Liu is the first American woman to win an individual figure skating gold medal since Sarah Hughes in 2002. n.pr/3OhUjzv

Members of the previous State Library Board tried to withhold library funding because of "sexually explicit" content. It didn't work. The new board delayed library funding today, saying the rules about libraries' annual audits and uses of funds are unclear. arkansasadvocate.com/2026/02/13/a...

Likely-historic photo by NBC News of all the Epstein victims asked to raise their hands if they've not yet been asked to meet with the DOJ as Bondi testifies in foreground

Arkansas TV, formerly Arkansas PBS, wants to "march boldly forward with a business model that can work for the long term," CEO Carlton Wing said. In the short term, viewers all over the state are cancelling their donations and PBS Passport subscriptions. arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/26/a...

Another person in Minneapolis shot and killed by feds minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/24/a...

Tomorrow's front page of the Minnesota Star Tribune: Jan. 24, 2026

Thread on the incredible work being done, under extremely trying circumstances, by our colleagues at the @minnesotareformer.com.

Some folks worry that ICE’s use of Medicaid data will cause widespread fear among immigrant families, keeping them from seeking the health care that states have said they’re eligible to receive. My latest:

I spoke with the lead counsel on the brief Emily Suski signed that was submitted to SCOTUS, who told me that penalizing legal scholars for providing legal expertise to courts would be a loss for the justice system and society. Read more here: #arpx

Polls have closed in the HD70 and SD26 special primary elections in Arkansas. The Arkansas Advocate team will be watching for the results and posting updates on the races as votes finish tallying on our website. #arpx #arleg

Two answers: The Good Place for comedy, The Americans for drama

From @tessmvrbin.bsky.social: New and returning candidate square off in special Democratic primary for Arkansas House seat #arleg #arpx arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/05/n...

Great read from @tessmvrbin.bsky.social: Arkansas’ maternity ward shortage sometimes leads to births in ambulances, paramedics say arkansasadvocate.com/2025/12/29/a...

Touchdown HOWEVA

My first column with the @arkansasadvocate.com! Transparency requires more eyes keeping watch. That’s why the Arkansas Advocate is here. arkansasadvocate.com/2025/12/21/t...

Part 3 in our Overcrowded series! I spoke to a former state parole officer who said caseloads are too heavy for parole and probation officers to get a feel for what each formerly incarcerated individual needs to keep them from reoffending.

Arkansas incarcerates more of its population than any other democratic country in the world, research shows. And that was before a new law made it harder for people to get parole and probation. @ainsleyplatt.bsky.social tells the story in a new series from @arkansasadvocate.com

If we’ve succeeded in keeping you informed throughout the year on new state policies, please consider donating to our nonprofit this #GivingTuesday. Your gift will be doubled, up to $1,000, thanks to a matching grant from Skip Rutherford. Thank you for your continued support! buff.ly/9hC4cIe

Via @arkansasadvocate.com: Former President Barack Obama shared his thoughts Monday on democracy, civic engagement and understanding others during the inaugural conversation of Building Bridges, a new lecture series hosted by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

30+ national organizations have signed onto a letter expressing “profound concern” about the demand by Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett that libraries receiving state grants remove remove books that "promote gender ideology" tennesseelookout.com/2025/12/01/l... @tennesseelookout.com

Via @tessmvrbin.bsky.social: Arkansas lawmakers returned an amended contract between the state’s child welfare agency and a California-based company to the subcommittee that reviewed it after a state representative raised concerns about the its stance on health care for transgender youth. #arpx

The Arkansas Advocate has big news! Andrew DeMillo, a veteran reporter who has covered Arkansas politics and policy for 23 years, will take the reins from retiring founding editor Sonny Albarado next month. Read more here:

Correction: Adams is running against Justice Nicholas Bronni, also a Sanders appointee, not Justice Hiland. (Bronni and Hiland are running for each other's seats because as appointees, they can't defend their own seats.)

The last point in this story is worth highlighting: Supreme Court Justice Cody Hiland, a Sanders appointee, will run for election against John Adams, an attorney who represented the plaintiffs against the 2023 library "obscenity" law and got it enjoined. #arpx arkansasadvocate.com/2025/11/13/a...

Via @tessmvrbin.bsky.social: Elementary and middle school administrators in a Central Arkansas school district ordered faculty and staff to remove a book from library shelves in October after a parent complained it was “grooming” children by portraying LGBTQ+ characters. #arpx

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Rep. French Hill and U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, all Republicans, filed their paperwork with the Secretary of State to run for reelection. Democratic challengers of all three candidates also filed Monday. #arpx ✍️: @tessmvrbin.bsky.social, @ainsleyplatt.bsky.social

Here’s a teaser, a snippet of our pilot episode about the impact of Medicaid funding cuts. www.newsfromthestates.com/episode/excl... #FairFearlessFree #LocalJournalism

Rural Tennessee residents are going to be hit hard by SNAP freeze. In some rural counties, one out of every five residents relies on SNAP for food. tennesseelookout.com/2025/10/30/a... @friedmanadam5.bsky.social @tennesseelookout.com

Can't believe I gave up watching this game in the top of the 18th

From @tessmvrbin.bsky.social: The grant will bring “comprehensive, team-based care closer to home” in Ashley and Union counties, Dr. Nirvana Manning, the grant recipient and chair of the UAMS College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said in a Monday news release. #arpx

An internal memo shows NLRSD admin told staff they are "required to hide" dozens of titles with LGBTQ+ characters and themes. "Certain reading materials... may not align with the diverse belief systems of all our school district families," the memo states. arkansasadvocate.com/2025/10/23/n...

Hundreds of Arkansans marched down Capitol Avenue in downtown Little Rock Saturday morning in a joint effort to protest the Trump administration and to celebrate LGBTQ+ Arkansans. @tessmvrbin.bsky.social has a recap of the Pride and #NoKings rallies. #arpx arkansasadvocate.com/2025/10/18/h...

Some religious counterprotesters are playing live music on the Capitol steps. No violence between them and the #NoKings supporters gathered here. @arkansasadvocate.com

Teana Bailey of Perryville (50 min. from Little Rock) said she was raised Republican but protests the Trump administration because "right is right and wrong is wrong." #nokings @arkansasadvocate.com

Elizabeth Wiggins drove two and a half hours from El Dorado to Little Rock to protest with friends. Being here is important because Trump "wants us to be silent," Wiggins said. #NoKings @arkansasadvocate.com

Good morning from #NoKings in downtown Little Rock, which coincides with Central Arkansas #Pride. I'm here for @arkansasadvocate.com

Arkansas’ child care system needs additional funding to avoid widespread closures and layoffs due to changes to the state’s financial aid program for low-income families, providers told the state Early Childhood Commission during a Wednesday work session. ✍️: @tessmvrbin.bsky.social buff.ly/kPS6Zkv

My contribution to States Newsroom's coverage of the proposed federal ban on Medicaid reimbursements for Planned Parenthood: This has been the law in Arkansas for years, and while low-income people have some other affordable health care options, those options don't specialize in women's health.

Rural hospitals in need of financial stability can get more federal money if they cut inpatient beds. The Camden hospital is willing to do this even though they'd have to scale back labor and delivery services. Other hospitals decided the exchange isn't for them. arkansasadvocate.com/2025/10/06/t...

There's a possibility of two Arkansas legislative special elections before the regular ones next year: one to replace the late Sen. Gary Stubblefield (will definitely happen) and one if Rep. Carlton Wing takes over Arkansas PBS (not a done deal yet). #arpx arkansasadvocate.com/2025/09/17/a...

Via @tessmvrbin.bsky.social: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders officially declared state Senate District 26 a vacant seat in the Legislature yesterday, paving the way for a special election to succeed Sen. Gary Stubblefield, who died earlier this month. #arpx #arleg

Arkansas legislators reverse decision to withhold state funding for 40 municipalities that missed deadline to submit audits, despite concerns by some lawmakers that extending deadline in violation of state law was “dangerous uncharted territory.” @tessmvrbin.bsky.social reports

Via @tessmvrbin.bsky.social: Up to 40 Arkansas National Guard members will assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in apprehending migrants at risk of deportation under the federal Title 32 program, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Tuesday. #arpx

Charlie Kirk shot during event at Utah Valley University. @utahnewsdispatch.com story by @kmckellar.bsky.social:

Kansas recently signed a $44M deal with RedMane Technology to upgrade its child welfare information system. What does that have to do with Arkansas? RedMane had a similar contract here that ended after two years of the state's frustration over lack of progress. arkansasadvocate.com/2025/09/08/e...

Via @tessmvrbin.bsky.social: Arkansas public libraries will receive their usual allotments of state funding for the first quarter of the 2026 fiscal year, a Department of Education attorney told the new State Library Board during its first meeting Tuesday. #arpx

Teens calling Idaho's suicide hotline are being told they can't proceed with the conversation without parental consent. Many of the callers are then hanging up. Idaho approved a strict parental consent law last year. idahocapitalsun.com/2025/08/29/i...

From @sonnyalbarado.bsky.social and @grajeda.bsky.social: Sen. Gary Stubblefield, a Branch Republican who served a dozen years in the Arkansas Senate, died Tuesday at the age of 74. #arpx