State Capitol Week in Review from Senator Terry Rice
LITTLE ROCK – About 325,000 Arkansas children have qualified for Summer EBT, which provides them with $120 for food purchases during the months when they do not receive free or reduced priced meals at school.
Last summer 293,000 children qualified. The program was new and didn’t start until the middle of the summer. This year announcements were made before school let out for the summer, so more families were aware of the program.
The state Department of Human Services administers Summer EBT, which is one of three summer food programs funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The state Education Department helps by providing lists of eligible children. Also, non-profits like the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance are helping families enroll their children.
Children are eligible if their family’s household income meets the criteria for school lunch and breakfast programs, or if the household qualifies for food stamps or welfare benefits. Officials are encouraging people to apply, even if they have questions about whether or not they qualify.
Children qualify if at any time during the past school year they attended a Head Start or Early Head Start school.
An EBT card will be sent to every child in the family who qualifies. If you have three children, you’ll receive three separate cards in three separate envelopes. There is a telephone number to call to activate the card. You’ll need to enter your child’s birthday and Social Security number and you’ll be asked to set a four-digit PIN number.
Benefits expire 122 days after they become available. If your child still has a card from last summer, it will be reloaded. The deadline for applications is August 25.
To access the DHS web site, go to ar.gov/SummerEBT
If you received benefits last year but lost your children’s cards you can call (800) 997-9999 to request a replacement. To ask general questions about Summer EBT, call 1-833-316-2421.
About 64 percent of Arkansas children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school. The Summer EBT program is part of a broader effort to eliminate hunger in Arkansas. Earlier this year the governor made it a priority and the legislature approved Act 123 to provide a free breakfast to every student, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
The state will pay $14.7 million to reimburse the cost of an estimated 7.7 million free breakfasts.
Both the Summer EBT and the free breakfast programs are being paid for with revenue from a tax on medical marijuana.
The state also provides free lunches and breakfasts to students who qualify for reduced-price meals, making them totally free of charge. Under Act 656 of 2023, families no longer have to make copayments for reduced-price meals, which averaged 40 cents for lunch and 30 cents for breakfast. Eliminating the copay cost the state about $6 million.
The governor, legislators and state education officials emphasize the importance of breakfast and lunch not only for their nutritional benefits, but also for academic benefits. Students do better in the classroom when they are not hungry.
COSL announces regional tax auction: Scott and Sebastian Counties
LITTLE ROCK, Ark – Commissioner of State Lands Tommy Land announced the upcoming auction of tax-delinquent parcels located in Scott and Sebastian Counties on July 23.
The regional auction begins at 10 a.m. and will be held at the Fort Smith Convention Center, 55 S. 7th Street. Registration begins at 9 a.m.
“Regional auctions have been a popular and efficient adaptation,” Commissioner of State Lands Tommy Land said. “Bidders can be at the sales for multiple counties at a single event.”
Auctions are conducted alphabetically by county. Prospective bidders can find the Public Auction Catalog on the Commissioner’s website at www.cosl.org. The catalog includes auction date, time and locations and a complete listing of parcels offered. Bidders should review the buyer’s guide and statutes governing sales before coming to auctions.
The website also includes a video tutorial demonstrating how to research information about each parcel available for sale.
“We are also reminding property owners that since 2023, the redemption period for tax-delinquent parcels has ended at 4 p.m. on the last business day before the sale date,” Land said. “We must receive the petition to redeem and the payment by that time.”
Parcels sold at auction cannot be redeemed. “Auction sales are final,” he said.
Bidders must register for the auction before placing a bid and must have a federal or state ID from within the United States. Purchases must be paid in full at the auction site; bidders may pay with a business or personal check, or a credit or debit card. Cash is not accepted for purchase of tax-delinquent parcels.
Bidding begins at the amount of taxes, penalties and interest owed on a parcel. The 2024 taxes are not included in the bid, since they are not yet delinquent. The winning bidder must pay those taxes to the county tax collector by Oct. 15.
“Property taxes help fund schools, roads, libraries and public services including ambulances,” Land said. “Everyone benefits from paying those taxes. Property owner can avoid penalties and interest on delinquent taxes by paying before the Oct. 15 deadline each year.”
Properties that do not sell at auction will appear on the COSL’s post-auction sales list 30 days after the auction date. From there, they can be purchased through an online auction system. Another instructional video on the COSL website demonstrates that process to bidders.
Owners of delinquent parcels may redeem those delinquent taxes online at www.cosl.org using a credit or debit card. Those who prefer to pay by check or money order can print a Petition to Redeem from the website or call the office at 501-324-9422 to request the petition, which must accompany their payment.
Owners seeking to redeem a delinquent parcel within 30 days before an auction must use certified funds or may redeem with cash in our office at 7003 Valley Ranch Drive, off Highway 10 in west Little Rock. Cash is only accepted for redemption, and only for in-person payments at 7003 Valley Ranch Drive.
COSL Announces Regional Tax Auction: Logan, Franklin and Crawford Counties
LITTLE ROCK, Ark – Commissioner of State Lands Tommy Land announced the upcoming auction of tax-delinquent parcels located in Logan, Franklin and Crawford Counties on July 24.
The regional auction begins at 10 a.m. and will be held at Arkansas Tech University in Ozark, in Building 7, at 1700 Helberg Lane. Registration begins at 9 a.m.
“Regional auctions have been a popular and efficient adaptation,” Commissioner of State Lands Tommy Land said. “Bidders can be at the sales for multiple counties at a single event.”
Auctions are conducted alphabetically by county. Prospective bidders can find the Public Auction Catalog on the Commissioner’s website at www.cosl.org. The catalog includes auction date, time and locations and a complete listing of parcels offered. Bidders should review the buyer’s guide and statutes governing sales before coming to auctions.
The website also includes a video tutorial demonstrating how to research information about each parcel available for sale.
“We are also reminding property owners that since 2023, the redemption period for tax-delinquent parcels has ended at 4 p.m. on the last business day before the sale date,” Land said. “We must receive the petition to redeem and the payment by that time.”
Parcels sold at auction cannot be redeemed. “Auction sales are final,” he said.
Bidders must register for the auction before placing a bid and must have a federal or state ID from within the United States. Purchases must be paid in full at the auction site; bidders may pay with a business or personal check, or a credit or debit card. Cash is not accepted for purchase of tax-delinquent parcels.
Bidding begins at the amount of taxes, penalties and interest owed on a parcel. The 2024 taxes are not included in the bid, since they are not yet delinquent. The winning bidder must pay those taxes to the county tax collector by Oct. 15.
“Property taxes help fund schools, roads, libraries and public services including ambulances,” Land said. “Everyone benefits from paying those taxes. Property owner can avoid penalties and interest on delinquent taxes by paying before the Oct. 15 deadline each year.”
Properties that do not sell at auction will appear on the COSL’s post-auction sales list 30 days after the auction date. From there, they can be purchased through an online auction system. Another instructional video on the COSL website demonstrates that process to bidders.
Owners of delinquent parcels may redeem those delinquent taxes online at www.cosl.org using a credit or debit card. Those who prefer to pay by check or money order can print a Petition to Redeem from the website or call the office at 501-324-9422 to request the petition, which must accompany their payment.
Owners seeking to redeem a delinquent parcel within 30 days before an auction must use certified funds or may redeem with cash in our office at 7003 Valley Ranch Drive, off Highway 10 in west Little Rock. Cash is only accepted for redemption, and only for in-person payments at 7003 Valley Ranch Drive.
Timepiece: a Rural Fourth of July
By Dr. Curtis Varnell
The long Fourth of July weekend arrived and, like most of rural Arkansas, a myriad of outdoor experience awaited. Atypical of the larger towns where people gather at home swimming pools, BBQ, watch baseball games followed by choregraphed fireworks, country people celebrate in wildly differing ways. Days before the event arrives, individuals load ever possible outdoor vehicle, purchase enough food for an army, and obtain enough fireworks to light up a medium small town. Joined by people from across the U.S., they gather at state parks, recreation areas, or just camp out along rural streams preparing for a several days celebration.
Many of the local towns had firework displays, most often managed by the local fire department. Running every night from July 3-5, people have to choose the venue that best fits their time and taste. Nearby every-town of any size in Arkansas has some sort of celebration constructed around gigantic fireworks displays and patriotic themes. Greenwood, AR. always has one of the best all-day celebrations and features various genre or music, great food, and awesome fireworks. Staying closer to home, we began our celebration at Paris in Logan County on July 3. As darkness approached, the crowd swelled to thousands, probably equaling the population of the small town.
The American flag flew proudly from the extended arm of the fire rescue truck and billowed in the wind as the celebration began by the singing of the National Anthem. Kids ran back and forth, waving red, white, and blue light sticks. The fireworks lite the sky, the first phase of the long week-end celebration.
Nothing like a long ride through the national forest on a four-wheeler to celebrate life and freedom, and the holiday. Breezing along country trails, we saw a doe and fawn grazing near the stream. A lonely solitary wood duck flew overhead, honking to locate its mate. A smorgasbord of shades of green covered the mountain on our left as we traversed the narrow trail. Dark puddles of gooey brown water sporting floating green yuck and traces of previous travelers’ oil or gasoline covered portions of the trail. Normally avoided but feeling adventuresome, we splattered into pool after pool, scattering water and mud. The third such pool looked a little longer and deeper but, in country fashion, our bravery over-rode our intelligence and we hit it at full speed. That was for about the first fifty foot. The four-wheeler completely sank beneath the water as I exited off the side in nearly five-foot-deep water and muck. Fortunately, the vehicle bobbed back to the top still running. Thirty-minutes later, we had extracted the vehicle and ourselves from the mud. Our clothes will never be the same but my phone still worked and we were both still in one piece. Just another part of a country adventure.
Hamilton horse camp on Shoal Creek was packed. More than forty camping sites covered with tents and campers, primarily Hispanic’s from throughout the region. Those individuals know how to celebrate a holiday. Campfires gave off the delicious smell of cooking burgers and veggies, tables groaned from the weight of the food. Side-by-sides and four-wheelers zoomed past, carrying the kids down to the swimming area. Joining them, we waded over the slick rocks and splashed through the ice-cold water.
New Blaine is a small-town with a big heart. The residents work together to provide the amenities of a larger community. A small rural library, a large fire department, a skate park, and a basketball court are products of that work and the Fourth of July fireworks celebration is one the best and attracts thousands. Starting early, the town of less than a hundred hosts a breakfast, then music, and food trucks but the big draw is taking kids (and adults) for rides to Shoal Bay recreation area on the back of the large fire engine. Lights flash and sirens roar as the truck departs on a thirty-minute ride. The huge fireworks display afterward is absolutely awesome.
After cooking out, kayaking, and swimming at Cove Lake on Magazine Mountain on the fifth, we were just too tired to attend the Dublin fireworks display near Scranton. An awesome show, some of it over the waters of the Arkansas River, my neighbors will be telling me what I missed for the next two weeks. Country people, they know how to celebrate but now its time to recuperate and prepare for the next big outing.
Boating under the influence violations decreased during holiday weekend safety patrols
According to Sgt. Sydney Grant, Boating Law Administrator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, 118 Arkansas Game Wardens worked a heightened enforcement detail over the Independence Day Weekend to increase boating safety on one of the state’s busiest boating holidays. At the end of the weekend more than 2,474 hours of AGFC manpower was spent working to keep Arkansas waters safe.
“Game wardens visited 1,897 vessels for more than 6,700 boater contacts over the three-day weekend,” Grant said. “One hundred and forty citations were issued, which is less than 10 percent of the vessels contacted. Officers also issued 353 warnings during the operation.”
Grant said the number of arrests for Boating Under the Influence saw a healthy decline this year, dropping from 23 during Independence Day Weekend in 2024 to 10 last weekend.
“It’s nice to see that number drop, but our goal is really to get those arrests and tickets down to zero,” Grant said. “Until then, we can always improve on our efforts to keep boaters safe.”
Grant said six boating accidents did occur over the weekend, including two fatalities, both on Lake Ouachita. Both fatalities are still under investigation, but preliminary indications point to a troubling continuation of non life-jacket use.
“It’s a sad truth we deal with in boating enforcement,” Grant said. “The vast majority of fatalities recorded from boating accidents could have been avoided if the victim were wearing a properly fitted, functional life jacket at the time of the accident. Quite a few of the citations and warnings issued over the weekend also point to life jacket issues. If one of those tickets reminds people to wear a life jacket next time and saves a life, it’s worth every hour our officers spend on the water.”
