on behind the scenes?

💊 Prescription drug giants CVS and Express Scripts are suing Arkansas over a new law banning PBMs from owning pharmacies. Is this about patient access — or protecting profits?

📉 The state dissolves the Blytheville School Board, citing financial chaos and academic failure. What comes next for the struggling district?

🔵 Democrats rally in Little Rock, promising to rebuild the party even in deep-red Arkansas. Can they flip the 2nd District?

🎸 Plus: your Arkansas weekend roundup — Vince Gill, Wiz Khalifa, rodeos, BBQ, blues festivals, and the Razorbacks take the field.

👉 Subscribe for daily updates and real Arkansas news — without the fluff or the spin.

🎙 Hosted by Free News Arkansas

#ArkansasNews #ArkansasPolitics #FreeNewsArkansas #PBM #ArkansasPrison #Blytheville #VinceGill #WizKhalifa #NCAARegionals #ARKansas

Welcome back to your trusted Arkansas news roundup — no spin, no fluff, just the headlines that matter across the Natural State.

In today’s episode:

🩺 Medicaid Mess — Over 145,000 Arkansans on Medicaid don’t have a primary care doctor. Lawmakers are pushing for urgent care access and system reforms.

🌾 Foreign Land Ownership Crackdown — A Chinese-owned ag facility in Craighead County has been sold after Arkansas enforced its new foreign land ban.

⚖️ Jeremy Hutchinson Pardoned — The former state senator convicted in the Preferred Family Healthcare bribery scandal is coming home after a full presidential pardon.

🧪 Lithium Royalty Approved — After months of tense debate, the Oil and Gas Commission sets a 2.5% royalty for Standard Lithium’s $1.5 billion project in southern Arkansas.

🗳️ New Candidate in House District 97 — Former judge Jim Andrews jumps into the race to succeed outgoing House Speaker Matthew Shepherd.

🚨 Manhunt in Calico Rock — Authorities are still searching for escaped murderer and former police chief Grant Hardin, missing since Sunday.

🔔 Subscribe to stay informed with the latest Arkansas headlines — and share to help others stay in the know.

#ArkansasNews #FreeNewsArkansas #Lithium #Medicaid #JeremyHutchinson #ArkansasPolitics #StandardLithium #CalicoRockEscape

In this episode of Free Arkansas, host Andy McNeill sits down with Chris Martinovich, founder of Ozark United — a startup professional soccer club working to bring USL Championship-level play to Northwest Arkansas.From economic impact to community pride, Chris lays out his vision for what a soccer team (and entertainment district around it) could mean for the region — and how it’s already attracting national attention and private investment.Along the way, Andy and Chris talk about:⚽️ Why pro soccer makes sense for Arkansas — and why now🏗️ Building a stadium + entertainment district from the ground up💸 The business model of USL vs. Major League Soccer🍻 Plans for pubs, shops, housing, and game-day buzz🧠 The startup grind, investor stories, and “lucky breaks”📆 When Ozark United could take the field (and how close they really are)Whether you're a soccer die-hard or just curious about bold, local ventures, this conversation is a deep dive into what it takes to launch a pro sports franchise in a growing region — and what it could mean for the future of Arkansas.🔗 Learn more: https://ozarkutd.com

Today’s episode dives into some of the biggest stories unfolding across the Natural State:🔋 Lithium Royalty Showdown in Magnolia🧃 SNAP Junk Food Ban Still Pending🦃 Game & Fish Restores Veteran Hunt + Eyes Big Changes🗳️ 2026 Campaigns Begin⚾ Razorbacks Host Regional🌩️ Remembering Ed Buckner📍Stay informed with Free News Arkansas — no fluff, no spin, just what matters.🎧 Subscribe for more daily briefings, political updates, and policy breakdowns.#ArkansasNews #Lithium #SNAP #ArkansasPolitics #Razorbacks #GameAndFish #EdBuckner #FreeNewsArkansas

Today’s headlines spotlight Arkansas stories that matter — from prison security to dispensary regulations and more.

✈️ Proposed federal budget changes could impact flights at four small Arkansas airports
🌿 State considers new rules for relocating medical marijuana dispensaries
🚨 A convicted murderer escapes from an Arkansas prison — and he's still on the run
👨‍💻 Former school tech director faces child porn charges in federal court
🗳️ Michael Mason announces bid for Arkansas House District 79
🎥 Documentary crew teams up with locals to oppose planned Charleston prison
💸 Lawmakers delay a $1M contract aimed at helping state employees access student loan forgiveness

🎙️ No fluff. No spin. Just the facts that affect Arkansas communities.
Subscribe to Free News Arkansas for daily updates.

#ArkansasNews #RuralAirports #MedicalMarijuana #PrisonEscape #StudentLoans #ArkansasPolitics #FreeNewsArkansas

Straightforward Arkansas news. No spin. Just facts.

In today’s episode:

• 💰 Revenue Forecast Drops – Arkansas lowers its surplus projections, but Finance Secretary Jim Hudson says agriculture could thrive with the right trade deals. Plus, where things stand on a potential tax cut special session.

• 📜 FOIA Lawsuit Back On – The Arkansas Supreme Court revives AG Tim Griffin’s open government lawsuit against the Board of Corrections.

• 📚 Library Law Fallout – Crawford County and the state are on the hook for $441,000 in legal fees after losing a First Amendment case over Act 372.

• 🗳️ Election Sanctions – A mystery county’s entire election commission is decertified. Plus, Pulaski and Izard counties face additional scrutiny.

• ⚖️ Monument Trial Begins – A new case over the 2020 removal of a Confederate statue in Little Rock could set precedent statewide.

• 🌬️ Carroll County Energy Ban – A 5-year moratorium on new wind and solar projects takes effect near Green Forest.

🧠 No fluff, no punditry — just what’s going on in Arkansas and why it matters.

👉 Like what you hear? Subscribe, leave a comment, and share to help us grow Free News Arkansas.

#ArkansasNews #DailyBriefing #FreeNewsArkansas #ARLeg #ArkansasPolitics #FOIA #LibraryLawsuit #ElectionIntegrity #WindPower #ConfederateMonument

🎙️ May 21, 2025 — Arkansas News Roundup
Door-kicking judges, tornadoes with no warning, and a rapper behind bars in Pope County. We’ve got all that — plus Medicaid debates, turkey season highs, and who's running for Congress in 2026.

This is your no-spin, no-fluff Arkansas news update — direct from the ground, not the media echo chamber.